"Finding love or joy in unlikely places"

In essence, this thought or mantra is one of the messages I took home with me after my six week insight meditation course. For the past year, I felt myself finding wonder in the simple things and in the great outdoors, so I have been traveling a more mindful path than I could have imagined- before ever taking this course. I’ve found myself stopping to investigate  things like a four year old, and I have shared many of my deer encounters (while hiking)  with friends who sometimes think I am nuts to talk to these gorgeous and graceful animals. “Run up a tree and get away from them, you’ll get gored or kicked in the head!”, they say to me.

A fellow yogi passed along this poem today, I experienced the energy of insight and metta meditation when I read this poem... it’s kinda odd in some respects but it does drive home the point that all that is adoring or lovely is not necessarily clean and beautiful...or alive.

Life Shared.

Aimless Love

This morning as I walked along the lakeshore,
I fell in love with a wren
and later in the day with a mouse
the cat had dropped under the dining room table.

In the shadows of an autumn evening,
I fell for a seamstress
still at her machine in the tailor’s window,
and later for a bowl of broth,
steam rising like smoke from a naval battle.

This is the best kind of love, I thought,
without recompense, without gifts,
or unkind words, without suspicion,
or silence on the telephone.

The love of the chestnut,
the jazz cap and one hand on the wheel.

No lust, no slam of the door –
the love of the miniature orange tree,
the clean white shirt, the hot evening shower,
the highway that cuts across Florida.

No waiting, no huffiness, or rancor –
just a twinge every now and then

for the wren who had built her nest
on a low branch overhanging the water
and for the dead mouse,
still dressed in its light brown suit.

But my heart is always propped up
in a field on its tripod,
ready for the next arrow.

After I carried the mouse by the tail
to a pile of leaves in the woods,
I found myself standing at the bathroom sink
gazing down affectionately at the soap,

so patient and soluble,
so at home in its pale green soap dish.
I could feel myself falling again
as I felt its turning in my wet hands
and caught the scent of lavender and stone.

~ Billy Collins ~

(Nine Horses)

"Taste the beauty of being alive"

This is just one nugget of the thoughts, quotes and conversations that are being shared in my insight meditation series that began one month ago.

I admit that I am so thankful to take the leap and seek out a teacher to guide me through a more mindful way of life. There is a supportive peace in the room which arouses the curiosity and encourages further study of the practice. Yes, some days to sit for 15 minutes has been unproductive (I think, but maybe not) and focus on the breath entering and leaving my nose.  Its amazing how quick your mind can jump ship after three breaths, but the kind manner that you draw yourself back in is therapeutic in its own right; no frustration, no condemning, no 'give up' attitude. 

I believe that one of the most important aspects of a meditation practice is your 'comfortable seat' . If you can't sit comfortably on the floor then sit in a chair with whatever you need such as lumbar pillows, ‘o’ ring cushions, sturdy chair with feet flat on the floor.  If you can sit on the floor with a meditation cushion or bolster but start to fatigue after several minutes, then consider propping yourself against the wall for support and use blankets or a lumbar pillow. Don't allow your seated position to sabotage your meditation. 

Here is an abbreviated list of the books on meditation and mindfulness provided by my teacher for you to explore and fuel the spark of your mediation practice. 

Mindfulness in Plain English. Venerable Henepola Gunaratana, Wisdom Publications, Boston

Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness, Gunaratana, Wisdom Publications, Boston

The Meditator’s Atlas: A Roadmap to the Inner World.  Matthew Flickstein, Wisdom Publications, Boston. 

The Experience of Insight, Joseph Goldstein, Shambhala, Boston

Insight Meditation: The Practice of Freedom by Joseph Goldstein. Shambhala, Boston

Seeking the Heart of Wisdom: The Path of Insight Meditation. Joseph Goldstein & Jack 

Kornfield, Shambhala, Boston

A Path with Heart: A Guide Through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life. Jack Kornfield. 

