Students Progressing: From Adho Mukha Vrksasana to Urdhva Dhanurasana

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As we enter the final weeks of the teacher training, it is clearly evident that the students are making great progress in their yoga practice. The peak modules of the training—inversions (Adho Mukha Vrksasana, Salamba Sarvangasana, Sirsasana, & Pinca Mayurasana) and back bends (Dhanurasana, Ustrasana, Urdhva Dhanurasana)—are some of the most intensive sessions.  Nevertheless, these categories of asana can be very challenging for yoga teachers to instruct. We want to make sure that we have given our students adequate tools and knowledge to work in these poses carefully with acute awareness.  I was surprised to look around the room these past two weekends and see so many of my students practicing beautifully and confidentially.  It was clear that they had grasped many of the fundamentals and had been strengthening the foundations of their practice over these two months.

In addition, there are now weekly segments of “practice teaching” in preparation for part of the final exam.  A useful method for processing information, these practice sessions allow the students to apply teaching techniques, explore hands on adjustments and gain proficiency with their sanksrit. The room is always filled with exuberant chatter as they organize enthusiastically into small groups. I walk around with either Yuri Nakamura or Kosai Kato and make comments, answer questions or give advice.

Slowly, through the patient translation via Yuri or Kosai, we are also beginning to have more in depth dialogue about Pantanjali’s Yoga Sutras–inquisitive questions about the “klesas ” (obstacles–avidya, asmita, raja, dvesah, abhinivesa) and the “Eight Limbs” in particular….”should we practice the yamas and niymas before asanas?”  ”Ideally, yes I say…but many of us approach yoga at the third limb “asana” and have to work backward and then forward again––It can take us a life-time to work through all eight limbs.”   I like that they’re trying to interpret these concepts on their own terms. I tell them that’s the point really, “we should not only attempt to apply the teachings of the Sutras to our practice, but to our lives as well.”

Spring Fever in Inokoshira Park

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The final installment on the Hanami series presents the lively antics at Inokoshira Park in Kichijoji. This setting was the most playful and eclectic: packed to the rim with people, picnicking, boating, strolling, and a delightful temple dedicated to Benzaiten actually situated in the parks’ pond.

The colors of this temple, crimson red, cobalt blue with touches of gold and bright accents, gave it an enchanting, folk-like quality.  It was right at home in Kichijoji, a community known for its artistic and creative flair. I later found out that Benzaiten—is the Japanese name for the Hindu Goddess Sarasvati whom symbolizes everything that flows–water, words, speech, eloquence, music and knowledge. She is also a protector deity attributed to granting monetary fortune. Snake and dragon imagery are also associated with her.  In fact, there is dragon shaped statue Bentin in the form of a fountain, at the back of the main temple, where you can wash your coins to help bring you wealth and luck.

I loved being amongst the jubilant crowds covering every inch of the park. There literally wasn’t one spot to sit down.  People had claimed their territory with large blue tarps or make shift tables and were not budging. The pond was crowded with amusing pastel hued and duck shaped boats. I was amused by the fable that Yuri Nakumara told me–there is a common belief that couples that ride the duck boats together will break up.  It was fun to watch the boaters attempt to navigate the pond without crashing into each other!

Petals in the water

Ceremonial Hanami at Shinjuku Gyoen

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The serene setting of Shinjuku Gyoen offered a contemplative viewing of Hanami. The Imperial Gardens completed in 1906, was once the residence of the Naito family (daimyo) in the Edo period.  A very cold and cloudy day provided a dramatic backdrop as I roamed the vast park for over two hours touring approximately 145 acres of French Formal, English Landscape and Japanese Traditional gardens.   Overall, this venue had a more serious tone, as there was no alcohol allowed on the premises and bags were inspected at the gate. The crowds were small in comparison to other locales and the sounds of the city seemed to disappear as one traversed the stately grounds of vast sweeping lawns, ponds, towering trees and interesting structures–wooden bridges, the Taiwan Pavillion,  a tea house and various stone reliquary statues.  With more space to spread their roots and branches, the sakura trees were impressively grand and enormous.  Shinjuku Gyoen has over 1,500 cherry trees featuring Shidare (Weeping Cherry), Somei (Tokyo Cherry), Kanzan (Cherry).  I also liked the visual contrast of the pale blossoms against the Himalayan Cedars and other vegetation which created a painterly impressionistic effect.

I strolled contentedly taking pictures until my fingers literally froze.  Eventually, a melodic tune played signalling all visitors to leave. I joined the quiet procession of departing visitors feeling very calm and refreshed.

Hanami Extravaganza: Meguro River

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I was fortunate to be in Tokyo for  my first “Hanami” and the widespread festivities welcoming the spring season. The city was literally ablaze in a blizzard of pale pink  petals with celebrations escalating as the blossoms peaked. I was told that the short-lived, delicate “sakura” (cherry blossoms)  would be gone by the first rain. Although we were experiencing chilly, cloudy weather, I ran with camera in hand to prime spots that were suggested to me. I too got caught up in the festivities and the excitement visiting the Meguro River in Nakemeguro; Shinjuku Gyoen and Inokoshira Park–each site offering a unique Hanami experience.

