Saturday, December 21, 2013

My first assignment

After signing up for the yoga teacher training, I received an email with all the instructions and directions I will need to start off with.  My first class will be January 26th.  There will be an orientation, and then we will delve into the lessons.

I had to order a couple of books for the whole session.  One is required for the class, and the other is my choosing for a book review.  I chose Yoga: A Gem for Women by Geeta Iyengar.  It was suggested to me by a wonderful instructor at the studio I go to a few months back.  I have wanted to read it for some time, and this is the perfect opportunity.  My books should arrive by Christmas, so I will have a full month to get started with my readings.

Finally, before class actually starts, I have to memorize a sequence that they have given me.  Luckily, it is a sequence that they have used at the studio when I have attended class, so I should have a better time memorizing it.

I am so excited about all of this!

Love and light my friends,

Chess

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Taking the leap

It's official.  I put in my application and the deposit for the yoga teacher training course just now.  I'm excited and nervous about the whole thing.

I finally realized that the job I applied for was not going to come through right now.  I applied over a month ago and never received a phone call.  When I tried calling, I didn't get much help.  I figure that must mean I am meant to do this instead.

I have no idea what will happen in the future, but I am ready to take this path and see where it leads me.

Namaste my friends,

Chess

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

A yoga mat review

I received this mat for an honest review:

 The cost is just under $45 so I would expect it to be better than my other mats that I have bought from ROSS.  It is slightly thicker than other mats that I have tried. The cushion it provided was very nice, especially for my knees.  I really like that part of it.

However, I found that it was very slippery.  In Downward dog, my hands were sliding out.  In Warrior II, my back foot wanted to slide away from me.  To me, that is extremely unappealing.

Yes, I used this only two times, but I wanted to test it out in a heated room.  I have not had the opportunity to try using my mat towel, but I haven't really had to use it before when I have done any heated yoga.

A lot of other people gave extremely positive reviews.  Maybe it just doesn't work with my skin and oils.  I'm not sure.  All I know is I didn't like the instability I felt and I am glad that I actually did not spend that much money on the thing.

Namaste,

Chess

Thursday, November 14, 2013

A yogini living in a world full of jaded people

In a previous post I told you about my #dailygratitude tweets every night before I go to bed.  I feel like being grateful for what I do have is changing me.  I am less worried about keeping up with the rest of society, and I want to give back more.

Recently, I had a Pampered Chef party with friends and family.  Being a host, you get some free items.  There was only really one thing I went into this wanting, to make cooking a lot easier.  I found a couple items I liked, but decided to get some things for other people as well, since the holidays are coming up.  My consultant told me that for hosting a show in November, I would also get a free turkey.

At first, I thought that was pretty cool, and then I got to thinking.  I don't have what I need to bake a turkey, and it's just me and my husband.  My family and his family live here in town too, but I know his mom already has what she needs.  My mom liked the idea of me bringing the turkey, but again, I only have cookie sheets.  I don't have a roaster or anything.  So maybe I should pass it on to someone who might have a better holiday with a free turkey.  It's not a lot, but to someone who has less than I do, maybe it would mean more.

I discussed this with a few people who shall remain nameless, and I was met with a resounding "keep it."  Everyone I talked too said there are plenty of charities out there so I should keep it and feed my family.  At first I was really hurt.  "Am I not seeing the real picture here?"  Then I thought on it more and decided that I am seeing plenty clearly.  Without people like me, those charities would not exist.  I still want to do something nice.  So even if my mom is expecting me to provide the turkey (she doesn't know about me wanting to give it away) I can still get a turkey for my family, and give one to someone else.

I want to be some of the light in this dark world.  It's a tall order for many of us, but if I make someone's day better, then I am doing a good job.

So on that note, do any of you know of any local charities in Colorado Springs that could use something?  Not just for the holidays, but maybe even year round?  Maybe even national (I'm just not shipping a turkey)?  I saw that the local Panera will take donated turkeys during the 18th through the 25th at least.

