The Divine Ms Pema

"I used to have a sign pinned up on my wall that read: Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible be found in us."- The Divine Ms Pema Chodron

It's either a very good sign or a very bad sign when a whole lot of people that you know start to pick up Pema Chodon's "When Things Fall Apart." Good because they are reading something everyone in their wrong mind (as opposed to 'everyone in their right mind') should read. Bad because it means that we're hurting.

This book has the remarkable quality of making you feel like you're getting closer to something really juicy when you're in the throes of suffering. Personally, it's given me some ability to step in a little closer and say, "Well, that's interesting." The truth is I haven't even finished the book, yet. It's not something to rush through and I believe the lessons come as you need them. I promise that my classes are going to be flush with Pema Chodron quotes. Do folks out there have favorite Pema one-liners? Or books? It would be lovely find others out there to gush with.

In trade for your Pema Chodron love stories, I will provide a quick sequence (what? I know! Maybe it was Nikki that finally goaded me into it...)

1. 5 minutes of "core" strengthening on back
2. Roll up to seated
3. Cat/cow
4. Side to side stretch in table (right ear to right shoulder, right hip out; and vice versa)
5. Downward Dog
6. 8-12 Sun Salutations (a + b)
7. Downward Dog
8. Inhale to lift right leg up
9. Walk hands back to left foot at back of the mat
10. Standing splits
11. Cross right leg behind left as it comes down, for cross-legged forward fold
12. Engage left leg strongly around right as you bend the knees, engage the core, and come up into eagle (garundasana)
13. After a 5 breath eagle hold, uncross left leg, and shoot it back into Warrior III (Flying Warrior, Virabhadrasana III)
14. Engage to lower gracefully into High Lunge (Crescent Lunge)
15. Exhale into High Lunge Twist (Prayer hands or one hand to inside of forward foot to twist)
16. Inhale to High Lunge
17. Vinyasa to Downward Dog
18. Repeat 8-17 on the other side of the body
19. Cool down of 10-15 minutes, include a supine twist and some happy baby, maybe some pigeon, I don't know, make it up
20. Savasana or Seated meditation

Good shwag: Champion Yoga Clothes

OK. So, I got these clothes in November, and have been wearing them nonstop ever since. Why haven't I posted about them, yet? Because I'm a flake, that's why.

As folks may or may not know, I don't want this to be some weird promo site for stuff that gets mailed to me, but when stuff does get mailed to me and its awesome, a ladies gotta respect. This stuff is awesome. I have literally worn the pants dozens of times and they don't look crazy ragged and didn't get pill-y. Best of all? No underwear lines. Aaaaaa-men.

And now, the obligatory fancy-pants yoga pose pictures, wearing said awesome clothes.

Notice lack of underwear lines, and the fancy-ness of this posture

Kissing the floor, noticing dust

I often tell students to develop balance by doing household tasks in tree pose. Like drinking tea and looking bored.

They sent me a sports bra, too, but I won't post pictures of me in that, in case I want to run for President some day. If you're looking for yoga clothes at non-Lululemon prices (but, seriously, same not-breakable quality) I recommend. Like a lot of yoga clothes, however, the designers seem to think women are much taller than they are. I mean, I'm 5'5" (which is smack-center average), but you can see how way-too-long they are over my heel in tree pose. I roll 'um up and they're fine and I never have problems when taking a class in them.

OK. No more shwag posts for awhile, I think. Back to asana (gasp!) in the near future...

A face for radio...

Awhile back, Bettina from Active Hands Yoga contacted me to ask if she could record an interview to post for a new series.  Doing things like live Skype interviews makes me nervous, but I thought her idea behind the series of interviews was awesome, and she seemed very lovely, so I went for it. And now it's posted! I never like the sound of my own voice (Does anyone? Besides Adele and Beyonce?) but I think Bettina asked great questions and I tried my best to give honest answers. I was getting over laryingitis, however, so it's a little funky. Anyway, I'm a little funky, so-- really-- it's all good.


Thank you, Bettina!

Good shwag: Tea Sparrow

Recently, I received a package of tea in the mail. It comes from a company called Tea Sparrow.

Their company has a brilliant and simple idea. Once a month, they send a sampling of their favorite teas to you. They are not affiliated with any tea companies, so this is actually stuff they like. For a tea aficionado such as myself, I think this is a great present to get someone. Like me.

I told the gentleman who sent me the tea that I would post about it as soon as the sun came back out in Ithaca, and I could take some decent pictures without turning on my flourescent lights in the middle of the daytime.

Fat chance. I haven't seen the sun in so long I have stopped counting.  In fact, it's depressed me so much that I woke up this morning with an unbearable sore throat and had to cancel three classes. Which is a lot and brings me just thiiiiiiiis much closer to poverty. Thanks yoga-teaching-as-a-profession.

