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Greetings Huntington Beach Hot Yoga Family,
I am humbled by the sense of community we share in our studio. I want to thank each and every one of you who voted in the 2011 Best of Orange County Hot List contest as Huntington Beach Hot Yoga won as the Best Yoga Studio. This is a reflection of our studio's strength and willingness to mobilize to support each other including the students, the instructors, and most humbly, me. While it is easy to disregard the significance of this type of award when our ranking is further down the list, it is undeniable that first place allows us to raise the profile of our small community based studio in the broader competitive OC yoga studio community. But, most importantly, it represents the sense of belonging that Huntington Beach Hot Yoga strives to create for each and every student that walks through our doors.
Wikipedia defines a community in biological terms as a group of interacting organisms sharing a populated environment. In human communities, intent, belief, resources, preferences, needs, risks, and a number of other conditions may be present and common, affecting the identity of the participants and their degree of cohesiveness. Huntington Beach Hot Yoga is in a unique position because it is a safe haven where people practice yoga and feel comfortable enough to be able to contribute to building our wonderful community.
In creating and building Huntington Beach Hot Yoga, I was both returning to Southern California and seeking to build a community of like-spirited people who would share my love of the practice. My spirit is fueled by the positive energy generated and shared within our studio walls as we practice together.
In a world where technology is enabling people to become increasingly isolated by engaging more significantly with their computers and hand-held devices, Huntington Beach Hot Yoga offers the opportunity to stay connected with our humanity by building a community of yogi's and yogini's who can share a part of life with each other.
What a gift!
See you on your mat,
Jason
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JASON WILKERSON
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CONFIRM YOU'RE IN!
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We believe your time and in-box is precious and do not want to send you anything you do not want to receive. Please confirm your continued interest in receiving this email from us, or click on the link at the bottom of this newsletter to opt-out. Thank you.Jason Wilkerson, Owner HBHY
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| QUICK LINKS | Back issues of our SWEAT monthly newsletters are now available through the following link -
SWEAT Archives
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| FEATURED STUDENT - Ed Gentle |
 WHY DO YOU PRACTICE?
I feel really high when I practice yoga.I practice 3-4 times each week.
WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY BENEFITS YOU EXPERIENCE?
The flexibility and balance I gain from yoga are a delightful side-effect.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE POSTURE? My favorites are half moon and triangle. If these two go well the rest is just dessert.
HOW HAS YOUR HOT YOGA PRACTICE IMPACTED OR CHANGED YOUR LIFE?
Yoga has made me a better parent and a better doctor.
Now featuring our Student of the Month on the website homepage - www.huntingtonbeachhotyoga.co
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| FEATURED TEACHER - Jenai Nelson |
Hometown: Des Moines, WA
Childhood aspiration: I wanted to write and illustrate children's books. Maybe one day I will.
First Yoga Class: Highline YMCA in Washington State
Most influential teacher: Kori Flechtner. She was the first instructor to introduce yoga to me as something more than fitness but as a way of life. She helped me realize that yoga is also self study and that my "practice" is constant and ever evolving. She challenged me to take lessons learned on the mat and apply those to challenges I face off the mat and that idea ultimately changed my life.
The Defining moment when you realized you wanted to teach yoga was: I was talking to my husband about being unsatisfied with my job at the time and how I'd much rather be doing yoga everyday. The best part of my week was always my yoga practice. I told him that I was so envious of my yoga teachers that they got to teach yoga for a living and he simply said, "You could do that. You could teach yoga." At that moment, it occurred to me that it was an option.
Favorite Pose and Why: I love inversions because being upside down is exhilarating and fun. When I practice hand stand, I remember not to take myself too seriously. My hand stand is a work in progress but I enjoy
practicing it.
Most Challenging Part of Your Yoga Practice: Letting go of Ego. I am constantly reminding myself not to get stuck on trying to achieve an end result or a perfect looking posture. My intention for my practice has been
nearly the same for the last 2 years: be present in my body and breath; take time to live in the moment and let go of everything else.
Book you are currently reading: Meditations from the Mat: Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga by Rolf Gates and Katrina Kenison.
Cause you feel most passionate about: Recycling
Your local retreat: My yoga mat or anywhere with a tasty margarita.
What is your favorite expression? I love you like a fat kid loves cake.
What is your teaching philosophy? Breath, Alignment and Have Fun.
Why is yoga important to you? Yoga is my alternative to psycho therapy; it keeps me sane. It is time I set aside to treat myself and take care of my physical and mental health which also benefits all those around me.
Favorite hobbies: I love photography. I am a complete amateur but I love taking pictures and challenging myself to capture candids and moments in an artistic way. |
| APRIL UPDATES | |
 HBHY teacher Erica Schwartz celebrates her third anniversary with us on April 8. Be sure to congratulate her!