Love and light,

Chess

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Things I learned form class this week: 11/12/13

Another list for you to peruse.  Maybe you will find some inspiration here.

1.  Practice, practice, practice.
2.  It will get easier.  I used to not really be able to do a plank.  Now I can do it for a number of seconds.  Side plank on the the other hand needs more work.
3.  Setting the intention to let things go is a good idea for practice.  I can't control everything, and I need to let go of that which does not serve me.
4.  I still need to work my hips more, but Pigeon is pretty fabulous for that.
5.  I am stronger than I think I am.  Doing Cresent Lunge and twisting is a great mental strength builder.  I think I can, I think I can, I know I can.
6.  Boat pose is still really hard for me.  I need to keep working on my lower abs.  Wheel of Karma, here I come!
7.  I am really glad I ordered a new mat.  My current one is starting to fall apart.  That's what you get for buying a cheap one.  Sometimes you get what you pay for.  It served me well though, for how much I used it.
8.  I still need to do reclined twists more.  It hurts so good!
9.  I should really take up a little bit of meditation.  That, I think, is my next step.
10. I am still very interested in becoming a yoga instructor.

Namaste my friends,

Chess

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Yoga Pants and Thighs

In a few of my previous posts I have mentioned what type of Yoga gear I tend to buy, and the fact that I have thick thighs that make some poses difficult for me.  Recently, the founder of Lululemon, Chip Wilson, mentioned in an interview that some women's thighs cause their product to pill.

I am of two minds on this.  I have thick thighs, and they do rub together when I walk, sit, move, etc.  I have experienced pilling in many of my pants.  My jeans wear thin there, even, and cause me to buy more sooner than I would like.  It is a natural by product, often, when fabric rubs together like that.

However, Chris Wilson really could have done a better job explaining that.  Instead of making it sound like it is our fault that we have thick legs, he could have explained it much like I did.  He could have even applauded the women who experience that for being active in his line of clothing.  But instead, he makes women like me feel inferior because we don't have a Thigh Gap.  See this related article on that.

Now a lot of women, and some men, are boycotting the brand, much like Abercrombie after the statement made about the type of clientele they want in their stores.  I never shopped at Lululemon to begin with, as their prices were expensive and I had already heard stories about larger women being shunned in their stores.  Now the company has another black mark against their name, and I am willing to continue supporting other companies when it comes to Yoga clothing.

Namaste,

Chess

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Things I learned from class this week: 11/05/13

This week, instead of a list of things I learned from class, I want to present poses I have a hard time with, and the reasons.

In the beginning of class, we always start in Child's pose.  I have a hard time with doing it like it's shown in the link I provided.  I have thick legs, so getting deep into this one is not possible unless I widen my knees out so I can get my torso between my legs.  This allows me to get my rear end a lot closer to my feet than if I try it with my legs under my torso.  This is a great modification if someone has larger legs or a larger belly, and can't get into the posture well.

Another one I find difficult is Eagle.  The arms are not difficult for me after an instructor taught me to raise my arms above my breasts, and then bring them together.  However, once again my legs get in the way and I cannot come close to wrapping one leg around the other.  I end up putting one leg in front of the other, to the point where my foot on my wrapped leg could be a kickstand.

Along the same lines, I have problems with Cow Face pose.  The arms are not the problem, but I can't get my knees to line up, like shown in the link.  My legs just get in the way with this one.  I do the best I can and pull them as close as I can.

I have a hard time with any bends.  Forward fold, either standing or seated, are rather painful for me.  Wide Legged Forward Bend is even worse. My calves are very tight, so I find these poses to be excruciating.  I still work on them, because I would love to not being in pain when these are utilized so often.  I even try to do the standing forward fold whenever I am drying my hair after my shower, just to stretch those muscles.

I still cannot do Upward Facing Dog.  I don't have the arm strength yet to do that one, so I do Baby Cobra instead (that one is about half way down on the page I linked).

What poses do you have a hard time with?

