Theme Ideas

This is a brain-dump of the yoga class themes that have been collecting in my mind.

1. Easy or Hard?  The difference between what we perceive as easy and difficult is in the story we tell ourselves about it.  Take an "easy" pose and make it more difficult through alignment, muscle energy or taking it deeper.  Take a "difficult" pose and break it down into easier components.  Urdva Dhanurasana - Backbend.  Salambasana - Locust.
2. The Big Bang Theory.  Big events can start a chain reaction of little changes.  Go through Surya Namaskar - Sun Salutation series adding on each time.
        Fire-Up Flow
        Variation 1- Extended Child's
        Variation 2- One-Sided Down Dog
        Variation 3- Half Twist
        Variation 4- Pigeon Lunge
3. Charting Our Course.  Think about where we want to be and then plan backwards from there.  Getting to Salamba Sarvangasana - Supported Shoulder Stand.
4. Take A Moment.  How would taking a moment before we responded change our interactions and reactions in any situation?  Open to Grace.  Take a breath - Pranayama.
5. How Am I Showing Up?  How am I showing up for meetings, for interactions with people that I'm not especially great buds with, with my friends, with myself?  What we expect out of an interaction is generally what we'll get.  Set an intention of "I'm willing to try" for this practice.  Ardha Mukha Vrksasana - Handstand.  Use the prep of L-Stand at the wall.
6. BHAGs:  Big, Hairy Arse Goals.  We all need them.  They push us out of our comfort zone. They give a voice to our ideas.  They anchor us along a path in life.  If they don't scare us a little, they aren't big enough, hairy enough or a goal.  What goals do you have in mind with your yoga practice?  Goal oriented pose:  Pincha Mayurasana - Peacock pose.
7. Leaning into Change.  We don't have to be perfect.  We can set our mind and our intention in a direction of change and then keep leaning until we get to a tipping point.  Getting to Virabandrasana 3 - Warrior 3.
8. Surprised to be here?  Are you surprised to be here, in this class right now?  If not, think back to the point where you first took a yoga class and now ask yourself again, are you surprised to be here?  Poses like Ardha Chandrasana - Standing Half Moon.
9. What Would You Do For Love?  Swim a mile in open water?  Thank goodness I didn't have to, but I was ready to.  Building up shoulder strength and shoulder openers.
10. One Shining Moment.  Don't wait for the moment...shine now!  Start with full extensions through the hands, the head and the heart. Uttitha Parsvokanasana - Extended Side Angle. Trikonasana - Extended Triangle.    Then move into this Season Finale series.

Namaste

Arambha आरम्भ

The Sanskrit word for "beginning a new task" is Arambha आरम्भ. Sounds easy enough to remember. Then again, I think that about all most Sanskrit words when I first hear them. Seconds later, I can't recall anything about the word I just heard. Here's how I'll trick myself into remembering Arambha: if I was beginning to learn dance, I'd certainly start with A Rumba.  Repeat a dozen times in my head and voila! it's committed to memory, at least for the next few days hours minutes.

The new task I am beginning is setting up a blog site to track and share what I learn through Yoga Teacher Training.  The assignment to gather, list, and share websites, blogs, and resources with our fellow yoginis planted the seeds that lead to this site.  The thought process went something like this:

1. I was typing and hyperlinking addresses of websites, blogs and resources into a spreadsheet...
2. ...so that I could print them...
3. ......so that the recipient could type in the links...
4. .........*lighbulb moment*...
5. ...............throw them into a blog for easy access!

So for all of my wonderful yoginis, please look to the lists on the right side of this blog for links to the fabulous information I found.  I was amazed at the beauty with which people organize and present their information, the extensiveness of the knowledge that people share, and the inspiration that I derived from it all.  

Namaste