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Anyone wanna yoga??
Was wonderin if anyone wanted to do yoga with me on Skype? I am just new to yoga n a beginner. N I’d prefer the kind with just the stretching n breathing. When it comes to the spiritual part of it I’m sorry as weird as it sounds it gives me nightmares every time I do it. Idk y. Juz does. Ik it’s strange. So if someone wouldn’t mind doing just the stretching n breathing exercises n that stuff with me?? I can do after 10 pm in Colorado time. Sorry have a strict schedule. Thursday nights I can’t cuz I’m out thrums day night. So if my schedule works with anyone else. Thanks! Have great day. 🙂
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36 Replies
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Sorry for all the typos. My iPods autocorrect is really sensitive n stupid. Lol
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Sorry for all the typos. My iPods autocorrect is really sensitive n stupid. Lol
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I would love to, but that it too late for me. Do you have any time on the weekends? I won't be able to pole for a bit, so stretching is what I have to do this week instead of pole jamming.
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Mmm depends. Weekends r really busy. And sometimes they aren’t busy what time works for u?
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My connection speed won't support skype, but I totally get you on the spirituality aspect. I like the stretching and breathing, and even meditation. But when instructors get really heavy into the 'Can you feeeel the energyyyyy" I can't help but feel like the person in church who doesn't get it lol. No. I don't feel the energy. But I'm also conflicted because I've heard that people are a bit irritated with "westerners" picking and choosing the aspects of Yoga that they like, rather than following all the teachings. I guess I'm just a mindfully training in flexibility. I'm just glad I'm not the only one. I've always wanted to feeeeeel the energyyyyyy but I feel like I only experience that alone. People throw me off. I also don't get why its so important to spread your fingers in a plank. A teacher told me to spread my fingers and push down mainly with my thumb and first finger in order to get the energy flow. It was just harder lol
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Id love too also but 10 is too late for me as well, i work at 5 am on Saturday, bleh. but if you have any weekend times like AerialGypsy id love to join you guys. I'm new to pole so i don't have many tricks but i love love yoga stretching and breathing.
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anytime before dinner is ideal for me. We do stretch sessions twice a week as a group through a chatroom (Tues and Thurs at 4 PST) and pole days on Sundays at 3.
Are you around during either of those times?
I am not into the woowoo part of yoga either
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Haha I thought I was the only one. That’s good to know I’m not. I’m sry ik 10is late. I just have school from 9-9 n do my stuff at ten right before bed. 3 on Sundays mmmm no that’s typically when I get home. N what’s pst? Sorry idk the time abbreviations. I’m Saturdays I’m out all day. In a moth ill hv more free time case I’m graduating finally lol sorry I like to do later when I’m not going to be interrupted by family. Ill see what this Sunday looks likes.
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PST is pacific time. If you are mountain time, then it would be a 4pm.
We'll still be around in a month.
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Oh ok. Thanks. Okie dokie. Ill start up on my own I really a stress reliver n thought I’d try yoga. Lol
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@Dwiizie
Not a yoga expert or anything, but for me spreading my fingers reminds me to engage the muscles in my hands and arms so that I’m not just crunching all my weight on my wrists. Like when a ballet teacher tells you to “pull up”. I find that it’s easier on my joints when I make sure that all my muscles are engaged. -
Byrd is right, spreading the fingers is about distributing your weight across the whole surface of your hand instead of putting so much pressure on your wrist. If you're just passing through Plank on the way to another pose (like chaturanga/low pushup) it doesn't matter so much, but if you want to hold a Plank, or a Downward Dog for that matter, it does help to spread the fingers and press through to the finger tips.
I've been doing yoga since I was about 14 and I still struggle with this. I have a few routines and DVDS that have you stay in Down Dog for a minute or more and usually it's my wrists that cave in first.
Yoga has three main aspects (well, technically there are eight, but I won't get into that) – meditation, breath, and asana (poses). Combining them together is a whole different experience than practicing them separately, but they absolutely can be practiced separately. I got into yoga as a physical practice first but I actually really dig the spiritual part of it.
I think some people think that "feeling the energy" means you'll feel something special, magical, or unusual. In my opinion, it's more about consciousness. We go through most of our days relatively unconscious of what our bodies are doing, and our bodies do all sorts of things involuntarily. Right now my ankles are crossed under my chair. I don't remember crossing them there, it wasn't an intentional act, they just wound up there. As I type, I'm not paying attention to all the little muscle movements in my hands as they fly over the keyboard. In yoga, though, every movement is deliberate, every placement of a hand or a limb is conscious, every breath is felt fully through the lungs. Yoga lets me turn inward and see all the amazing things my body does for me. And yeah, it does give me kind of a glowy feeling – like that feeling you might get after a really hard workout, where your body is kind of vibrating or buzzy.
Of course, yoga also encourages deep breathing, which can lead to an oxygen high that very well may feel like "energy."
Anyway, sorry for the diatribe. Good luck with your yoga practice, whatever shape that takes! 🙂
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Actually, put that way, it makes a lot of sense. I think that "mindful flexibility training" was a good way to describe my Yoga ing lol. You elaborated on that perfectly. So this is good stuff. What about "directing the flow of your energy with this pose and that pose" Like chakra Yoga… Reiki type stuff even. I would LOVE to find someone who does Reiki. So curious about it.
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Directing your flow of energy = directing your attention. My instructors often tell us to "breathe into" a certain part of our bodies. So for instance, if we're doing a standing side bend (stand up straight, arms above head, clasp hands, and lean to one side), we're told to breathe into the side that is being lengthened in the stretch. Of course physically, the only place you can breathe into is your lungs! But if you direct your mind to certain parts of your body while simultaneously focusing on your breath, you get a more intimate sensation of what's happening in that part of your body. You don't just feel the pull of the stretch, but the expanding of your ribcage, the way all the muscles are reacting to each other and the way they start to relax and settle into the pose the longer you hold it.