Love and light,
Chess



Thursday, October 31, 2013

Yoga gear- for women

*I want to place a small disclaimer here:  I am a woman, so everything I write comes from that perspective.  I do not claim to know the male perspective on anything.*


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Things I learned from class this week: 10/22/13

1.  Mercury in Retrograde can be a good thing.  Especially when you use it as a focus in your practice.
2.  Having a different spot in class is weird. ( I arrived later than usual and normally prefer a spot near the wall for my glasses and in case I lose my balance).
3.  It is really hard to focus when you are next to someone who talks the whole way through.
4.  I can actually do a side plank pretty well.
5.  Flipping  the Dog or Wild Thing is actually pretty cool.
6.  I really need to do a reclined twist more often.  It feels so good.
7.  Back bends are still really good after sitting all day at a desk.
8.  I want to do yoga at work during my breaks.
9.  I shop for better food after yoga.
10. I am still excited t do the YTT.

Love and light my friends,
Chess

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Sciatica

Yesterday I posted a little about the Yoga Anatomy workshop I attended yesterday.  One of the issues I currently have and was brought up during the workshop was sciatica.  Sciatica is a numbing or painful feeling down one or both legs when the sciatic nerve is irritated in some way.  It can also present as pain in the lower back or rear.  Most of the time it is when a disk in the back is forced out of alignment and then presses on one of the nerves.

In our natural state, our lumbar spine should curve slightly forward.  This gives us that sway in our back, down to our rear.  For those of us that have a desk job, it is easy for us to lose our proper posture, which not only gives us that slump, but forces our lumbar region to curve out toward the back.  Doing this forces the connective tissue around our spine to work harder, but also allows for any of the disks to slip a little.  When this happens, we end up with some malady and usually pain.

Sadly for me, it is the sciatica, so this has helped me to work on that.  One suggestion I got was to sit less.  Of course that would be lovely, but my desk is not set up to stand, so I will need to get up more often and stretch a little.  Aside from that, I should work on poses that force the lumbar spine into the natural resting position a little bit more, such as backbends including Locust and Bridge.  They are a great counter to sitting with the huge curve in my spine all day.  I can also do poses such as Tadasana or various lunges that force my body to stack properly.

I find that when it flares up, I have difficulty with any forward folds or even Downward dog, so I tend to just back up on those and not force them as much as some of the others.  I also find that twists are good as they are taking the focus off the lower back and placing them on the upper back.

Love and Light,

Chess

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Yoga Anatomy: Spine and Core

This is the third anatomy workshop I have been to at the studio.  I love delving deeper into yoga and anatomy is a great way to do that for me.  I didn't do so well in my anatomy class in college, but having practical applications makes it so much easier.

We learned the bones, muscles, and some connecting tissue surrounding the spine.  We learned what truly comprises the core muscles, the spinal extensors, and we also looked at the diaphram, pelvic floor and Bandhas a little.  Finally, we learned some poses that would target the different muscles for strengthening and stretching.

We worked with partners some, and even though I went to class as a student instead of an instructor, we were all given the chance to give assists in each of the poses.  Since I am planning to do the YTT soon, it was a great opportunity for me to see how comfortable I can be while assisting someone, and see the response I get back.

I already knew I need to work my core more, but I now know a few more things I can do to change things up a bit.  I mentioned earlier that I love Wheel of Karma, so I will continue with that one.  Another great one to do, while not a yoga pose, is Mountain Climbers.  This will also enable me to build more strength so I can eventually work my way into a headstand or handstand.  Also, there was another suggestion I want to try, which is Dolphin Plank Pushup.  You move from Dolphin to a plank on your forearms.

Additionally, I need to work on some twists a little bit more to work the Latissimus Dorsi.  That would be the muscle I feel aching the next day after we do any twists.  This one, too, will build stability for the inversions that I am working toward.

