I'm Still Here!

Hey kids!

Just wanted to pop in and let you know I'm still around- still teaching, writing, and doing yoga. I've been very busy moving this blog into a fancy, grown-up Wordpress site. This process has been much like yoga: slow, sometimes difficult, sometimes amazing. I have a couple friends supporting me with webhosting and guidance, and they've all got a lot on their plates right now, so bear with me. It's getting there- expect an official "please update your feeds/links/bookmarks" soon!

If you're going through withdrawal symptoms, never fear! I was published in Elephant Journal a couple weeks ago: Bared Teeth, Clenched Fists, and Anger- an essay about using the centeredness and expressive capacity of yoga to deal with anger.

And from my meanderings:

• YogaDork: How Do I Know it's REAL Yoga? I'm all for telling purists and snobs to suck it (in a nonharming way, of course).
• Time Magazine ran an article that could have been titled OMGyogisspendmoneyWTFBBQ here, and there was a pretty great discussion about it over at YogaDork here.
  
• From Feministing: "When Cultural Appropriation Goes Too Far." This would definitely be the launch of a full post if I wasn't in weird-blog-transition time. Yes, definitely, something there went too far. Lately I've been asking myself a lot of questions about the relationship between my teaching and its Indian roots. Those of you who know me know that I eschew any kind of deference, reverence, or guru-worship. I'd still like to show some respect to the source of the teachings that have been so great for me. Can I be both irreverent and respectful? Stay tuned to find out!
• A lovely private lesson with a beginner student recently got me thinking about how incredibly uncomfortable yoga can be when you're first starting out. So for those of you new to the practice, I want to give some extra props to you for going outside of your comfort zone. Each time you practice, a few more little lego pieces will snap into place, and it will feel better, you will become stronger, and yes, more relaxed. I promise.
  

So you want to try yoga...

Just. Go. Some studios and gyms offer somewhere around 40 types of yoga. You could spend an entire afternoon, or more, researching which style might suit you best and asking around about the best teacher. But while you're doing this, you're not actually at yoga. You have the rest of your life to figure this out. Use your judgment, of course, Advanced Human Pretzel Thermodynamics might not be the best place for you at first, but any beginner-friendly class is a great start. Bonus points if it's a convenient time, location, and price for you to work into your regular schedule.
Yup, that means you don't have to read the rest of this article. But I know that first class can be a little daunting, and some people like to be armed with more information before they walk in the door, so I assembled a few tips that might be helpful.

Tell the teacher, if you want. Many teachers will ask if anyone is new as class begins, but not all of them. I suggest you introduce yourself at the beginning. Most will be pretty good about keeping an eye on you to make sure you have an enjoyable and safe experience- it's in both of our best interest that you walk out in one piece and want to come back! That said, if you're not comfortable outing yourself, then don't. The yoga police won't knock down your door, I promise.

Find a good spot in the back/middle. True, you're supposed to feel your way into the posture from the inside out, but ask anyone who tells you that if they didn't start learning yoga visually. Putting yourself in a place in the room where you can see other people practicing without straining your neck will make life easier.

Breathe. It's tempting to hold your breath when things get tough. Just don't. Most styles of yoga use ujayyi breathing throughout class. Try making an audible breath like you would if you were trying to fog up a window in the wintertime. Now close your mouth and do that through your nose. It should feel like you're contracting the back of your throat. This breath helps you keep your breathing steady and even, and encourages circulation so carbon dioxide is carried out of the muscles. Good stuff.

Back off. You have the rest of your life to get that split or backbend- and the day you slip effortlessly into that advanced pose, it won't necessarily mean you're a better person. But if you injure yourself today, you're a lot less likely to ever get there. As you progress in yoga, you'll learn to work your "edge" mindfully and understand what your body is resisting and why. But for now, just showing up to that first class might be as far out of your comfort zone as you need to venture. I encourage my students, new and old, to take child's pose whenever something doesn't feel quite right. It's a great "reboot" for the body, mind, and breath. Your teacher might have another idea about how you might want to rest, but a good teacher will understand and encourage taking breaks when you need to.

After class, let it go. You probably came in with a certain set of expectations about the class or how you would perform. You may be elated, or you may be frustrated with yourself. Let it go. It's over. If you didn't feel comfortable at all with the class or teacher, consider another time/teacher/studio. If you're disappointed in yourself, congratulations- you've found a challenge, and will soon learn how valuable that opportunity is.

Drink some water and rest up. You're going to be sore tomorrow, trust me. Having an extra glass or two of water will encourage that lactic acid to move. The sooner you're healed up, the sooner you can get back on the yoga mat. But give it time- it's during rest that muscles actually repair themselves and get stronger.

Namaste, and may the force be with you!

more goodies!

I was lucky enough to be featured as a guest poster this week at Florian Yoga Companion. My post was a how-to and why-to about practicing at home- check it out here, if you haven't already. And if you have, and you've done any home practice this week, let me know how it's gone! I have a feeling I have some new followers/subscribers from the post, so if you're new, welcome!


I've got some other posts cooking, but it occurred to me that you guys could also just tell me what you've been itching to read about. I set up a skribit account on the sidebar, or you can click here to suggest a topic or ask a question. I'll do my best to answer it!