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Healthy Living Yoga

Yoga citta vritta nirodha

It’s good to invest in yourself.  It’s not about consumerism and materialism but … it’s about how much you value your health.  When you have the mat, props and whatever investments into the practice, it’s harder to walk away.  We are basically frugal beings and not wasteful.  So to avoid being wasteful, once we invest in the basics of good quality mat (equivalent to quality shoes for runners) and your comfortable yoga wear, we are more committed.  More committed, more invested we are in … ourselves.  So for that reason, I wish I had a yoga wall installed by Jason Cull in our home !  But next best thing might be that we can just run over to the local yoga studio with friendly staff and teachers who warmly welcomes you.

The Great Wall at Yoga Health Center – just hanging out !

Great Wall is Great for our Backs (& mind:)

Did you know the heart health – (gentle) yoga link?  Here are some articles by reputable Universities:

John Hopkins Medical – Click Here;

Harvard Medical School – Click Here;

Niroga Institute – an article co-written by Kaiser researcher MD Ai Kubo who is also a well known yoga teacher in East Bay – Click Here:)

There are counter-indications with some yoga poses and also some styles of yoga are not suitable for those living with a heart disease as the yoga referred to here are more gentle in nature.  Again, yoga is NOT a cure of course but the practice is beneficial in that it awakens and boosts the healing powers that resides within each of us.  At least, that’s my belief from witnessing the befores and afters.

Taught 3 classes yesterday – First class, mostly vinyasa; second, a Yoga Wall class where I served as a sub for a Iyengar style teacher I highly respect. ; then third class, a gentle combo yin class.  Seemed like an ideal day where different styles of yoga addressed what needed attention in each.   I especially appreciated a student in the vinyasa class who shared with me how much she missed her yoga teacher of 10 years who moved to Hawaii and how excellent this teacher was.  She raved about this teacher from her past – and while probably no-one likes to be compared as that pokes at our insecurities, I actually felt happy that she shared her thoughts.  All I had was gratitude for her past teacher I don’t even know who no longer teaches locally … as this student’s first yoga teacher, this teacher implanted this student’s seeds – this love for this practice.  How cool is that !??? I felt this responsibility to not let this student down.  Still, I cannot teach what I don’t practice so … back to the mat.  Maybe one of the teachings should be that of “impertinence” and acceptance of stages in one’s timeline and how to best adapt, learn and grow.

Trying to get away from saying such ??? things as …

I used to be able to do this or that (insert – yoga pose).

I often hear that from students but I myself caught myself saying the above – such a losing statement.  So you used to be able to bring your toes behind your head and bind this and that.  That’s nice.  How good was that really for your body? And mind?  Did it lead to quieting the chatters in your mind or did it lead to elevating your ego? (or to a massage table and a doctor’s office?)  It’s one thing to challenge ourselves and feel joy in achieving our goals … it feels great to witness our own transformations.  So we set those intentions and vow our affirmations to lead us to our higher self … but it’s another to lament the lost or past glories or be stuck and attached to past laurels.  What’s past is past; what’s lost is lost … or is it?  Today is a new day.

So today, it’s about today.  It’s about now.

 

By Kay T. Ananda

Yoga brings Joy!
Joy to your body, heart, soul and allows your mind to settle all the debris to the bottom of the lake, ripples gently subsides so that like that shining water, your lake in your mind is still and crystal clear. Only then, you can find your truth... when your mind clears and all distractions are gone, leaving you - stillness and clarity. Peace.
Dog is doing yoga all the time and brings you laughs!
Anger is borne out of fear; how do we find that fearless path of inner peace?
Why Bark when you can Wag to express your JOY Joy joy !!!???
無心でしっぽをふる喜びを表すあの子犬のようなJOYを糧に無理ない、各自のコンデイションに寄り添いながらもチャレンジ精神をとりかえす…そんなヨーガを:)
全米ヨガアライアンス公認ヨガ講師養成コース修了、リストラティブヨガ指導者認定登録、アメリカRYT500登録インストラクター、800hrsヨガセラピーIAYT今現在一瞬ThisMoment&NOWをCELEBRATEするカリフォルニア*ライフ!

帰国子女としてニューヨーク、テヘラン、カリフォルニアと転々、いずれ東京に帰る意識で日本語高等部卒大卒後シリコンバレーにとどまる。ヨガはカリフォルニア州立、バークレー大学時代、ストレス解消に効くと教授に教わり試してみるが... 合わずジャズサイズ、ウェイトトレーニング、エアロビックスのクラスに移転の20代、30代、産後、過労で体調を崩し大病も治癒。死ぬかと思った~大病後、久しぶりに足を踏み入れたヨガスタジオのヨガが大学時代のスローでポーズごと器械体操ごとく、つまらなーいヨガとはまったく違い進化していた。流れる踊りの振り付け的なヨガに魅せられる。数々の流派があることを習い、数種類のスタイルを試す。ビクラム、ホット、アイヤンガー、ヴィンヤサ、アシュタンガ・パワー、などなど。数年前サンフランシスコにて、ヨガアライアンス認定インストラクター養成を経て、インストラクター証書習得。同じ年にキッズヨガインストラクター証書ゲット。リストラテイブヨガ、インストラクター認定、陰ヨガのインターン、アシスト後、陰とヴィンヤサ、レギュラーハタクラスを教える。又プライベート、セミプライベートレッスンをクライアントのニーズの合わせ、ヨガセラピストとしてセラピー集中ヨガ提供。その為に2年間のアドバンスコースに挑みc-IAYT証書習得!ヨガ療法士としてIAYT(国際ヨガセラピスト協会)認定のヨガセラピスト、C-IAYT(Certified-IAYT) 10年以上、ベイクラブ、ヨガスタジオ、シリコンバレー社などで子育て中週4-5回レギュラーレッスンの講師を務める。3月2020にあの頃は最後とは知らずの週2教えていたスタジオにてのインパーソンヨガクラスを後に…遠方介護ニーズとコロナ禍を機に当分はパブリッククラスリードからはリタイア。
自分自身が心と体の調和で得た平穏…日常の小ちゃな事に見出す喜びをヨガ愛好者のどなたとでもと共有できたらと願うばかり。ジョイを共有し、ジョイフルライフを。そう、もし犬に例えるのであれば、恐れや威嚇で吠えまくる犬ではなく、シッポふりふり笑顔で愛と喜びに満ちた心持をヨガを通しシャア。恥じる気持ち等恐れず誰でもできる自身ジョイフルヨガを肝に銘じりたい。LOVE LOVE LOVE:)Shanti Shanti Shanti:)