Thursday nights are kind of a Yoga Marathon for me. I teach Advanced at South at 4:30, then Hatha at 6:00 and 7:30. It was a fun night. All evening I worked with theme of inner strength and the aspect of strength that builds the heroes' nature. Just as "vira" means heroic, the aspect of strength that is the strength of our true nature, or our inner strength is called "virya". Same root- vir, right?
Anyway,one of my very regular, dedicated students had asked to do more core strengthening work in classes. So I obliged the request with some abdominal toning exercise but also with a rap about inner strength, the most essential type of core strength. Hopefully, yoga is making us strong at the True Core, not just the midsection of the body. Also, technically, any of the muscles lying close to the core, closest to the bone, are the core muscles. So core strengthening is not just abdominal work but is about strengthening the intrinsic muscles of the body. Think about how many micro movements are working to keep us standing on one leg. All of that is strengthening core muscles. And hopefully, all of that is strengthening our resolve, our will, our connection to our deepest truth. Like that.
The advanced class was kind of a wild class with lots of strength building exercises and arm balances. The energy was high and, for the most part, people seemed to be having fun. (Although one person left early... are you okay, Venus???)
We reviewed some principles of headstand in the 6:00 class and several people got up in headstand for the first time which was a real thrill. Susan and Tabatha came to 4:30 for a warm up and finished the evening with the 6:00 class. I call this "double dipping", a term coined by my best friend and yoga friend, Laura Freshman, who I know from Arizona but who now lives in Denver.
We had a really small group at 7:30 who were super attentive, engaged and funny. We worked on shoulder principles, ustrasana and up dog. Jesse double-dipped, having already attended the 6:00 class and Anne, the Yoga Animal, was on her third dip, having practiced with the 4:30 and the 6:00 class.
I am off this weekend to teach in Bozeman, Montana. I love going up there. The scenery is stellar, the group I work with is tops and it is always a rejuvenating, clarifying place to be. Plus I looked at the weather and it is like high 70's in the day and mid 40's at night right now. So that will be a treat.
Enjoy your weekend, everyone.
3 comments:
I sent you an email, but it sort of seemed blog worthy so am leaving it as a comment as well.
am having a complete delayed reaction muscle soreness from the yoga marathon. I went to bed Thursday night with a lurking feeling that I might be really sore tomorrow... but really I wasn't at all. Friday was a busy day and I didn't do any yoga other than med, pranyama and a few supta things late at night when I was watching a movie to wind down. Did med and pranayama before driving down to sub Jessica's class and was teaching and realized, god, I am really sore, I can, in fact, barely move my arms....
I really am just a little bit gratified to hear that the yogathon wore you out just a little, Anne! I was a little sore the next day too, though I only "double-dipped." I loved the opportunity to do it, though, and I look forward to doing it again. Most days, 1-1/4 hours of class time just doesn't seem like quite enough.
I'm sorry I missed your class on Saturday morning, Anne. I'm looking forward to you becoming a regularly scheduled attraction at YY in the new year.
[Shameless Plug: Anne will be a regular teacher at Yoga Yoga starting in January!]
You guys are so hard core!
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