Full Catastrophe Living Jon Kabat-Zinn, Dell Publishing, New York

Wherever You Go, There You Are. Jon Kabat-Zinn 

Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living. Pema Chodron

When Things Fall Apart. Pema Chodron

The Places that Scare You, all three by Pema Chodron, Shambhala, Boston

Loving-Kindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness by Sharon Salzberg, Shambhala, Boston.

Insight Meditation Society, Barre Center for Buddhist Studies and Sharon Salzberg’s and Joseph

     Goldstein’s Home Pages<http://www.dharma.org/>

Insight Meditation Society is one of the major insight meditation centers in the US. Barre Center is loosely associated with IMS. Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein are two of the founders of IMS and a wonderful teachers.

Spirit Rock Meditation Center<http://www.spiritrock.org/>

Spirit Rock is one of the two major insight meditation centers in the US. 

Life Shared

Pursuit of Dhyana

Step Back from the Asana.

Set the New Year on a stable track

“But I’m addicted to it. I have been working on pincha for nine months, I can’t back off now!” Does that response speak to you? During this first quarter of the new year step back from the asana and be still. How? By practicing fewer poses...practicing restorative yoga...practicing seated poses to ground and prepare yourself. And do what? Meditate or meditate more. Why? For the peace, connection, and clarity from meditation feed your spirit and transform your asana practice. Join me in this path of enrolling in an insight meditation course, or some form of mediation workshop even if you meditate at this time. Scout around your local yoga studios as well as the universities and holistic centers to find a workshop near you and enroll in one.

Just as we ‘begin from the beginning’ occasionally in our asana postures, take yourself back to the bottom rung of meditation with a mentor or guide. I have enrolled in a six-week meditation course because I have found the power of attention by stepping back to an environment of simplicity to strengthen me in many ways. I have found this from my own meager (version of meditation for dummies, I suppose) and virtually unguided pursuit of dhyana. But now, I seek more direction and understanding from a mentor who has studied and practiced 

for many years, I guess I also enjoy being a student!

My class begins in two weeks and the enthusiasm is building, but I avoid building expectations. Good or not so, or indifferent, I should have a few blogs to document this adventure. I look forward to hearing about  your journey as well. 

Life Embraced

Beaches and Bolsters

You realize you are a seasoned yogi when you open the hotel suite door and spot a bolster on the bed along with a pile of pillows and think...”restorative pose!” The bed full of supportive fluff smiles back at you and whispers “How was that looong car ride? Didn’t have time to stop and really streeetch those legs out?  Too confined for a spinal twiiist? Awwww, poor baby!” This cooing and persuading persists as you survey your temporary digs and check out the ocean view.  

No arm twisting needed, as soon as the husband steps downstairs to take care of business you go to work:

*Blanket on the floor? √

*Bolster under the knees? √

*Pillows stacked to support back and head? √

*Washcloth over the eyes? √

“Siri, set my clock for 5 minutes please.”

Ahhhhhhhhh.

You quickly replace the linens and accurately reset the pillows in place, otherwise your husband would accuse you of having a pillow fight with yourself. Then you muse about how you can sneak that bolster down to the beach.......

Namasté

Prana on the Porch

"Have you practiced #yoga on the front porch of a bed and  breakfast? #imagineit #365yoga"

Tweeted by @neshobayoga

An early morning began with seated pranayama amongst a row of rocking chairs. I then rose and stepped over to the sunlit side of the porch to awaken a downward facing dog and flow through several surya namaskar A’s. I continued with some standing poses and an upright pigeon variation (I squatted deeply and extended my arms laterally while I envisioned a heron perched on a fishing pier.) Savasana was swapped for tadasana with hands poised at anjali mudra for several minutes-to provide myself with a grounded clarity for 

the day.

This grand Victorian Lady presides on an urban Pensacola street corner, it’s been her post for over one hundred years. I can imagine that she has witnessed some unusual events in her city, but has there been anyone else to practice yoga on her porch...or am I the first?