Finally, I need to work on back bends and more back strengtheners.  I can do Bridge fairly well, and I already like Locust with my arms back to my sides.  They suggested swimming, which is lifting alternating legs and arms, so they are not the same side lifting at one time.  Also, I am still unable to do Wheel, but my partner gave me a modification that made it easier and closer to possible for me to do.  She suggested putting blocks up against the wall, and putting my hands on those blocks to give my chest and head a little more lift.  I still could not do the complete Wheel, but it was much closer.

All in all, it was a really three hours spent at the studio.  I learned quite a lot about the anatomy used for poses, and which poses to use to work the anatomy.

Namaste.

Chess

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Things I learned from class this week: 10/15/13

1. Cresent Moon is another great hip opener.  It really feels great after sitting in a chair all day.
2. For core work, I really love Wheel of Karma.  Those lower abs may hate it, but I love it.
3. It's ok to do a modified pose if I am having a bad day, or there are just too many things going on in one pose.
4. I am not the only one trying to figure out what we are doing next.
5. I should really work on twists and back bends a little more.
6. I still really want to do the YTT soon, so I can learn more about the other limbs of yoga.
7. I really like how my instructor teaches.  I should take more mental notes on that.
8. I love Savasana at the end.  It's relaxing and calming after some of my straining in some poses.

Namaste my friends,

Chess

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Learning about myself- wanting to fit in

I read an interesting article on Elephant Journal today about our secret battles.  The author wants to create a "cult of reality" where we are more honest with each other.  I typically am pretty honest with people, but thought I would write a few things that maybe people don't know yet because the topic never came up.

When I was growing up, I was bullied.  A lot of people think everyone is bullied when they are younger, but it was pretty bad for me.  So bad that my mom wished she would have known the extent so she could have pulled me out of some classes.  I internalize so much, and make everything out to be my fault.  I am trying to teach myself to realize that the world does not revolve around me, so obviously everything isn't my fault.  It's not easy.

Consequently, I desperately wanted people to like me when I was in school, but never could make it work.  I tried so hard to be lked.  It wasn't until high school that I met people who were more like me.  I made it into the IB Program, so most of the other students were intellectuals like me.  We thought the same and felt the same, more or less.  There was still the pecking order, there were still people who were wildly popular.  For once, I wasn't trying to fit in.  The program was a lot of hard work, but I found myself for the first time.  I decided I wanted to go for a Chemistry degree in college, and become a chemist.

When I entered college, I was so scared.  It was a new experience, but the only thing that was different was the school.  I lived with my parents because we couldn't afford much more, but we managed to make it work.  I spent five years there, and working at Michael's Arts and Crafts, graduating without any student loans.  I really found myself more in college.  I still found people who were like me, and I was really quite happy.  I even met my husband through a group on campus, though he wasn't a student.

Shortly after graduation, I found a temp job for an FDA trial.  It was a great experience that told me I could learn anything, and I love working in the lab.  Unfortunately, it didn't last long and I went back to school for my Master's in Forensics with an emphasis in Toxicology.  My true dream is to work in a crime lab or for a Coroner somewhere.  While I worked on that degree I worked at a local hospital in Medical Records.  Never a glamorous job by any means, but it helped us keep our house while I went back to school.

Over $40,000 in student loans, and no real job prospects, I am still working at the hospital.  Last year we had our 10 year high school reunion.  It was strange to think that ten years had passed, and yet, I felt like I hadn't gone anywhere.  My husband tried to point out that I have two degrees, which is more than a fair number of people have.  But to me, what good is a degree that I am not using, when my goal is to be in a lab?  I keep applying for jobs, and hoping for the best.

So what have I learned about myself you might ask?  I have learned that I throw myself into my work to avoid being alone.  My husband has a schedule that conflicts a little with mine, so I spend a lot of time alone, though it is getting easier.  I still want to be perfect and have people like me.  It is always hard when people seem to hate me for nothing.  So this is just one thing I am working on.

It is really hard to post this.  Even now I am thinking to my self that no one could possibly want to read this.  I am just some random person on the internet whining about my childhood.  But then, I am trying to let those insecurities go, so I will post this anyway.  If nothing else, face fear head on, right?

