Fall...A Time for New Beginnings

I don't know about you, but Fall has always felt more like a time for renewal and new beginnings than January 1st.  Maybe its because school starts in the fall, and my kids are starting their new years and activities, or maybe its because my birthday is in August.  Either way, Fall is coming, and along with it, lots of opportunities for exploring our truest selves through Ashtanga Yoga. 

We are so fortunate that the Triangle Area has become a regular stop for some really amazing Ashtanga teachers, and a wonderful community of Ashtangis has grown up here.  Several events are on the calendar for this fall in the area - I'll list what I'm up to here in Cary/Apex first, but be sure to read all the way to the bottom for what's coming to Durham, and Chatham County as well.

Upcoming events - Ashtanga Yoga of Cary

Lifetime Fitness - I'll be teaching the Sunday morning Ashtanga 8:30-9:30am on August 26, September 9, and September 23.  Hope to see some of you Lifetimers there!

Blue Moon on the Pond - Thursday, August 30, 6-7:30pm at AYC - That's right - this coming full moon is a Blue Moon (second full moon in the same month), so I'll be leading a Full Moon Sequence practice during what would normally be the Ashtanga level 2/3 class on Thursday.

Labor Day Weekend - No classes on Friday, August 31, or Saturday, September 1 for Labor Day weekend.  I will have class as usual on Monday, September 3, 6-7:15pm at Yoga Garden in Apex.

Beginning September 14, I'll be subbing for Brittany at Yoga Garden on Fridays at 9:30am, and continuing through October.  This will be a level 1/2 vinyasa class.  Hope some of you can make it!

Ashtanga Yoga: Nuts and Bolts Workshop; September 15, 1:00-3:00pm, Yoga Garden, Apex - Been to a few Ashtanga classes and still not sure if you are doing it “right”?  This workshop will focus on the nuts and bolts of the Ashtanga practice.  Beginning with breath and vinyasa, we’ll work through the Sun Salutaions, standing poses, and a few of the seated poses of the Ashtanga Primary series.  We’ll focus on the alignment and intention of each vinyasa and pose, and end with a short discussion session for questions.

Upcoming Ashtanga events - Triangle area

Eddie Stern at Ride the Breath September 28-October 1 - Eddie Stern is the owner and director of Ashtanga Yoga New York  (www.ayny.org)  Details at www.ridethebreath.com 

AshtoberFest in Chatham County October 19-21 - a fun filled Ashtanga yoga weekend at Skip and Mary Ann Doty's place in Chatham County - several teachers will be leading Mysore and guided practices, as well as some discussions/chats.  Oh, and there will be snacks! contact Skip Doty at jpskipdoty@aol.com for details

David Garrigues at Ashtanga Yoga Club Durham November 16-18 - David will be returning to the Triangle for a weekend workshop.  www.ashtangayogaclubdurham.blogspot.com

August Updates and News

Even though it seems like Summer is flying by, there are still a few weeks left before the grindstone starts up again!  Here's what is going on here at AYC for the month of August and moving into September:

Lifetime Fitness in Cary - I've begun teaching Ashanga on a rotating basis with Natascha at Lifetime Fitness in Cary on Sunday mornings, 8:30-9:30.  I'll be there this Sunday, July 29, and then again on August 12.  Those dates and more are listed on my Google calendar to the right as well. Those of you with a Lifetime membership, I'd love to see you there!

Full Moon on the Pond - The next full moon is next Wednesday, August 1st - so I'll be leading a Full Moon Sequence practice at my home studio (AYC).  I just spent a week at Ride the Breath in Durham with Matthew Sweeney, the creator of this beautiful practice.  It was very inspiring!  I hope you'll come and enjoy this beautiful practice with me.  6:30-8pm; Donations; 207 Joseph Pond Lane, Cary; Contact me directly to reserve a space: inghamsk@gmail.com  or 919-880-9409 (call or txt)

Yoga Garden Expanded Schedule and Space - Yoga Garden in Downtown Apex is expanding their space and schedule, and I've been given the honor of a time slot to teach more Ashtanga!  Beginning September 4, in addition to my Monday evening Ashtanga Level 2 class, I'll begin an Ashtanga Level 1 class on Tuesdays, 6-7:15pm.  Those of you wishing to jump on the Ashtanga train at the beginning of the line, this is the class for you!  We'll cover the foundations of the practice - breath, drishti and vinyasa - and begin building a practice from there.  This class is suitable for beginners to yoga.

