Ahh Yoga Newsletter
November 2009
This Issue
Suddha's Coming!
Yoga & Courage
10 minute practice
 
 
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other links you might want to check out
 
 
 
 
 
ahh yoga
is owned & operated by
Aasne Daniels
Ami Flammini
&
Denise Gibler 
wehat Ahh Yoga's 1st newsletter
 
Welcome to the first Ahh Yoga newsletter.
We hope this will help encourage you to stay on your mat and remind you to stay open to the changes yoga practice may bring to your life.

 
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 Suddha's Coming!

It's hard to believe it's allready here.  It's time for Suddha to be back at Ahh Yoga.  Suddha has been coming each fall since we opened.  He is a one of our all time favorite yogis and is the founder and owner of Yoga Chicago.  He is one of the first "regular" yogis Ami met;  Denise (and yogi Michelle) went to Greece with him to practice yoga and Aasne is participating in his teacher training (along with teacher Judy and yogi Mat). 
 
Suddha is a kind, warm and engaging yoga teacher.  By participating in his weekend workshop you have an opportunity to  get to practice with one of the best teachers we know.  The weekend will include asana practice, discussion of philosophy and more practice.  The practice is physically challenging, but there is defintely permission to take breaks and practice in a way that works best for your body.  To participate, we would recommend that you have completed a beginning class series (with us or with someone else).  Or have a great sense of adventure.
 
We have had a GREAT response to this workshop AND still have some spots left if you would like to attend.  Please see the website for more details please visit our website www.ahhyoga.net.
 
Please note there has been a time change for the Sunday morning practice because of Suddha's return train schedule.  Sunday morning will be 7:30-9:30.

ami freaky pic
 
Yoga & the Courage to Live 
 
I was recently at the bar (yep, yogis go to the bar sometimes) with Vince and some of his collegues.  We were enjoying some lively conversation and watching one of the World Series games (GO YANKEES!).  I happened to be seated next to a wonderful woman named Holly.  Holly had just finished teaching one of her classes where she was showing a video about Carl Rogers.  Holly was describing the video and how there was a moment in the video where Mr. Rogers (not the one with the cardigan) said "It takes courage to live". 
 
As I thought about this more I came up with about a million ways it takes courage to live our day to day lives.  For me, this includes the fact that somedays it takes courage for me to get on my yoga mat. 
 
Life is messy and it's complicated and sometimes we don't give ourselves enough credit for just doing the best we can.  We don't honor that it takes courage to get up in the morning and face that our health has taken a turn for the worse.  It takes courage to face the deep pain that comes with the death of someone we love or the loss of a relationship that we cherished.  It takes courage to be present with our own disappointment when we have acted in a way that wasn't so kind or in a way that doesn't match the image we hold of ourselves.  Somedays it takes courage to get out of bed, feed the cat, dress our kids and get to work. 
 
I have noticed over the past month I have experienced such a wide variety of emotions on my yoga mat that if I described them all I might be sent away to a padded room.  I have been traveling for my day job lately (1500 miles in october not to put too fine a point on it) and I always always take my mat.  Sometimes I don't use it, but I always take it.  It's my "Linus" blanket.  So, early in October, I was at a conference and I woke early enough to spend time practicing before the crazy pace of the day began.  I wasn't aware of how completely sad and anxious I was feeling until I notieced the tears dripping on my mat in down dog.  This is what I mean about it taking courage to get on the mat.  It takes courage to be with our own pain, or our own anxiety.  It doesn't always feel good to stand at the front of the sticky mat and feel all of the discomfort, whether it's the tightness in our hamstrings or the metaphorical pain around our hearts.  What I noticed after a tearful practice that morning in the hotel is that I was able to be with myself compassionately.  I was able to shower, make a healthy choice for breakfast and stand in front of lots of people and complete a presentation.  I believe being present that morning with my achey insides, gave me an opportunity to honor that sometimes it takes courage to live. 
 
Ami

 Ten Minutes of Yoga.  Really?
 I know it might seem like ten minutes of yoga practice isn't worth your time.  However, I ask you to try it before you knock it.  In ten minutes you can start or end your day with a whole different point of view.  If you pracitce even just a few days a week for ten minutes, I promise you will notice a difference in how your body feels.  In addition, if you are like us,  you will notice a difference in your state of mind.  Give it a try!  It's only ten minutes.  It takes you ten minutes to drive through a busy Starbucks.  What's it gonna be?
 
Below is an example of a ten minute practice:
 
-Lie on your back and  do a few minutes of 3 part breath
-Roll up into sitting position and do some shoulder and neck circles
-while seated in easy sitting pose place hands behind backside, puff up your chest, drop head back
-Come to standing position and do two or three sun salutes
-Pick warrior one or two and practice twice on each side
-Choose one standing balance pose
-Lie down and do bridge, shoulder stand or headstand
-Pick a spinal twist you enjoy
-Savasana (resting pose)
 
I guarentee after you do this a few times, you'll be saying "really, ten minutes of practice is worth it!"
 
Ami
 
Thank you for your ongoing support,
 
All of us at Ahh Yoga