The Creative flow of Living, Writing and Yoga

I have come to the conclusion that these three things (living, writing, yoga) weave tight into each other, and I don't think they are very well or healthy without each other. There are essays, poems and novels that wrap themselves around me and hold me tight. There are people in my life who bring me that same support and warmth- and pretty much without fail, my yoga practice does too. My yoga holds me high, lays out a few cliffhangers and gives me a few giggles. 


I wanted to share a poem from a former student who had to relocate to the foothills of Arkansas last summer. I still think of Jennifer and her delicate grace. At her last class, I read this poem out loud during our Sun Salute A sequence... and it was magical! It touched so many yogis and yoginis in the class with smiles, serenity, tears and community.

A Yogi's Prayer

(Salutation to the Sun)

Arms held high I greet the day in salutation to the sun

Feeling beams upon my face I know the day has come

Forward bending I let go with gentle yogic grace

Lunging back with open heart I welcome life's embrace

With my back a plank straight and true I begin to turn within

Sinking now releasing on my knees and chest and chin

Cobra-like I stretch up feeling strength within the pose

Downward like a sunbeam I gain spiritual repose

Lunging forward easily feeling sweet release

Forward bending I relax welcoming the peace

Joyfully I stretch up to be all that I can be

Prayerfully I greet the God in you and the God in me

Namasté    Namasté    Namasté

Jennifer Veblen 2010

Make Your Own Space

Where ever you are, where ever you go, just carve it out of somewhere. Make that space for asana, pranayama and meditation. A baseball tournament put me on the road to Mobile, Alabama; this of course means finding a yoga studio that works with the tournament schedule or practice on my own. By the photo, you can tell I had to default to the later-which turned out to be bliss.

A breezy, sun dappled area combined with the bubbling water of the nearby hot tub made a great yoga space. I’m getting pretty good at turning inward and withdrawing from distractions (i.e. the sounds of traffic), by focusing on the water feature I was ‘in my zone’. I wasn’t bothered by anyone when I rolled out my mat due to the early hour of my practice, only a curious housekeeper peeking at me while she was cleaning the windows. 

It is so fabulous to practice outdoors, my gaze is directed to unique perspectives of nature. It’s is good way to help me off the mat and see different angles to a problem or challenge, or to be able to see a situation from someone else's chair. 

Even those pesky mosquitoes were in harmony with my practice, they didn’t  bite me once! What’s your favorite outdoor space?

Namasté

The best of Puppy Poses

Share these photos with your teenie yoginis to inspire them in their own yoga journey.

Charlie demonstrates the super challenging pose Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle). Charlie tells us that this pose stretches the hips and spine as well as opens the chest. This pose also improves breathing and relieves mild back pain. Charlie is so intent with the spreading of the toes! 

Lizzy took on the flexibility challenge pose Krounchasana (Heron Pose), she has such an elongated spine. Lizzy wants us to know that this posture stretches the hamstrings and stimulatesthe abdominal organs. She is such a graceful yoga model!

Kerrigan is so adorable, he could have hung Ardha-Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose). Doing this pose helps to strengthen that puppy belly, improve coordination and balance as you grow into those big paws and strengthens the ankles and spine. 

Writer’s Block

It happens to anyone who puts pen to paper (or finger tips to keyboard)- regardless of your experience or skill level, you feel like you haven’t an intellectual bone in your body and nothing to express. Heck, you can lock up when writing in your own diary or journal!  You may have the writable, reportable experiences, but they may be too raw to organize and communicate, hence the freezing action I suppose. It takes immense effort, meditation and pranayama to quite those nasty voices. 

I am back on the blog track and I recently returned back to social media after a several week hiatus. I was caught up in the throws of this disorder called “Senioritis” and it can be quite gripping. My last child graduated high school last month and ordinary events or rituals became “this will be the last time you ___, sniff sniff”. The month of April and May felt like one long roller coaster ride at Six Flags as we experienced senior projects, prom, Senior Awards, the last baseball season, final exams - and rumbled right into baccalaureate and graduation. What a spring 2012 was.

