40 days

Sometimes we all need a kick in the pants. For quite some time, months really, my asana practice has been less than stellar. I went from teaching 4 classes a week to teaching 8 and with three kids on different schedules there just was no time. After hearing a Kundalini Yoga teacher share her story of committing to 1000 days of a particular practice, I realized that was just what I needed - a commitment to myself shared with a few others close to me. According to Kundalini tradition it takes 40 days to change a habit so I decided to start with that (1000 days is almost 2 and 3/4 years!). But what would I commit to?

I'm keeping it simple: 40 days of Sirsasana (headstand), Sarvangasana (shoulder stand), and Setu Bhanda (bridge pose) increasing the time in head stand and shoulder stand by 3 seconds every day. Today was day 23 and I'm up to 7 minutes and 13 seconds- which, by the way, is brutal but 5 minutes sure is easy now!

A few days a week I'm getting up early and getting my commitment done while the rest of the house is still sleeping. Other days, I get it in before and/or after a class I'm teaching or just before lunch or dinner. Some days I look forward to it. Other days, I dread the dickens out of it. But as I sit here enjoying the effects of a headstand and shoulder stand that are 69 seconds longer than when I started and knowing I can drop over in to Setu Bhanda without breaking anything, I realize the beauty of a daily practice. Mine is not long. On good days I add in a few other poses but even if I just do these three I feel better for it. I intend to complete the 40 day commitment and will continue to focus on a small handful of poses in stretches of 21 days or so at a time. I'm not picking easy poses. I'm choosing poses that I either don't like or can't do well; no longer running from what scares me. Assessment is around the corner (October 5) so bring on Virabhadrasana III!

And not to worry, I will never commit to blogging every day for 40 days...

New Years in November

Why wait until January 1st to make a New Years resolution? Now is the time to start or get back to your yoga practice. This time between Thanksgiving and New Years Day can be stressful with end of year work deadlines, shopping, and holiday visitors. The shorter days can make us feel lazy, tired, and even a little (or a lot) depressed. The physical practice of yoga and the mental practice of meditation can help alleviate all of these symptoms. You also won't be home alone eating holiday treats and leftovers gaining those unwanted pounds that will require a New Years resolution of some sort. Get yourself back on the mat now and cruise blissfully into the New Year. Bring a friend and share the gift of yoga!

Kick Start Your Home Practice

"I don't have time to practice yoga at home."
"I don't know what to practice at home."
"I don't know how to practice at home."
Yada, yada, yada. Excuses, excuses. We all have them. Even me.

You "practice" yoga every time you stand up straight, roll your shoulders back and down, or become aware of your breath. Don't beat yourself up if you don't actually strike a pose during the day. When you can, build in 30-60 minutes of practice in to your day. When you can't, work the practice in throughout the day.

The following is a basic sequence that can be practiced from start to finish in 30-60 minutes or broken up into small sequences practiced throughout the day.

First thing in the morning while you are still in your jammies:
Adho Mukha Virasana - downward facing hero's pose
Adho Mukha Svanasana - downward facing dog pose
Uttanasana - intense stretch or standing forward bend pose
Hold these poses from 1-3 minutes each

If you can, follow this practice with some standing poses. If you workout, run, or walk, or just plain have a busy morning every morning do these poses after:
Utthita Trikonasana - Utthita Parsvakonasana - Virabhadrasana II
Extended triangle - extended side angle - warrior II
or
Parsvottanasana - Prasarita Padottanasana
Intense side stretch - wide legged forward bend
or
Virabhadrasana I - Utkatasana
Warrior I - Fierce pose

Work up to holding each pose 30-60 seconds (Utkatasana repeat 3-4 times).
As you learn more sequences in class you will learn poses that are often taught together.


At work, every couple of hours, do some shoulder work:
Urdhva Hastasana - get your arms straight up over your head
Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana - upward bound hands pose (both sides)
Urdhva Namaskarasana - upward prayer pose
Gomukhasana (arms only) - cow face pose
Paschima Baddhanguliyasana - backward bound hands pose
Paschima Namaskarasana - backward prayer pose
Invite your co-workers to join you.

As soon as you get home or to the gym and it's time to cook dinner, workout, or herd children get in some easy backbends for a quick pick me up:
Chatushpadasana - four footed pose
Setubandha Sarvangasana - bridge pose supported

Just before you slip in to bed, practice your shoulder balance, corpse pose, and some pranayama:
Salamba Sarvangasana I - supported shoulder balance I
Savasana - corpse pose
Ujjayi II - normal inhale - long, slow exhale
The last two can even be practiced in your nice comfy bed.

References:
Your teachers
Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar
Gem for Women by Geeta S. Iyengar
Preliminary Course by Geeta S. Iyengar
www.yogajournal.com - not specific to the practice of Iyengar yoga but a good resource for quick pictures of poses and has a "build your own sequence" tool