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Filed under: Community, News, Yoga | Tags: 11211, alana kessler, ashtanga, brooklyn, elise espat, iyengar, joelle hann, mysore, nyc, open studio self practice, Sangha Yoga Shala, Yoga, yogacitynyc
An Open Space Opens New Ideas
Posted Nov 9, 2009
at YogaCityNYC
by Joelle Hann
Like many good things, the “open practice” time at Sangha Yoga Shala hatched out of a conversation between friends. Alana Kessler, owner and director of the 6-month old studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and fellow-instructor Elise Espat both practiced Mysore-style ashtanga but at different studios. They thought it would be fun to practice together.
But when talk turned to action in early October, they decided—with the input from the rest of the studio’s staff—to do something quite untraditional. They decided not to limit the “open practice” to ashtangis, as is customary in Mysore style. Instead they made it inclusive of the other styles offered at Sangha Yoga Shala, including Iyengar.
The idea was that students would help each other, no matter what tradition they came from—a groundbreaking notion given how passionate Iyengar and ashtanga practioners are about their individual styles.
Kessler says the bottom line is cultivating the teacher within.
“In Mysore ashtanga the teacher doesn’t speak. It’s self practice. Everything is adjustments and is experiential. We believe that the body does what it’s ready to do. The foundation of Iyengar is to meet with teacher once a week and the rest is experiential. In both traditions, you’re trying to take the ego out of practice, and let the real teacher manifest in the space.”
Questions arise, however, about the practicalities of this arrangement. How might someone trained in movement and breath-based ashtanga tradition know how to adjust someone from the extremely precise, alignment-based Iyengar practice—and vice versa?
Filed under: Asana, Community, Events, Yoga | Tags: 11211, brooklyn, cory washburn, iyengar yoga, restorative yoga, wiliamsburg
Nov 8, 15, 22, 29
6:00-7:30pm
$20
with Cory Washburn
More information (online sign up is closed. students may drop in for $20.
Restorative Yoga. Sundays in November
Restorative Yoga is a relaxing class incorporating yoga asana, pranayama, breathe work and meditation. Using yoga asanas in order to move the spine in rotation, flexion and extension and release tension in the muscles. The student will use props to fully support the body in different positions. Specific asanas and sequencing will help balance the nervous system and leave you relaxed but alert.
This is an open level series. Welcoming all shapes, sizes and experience.
Filed under: Asana, Events, Food, Massage, Yoga, health | Tags: 2010, alana kessler, costa rica, february, harmony hotel, mind/body, playa guiones, retreat, sara little, surfing, vinyasa, Yoga
Renew yourself this winter in tropical Costa Rica for a week-long yoga and surfing mind/body retreat in the village of Nosara. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced yogi, this retreat will inspire and rejuvenate your yoga practice.
Each morning we will wake to an invigorating and dynamic vinyasa flow class in the open-air studio of the Harmony Hotel, a luxurious resort with an environmental conscience, also providing elegant bungalows for our accommodations. A fresh breakfast follows, then we’ll head down to Playa Guiones for surf lessons, provided by the gurus at Innocent Surf School. Learn the fundamentals or hone your surf skills along an isolated stretch of pristine beach, what Wanderlust Travel Magazine calls one of the “10 best places to learn to surf in the world.”
Back at Harmony, enjoy a nourishing, organic smoothie from the juice bar, and wile away the afternoon in a hammock nestled among the palms. Our afternoon yoga practice will focus on restoration and meditation, and will be paired with inspiring kirtan and chanting. End each day with a gourmet, locally inspired meal.
Add to this one hour-long massage at Harmony’s Healing Centre for a week of tranquility and a rare opportunity to reconnect with nature – and yourself. Pura vida!
Yoga instructors Alana Kessler and Sara Little invite you to join them for an unforgettable week in Costa Rica. Please contact us for more information.
Filed under: Asana, Food, Nutrition, Recipes, Yoga, health | Tags: alana kessler, bakasana, fear, Food, Nutrition, Sangha Yoga Shala, scary poses, Yoga, yoga blogs
How one woman’s experience in a simple nutrition counseling session opened up a door of possibility…
A smattering of explanations around the web on Ashtanga and Moon Days.
@Ashtanga Power
Phases of the moon are determined by the moon’s relative position to the sun.
Full moons occur when the moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun. During a full moon, the moon is fully illuminated by the sun and is seen as a round disc from the Earth’s surface.
New moons occur when the moon is between the Earth and the Sun. During a new moon, the moon is seen as a thin crescent from the Earth’s surface.