If you are not aware of it, there is a completely opposite end of the spectrum to the disorder known as Senioritis, and I was experiencing this version in tandem with the more youthful Senioritis. My father’s failing cognitive functioning skills (associated with Parkinson’s disease) started to drop off right before I had to place my mother in a nursing home as she is anchored in the severe stages of Alzheimer’s. So you see, I have had a lot on my mind and plate...and it was covering up my mat.

Some incredibly insightful moments took place during this time, and a lot of light appeared amidst the grey. When the time is right, I’ll be blogging about a few of them under the heading of Senioritis. 

Metta and Ananda to you all yogis and yoginis

29 February 2012

My last day in Utopia

I dislike the feelings that swell up like a tide pool when I have to leave the beach. Regardless, I do have to thank my lucky stars (and planets) for my time in this little paradise: no flight delays getting here, no inclement weather and memorable experiences. 

My morning walk on the beach was bright and communal, just enough other folks with the same idea sharing a beautiful moment in time. The ocean was mirror smooth in a cool hue of aquamarine and the air was practically still-just an occasional light breeze.

The ocean invited me to sit for a while, 

So I knelt down into virasana posture to...I don’t know, 

But I closed my eyes and        sat.  

The ocean spoke slightly above a whisper:

Draw in

Draw within 

Rest your awareness 

In the first moment 

When The Spirit

Hovered over the water

And I did

And it became so quiet

Like I had slowly submerged under the water

But I still felt bright and warm from the sun

I felt like my spirit and my body temporarily separated

Experiencing calm and wonder 

Then the ocean asked me to breathe with her

And I did

27 February 2012

Pada Bannnndha Baby!

Pada= foot

Bandha= lock 

Bandha is usually translated as a lock, it also implies a "binding" or "harness". To create this effect in the foot, stretch and lengthen the foot. Spread those toes, baby! Don’t forget to plug in the front of the heel, base of the little toe, and the base of the big toe.  These pressure placements help the arch to lift upward. If you visualize a suction cup, you kinda get an idea of the engagement of the feet. This Bandha is used in standing poses to increase stability, balance and a sense of grounding.

Don’t waste this tool-take it off the mat and have fun with it, i.e. experience life! The Pada Bandha was quite handy in my first try at SUP (stand up paddle boarding). Spending the afternoon of the Gulf of Mexico with me and my board was incredibly fun and relaxing. Paddling with a canoe paddle will give you an abdominal and upper body workout; staying on the board is where alignment principles and Pada Bandha come into play and challenge you even further. 

Once I found my ‘sea legs’ and Pada Bandha, the time on the water started to feel like time on the mat- it was all mine. Free from life’s distractions and responsibilities, the dipping of the paddle, the bright sun and smooth breeze soothed my soul. My breath started to match the flow of my strokes... it just felt familiar and friendly.

Living my yoga.

25 February 2012

Day Two

Witnessing Mother Nature’s creation from the balcony is a truly inspiring way to start the day.  While overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, I watched the sky light up over the gorgeous water, the tropical landscape glowed, and the faint sound of the surf touched my ears.

The second chakra is associated with water and is located in the sacral plexus or abdomen.This chakra is also known as Svadhisthana-which translates as “one’s own place”. Anodea Judith writes that we should stand in our own place within this chakra and define our sexual and emotional issues in a way that is suitable to our individual character. 

I feel great peace, pleasure and fulfillment in the presence of an ocean or a large scenic lake. It should not  surprise me that water affects me in this way as pleasure is the motivating principle in the second chakra. Calm, content emotions start to consume me as I walk along the shore. The tide summons me to jump into the surf so it can wash away worries and fears. 

I’m thinking that my last stop (or home) on this Earth will need to be close to beautiful, swim-able water. 

“With a sheepish smile, she took herself out”

Say that three times in a row...

