i wish

Oh, how I wish I could record and video my classes and take pictures of my wonderful yogi patients/students/kids...I call them my kids, but technically they are my patients. They are the most wonderful, beautiful group of people. And I feel very blessed and thankful I get to be apart of their yoga journey! It's a joy to come to work and teach to such a dynamic group. A group of misfits, injured, depressed, anxious, insomniac, borderline, and pd. I wouldn't trade it in for the world! I love touching the lives of our young men and women serving our country here or there, and fighting their own internal fight with sanity. I love it. I love watching them try new things, succeeding, and to see their faces when they realize they just touched their toes for the first time EVER!!! I am blessed. It brings tears of joy to my eyes.

They other day we did a tree circle!! in our beginners class at that! These people are fearless! They make me smile and they make me want to plan classes for THEM, around their injuries, they make me laugh too:) I look forward everyday i get to teach...wish it was everyday. They inspire me to be a better yogi. and my "level 2 class"...words can't describe the unconditional love I have for each and every one of them...they have been with me for 5-6 months or longer..they have grown, blossomed, relapsed, got back up. They are part of my yoga family now and will always be. I mean when a room full of marines and sailors all do bird of paradise...it's takes your breath away. Again, I wish I could capture this for the world to see. For you to see. to make a scrap book of my wonderful Yogi Service Members. It's funny too, because they make me want to not call in sick the days I see them...the days I know they are depending on me...on ME to be there for them...to nurture their yoga growth. to laugh. to teach. to laugh at myself:)

After my iRest sessions today and reading through all their notes...I'm so thankful I get to teach in this population!! I love this population. I maybe a tree-huggin, no shoe wearing hippy, but I love love love my Military Yogis!!! Reading through their moods today before and after class really lit me up, and made my heart warm and radiant, full of joy. Here are some before and after "moods" during iRest:
Good -------------------- Relaxed and Rested
Anxious, nervous-------thankful
ok-------------------------feeling relaxed and calm
ok-------------------------good and open
ok-------------------------very relaxed, tired, calm - look forward to doing all the classes, I like it a lot
Angry----------------------Happy :)
Irritated-------------------Relaxed
depressed------------------Relaxed

And these are just a few from today!!! iRest and Yoga are healing!!

Just wanted to share part of my teaching journey with all of you. so blessed

Namaste.

Love Teaching, but want to TAKE

I have been teaching like crazy this year...racking up the hours left and right! Basic, Restorative, Power Flows, Level 2 Classes, iRest, Shoulders, Backs, Military, Marines...I love love love I am able to teach at work and do my job!! TOnight I am teaching at the Studio near home...excited and nervous being in a new setting! Thinking about doing a moon salutation thingy tonight!!! The only problem with teaching soooooo much is never being able to take!! I miss taking every other night...Hopefully I will take tomorrow...but it's a slow class...booooo. Oh well...maybe I just need to do more private practices on my own...we shall see.

Namaste.

MUST SEE AND READ

So, this amazing yogi and foodie...recently shaved her head!!! Something I've always wanted to do...kinda on the secret bucket list you know...Here's the link to the blog and video. THis is awesome!! Inspiring!! HOlY COWness! I had the opportunity to meet SHarla a few months back during a yoga and food workshop...learned a lot about food and juicing and why not to eat dairy...anyways.. check out her website and this video!! Makes me want to shave my head. EEEK!

Namaste.

http://healthylifestyleandspirit.com/be-liberated-today/

iRest update

More and more people are getting the iRest bug! My classes are so full, I've had to put people on a waiting list..I hate to do that..but I can only fit so many bodies in one small room. I'm looking into setting up another class. It's awesome!! People are loving it for the most part. 99%. Co-workers are emailing me saying they've ordered the cd!!! the word is out!! Thank you iRest team for this opportunity and the wonderful training!!! I love what I do, and thankful I can add this to my routine! wooohooo!

Namaste.

Tonight we EAT, DANCE, and Be YOGI"S

We've done it! Tonight's the Night!!! We graduate from Teacher Training!! 200 hours BAM! done and done!

WoooHoooooo

Namaste. AM

My Kids (aka students) Rock

I am so freakin' proud of my kids (students/patients)! Yesterday we had a pretty full class again..10 people. THe energy was alive and kicking. No major physical injuries, and everyone was feeling good...so we kicked it up a notch. We warmed up, did some Sun Sals, then started doing this awesome sequence of asanas...I had out my Meza book of sequencing...but didn't even use it. We did a ton of ab work for our solar chakra from boat to table with ab crunches. Then I was feeling frisky and we all tried the 3 leg table to down dog. First with one leg, then with one leg and one arm pushing up from table to down dog!! Everyone tried it, a few toppled over. It was awesome though! Ok so the sequence if I can remember went something like this: War 2, triangle, extended side angle, goddess, reverse other side. then war 2, extended side angle bind* - other side. Feeling even more frisky at this point because every single one of my kids got the bind!!! ON BOTH SIDES!!! I told them how it took me forever to get my right side!! I was a proud mommy bear!

After that I asked them to find a partner to help spot on this next one we were all going to attempt. I demonstrated Bird of Paradise. Emphasizing the slow and steady approach..go with the breath. take your time, focal point, bend the knees...So, everyone tried it AND GOT IT!! HOLY COW BATMAN! I told them they were all freakin' ROCKSTARS!!! we did both sides, then forward bends. 5 minutes of free style from head stands to tree to "yoga pushups"..then savasana..it was an Amazing practice. I wish I could have captured a picture of my 10 Marine Yogis doing Bird of Paradise...It will forever be with me. They all are amazing people. I am so blessed to have the privilege to be their yoga teacher.

Namaste~AM 

Sankulpa Revisited

So, last night - our first night of our last week of teacher training - we revisited our original Sankulpa, created a new one, and of course wrote about it and shared with the group. Here's mine.

Original Sankulpa: Love.Peace.Grow
When I began I was all about growing into my 30's and out of my 20's; eliminating toxins; becoming more peaceful with myself and others; and spreading the love~

New Sankulpa: Learn.Grow.Share. However, before my California/iRest trip I was using Stop.Breathe.Smile and sharing that with everyone who walked near my path. i still am using it from time to time.

Over the last 6 months I have learned to breathe - breathe for space...that our deep breaths create space from our initial thought to our action ~ so I'm learning about myself, learning about what I love / yoga "follow your heart". With this new spacious gift of knowledge I'm growing everyday - which excites me! Excites me to wake up, to work, to garden, to play ~ and to be able to turn around the next day and share all of this with my friends, family, co-workers, patients.

And don't forget to laugh. Laugh at yourself everyday. Even if its just a giggle! They say you're only one workout away from a good mood -- i now say you're only one laugh away from a brighter spirit; an inner smile. Let your heart smile and expand outward.

Namaste.