So I took pictures in the flourescent light. All bundled up and sicky-sick. But, hey, nothing better for a sore throat then tea, no?

I highly recommend their deliciousness and tea-ness. It's a little late for "that time of year," but I really do think this is a good present for the tea lovers in your life, because Tea Sparrow people love tea, too. But way more. Enough to start a company around it. That's dedication.

So, to tea! To my health! L'chaim!

Guest Blog Post: Yoga in Singapore!

Just like any other countries in the world, Singapore offers various yoga classes across the island. Majority of these classes are in fact in groups and there is usually no fixed number of participants in a class.

Who conducts these classes? Singapore is pretty strict when it comes to the rules and regulations of coaching. Hence, anyone who wishes to teach yoga has to meet the necessary requirements. This includes having a basic yoga certificate.

Where are classes conducted? In Singapore, almost all yoga classes are conducted in a properly built studio or community centre. As Singapore is pretty much a city on its own, we don’t really have much breathtaking landscapes or beaches to conduct classes at. This is the reason why these modern and cosy studios were built.

When are classes conducted? The bigger schools tend to have lessons every hour daily. This is to cater to different groups of Singaporeans. However, smaller schools or community centres have fixed schedules for students to follow.

How do these classes work in Singapore? Firstly, there are normally 2 sorts of passes for group classes. There is a pass based on months or years and a pass based on a given number of classes. For the monthly or yearly pass, you pay a certain rate accordingly to your preferred period. For example, if you choose a 3-month pass, you are required to pay a specific price. However, you will be allowed to attend unlimited classes for those 3 months. The other pass is based on a block of lessons. This means that if you choose a 10-class package, you will have to make an advance payment and complete these 10 classes of your choice within a specific duration. This is also the reason why there are no fixed sizes for group classes. Secondly, the yoga instructors from bigger schools are mostly freelance. Hence, there isn’t a fixed day and time weekly for a class with the same instructor. The schedule varies every 2 weeks and members would be required to check it out online. Thirdly, group classes follow the pace of the instructor. This is because there are many students in the class that the instructor has to cater to. Therefore, instructors have to ensure that they complete typically an hour’s worth of techniques during that given duration.

In conclusion, for anyone who wishes to practice yoga in a group setting in Singapore, it is recommended that you already have some basic foundation and knowledge in yoga. As for total beginners, we would advise you to attend a free trial session first, which is available in most schools. This will help you to decide if you’re comfortable with the class and if you can keep up. Alternatively, you can choose to start with private yoga classes first to learn the basics.

The author, Ryan Tan, is the founder of OMG Yoga, an exclusive yoga school that provides private yoga classes in Singapore. For more information with regards to yoga classes, please visit http://www.yogasingapore.net/

Back. Sort of.

January 8, the last day of the Vipassana meditation (I wouldn't go anywhere near calling it a "retreat", it's really quite the opposite), was almost two weeks ago. I still feel shell-shocked from it. I had read about it before going and talked to friends about their experience. I now very much regret doing so as it definitively colored how I expected my own experience to go. Here, then, I'll say I survived (so far), I know how to sit still (even if my head feels like it's floating off of my shoulders), and if you have questions ask me in a private email (thejoyofyogabook at gmail dot com). Assuming that some readers are also considering going for the first time, I won't say anything more. 

I am tardy with a few posts I would like to write. I started teaching again this week and it feels very different. It's much easier to talk less, to avoid filling quiet space with words, words, words. There is a time and a place for words in a yoga class and that time and place is not always. Still feeling not well, in poor health in many ways, but over-the-top, outrageously happy to be living. I read this poem and get weepy. Doing chores is amazing. Going to work is a deliriously blessing. And, on top of it all, I've gotten some shwag in the mail that I actually really dig, and need to do a little corporate and mom-and-pop business shout-out. I've also gotten some whack shwag, but I don't see the need to go blasting about my unfavorable opinion about said shwag. I will say this, though:

My guess, and I could be wrong, is that most yoga teachers don't want "nutritional" supplements or products that don't have a single ingredient I can pronounce or have ever heard of. I don't want my food and drink to taste like science. 

Finally-- seems like many in my life are going through some serious "dark nights of the soul," as one friend calls it. Light attracts light, and I could use some light. What is going so beautifully well for you? How is everything just awesome? More poetically put then those lines, would be much obliged.

Love

Signing off

Will be here from December 28-January 8. I will add: hopefully. I am very superstitious and have no assumptions I'll have the wherewithal to last, but I think I do.

Here is a little mantra to help me:

I am strong
I am patient
I am generous (with care for myself and others)

Here is the theme of the month:

ahimsa

And... happy new year, etc. Full moon on the 8th!