Ready? sheepish smile, sheepish schmile, smeepish schmile!

Not too long ago, I was subbing for a fellow teacher who had come down with mono. I don’t mind subbing for other teachers, especially if I am already familiar with the facility and know some of the students. I have become more comfortable with subbing over the years, but still, the students have their reservations about a sub! I totally get it, I was the same way not too long ago. 

The students began to file into class wearing those ‘deer in the headlights’ expressions, and I quickly began to explain that the teacher was out ill, and that hopefully she would be back next week. One student replied, “Did you say she was sick?”  There were some surprised and puzzled looks in the crowd, “Yes, unfortunately, the teacher has mono”, I responded, “Please keep her in your thoughts and maybe send some healing energy her way”.  “Wow, I thought if you do all this yoga then you don’t get sick”, someone said. Somewhat surprised, I replied, “Well... it happens sometimes”.  I thought to myself, “We are all organic, we are all human, and we become ill once in a while”.

The pranayama practice was flowing along and we began to transition into some Asanas. The students were moving through half vinyasas as I walked the floor, I stopped for a moment and realized that I was not able to take them through any Sun Salutes. Earlier that day, I was working on handstands and tweaked my wrist. Plank and down dog would not be possible because I couldn’t do one fourth of my Pilates reformer class that afternoon. My wrist flat out hurt and I wasn’t going to push it for Pilates or for Asanas. As the students came to Samasthiti (equal standing), I addressed the class that  any new students should feel free to follow along with others through the sequence as I would continue to verbally cue. I explained a minor wrist setback would allow me to do only standing and non weight bearing floor postures in class that night. As you may have guessed, there were more surprised and puzzled looks.

I began to cue Sun Salute A and then interjected into my dialogue, “ We teachers, we become sick and we do get hurt... even injured by more advanced yoga postures” I kinda shrugged my shoulders and sheepishly smiled when saying this, I knocked myself off of any pedestal I may have been perched on and the response was heartwarming. By their expressions, smiles and giggles, I believe that the students who showed up that night were at peace with the idea that teachers are students also. We are one in community and in practice, and that there isn’t a need for teachers to be on a pedestal (at least that is my opinion). I do understand there is some yoga drama and politics; desiring to be upheld, idolized and popular, I personally don’t think it’s healthy or necessary, at times it may be dangerous. 

Hmmm, Samasthiti...equal standing indeed.

Begin again...from the beginning (part 2)

Allow me to flip the calendar back several weeks to November 18, 2011- the night of the Yoga Woman screening at Lifetime Fitness. I suppose I was too blissed out to realize that I left my yoga mat at the movie until the next morning when it was time for me to teach my vinyasa class.  I was frantically running around the house trying to find my mat and then I stopped dead in my tracks and said “Oh, no I didn’t.”  I called the gym asking if my mat had been turned into lost and found; nope, it couldn’t be found anywhere. With my head hanging low, I headed off to class and used a house mat to teach class. For 24 hours I fretted and then, reluctantly, went online and ordered another mat, as I could not stand the idea of not having my own mat. I wanted my old mat more than anything; there were just too many memories embedded in that dense olive rubber: workshops, faint pen marks from teacher trainings, and “aha!” moments. I dreaded that I would never see my old friend again, so I tried to stop the aching by ordering another mat. 

Two nights later, I was reunited with my mat! I stopped into the gym to take a class and someone had found my pal and lovingly propped it alongside the cubbies outside the yoga studio area; oh bless whoever that was!  As chance would have it, my new mat showed up at my front door the very next day (love that amazon prime free 2-day shipping), but I no longer need a new mat -I had my buddy back. I let that new mat sit in its box for seven days and I stared at it ...a lot. 

Something was a-brewing at my core and wouldn’t  let go. An inner calling suggested that I make a tangible distinction between the yoga teacher and the yoga student in me. This idea really ignited me because a handful of teachers in my community have either cut back on classes or taken a break from teaching in order to make more time for their families and their own personal practice. I had already dropped one yoga class and a fitness class off of my schedule this year. I was feeling good with the amount of time that I was teaching, but I just needed a compass or guide to help grow my yoga. I felt this symbol (new mat) would amplify my aspiration of an abundant student practice.  So, I kept it and threw away the shipping box!