In Ashtanga tradition, new moon days and full moon days should be days of rest for Ashtanga yoga practitioners. By observing moon days, we recognize and honor the rhythms of nature.
The human body, similar to our planet, is affected by the gravitational pull of both the moon and the sun. The positions of the sun and moon creates an energetic experience that can be compared to the breath cycle.
The full moon corresponds to the end of an inhalation where we feel energetic and emotional, but not well grounded.
The new moon corresponds to the end of an exhalation where we feel calm and grounded, but not energetic or inclined to physical exertion.
@Ashtanga Yoga Center
Traditionally, Saturday is the day of rest. On this day Pattabhi Jois recommends his students take an oil bath to reduce excess internal heat which can be felt as pain and stiffness in the body, a short temper, red skin, redness in the eyes, or pinkish acne. For detailed information regarding traditional oil baths visit Kimberly and Noah Williams atwww.ashtangayogashala.com/articals-oil.html.
@Ashtanga Yoga Center
Both full and new moon days are observed as yoga holidays in the Ashtanga Yoga tradition. What is the reasoning behind this?
Like all things of a watery nature (human beings are about 70% water), we are affected by the phases of the moon. The phases of the moon are determined by the moon’s relative position to the sun. Full moons occur when they are in opposition and new moons when they are in conjunction. Both sun and moon exert a gravitational pull on the earth. Their relative positions create different energetic experiences that can be compared to the breath cycle. The full moon energy corresponds to the end of inhalation when the force of prana is greatest. This is an expansive, upward moving force that makes us feel energetic and emotional, but not well grounded. The Upanishads state that the main prana lives in the head. During the full moon we tend to be more headstrong.
The new moon energy corresponds to the end of exhalation when the force of apana is greatest. Apana is a contracting, downward moving force that makes us feel calm and grounded, but dense and disinclined towards physical exertion.
The Farmers Almanac recommends planting seeds at the new moon when the rooting force is strongest and transplanting at the full moon when the flowering force is strongest.
Practicing Ashtanga Yoga over time makes us more attuned to natural cycles. Observing moon days is one way to recognize and honor the rhythms of nature so we can live in greater harmony with it.
@Ashtanga Yoga Shala
That day is very difficult day. Two stars one place (conjunction) is going. New moon also, full moon also. That day very dangerous day. You (take) practice (on that day), anyone can have a small pain starting. That pain is not going very quickly. Long time he is taking. Some broken possible. That is why that day don’t do.
@Greenroom Yoga
Lunar cycles affect our subtle energy systems. The new and full moons are the strongest points of the lunar cycle. It is said that because our energy is more strongly affected on these days, there is a greater risk of injury during practice. It is also said that injuries suffered on moon days take longer to heal. On the New moon, the body is more grounded, but we usually feel heavy and inflexible. On the Full moon, the body is full of ungrounded energy which creates physical instability. For these reasons, Ashtanga yoga is not practiced during the New or Full Moon. Rest, honor the moon and enjoy the day off!
@Infinite Yoga
The Moon exhibits a strong gravitational pull on the earth which is most easily observed in the high tides that accompany the full and new moons. As our bodies consist of more than 80% water it is no surprise that we to are equally affected by such forces – although few of us are consciously aware. Generally more energy is available on Full Moon days, less on New Moon days and it is easy for students to harm themselves. It is said that an injury on a moon day takes twice as long to heal.
@YogaWorkshop
In the formal Ashtanga Vinyasa tradition no asana (posture) practice is done on new and full moon days. Observing this restraint to practice can be helpful in not becoming too attached to practice and routine. It also provides time for the body to rest and recuperate.
Filed under: pilates | Tags: abdominal separation, charlotte blake, diastasis, fitness, pilates, post natal, pregnancy, women
Healing Your Diastasis–What every mom should know.
October 28, 2009 by Charlotte Blake
Are you doing crunches or sit-ups and seeing no results?
If you are or have been pregnant, chances are, you have a diastasis. Don’t worry, this is usually when I get the blank stare so, if you don’t know what it is, you are not alone. With that said, if you have a diastasis, you are also not alone. A diastasis recti is extremely common among pre- and post-natal women.
What is a diastasis?
A diastasis is the separation of the outermost abdominal muscles or, the rectus abdominis. Separation occurs because the pregnancy hormones soften connective tissue as the uterus pushes against the abdominal wall. When these muscles separate, the connective tissue that joins them stretches sideways becoming thinner and weaker. A diastasis is usually measured using fingers. Some women have a one finger diastasis, other women have a five finger diastasis. Typically, a diastasis remains in the one to five finger-wide range. In more rare occasions, women have as much as a ten finger diastasis.
