My saying of the week: “oxygenate your asana”

January 1, 2011 

New Year’s Eve at Jivamukti Yoga Center, NYC

With my dear friend, yoga student and co-worker, Juliet. We were excited for the 2 hour master class with Sharon Gannon and David Life, but we also completely exhausted from our busy weeks! Nevertheless we dragged our butts over to the Jivamukti center in Union Square. The classroom was packed with eager students; mats pressed together with barely an inch to spare. Thankfully my Sanskrit class friend, Guiellerma, saved us a few spots. We chatted a bit and soaked into the good vibes. Sharon and David taught a fun, energetic and well rounded class seeping with deep backbends. I enjoyed their calm, “been-doing-this-for-longer-than-you’ve-been-alive” energy and the precise adjustments I got from David. At times, the music was a little distracting, but they pulled it together and I found myself effortlessly enjoying Nidrasana and Kapotasana. Throw in a vegan dinner, Kirtan and dancing, silence till midnight and beautiful chanting, and I can really say that my New Year started with an OM!

January 17, 2011

Sivananda Yoga Ashram, Paradise Island, Bahamas

Mid-January winter blues, spontaneity, and an awesome new friend somehow led me to the Bahamas for four delicious days. We stayed in a (questionable) Nassau hotel, with a (beautiful, totally-redeeming) beach view. One evening we were lucky enough to make our way from Nassau, by (tiny) boat (which we almost missed), to the neighboring Paradise Island’s Sivananda Yoga Ashram. WOW. What a magical place. The $10, 2 hour class was held on a deck overlooking the Caribbean. Um. Perfect. In true Sivananda-style, the practice was a gentle, pranayama-packed exploration through rest and delicate effort. Again, throw in a vegan dinner and special staff-birthday cake, and I was a happy camper. We didn’t really want to leave (again by boat that I was SURE we were going to miss) but reality calls…sigh…perfection. 

January 26 - January 31, 2011

Lotus Palm Thai Yoga Massage I, Integral Yoga, NYC

Just as I made it back to work and reality, my Thai Yoga Massage training began. Looking back I can say that the experience was amazing, but honestly in the midst of the course, I almost quit! Bodywork is rewarding and exciting but totally exhausting! I took the Level I course with Jyothi Watanabe at Integral Yoga. Jyothi is absolutely adorable. Her energy is so sweet…she radiates metta (loving kindness). I met some fantastic people in the course and we worked hard finding Sen energy lines, learning proper stances and experimenting with new techniques. The vibe got a bit tense about half way through the week… Everyone was a bit stressed from the winter weather (snow. freezing rain. ice. train delays. ya know…) and hours of physical work. But the class ended on an amazing positive note. I gave my first 90 minute Thai Yoga Massage session. WTF?! I know a 90 minute massage session?! I’m still having a strange time internalizing that, because the more I learn, the more I’m left with an overwhelming feeling of how much I don’t know… I’m already signed up for Thai II in March and am practicing on my amazing friends and co-workers. I am SO SO BLESSED to have a handful of yoga instructors and massage therapists to work on!

February has already gotten off to an unusual start. Changes in my job position will create challenges and new adventures in the coming months. But I say bring it on, universe.

OM SHANTI and xoxoNamaste, always.