Now, let’s fast forward to January 2012: my first few home practices on the new mat in this New Year brought back some old memories. Remember the ‘break-in’ period, the constant slide-y down dogs and triangles, and the peculiar odor? Not only do I feel nostalgic but also very uncoordinated and off balance. I am sensing that this fresh pursuit of the yoga student may assist the yoga teacher in me as the new yoga folks show up to practice for the first time ever, or the first time in many years. Some of those awkward scenarios will be fresh on my brain...I remind myself that these moments can be frustrating and disheartening because we are human and we have an ego and that I should find a way to communicate this to the class. Each practice I’ll encourage them to just show up and do what you can-when you can -and let everything else go. 

I really love being a student

Namaste

A Squiggle For Your Thoughts...

Never get tired of doing little things for others because sometimes those little things occupy the biggest part of their heart. - Baltao

*Tweeted by Freedom Yoga 8/18/11

Words that resonated with me when I read them 4 days ago, the quote made me think of two compassionate yogi tweeps and their short, but very uplifting tweets in the past weeks. Let me explain: recently, I received a bombshell of sad and painful news that clocked me with scud missile accuracy.  In turn, I had to communicate more sad and painful news to others and make some unpopular decisions.  During this raid of negative information, these two yogis seemed to have me in their crosshairs and delivered supportive tweets with precise timing to keep my head and heart above the smoke and shells. 

Additionally, my husband and extended family have supported me with their kind words and prayers to help me navigate through this difficult time. During one overwhelming moment, my husband suggested writing down everything I needed to do, research and call upon, to help me focus and lift some weight off of me at the same time.  Jokingly he said, “Can you write on the refrigerator with a dry erase marker?”  I whipped out a hot pink marker and drew a large squiggle on the ‘frige and stood there for a moment. “Uhh, I wouldn’t have tested that idea on the very front of the appliance, honey”, he said. I waited a few more moments and then wiped the squiggle off with my hand, “Voila!” I exclaimed. Since then, the side of the fridge has become my life-size dry erase board, an invaluable tool to get organized, categorized and time-lined. Even though I may be wiping off two items and adding three more to do’s, it has created a sense of calm and direction for myself. 

It may seem small or insignificant to some, but kind words, simple ideas, and keeping my energies and thoughts in supportive environments have kept me on a steady directed path, versus feeling like I am walking through a mine field. 

Like Baltao said- keep doing little things for others!

**** A ton of <3 goes out to @Freedomyoga @letigo8 @flyingyogini and @yoga_mydrishti

I have been a knittin'

I’ve been a Knittin’

Yes, it’s true. I have been a knittin’ and a stitchin’... a knittin’ a stitchin and a cinchin’. For two straight weeks this yogi has been fabricating and corset-ing my body in Stott Pilates Intensive Mat teacher training, using my rectus, obliques and TVA’s (and many more muscles). Pilates is better known for toning and beautifying the body, but the real benefit is the rehabilitating, strengthening, and mobilizing of the spine, pelvis, and shoulders.

It’s tough implementing the five basic principles of Stott Pilates! Most people do not understand what the true “neutral spine” is, so they often over-exaggerate the natural curve of the spine on the mat and place the lumbar spine in a precarious position. Additionally, most people do not understand the “imprint” position of the pelvic tilt- to keep the pubis slightly higher than the ASIS joints. Instead, a student may plant their entire back into the mat instead, which is a counter-productive position. Using core muscles to hold these two pelvic positions is a hardworking foundation; and you haven’t even added an exercise yet!