Mysore classes for Teens - If you've got teens at home for the summer and they're interested in starting a yoga practice, send them my way for Mysore style classes on Wednesdays and Fridays at 11:30am.  Mysore, India is where the Ashtanga yoga practice was born, and the traditional teaching method there is a self-paced format.  Students are given the practice in small bits.  Once each pose or sequence is committed to memory, the teacher will add on, giving modifications as needed and working with each individual at their own pace.  Payment is donation based, and 11:30am is (hopefully!) not too early for those teens!  Adults are of course welcome also :-)  Wednesdays and Fridays, 11:30am; Donations; 207 Joseph Pond Lane, Cary; Contact me to reserve a space: inghamsk@gmail.com or 919-880-9409 (call or txt)

As usual, check the Google Calendar at the right for the most up-to-date schedule of classes!

Namaste

Stacy

June/July Updates

Summer is here!! And since schedules are very crazy for all of us this time of year, it's hard to keep track of when classes are on or off or what.  I'll be in and out over the next month, so please check the Google Calendar on the right for the most accurate schedule and, as usual, please contact me to by phone or email to let me know you are coming. inghamsk@gmail.com or 919-880-9409 (call or txt)

• Classes cancelled June 20-27 EXCEPT Monday, June 25 6pm at Yoga Garden - look for a sub!
• Moon on the Pond July 3rd, 6:30-8pm
• Classes cancelled July 4-7
• Classes cancelled July 14-18 EXCEPT Monday, July 16 6pm at Yoga Garden - look for a sub!

Hope to see you soon!

Namaste

Memorial Day Weekend and June + new Blog Post!

Memorial Day Weekend classes:

Thursday May 24, 6-7:30pm Led Primary Series at AYC

Friday May 25, 11:30-1:30 Mysore at AYC

Saturday May 26, 9-11am Mysore at AYC

Monday  May 28, 6-7:15 Ashtanga level 1/2 CANCELLED

Tuesday May 29, 6:30-9:30am Mysore at AYC

June 3rd Moon on the Pond - 6:30-8pm at AYC

Contact me directly to let me know if you plan on coming to classes at AYC (my home studio) so I can reserve a space for you.  inghamsk@gmail.com  919-880-9409 (call or txt)

All classes at AYC will be cancelled from June 20-27, and also over 4th of July Weekend.  Look for details and reminders as those dates approach.

Recently a student of mine has had some trouble with her knee, and went to see a body worker, who gave her some advise and things to work on to help re-activate some muscles that have been "lazy"- presumably from years of various habits ranging from how she walks to the way she practices her yoga poses.  In talking with her we realized that many of the actions and poses her bodyworker recommended are present in Matthew Sweeney's Vinyasa Krama sequences - Moon and Lion Sequence.

Matthew's sequences, designed to complement the Ashtanga sequences, are uncanny at shining a light on and bringing to the student's attention what may be missing or being avoided.  It's easy, especially with a set-sequence practice like Ashtanga, to develop practice habits that avoid  those actions and poses we are uncomfortable with by rushing through those poses we don't like or "can't do", relying on our strengths to compensate for our weaknesses, but Matthew's sequences cleverly show how useful those things are.  For example, in Moon Sequence, the deep hip openers like Pigeon and Firelogs pose are often used as "prep" poses for Lotus and Eka Pada poses in Ashtanga.  In the Vinyasa Krama sequences, backbending is approached from different angles, like Half Camel pose in the Moon Sequence and the belly backbending in Lion Sequence.  While the Ashtanga Primary Series has plenty of  backbends in it (every Upward Facing Dog in every Vinyasa), many people rush through those movements and miss the benefits of backbending to complement the forward folds in the sequence.  There are more examples, and maybe I'll share those another time...

The point of all these examples is not necessarily to be an advertisement for Matthew's books or workshops (though I really do love his sequences and  teaching methods!!), or to speak out against the Ashtanga method (obviously I am a big fan or I wouldn't practice every day!)...But rather to point out that Yoga is about self exploration and awareness.  That means exploring and being aware of ALL of it...even the stuff that's messy or uncomfortable or hard...stepping up and facing our fears, pushing through our blockages and letting go of emotions we've been holding onto.  If we are avoiding that stuff on a physical level on our mats, what are we likely doing off the mat on an emotional and spiritual level?  I'm not saying we should all just jump off the proverbial cliff and dive into the gunk all at once...It's a process, and it requires diligence and discipline and devotion, as well as patience, acceptance and kindness - all things that are part of the eight-fold path of yoga.  Start with the physical...explore those limits and boundaries...take a peek over the edge and then come back another day ready to go a little further.  That element of exploration and curiosity is what sets yoga apart from many other forms of exercise...otherwise, it's just a bunch of jumping around on a mat!

Namaste

Stacy

David Garrigues video - dropping back

David Garrigues on dropping back to backbend from standing.  I really like the part at the end about how the arms help to get the whole body involved in the action rather than a hinging in the lower back.  Seems like they should be called "reach-backs" instead of drop-backs

Day Ten: Adjusting the drop back