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Glow in the dark yoga

Last night I went to a new event at the yoga studio I attend.  It was called Yoga Glow.  They set everything up in a dark room with a couple black lights and a lot of glow sticks.  There was just enough light to be able to not hit my neighbors. It was so much fun!

It was easier to focus on my flow and my balance.  I managed to maintain my balance for many of the more difficult poses.  I even managed to come up into crescent lunge from low lunge without falling over.

We did a couple of community poses, like tree with our arms extended, and moving from one-legged tadasana to to airplane with our arms linked.  I have never done that before with others, and it was really nice.

All in all, it was empowering and uplifting.  Being alone, and together, in the dark, focusing on ourselves.

Namaste,

Chess

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Heart and chest openers

Last week I wrote about carrying emotion and stress in the hips and the poses I found most useful to open the hips more.  I worked those poses most days within the last week, and during class this week, I felt so much better.  My pigeon wasn't as excruciating as it was earlier.

This week, I determined that I need to work on my heart, chest and shoulders more.  I bellydance, and find that my chest and shoulders are tight, probably from working at a desk so much.  This does not mean that I will let my hips go, though.

I mentioned in my last post that Camel is really great.  I plan to work on that more and see if I am able to get down to my feet, instead of resting my hands on my lower back.  We also did Dancer in class, and I found that one works my hips, my shoulders/chest, and my balance.  So I plan to use that one more in my home practice.  Finally, in looking through a few different chest openers, I found One-Legged King Pigeon II.  I really think this one will help me with my hips, as well as my shoulders.

I'm really looking forward to adding these few poses to my practice at home.  I felt like I was in a rut for so long, and now I have found something else to try.  Maybe I will create some routines that I can alternate.  Do one routine one day and a different one the next day.

Love and light,

Chess

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Vinyasa flow from last night

I typically try to go to class on Tuesday nights, as my husband is working, and I am trying to be more active after work.  I have a desk job, and I am so busy sometimes that I don't even realize what time it is, and I have been sitting that whole time.  That's probably another reason why I have tight hips at times.

The class last night was fabulous like always.  The instructor guided us through a couple different flows.  I was able to move between a few balance strengthening poses.  We worked on Camel even, for a heart opener.  I am not able to make it down to my feet with my hands yet, I just keep them on my lower back.  But I am working on it, and it felt so good.

I even spoke to the instructor about the yoga teacher training, and she encouraged me to do it.  I mentioned a few of my fears, and she told me not to worry about it.  I feel even better about my decision to do this.  I want to share how I feel about yoga with everyone.

As I walked out of class, I felt so much more rejuvenated.  I felt strong, and amazed at what my body has accomplished.  I also feel confident that I am heading in the right direction for my heart.

Namaste my friends,

Chess

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

I am not a morning person

When some people think of people who do yoga, they think of people getting up before the sun to do it.  The studio I go to offers many early morning classes, and not as many after about 8.  But I am not a morning person.  My family will tell you just how much I hate mornings, and how I have always hated them.

I tried getting up earlier to do yoga before going to work.  It didn't work so well.  I think part of that has to do with my hypothyroidism.  See, I have to take my pill on an empty stomach, with a little water.  I have to wait a half an hour to an hour before I can eat.  So I tried doing yoga on an empty stomach, and that just made me feel sick.  To do that early in the morning on a full stomach, I would have to get up two to three hours earlier than I already do, so I might as well not sleep at all.

But you know what?  That is what yoga is about.  Listening to my body, figuring out what works for me.  I like to exercise at night because it makes me tired.  I can still do the most energetic yoga sequence and still be ready for bed an hour later.

I liked laying in bed this morning and watching the beautiful sunrise.  I salute the sun in a different way.