Since the Meguro River offered the most fantastic blooms of these excursions, I thought it would be interesting to visit at night which I would find out later is referred to as “Yozakura,” night Hanami.  I was right, the sakura were just as spectacular with the heightened drama of the glowing lanterns strung along the river reflecting onto the branches and on the water below.  The walkways along the canal were teeming with an almost ritualistic procession of people. They spent continuous days and nights, strolling, taking pictures and enjoying treats from vendors who were selling food, drinks and glasses of rose champagne.

I took so many pictures that I decided to present my Hanami experience in three parts to retain the mood of each setting.

Early Stages of the Teacher Training

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I’m approaching the half-way point of the training with this is a bright and enthusiastic group. Many send their homework assignments in on Sunday night just hours after we’ve met, and the others follow shortly early in the week. We’ve covered: the fundamental standing poses, many Yogaworks teaching methods,  the history of yoga,  Pantanjalis’ Sutras 1.1-1.41,  and just this past Sunday, an introduction to inversions. Nevertheles, some express frustration with the new topics they are exposed to; anatomy, philosophy, Sanskrit.  I continually encourage them to be patient with what they are learning–abhyasa and vairagaya (“patience and perseverance,” Sutra 1.12 )

I have my own challenges as a teacher; its difficult to keep the energy throughout the day while teaching, demonstrating and maintaining a constant dialogue between the translator, students, and myself. In fact, there is constant chatter all day long. To end the day long session, I often have us sit in silence and I say, “let all of this new information settle,” reinforcing the concept of, sutra 1.2 “yogas citta vritti nirohda” (yoga is the calming of the fluctuations of the mind). Many are now saying how much that sutra resonates with them in personal situations throughout their week.

No matter how exhausted I may be at the end of a training weekend, I feel blessed and can’t believe I’m here in Tokyo teaching yoga.

Getting to Know Kichijoji

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Traveling around Tokyo to teach is pushing my boundaries in new ways this time,  forcing me to take trains further distances and explore different neighborhoods.  On my  first day of teaching in Kichijoji, Yuri met at the Gotanda station to show me the train route.  After class, I told Yuri that I wanted to stroll around the neighborhood and could get home by myself. She asked “are you sure?”  I said absolutely, “I remember how to get back.” I ended up getting terribly lost on the subway and it took me over an hour to reach my final destination! I slightly panicked because no one spoke English and I didn’t quite know how to get back to where I needed to go.  The subway map wasn’t quite making sense. I finally got some assistiance and found out later that I somehow got on the Chou “Blue Line” instead of the Chou “Yellow” Line. Furthermore, I should have changed trains at Shinjuku for the Yamanote Line (green)!  You really have to stay focused!

I teach two classes a week in Kichijoji and I absolutely love this location, its has a great balance of the old and new, affordable goods, and is bustling with creative energy. It’s also more manageable than, lets say,  Shibuya–even with the multitude of shops, cafes, restaurants, and stores–you get a sense of being in a close-knit neighborhood. Plus there is the beautiful Inokashira Park, which features a lake surrounded by hundreds of cherry blossom trees. I was able to get a first glimpse of the budding cherry blossoms earlier this week which will be in full bloom in the days to come.

Each Tuesday after class, I spend the afternoon wandering around, trying the local cuisine and taking pictures.  I’ve explored Nakimichi Street, Sun Road, and the surrounding areas.  Each turn down an alley or road reveals a new discovery. I literally walk until I’m completly exhausted before heading back to Gotanda. There may be more on Kichijoji before I leave Tokyo!

The Tokyo Diary 2013: A New Chapter

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IMG_1590_1I’m back in Tokyo for another teacher training.  Just one year ago, which seems like yesterday, I was here to lead my first teacher training for Yogaworks at  one of their affiliate studios, YogaPlus.  It’s my only my second time leading a training and I have thirty-two students enrolled!!  I’m very fortunate to have Yuri Nakamura and Kosai Kato as my translators for the program.  They translated for my classes last year and have grown and evolved in their teaching over these past months.

Yuri at Gotanda

Yuri Nakamura

portrait of Kosai

Kosai Kato

In addition, I will be teaching five yoga classes a week at various YogaPlus studios throughout the Tokyo metropolitan area—Kichijoji, Sangenjaya, Yokohoma, Gotanda and Shinjuku.   I arrived here on February 28 and have already begun working;  completing a full week of classes and two weekends of the teacher training.  I’m staying in Gotanda again in a new place near the train station, so at least I’m in familiar surroundings.

I made so many new friends last year and feel welcomed back as if I were family. I’ve been  enjoying emotional reunions with former students and teachers I met last year.  Although I’ve only been here for one hectic week, I feel grateful to have been invited back and am once again appreciating  all of the incredible sights, food and culture that Japan has to offer. No doubt, there will be many challenges and adventures in the weeks ahead and this experience will undoubtedly inspire new stories to tell.860115_456633811075180_1930156531_o

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A Visit with Vishnu, Bhudda and Shiva @ LACMA

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Class with Vishnu

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art has a modest but impressive permanent collection of Southeast Asian Art featuring an assortment of statues, paintings and objects.  I organized a trip to visit the galleries with my students on February 8, a week after our hike in Solstice Canyon.