Filed under: Asana, News, Yoga | Tags: ashtanga, eric powell, iyengar, jim catalpano, Krisnamacharya, mysore, Srivatsa Ramaswami, yoga sleuth, yogacitynyc.com
Slow and Steady with Eric PowellSangha Yoga
107 North 3rd Street, 2nd Floor, between Berry and Wythe
Yoga Sleuth’s growing practice took another leap forward recently under the tutelage of Eric Powell, now teaching at the beautiful Sangha Yoga studio in Williamsburg. Sangha offers a myriad of styles, including Ashtanga, MySore and Iyengar.
Eric is a disciple of Srivatsa Ramaswami, (a student of Krisnamacharya), and has created a special “slow flow” that is a godsend to students like me looking to correct their alignment and go deeper into poses. He believes in working on a certain pose (or type of pose) slowly, for long periods of time. This allows for remarkable strides in one’s practice that cannot usually be made in a fast flow class where poses are held briefly without much attention to alignment.
Seated twists reveal some “issues” with my alignment that Eric helps me correct. He reminds me to keep my bent knee’s inner foot pressed to the earth, and to not lead the twist with my turning neck. He gives me a point on the wall to focus on that will allow me to lead the twist with my torso. He stands behind me and lets me lean up against him so my back is straight, and then I twist, pulling my ribs in to express the pose properly, like never before.
Next up is plow, a pose that I have trouble with. But with all the prep we’ve done, my plow is much stronger today. From my plow I slowly roll down into the pose we’ve been building towards, a full Paschimottanasana. We go from plow to fold several times, staying three to four breaths in each expression. Then Eric calls for shoulder stand, and suggests a version of the Queen of Asanas that I have never tried before. I put my hands on my hip creases instead of my lower back, and widen my legs, eventually coming into “Upavistha” legs. This is an unusual version of the pose that I tackle with relish and resolve to incorporate into my practice going forward. We then go to regular shoulder stand, which seems stronger and straighter than usual for me. I credit that to Eric’s guidance and encouragement.
Eric’s class is not to be missed. He is a master of alignment and proper posture expression and will leave you feeling that your practice has matured faster than you thought possible.
Classes at Sangha our $20 drop-in; mat rental is $1.
-Jim Catalpano for Yoga Sleuth
MY JADE YOGA MAT: In Loving Memory
My Jade Yoga mat
There are few place I would long you to be
with me is one of them
but alas, I had to let you go
to be with the world of the MTA bus system [ more specifically the M86 Crosstown bus] on 09/30/09
I didn’t think it would end like this
I thought we would have forever [ or until my feet and hand marks had worn you new prana holes]
but no……..
You’ll be happy to know I have made new friends in the wake of your loss
The MTA bus lost and found gentlemen with whom I have called every day since
he likes me and I think its safe to say we have a very healthy and stable relationship
based on SAT NAM
Truth
truthfullness
and the truth is you are gone my dear brown jade yoga mat with my name scribbled in marker and a B and F to indicate where you start and where you finish
and so it is
we must finish,
but your memory lives on
from my first mysore class at Sangha
to KULA Yoga, Davids multi intenso, and Ragu’s Flight School
I love you and will miss you
Thank you Jade for giving me such an amazing companion
and one i will never forget……………………………………………………………..
Yours in yoga
Malissa
Filed under: Asana, Musings, Yoga, health | Tags: ACL, alana kessler, injury, knee surgery, meditation, orthopedic surgery, running, Yoga
About 9 years ago, I tore my ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) during a routine run down the blue square trail in Vail, Colorado. Upon further inspection by the orthopedic surgeon, it was clear that I needed surgery and fast. I had completely destroyed the most important stabilizing structure in my knee, and although a future in professional sports was not my goal, the road seemed daunting.
At that time, I had been an avid runner. I ran about 6-8 miles four times a week for four years, and had come to rely heavily on my routine as a way to maintain my fitness and sanity. This being my freshman year at NYU, I was thrown through a loop at the prospect of not having my run to ground me in this new and sometimes intimidating environment, but unbeknown to me at the time, my casual relationship with yoga that had begun as mere curiosity would come to serve me in immeasurable ways.