Love and light to you all,

Chess

Monday, October 7, 2013

Going Pink

This month, as many of you know, is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  I received an email earlier from Manduka stating that they are donating some of  the proceeds to breastcancer.org from their pink items.  If you are interested in either a Pink mat, or are ready for a new one and would like to help out, you can go to this link to shop.

Namaste,

Chess

Friday, October 4, 2013

It is called practice for a reason

I read an interesting article the other day.  It was about things that students would like to tell their yoga teachers, but probably never will.  Some of them were spot on, and things I would probably say.  Things like "you always encourage me to do my best" and "this is the best part of my day."

One caught me off guard.  It was something like "I heard what you sad about feeling fat after class when you were talking to another teacher and it negated everything you said in class about loving ourselves."  Mind you, I don't think this is exact, and I don't remember where the article came from, so cannot link to it.

What I want to say about this is that we are all working on ourselves.  We got to yoga class, or meditation, for guidance and some sense of community, but it is our own journey.  We all have days that feel rough, and we all have those days where everything is going according to plan.  The idea is to not let those bad days get us down.  Just because that instructor said he or she feels fat today, does not mean that he or she is not trying to combat that feeling and realize that it is just today.  Tomorrow is another day, and you never know what it will bring.

Sometimes talking to others about our feelings is a way of connecting.  It is not always complaining, but being real with someone you care about.    We are humans and we are all trying our best to be better than we were yesterday.  It is a process.  So the next time you hear something like that, realize that the person saying that is simply trying to be better too.

Namaste,

Chess

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Some of my inspiration

I have wanted to become a yoga instructor for a few years now.  I want to share something with others, that I have found so useful for me.  Yoga builds strength and stamina, and you don't need much to be able to do it.  You don't need to go to class often if you don't want.  I only suggest you go to class to learn the asanas (poses) so you don't hurt yourself.  After that, you can go anywhere at anytime to practice.

I know you may have seen a version of this video on Facebook, but I want to share it here, as it is really inspirational for me.  I don't assume that I will be the best instructor out there, espcially right off the bat.  However, I will be the best instructor I know how to be, and hopefully some of my students will get something useful from this video.





Love and light,

Chess

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Carrying emotions and stress

Often in yoga class or workshops I hear people talk about where women carry their stress and emotions.  Typically, when you find an area of your body tighter than normal, it is due to carrying too much stress.  Something you are dealing with right now, is affecting how deep you can go in your poses or asana.  Going back to the things I hear in classes and workshops, women keep their pent up frustrations in their hips, which may affect the back as well.  Much like that anatomy song goes, the back and the hips are connected.

I find this to be very true in my life.  In one of my earlier posts, I mentioned that life has been extremely stressful lately.  Yesterday in bellydance class, right before practice, we were stretching and I found it difficult to stretch my quads.  So after class, I took a little extra time to try out Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (pigeon-which I have heard it called a few variations).  Sure enough, I had a hard time in this one as well.

Now that I have my home studio back together, I plan to work on some hip openers each evening to try to work some of this out.  Pigeon is a great hip opener, as well as Cresent Lunge (or High lunge), and Low Lunge ( though I will typically keep my hands down near my front leg for balance).  These are all great for tight quads, like what I am experiencing.  There are many others that you can try, that I might expand upon at a later time.

I hope some of this helps you out.

Namaste my friends,

Chess

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Update on the patent issue

This morning I woke up to a number of people posting about YogaAlliance creating a petition, urging for the patent to be withdrawn.  If you would like to sign the petition, and add your two cents or whatever you think your wisdom is worth, go to this link.

Please don't feel any pressure from me to do this.  It is purely up to you and I am just putting the information out there.

Love and light my friends,

Chess

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

The talk about town- patents for yoga

Currently, a yoga company has made waves in the different yoga communities because they have applied for a patent for the way in which they teach yoga.   I little background might be helpful in this though.  This company is an online business that shoots yoga classes so you can watch and participate from your home, office, hotel room, etc.  I saw some advertisements a bit ago on the side of my Facebook feed and even looked into it.  I really prefer having hands on adjustments available, so I decided it wasn't right for me.

