Categories
Healthy Living Yoga

Trying to translate some TED talks – fascinating but draining at the same time – is this a brain exercise for brain fitness?  This work is going to exhaust my brain power besides all this sitting and driving so … need some yoga therapy for regeneration.  Some has asked what is Yoga Therapy – well, all yoga is that even though Yoga Alliance no longer allows the use of that very word because it sounds too medical – so there’s IAYT and these are some titles that may help you see what it’s about:

Yoga for Scoliosis – Have completed Part 1 but … there’s Part 2 … it’s a lot. Elise Browning Miller is wealth of knowledge and a masterful teacher.

Yoga for Back Health – for regular you and me – you can be very fit and still have this issue caused by any number of reasons.

Yoga for Heart Health – HRV

Yoga for Immunity Boost

Yoga for Digestion

Yoga for Athletes – and this can further go into such things as Yoga for Cyclists; Yoga for Rowers; Yoga for golfers; Yoga for – name of sport 🙂

Yoga for Recovery – 12 Steps-like

Yoga for Depression & Anxiety

Yoga for Emotional Balance – Bo Forbes, PhD/YT

Yoga for Grief Relief

Yoga for Veterans – My therapist cohort specializes in this – Perry !

Yoga for Cancer Care & Caretakers

Yoga for Osteoporosis (Prevention/Management) – my mother could not drink milk and eat dairy or just pop calcium with vitamin D – so other methods besides calcium rich diet …any weight bearing exercise helps BUT yoga is great for its mindfulness component.

and my favorite might be

  • Yoga for Women’s Health – through all cycles:)
  • Yoga for Stress Management – Melatonin for Insomnia? Why? There’s no need.
  • Yoga for Weight Control – To reduce, to regain or to manage – for that balanced approach

So if one wonders why it’s taking so long for me to get certified in this particular field, it might be that there’s so much, this is why. There’s so so so much to learn… The journey has taken 2 years so far … & to that reinforcement idea – one should always consult MD’s or PT’s, CD’s after yoga’s body awareness brings one to that place.

Above photos:  Text book by Elise Miller – you can get on Amazon like everything else – very helpful; photo of one of Niroga teachers, Saraswathi Devi showing an assist – which could in turn cause back problems for the yoga teacher/therapists … so the right way as to care for others means we know self-care first-hand. Saraswathi is another one of those teachers who epitomizes graceful and purposeful aging – with the most beautiful resonant voice. A much needed sense of humor to boot.

Categories
Beautiful Places Yoga

Yoga Studio @ SFO

Unfortunately no classes no teachers but still, so 👍 nice for self-practice:) Berkeley used to be the home for Yoga Journal and San Francisco, host to Yoga Journal Conference so it makes sense that this airport would think up of this kind of space.

Yoga Journal Conference is no longer hosted in San Francisco and YJ apparently have moved out from Berkeley to Colorado? but I think the airport reflects the community’s long standing love for yoga.

Categories
Beautiful People Beautiful Places Healthy Living Yoga

Ichigo Ichie – the last workshop

Yoga Therapeutics with Harvey ! Finally attending the very first and the last monthly workshop …

Been going to Harvey’s sessions last 2 years on and off – initially prompted because one of the peers I respected was attending to fulfill some of the requirements for a certification  … and been going religiously for the last month or two having heard that he’s taking time off from regular weekly teaching … He also offered once a month, “Take the Afternoon Off” workshops Wednesdays which I had never attended because … well, it’s Wednesday and who can afford to take the afternoon off, right?  Yet, with the announcement of his impending departure, I made the effort and finally … there I was. What a treat to get a way mid-week, mid-day … I have to count my blessings:)

So mats are practically on top of each other’s, students packed and crammed into what’s usually a very large space.  It’s always a well-attended class but this time, maybe 100 packed into the studio room …We all knowingly made space for each other  and the props.  All of us, probably just like me, showing up because it’s the last one of these he’s teaching.  What is most appealing about his classes … is that sense of support, comfort and safety while being challenged.  The sense of release you get when you can really trust the teacher in his knowledge over the human body and how to best apply the yoga techniques. Afterall he’s a practicing physical therapist who no doubt has seen all failings of broken human body … and fixed a few to witness their recovery.

All standing poses, the Ukatasana, the Triangle … all felt soooo good because it’s done correctly, starting out with the tadasana and forward folds, backbends, without torquing the body to fit that magazine cover image you have painted in your mind.  Really loved how he teaches step by step with much care so you are fully engaged and not going to that auto-pilot place. Each pose is built in a sequence to prepare one’s body for the next pose – it’s not just dive in and get hurt crazy competitive yoga. In that sense – the attention to details – is similar to Iyengar style BUT different in that it’s not so mechanical and engineered. And sense of humor definitely helps.

After 3 hours of yoga … Savasana never felt so good.  Lightness, the Ease, Clarity and Alertness with the sense of peace – after a good yoga practice –  CHECKED! – it’s all there.

His presence and his classes will be missed… as some tears of wistful goodbyes were shed when we applauded after the end of the class.  A teacher/yogi with over 35 years of experience is an irreplaceable gem … not easily found still teaching regularly in the yoga world… and we all know it.  Good luck to the two junior teachers stepping in to his slots … what a shoe to fill.  But life is about impermanence and we learn to celebrate these events.  Gratitude for the opportunity to learn from one of the best. I have been blessed with so many excellent teachers – still digesting all the teachings to make it my own:)  It’s coming. I can feel things jelling, taking form and shape, thanks to the savasana I had given myself the permission to embody – I had been depriving myself that reward, so busy, providing for others what I find so nourishing.

Decompress.

Namaste:)