My injury occurred in the spring, surgery in the summer and a long road of recovery followed. Luckily, I regained range of motion and flexibility quickly, but unfortunately hastiness and overambition hindered my progress. My therapist encouraged me to take my healing slowly, but I was eager to get done with physical therapy and resume my regularly scheduled programming. I refused to wait the recommended 6 months of strength training before attempting a run, and jumped back on the treadmill 3 months into my rehab. I didnt see why this should be a problem since even my doctor was impressed by the speed in which my recovery was progressing. Needless to say, over the next few years I accumulated a variety of knee related injuries while pursuing my runners high (hamstring pulls, hip misalignment, psoas strains, and ankle instability), eventually resulting in a second ACL repair surgery in the spring of 2006.
Throughout the 7 years chasing my pre-injury body, I had cultivated a dedicated yoga practice which essentially saved me from myself. It may seem hypocritical to practice a discipline that speaks to patience and non-harming while so blatantly doing the opposite, but this is the beauty of the yoga. It works on you. No teacher can tell you the lessons yoga teaches, they can only guide you so you can come to learn them on your own, through your own experience. Once you come to know this, the sweetness can be tasted and the fruits of the effort manifest in your life. For me, injury has come to be my most valuable teacher to this day, continuing to teach me non-attachment, compassion, patience, and balance.
Last winter, a few months shy of the 3 year mark since my last surgery, I decided to give running another shot. This time, committed to starting slow, I maintained a steady 16 minute mile walk gradually adding some elevation and speed over time. Whenever I began to feel the impulse to “see if I could do it faster”, I came back to the vinyasa, watching my breath and slowly putting one foot in front of the other, confident that my body would let me know when it is ready to advance further. As I got stronger and started adding some interval runs, I could always count on my valued teacher to resurface as a pull or a strain if I needed a good helping of humble pie. Luckily, this time around, I am receptive to its teachings and have been better for it. Almost a year into my treadmill yoga project, I am 5 miles strong (9-10 minute mile) and counting.
See you on the trails…
Yoga tips for running:
Here are some tips I have integrated into my running routine;
1. Pull your belly in and breathe into your diaphram. Keep your chest lifted and feel your ribs expand as you inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth to keep your body cool.
2. Think light feet as you land on the ball of your foot and use your inner thighs and outer hips to press your leg back as you stride. Some people find lifting the knees helps lessen the impact upon landing.
3. Maintain a straight torso. Torso should be aligned over the pelvis to ensure equal weight distribution and proper muscle development of the leg, in addition to helping avoid knee, ankle strains and shin splints.
3. Keep a steady gaze and an equal inhale to exhale ratio. If you find you are holding or having trouble equalizing your breath, decrease the speed or walk for a few minutes to regain breath control.
4. Enjoy and be safe!
-Alana
Filed under: Community, Food, Musings, Yoga, health | Tags: eating, eating local, erich schiffman, Food, greenpoint, health, williamsburg
By Kayma
Imagine your parents’ home-cooked meal, a potluck with friends or a meal you made for a loved one – there is something about those meals that leaves you satisfied and inspired, wanting nothing more, nothing less. I have come to a point where I can taste the love, or lack there of in each meal. The heart and soul that we are capable of putting into a meal is one of those daily intentions that I feel sometimes gets forgotten or simply put aside in the midst of our busy schedules. As I grow, change and get deeper into yoga it is getting harder and harder for me to go out to dinner or just grab something on the go because I take a moment to reflect on who is creating the food that I am putting into my body and if they are putting positive energy into what they are making and serving.
I feel that it brings us back to the lessons we learn from a daily yoga practice and I think Erich Schiffmann puts it quite well in his book “The Spirit and Practice of Moving into Stillness” …
“When you are not wholehearted, or unconflicted about anything. When you are not wholehearted, when you’d rather be someplace other than where you are, parts of you shut down and begin not to participate. Your energy circulation because constricted, and the creative life force is unable to flow throughout you unimpeded”.
I feel that this tends to happen with all of us, particularly in the working world ~ so it makes perfect sense as to why certain foods are simply produced to feed the hungry with no real intention behind it and why it could never compare to that home cooked meal.
If you’re one of those who has been caught up with fast-paced city living, always grabbing food on the go or not able to find the time to really taste what you are consuming, you don’t need to be chef by any means, just try putting aside one night a week (and gradually more once you realize the magic of it all!) to take the time to focus 100 percent on the art of creating a meal for yourself and others.
Try recreating a favorite childhood recipe, get old school and make yourself a pb and j for lunch, adventure around your ‘hood and create a meal with ingredients you find in a 10 block radius and if you do go out to eat, try to chew each bit 20 times really taste the food you are putting in your mouth – it just might change your whole perspective on your daily food intake.
Here are some great sites I have discovered that support local produce and encourage making healthy, organic meals at home