Recently, they sent out a cease and desist letter to Yoga International, a yoga company that does similar things, stating that they are infringing on the patent. Yoga International came out, telling the yoga community about the letter they received, and everything blew up.  Now news about this is all over.  I feel like the patent is not truly legal, as it is not a patent on a new style of yoga, but a way in which classes are taught.  I honestly feel like they did this just to get their name out there, hence why I haven't named the company that created the patent.

So, it all brings about the question of patenting our classes.  Is it even possible to do that?  My Vinyasa classes that I go to are all about the same.  Granted, there isn't much room in there, and the instructors have all had their ytt at this studio.  Even still, there are only so many ways an instructor can set up class so he or she can get to any students that need adjustments.  Also, the students tend to work together to make room for everyone, so it is not just how the instructor sets up class.

Maybe there is a difference between regular studios and the ones that are filmed for viewing online.  I just don't see how they can try to patent something so basic, without coming up with something more unique to add to it.  Most people have commented that they hope the patent is denied, and I agree.  There are just somethings that need to be left alone, instead of made into a business to make money off of.

Namaste my friends,

Chess

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Daily Gratitude

My friends and family have been seeing my posts lately on Facebook and twitter about my daily gratitude.  I pick one thing each day to post about, that I am grateful for.  Some are big, some are little things, but each one is important to me.  It is in an effort to see things in a more positive light.  This article on doyouyoga.com is just one reason why I am doing this.

I feel like for a long time I have been living in a fog, and I am trying to make my life everything it can be.  I am tired of buying into the idea that things make people happy.  So consequently, I am working on being grateful for what I have now.  I have questioned many things, due to my job and the feeling like it is killing me, so I am trying to change my way of thinking to get through this trying time.

I hope you will all join me by following my posts on twitter or even making posts on your own.  I use #dailygratitude with all my posts like this.

Love and light all,

Chess

Sunday, September 22, 2013

A little background

I took my first yoga class in my undergrad program.  I had to have a minimum number of credit hours to remain at full time status, to keep my health insurance.  I started bellydancing a couple years before, and I figured yoga was as good a class as any to take to get my minimum in.  So for 3 credit hours, I tried yoga for one semester.

The type of class was Iyengar.  I don't really remember much about the class, other than I learned a lot about my body, what I could and couldn't do.  We had to remember the Sanskrit names of each pose, which I don't remember many of now.  I guess I should brush up on that now, huh?  I also remember that one of the instructions given to us was we couldn't do any inversions when we were experiencing our Menstrual Cycle.  That meant free time relaxing on the side of the room.

Years later, I took a bellydance workshop at a local studio.  It was actually a yoga studio, and I think they were trying something new by offering the bellydance workshop.  I was intrigued by the fact that the owners decided to offer classes for donation, instead of regular prices.  Eventually, I started going to classes there and fell in love with the Vinyasa style.  It builds strength and stamina, and I feel so fabulous when I leave class.

Namaste my friends,

Chess

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Welcome!

I have been talking with my friends and family about becoming a yoga instructor.  Last night I went to an informational meeting for the yoga teacher training (ytt) course at Cambio. Yoga.  They have a 10 week intensive that I have thought about doing for a bit, and they are just starting an extended program.

I think I prefer the intensive course, as I could guarantee the amount of time it will take, and I will also build some great friendships with the other students along the way.  The extended program is so new, and Kate, one of the instructors, stated that they would need enough students to hold each class, and I worry that it would be pushed out for not having enough students.  Also, it feels like I would be going it alone, so to speak.  It would be for the whole weekend, and I would have to give up my weekends, including bellydance, every time there was a class.

As a result of trying to get further with these plans, I have decided to start writing a blog about my yoga journey.  I want to write about my inspiration, my learning, my failures and successes.  This will benefit me as well as potential students of other ytt and of my students when I become an instructor.

Please let me know what you think.  How is your journey going?  What inspires you?

Namaste my friends,
Chess