An Indian Prince

Two YoginiA young dancerA princess

Andrea Wagner, a docent at the Museum, who is also a yoga teacher, agreed to lead the tour.  She gave us a special lecture on the objects and the stories associated with the many incarnations of Vishnu, Bhudda, Shiva and other gods in the Hindu pantheon. In addition, we gained valuable insight on the dancing bhodisattvas, lacquered chests, paintings, and golden reliquary figures on display in mysteriously darkened earth toned rooms.

Andrea Wagner Lecturing

I arranged the outing because I felt it was important for my students to have a contextual experience with the many objects associated with yoga. We are typically exposed to the physical aspects of yoga and perhaps some Indian music in class or through kirtans.  Yet, we rarely have the opportunity to delve deeper into the meaning of the images and objects unique to yoga that we often take for granted.  We have seen many statues of a graceful dancing Shiva (Nataraj) or a plump Ganesh in a yoga studio, but do we really know what these objects signify?

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For example, Nataraja, “Lord of Dance” is an incarnation of Shiva–the circular frame of fire surrounding the Lord, represents him as the source of all movement within the universe.  Some other iconographic pictorial elements would include the following: the snake around his waist is Kundalini, the Shakti or divine force thought to reside within everything.  In his right hand is a small drum (damaru) exemplifying the sound, which is the origin of creation or the beat of the drum that is the passage of time. The upper left hand contains Agni (fire), which personifies destruction. These opposing concepts in Nataraja’s upper hands show the balance of creation and destruction of the fire of life. There are many other emblematic details associated with this figure alone. After taking a closer look at the other statues in the galleries, we can be reminded of that a stance, the position of an arm, a hand gesture (mudra) or even the rendering of the shells on Buddha’s head—are all so rich with allegorical relevance.

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One of my ongoing projects has been to reinforce a deeper understanding of the cultural history of yoga. My students said they really appreciated the trip and said we all agreed that we would like to do this again.

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After the tour, a few of us enjoyed a tasty meal of vegetarian food at a nearby Ethiopian restaurant, Meals by Genet, a nice finale for our artistically stimulating evening.

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Yoga/Meditation/Hike in Solstice Canyon

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Garudasana

 

“Yoga/Meditation/Hike” is a program that I started years ago while teaching at Santa Monica Yoga. I’ve always loved the meditative qualities of hiking and thought it would be great to create a program that would create stronger bonds between me, my students and our local community.  Over the years, I’ve hosted at least two dozen hikes throughout the nearby Santa Monica Mountains, which features varied terrain and hiking trails.   Notable outings have included: Malibu Creek State Park, Corral Canyon, Charmlee Wilderness State Park Solstice Canyon, Pt. Mugu and Topanga State Park–all uniquely different and easily accessible from the scenic Pacific Coast Highway. The images featured in this post were from a recent hike in Solstice Canyon on February 3, 2013. Students from my classes at various Yogaworks studios throughout the Los Angeles area attended with friends.

The groups have ranged in size, age and abilities with me encouraging everyone to make it to the top where we will always certainly enjoy a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean, bucolic valley or a breathtaking mountain range.  Everyone always has a great sense of accomplishment when they complete the hike. In all, it’s a good time for all who participate with lots of laughs, shared stories and the opportunity to connect socially on a personal level outside of the classroom. The hikes are followed by a session of yoga, meditation, light refreshments or lunch at the Malibu Country Mart.

Inspired by the words of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s (“Wherever You Go There You Are”),  I will occasionally hand out a flier of his essay,  “Walking Meditation” an excerpt follows:

“Try, bringing awareness to walking, wherever you find yourself.  Slow it down a bit.  Center yourself in your body and in the present moment. Appreciate the fact that you are able to walk, which many people cannot. perceive how miraculous it is, and for a moment, don’t take for granted that your body works so wonderfully. Know that you are ambulating upright on the face of Mother Earth.  Walk with dignity and confidence, and as the Navaho saying goes, walk in beauty, wherever you are.”

A “Soulful Yoga Class” for Share-ity

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Last weekend on November 4, I had the opportunity to participate in a fundraiser for Share-ity.org, benefiting the Sanhamatta Seba Sangha orphanage in Bangladesh, India.  Me and a few of my Yogaworks colleagues: Birgette Kristen, Melanie Lora Meltzer, Sarah Ezrin, and Charlie Samos, “team taught” a yoga class to a group of approximately 20 people at Studio Six01 a cavernous and eclectic artists space located in downtown Los Angeles. I have always enjoyed participating in these type of events which support the spirit of giving, community building and service.

The project was spearheaded by Laurie Carpenter who has been communicating with the  orphanage since July, 2012. She has been working diligently on fundraising efforts that will provide many essentials such as food, clothing, school supplies and vocational training. The organization will also be building their first orphanage in Kenya, 2013.

To donate clothing, food, medicine or sponsor a child, please go to www.share-ity.org