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Greetings!
Fall is here and and its that time of the year to shift back into routines that build us back up again.
We are celebrating this coming back inward with a community party and gathering this month.
A couple times a year we like to put together a yoga potluck party to build community and connection here at the center.
We would love for you to join us on Oct 22nd from 4-8pm to eat, drink, mingle and be merry.
Bring a dish or drink to share(and be prepared to give your recipe away). These are always laid back and fun events at the studio. We look forward to seeing you there.
This term we are welcoming Katie and Jeri to the studio. I thought it would be nice if they said a little more about themselves and I would like for you to get to know them better, so for the month of October Katie's Monday 7:15-8:30pm mixed level and Jeri's Friday 4:30-5:30pm mixed level are going to be offered free, until Oct 29th.
Drum roll please...... Introducing....
Katie
I am delighted to be a new teacher at Vancouver Yoga Studio. I have had the privilege of studying Anusara yoga and being part of this kula for the past couple of years. Prior to practicing here I studied Vinysasa, Kundalini, Yin, and Ashtanga styles of yoga. Over the past 10 years of my practice, yoga has challenged me to grow in my body, mind, and spirit and I look forward to sharing the experience of celebrating the flow of life through the practice of yoga with you!
Jeri
I started studying yoga eleven years ago at a gym, so although there was wonderful instruction in asanas, there wasn't a component of philosophy. When the class ended, I took about a year break from yoga and then missed its presence in my emotional life as much as much physical life. I started trying yoga studios and was thrilled to find Vancouver Yoga Center! It's been an amazing journey on many levels. My time on the mat, both at home and at the studio, grounds me in a healthy attitude towards my life and this crazy and wonderful world.
The biggest shift in my beliefs is that I used to believe that everyone who is "good" at yoga is thin. I acknowledge that some poses are challenging when more flesh is present, but I have found myself believing I can change on many levels (and have!) by embracing love and self-acceptance of the divine inside. This is counter to our Western society that sends a message that we should love our bodies after we lose weight. Instead, what if we all loved and appreciated our bodies exactly as they are this very moment? How empowering!
Along with this can go the notion that yoga teachers have completely disciplined their bodies, minds, and habits. I think a teacher who is not perfect and celebrates their divine humanity is a better teacher and more accessible to learn from and with. Of course, a part of me will want to be Super Yogi, so developing a healthy sense of this balance as a teacher will aid in my ability to balance my healthy self-awareness with a need to effectively demonstrate asanas and all parts of the practice.
I am thrilled to be teaching at Vancouver Yoga Center and look forward to every opportunity to help you deepen your practice and increase your love and appreciation for your body, mind, and heart!
Be well, and keep shining your light!
Melonie, Lindsey, Shiela, Jeri, Katie, & Dr. Zorn,
Vancouver Yoga Center
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Meditation and Dharma Dialogue With Dr. Zorn
Come join us for explorations of the heart-felt philosophies behind Yoga, followed by theory, instruction and practice of meditation techniques.
These sessions are led by Dr. Matt Zorn, a lifelong yogi of the Siddha Yoga Lineage. Matt, a Naturopathic Doctor specializing in Homeopathy, will guide us through the wisdom and understanding of the heart and mind in these inspirational talks and meditations.
2 Hour Sunday talks and meditations:
Nov 13th 10-12noon $25 The relationship of Meditation and Love, Inner Peace, and Happiness. Meditation for 20 minutes.
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Anusara Yoga
The number one question i get at the center is "what style of Yoga do you teach". This is such a rich and complex question. Any yoga in which you are practicing "Yoga" poses or the physical component to Yoga in broad general terms is called Hatha yoga. But Hatha yoga is not specific enough. In the dance community it would be like saying dance. Of course if you said you are going dancing someone might ask you what kind of dance or style of dance. Tango and hip hop are quite a bit different and can give and entirely different picture of the expression and intensity of the physical activity.
In yoga there are a few main schools or lineages of yoga. Some teachers and yoga studios stick strictly to one school or style and thus give a fairy similar feel from teacher to teacher. Well as best you can, since we are all such unique beings and how we deliver will always be unique to us. There are others that might have studied from one or many schools and have added enough of their own flare that it has become an entirely new thing. For instance taking the basic hatha yoga poses and adding a hot room, or doing them in a faster flowing way, or making hatha yoga more still or static or more dance like in nature. Some schools emphasize more of the mediation or philosophy, others are sticky physical in nature. Each of these ways of using and approaching appeals to the uniqueness of each person our temperament and our goals.
At the studio our main style of yoga is Anusara which grew out of Iyengar, one of the oldest and classic modern schools of hatha yoga. John friend the originator of Anusara yoga took the best of Iyengar and its emphasis on good postural alignment and wove in more of the heartfelt philosophy of yoga with it. As a system that even more effectively incorporates body, mind and our forgotten spirit. I would like to introduce you to John and his description of the vision of Anusara yoga. I hope you will be as inspired as i have been through the years studying with John.
Melonie
Principles of Anusara Yoga Philosophy
The vision of Anusara yoga is grounded in a Tantric philosophy of intrinsic goodness. In this philosophy we take the premise that everything in this world is an embodiment of Supreme Consciousness, which at its essence pulsates with goodness and the highest bliss. All of creation is divinely danced into existence for the simple delight and the play of embodying the Supreme's own blissful nature.