Although it sounds like this part of the teacher training took my breath away, it was instead the Anatomy requirements that caused the heavy labored sigh. During the six month training program, trainees have an Anatomy component that is 50% of the final exam. The other 50% of the certification is a practical where the trainee does a postural analysis on a ‘student,’ discussing health concerns and goals, then teaches this ‘student’ a class that will address their postural and joint deficiencies; all of this happens right on the spot! You have to pass both the written and the practical exam to become a Stott certified teacher. The depth of Anatomy proficiency in this program falls in line with an ACE personal trainer certification exam and somewhat near the ACSM personal trainer certification. It’s tough stuff! How do I know? I investigated the ACE program and still have the hundreds of study flashcards; I also reviewed one of the ACSM manuals… wow, I mean, wow. As you might guess, the inevitable question arose: how does this Pilates training compare to my 200-RYT program?

 This blog ties into a fabulous blog posted by @Teachasana on July 22, 2011 titled “What should I look for in a teacher training program?” In that article, Yoga Alliance Affiliated RYT programs and Non-Yoga RYT programs were discussed and the point was well made. Even YA certified programs do not provide an equal training experience. Each YTT may ‘present’ the required material, One YTT may give you a few cookies on the particular subject (Chakras, for example), while another YTT hands you an entire cookie jar’s worth of Chakra study- asking you to create a 30 minute guided mediation using the Chakras as your focus in order to complete that module of study. I have witnessed these inequalities when taking advanced teacher training workshops. While completing a Yin Yoga teacher training last winter, the learning curves from approximately 10 different YTT’s were reflected in the kinds of asana and anatomy questions that were asked...and the expressions on some of the participant’s faces. There is no judging whatsoever going on here because I have sat on that mat before and I remember the feeling, I’m just expressing my understanding that there are swings in the content of teacher training programs. It would be quite difficult for a YTT program to be able to give trainees all that they desire, given other variable such as  price, geographic location, and duration of class time. That being said, I’m old school and I feel that trainees should not come out of their programs feeling disadvantaged or unprepared, especially in the areas of asana or anatomy, you are working with people’s bodies!

You are correct if you conclude that I am of the opinion that my YTT did not meet the ‘inquiring minds want to know’ disposition of my own brain!  Disappointed? A little, but seriously, no hard feelings exist- remember this is my opinion. I have a sleuthing, CSI type of mind and have already received additional anatomy training through the Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas, where I received a group fitness leadership certification. Every yoga teacher or potential yoga teacher is different and so is their intention and focus. You have to be honest with your intent so you can find a welcoming home in your teacher training program. Me? I want to bring students to equanimity and, in my mind, knowing the body and the brain on a more intimate level may help me on that path.

While tossing this thought around, a couple of my own teacher training questions came to mind. Will this teacher training:

Assist your students in functional fitness?

Yes, so many of us love Vinyasa, but it isn’t the end all of yoga-and many can’t keep up with the flow.  Who are you planning on teaching? Would an Iyengar or Hatha teacher training be a better fit to the audience you may be teaching, one that focuses more on alignment and deep holds of postures?

Assist your students in an emotional perspective?

If you already know that you may be working with a significant number of students who are in counseling, recovery, or chronically ill, the YTT that enlists therapist and counselors and allows significant focus on meditation, journaling, pranayama and mindfulness may be the YTT for you.

Another idea is to review the required and recommended reading list for your potential YTT. The book list may help you determine if it is a balanced training program.  A fellow teacher acquaintance confided in me that her required reading list was “Light on Yoga” and “The Power of Now”, that’s it...you have to decide if that is enough for you. The education doesn’t stop when you receive that certificate. After you have graduated, you will have to complete continuing education courses to remain in good standing.  Several of my fellow teacher peers have been branching out in their CE studies to enhance their mind/body awareness through classes and workshops like Tai Chi, Qigong, belly dancing, Sanskrit study, Pilates, Ayurveda, and even college Anatomy. They all sound pretty fascinating to me, especially the belly dancing!  

Enjoy the anatomy image, this blog is starting to cut into my study time… back to knittin’ and the books!