Please note in April EASTER SUNDAY (APRIL 24) there will be just two classes, one at 8am and one at 10am.
Don't forget to sign up for our 30 Day challenge starting April 25 (see details below).
HBHY will have our very own blog starting mid-April - see our Facebook page for more details!HBHY Facebook
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| TEACHER TRAINING - Frequently Asked Questions | |
 With Teacher Training 2011 just 13 weeks away, we wanted to addressed some of the questions potential participants have been asking:
How do I know if I am the right person for this experience?
Ask us! And now we have presented our teacher training stories in the website - they make fascinating reading! Student Testimonials
How can I pay for my tuition?
We accept cash, personal check or credit card (mastercard/visa). A $500 non-refundable deposit is required with your application. We offer a discount for early registration $2200 which must be paid by June 1, 2011, after then the tuition is $2500.
Will the Dayton Method Teacher Training be offered at other times throughout the year?
At this time we are only offering the Dayton Method Teacher Training during the later summer months.
I am from out of the area, where can I stay?
We will help you with accommodations to the best of our ability. We offer a list of recommended hotels on our website (Best Western Huntington Beach Inn, Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach, Shorebreak Hotel). You are also more than welcome to post a room request on our community board.
What books will I need to purchase?
There is 3 books that are mandatory during teacher training: Bikram Beginning Yoga Book by Bikram Choudhury, Anatomy Coloring Book (3rd Edition) by Wynn Kapit and Lawrence M. Elson, and The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali with commentary by Sri Swami Satchidinanda. We also have recommended reading which you can find on our teacher training website page.
If you are even mildly curious about the teacher training and whether or not it is right for you, please talk to us or visit our website - Dayton Method Teacher Training
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Ask Yogi: Looking at our Yoga Roots | |
What is "Sangha"?
Sangha is Sanskrit for community, referred to in Wiki as an "association, assembly, company or community with common goal, vision or purpose". The Sangha is maintained by the community via the daily practice of rituals and observance of rules of behavior and conduct characteristic of the Budd ha. In the Buddhist sense the Sangha, or community has four common characteristics:
- practicing the good way
- practicing the upright way
- practicing the knowledgeable or logical way
- practicing the proper way;
In looser terms Sangha can also mean your 'yoga community' - or the group of people you practice yoga with on a regular basis. Every yoga class is its own 'Sangha', created between the participants (teachers and students) by the rituals and norms of the typical yoga class. Most of us take the Sangha for granted and only notice it when someone breaks the Sangha, by leaving the room or distracting other yogis, and thus disrupts the circle and flow of energy in the class.
The Sangha is often symbolized by the Lotus Flower or the Dharma Wheel. The lotus is deep-rooted in mud but the blossom is open in the sun and it shows very attractive and fragrant. In Buddhism the lotus represents the real character of beings, which rise through "samsara" which is a process of defining the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The Dharma Wheel is comprised of eight spokes that represent the eightfold Buddhist path (similar to the eight limbs of yoga referenced in previous columns). The shape of the circle represents the perfection and continuity of the Sangha; the hub stands for discipline, which is the essential core of asana and meditation practice; and the rim, which holds the spokes, refers to mindfulness (Samadhi), or state of consciousness induced by complete meditation, which holds everything together.
Do you have a question about the Yoga Sutras or any other aspect of yoga? Any ideas about possible yoga history or philosphy topics? Feel free to send questions, comments, suggestions to nbarnes@csulb.edu. |
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30 DAY CHALLENGE
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FEATURED POSTURE - Tree Pose |
 Tree Pose
Tadasana
Stand tall in the middle of your towel and look forward as you set your intention for this last pose of the standing series. Staighten and strengthen your left leg, contracting each of the muscles from your ankles to your abdominals and up through your spine to the crown of your head. With your left leg as a strong anchor, lift your right leg and bend your knee, placing your right foot into your left hand at your hip crease. Try to get your heel as close to your hip as you can. Place your right hand at heart center. If your foot will stay in place, take both hands and put them together at heart center in prayer. Grow tall like a tree, make sure your hips are even and tucked under and that you are not hyperextending your lower back. Shoulders should be back and down with elbows close to your torso. Breathe in the stillness. Release your left foot gently (don't drop it!) stand still, breathe and pause, then repeat on the other side.
Benefits - Improves posture and balance. Improves circulatory disorders. Relieves tension in neck and shoulders. Increases flexibility of ankles, knees, and hip joints. Strengthens internal oblique muscles to prevent hernia. |
| FINAL THOUGHT |
You cannot give your life more days, but you can give your days more life.
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$99*
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Month-to-month membership continues! Unlimited Yoga
$99 per month
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* month-to-month membership - $49 set up fee - two month minimum, cost per person per month, click here for more details Huntington Beach Hot Yoga Rates
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