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Ayurveda- Balancing during Vata season
India's naturopathic medical system, Ayurveda, has much to offer us in how to live in a more balanced and harmonious way with our unique body constitution and cycles of the seasons.
The 3 main body typesof Ayurveda are affected greatly by the seasons and have their own particular season of imbalance.
We will explore each of these as their season approaches.
In Ayurveda Vata dominates the fall season. In our area the time to be most focused on Vata is between Oct-Jan
Vata's nature is to be on the cold, dry, and rough side. We see this in the fall season as the temperatures start to drop, the winds start to blow and we reach more and more for the lotion. We see imbalance of Vata in ourselves when we get poor digestion and elimination, predominantly in the form of constipation or gas, dry or rough skin, poor blood flow or movement restriction issues, anxiety, stress related problems, excessive worry, overactive mind and sleep or breathing issues.
Going into this season that makes Vata even more cranky we can help support our body's and minds by keeping warm, grounded and balanced into fall.
Things we can do to help keep our Vata in balance this season:
1# for Vata is to keep a regular daily routine.
Vatas are very creative and love lots of change and travel but it can be the #1 thing to imbalance a Vata. Even if its hard and a little boring Vata's will benefit greatly by being steady with a routine of waking, sleeping, eating and exercise throughout the day.
Eat foods that are warm, moist and slightly oily. Flavors of Sweet(grains, whole fruits, natural sugars), sour(lemon, tamarind) and salty balance Vata the most. Root vegetables, soups, Avoid overly hot/spicy, bitter or dry/astringent foods.
Keep warm, for exercise practice more of a gentle yoga, tai chi or swimming.
Leave time for at least 15 min of meditation at the end of your day to unwind the mental chatter.
Before your shower in the morning, massage your whole body with refined sesame oil. Wait 10-15 min then proceed with your shower. Vata in nature is dry and needs more oils and moisturizing during this time of the year. Sesame oil is slightly warming, high in minerals like calcium that the body absorbs and calms the overly agitated nervous system of Vata.
And lastly take time, slow down and rest. Everything in nature is beginning the 1st stages of slowing down and preparing for the hibernation of winter. Our body's like to be in harmony with nature and appreciate when we can change up our routine and move with those natural rhythms.
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Yoga Posture 101
Extended Side Angle- Utthita Parsvakonasana
Utthita- Extended
Parsva - Side
Kona- Angle
Asana- pose
This is such a rich and beneficial pose for the hips & pelvis. It helps to strengthen the legs and knees, opens the pelvis and can keep the SI joints in balance. Its a great pose to build strength and endurance in the whole body. Therapeutically this can be a great pose to add strength and openness to the hips. I also use it to help align the spine and in cases with scoliosis. Basic 1-2-3's of the pose Take your feet 4-5 feet apart. Back foot faces forward or can angle in slightly (i recommend this for beginners or those with hip or low back issues). Bend front knee to a 90 degree angle. No more and slightly less when knee issues are involved. The bottom hand has many options depending on your flexibiity. In order of easy to difficult: place forearm on thigh, place hand on a block (various settings), place hand on floor inside front foot, place hand on floor outside front foot. Deeper working of Universal Principles of Alignment in Anusara yoga 1st principle(open to grace) is to breathe, pause, soften and listen. Then we engage actively in the pose(2nd principle, muscular energy), hugging the muscles to the bones with loving support. This ensures that all parts of us are present and engaged in the moment. It offers greater strength and support for the joints and helps us continue on into deeper alignment work. 3rd we take the back inner thigh in, back and apart . This will at first cause our butt to stick out. But don't be concerned we will address this in a moment. The main action of this Inner spiral is largely in seating the femur(hip/thigh bone) back in its socket and rooting you more into your heel of the back leg. It sets the stage for a greater opening to occur. Once you have this, keeping it is key as we apply the 4th principle in Anusara yoga, the Outer spiral. Lengthen your tail down and scoop the front sit bone under encouraging a outward rotation all the way out to knee and down to foot. This helps prevent the common tendency for the front knee to collapse inward. This should give you greater opening and power in the pelvis. Giving greater freedom also in the spine to finally (5th principle, Organic energy) stretch out from the pelvis in all directions going for the full expression of the pose. Now its your unique art form. Glorify it and celebrate the uniqueness of you! |
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Session dates:
Sept 6th-Oct 30th Oct 31st-Dec23rd (no classes Thanksgiving & Christmas Eve) Studio Closed Dec 24th-Jan 1st
Coming soon to the studio...
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About Vancouver Yoga Center
We pride ourselves on teaching Yoga to each individual. Our yoga teachers are certified and highly trained in the movement and alignment of the body. Drop by the studio anytime or visit us online at www.VancouverYogaCenter.com for more information about our class schedule, massage therapy, and yoga therapy.
202 E McLoughlin Blvd Vancouver, Washington 98663 Vancouver Yoga Center 360-521-1609 |
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Upcoming Lectures, Events & Workshops
Sept 6th-Oct 30th
Oct 31st-Dec 23rd (no classes Thanksgiving & Christmas eve)
Studio closed Dec 24th-Jan1st
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