Think about splits training. It HURTS LIKE HELL for the inflexible. How do you ease the pain? Breathe into it. Direct your attention to all those muscles and tendons around your groin, or in your hamstrings, and "persuade" them to give in a little, relax a little, calm down. In yoga, my teachers tell us not to run away from the pain, but to confront it with calmness, patience, and gratitude.
With vinyasa yoga – that's flowing yoga, where you don't hold the poses and stretch so much as weave them together into movement synchronized with your breath – you do sort of feel the "energy" shifting between different parts of your body as you flow through the poses. In down dog and most forward bends, the energy is in the backs of your legs, your glutes, and your sacrum (tailbone area). Then you flow through Plank and Low Pushup into Cobra, and the energy is in your chest pushing forward between your shoulders, your neck reaching up, your lower back crunching. With practice you can become aware of all of these sensations at once – THAT's the energy right there. Hard to explain in words, I hope that gives the gist.
Chakra yoga is not something I know a lot about, though. A couple of my teachers have touched on it but not in depth.
My massage therapist practices reiki. I'd consider myself a reiki agnostic – I don't quite buy into it, but I'm open to it in theory. Reiki is a lot about gentle touch. I think it has the effects it does not because my massage therapist is actually manipulating my energy, but that most of us are touch-deprived in some way (think about how much of your day is spent in direct physical contact with another person) and the body does respond to that physical stimulus. When she runs her hands across my body, it does almost feel like my skin is leaping up to meet her. That's the best way I can describe it – like I crave the contact with her hands. (Gosh, it's hard to talk about this stuff without sounding like a whackjob or a pervert!) She also does this thing where she places the palms of her hands flat against the bottom of my feet. I believe that in Reiki terms, this action is supposed to be drawing the energy down the channels of my body and out through my feet and, yeah, to my immense surprise as a Reiki skeptic, I did feel something – sort of a warm, tingly, sparkly feeling right in the middle of each foot.
One of my regular yoga teachers also practices Reiki and includes it in some of her classes. At the end of a very long class on Black Friday last year, I was lying on the mat in savasana (corpse pose) and she kneeled behind me and placed the heels of her hands over my eyes, her fingers on my cheeks, and held them there for several minutes. The longer she stayed there, the deeper I sank into the relaxation of savasana. Was it because of her action, or something else? I don't really know for sure. But it was nice, and I thanked her for the personal attention.
Anyway, like with most things, you do sort of have to "believe" in the woo-woo aspects of yoga and reiki to really get much out of it – but that doesn't mean they don't benefit you even if you don't believe. Even my favorite instructor sometimes says things in class that make me roll my eyes. But, you take what you can use and what makes sense to you, and discard the rest. Even in a group class setting, it's a very individual practice.
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Yoga, more than pole I think, really benefits from in-person instruction. I dabbled in yoga several times over the years, taking a few classes here and there and doing some videos, and never really got all that excited about it. It felt nice and I knew it was good for me, but I felt like I could get a much better workout in a shorter time by doing other activities (like pole). So that's what I did. When I moved to a new town far away from all my friends (and with a serious lack of pole studios) I knew I had to do something to get out of the house and interacting with humans, or else I would start to go nuts.
So I started going to yoga classes again. I tried a few different places and had the same experience as always – I'd do it for a week or two and then flake. Then I finally found the place where I currently go. It's perfect. I'm so happy I found it. The teachers are awesome and they really uncovered for me what it is that makes yoga so special. It's difficult to articulate, but it's a combination of the cues they give, the positive affirmations they remind us of during each class, and the general camaraderie they have with the students. They just radiate love and understanding and it's clear that this stems from their yoga practices and how much they want to share it with people. If I hadn't encountered these people, yoga would've always just been "mindful stretching" with world music playing in the background. Now it's something more for me. But I understand not everyone is seeking that.
That doesn't mean you can't practice yoga at home or by yourself with videos – in fact I do it all the time, especially now that I have a grounding in it with lots of hands on corrections from instructors. But I think taking classes with an instructor is essential to really "get" yoga as opposed to just using it as a tool to achieve physical goals like flexibility, strength building, and stress reduction. I also know that some people do what's called foundational yoga, which focuses mostly on the body mechanics and muscle groups used (similar to Veena's lessons) instead of all the mind/body stuff. Keeping it simple and focused on fitness can be great too. But I use what my teachers have given me on a more esoteric level and make it into a moving meditation. That is what I love about yoga.
I've rambled a lot, but I guess the takeaway is that doing yoga videos at home can be nice, but if it doesn't really grab you, don't give up on yoga right away. Try taking classes with a live instructor. And if it doesn't grab you during your first in person class, try a few more. If you can find a teacher you really "click" with, then it can be amazing.
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I totally agree, Ninja. The right teacher can make all the difference. The studio I practice at is called yogahOMe and, corny as it sounds, going there does feel like going to a home, a safe, welcoming, comforting place. I never felt that way about the yoga classes I've taken at regular gyms before, those were far more about physical fitness. The teachers spent a lot of time talking about the muscles we were working rather than the poses, the breath, or mindfulness of any kind. There was a difference in language – "Contract your abs" vs. "Hollow your belly" (as Rodney Yee says on one of the DVDs I have from him). I'm glad you've found a practice and a teacher that you like!
One thing that fascinates me is that the difference between when I do a handstand/headstand/elbowstand for POLE, and when I do one for YOGA. Same move, but I experience it totally differently based on the context.
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Well Pankake its funny because when I said that about directing flow of energy, I almost typed "Is that like, direct your attention here?" but I deleted it because I don't know what I'm talking about, just learning. Its really hard to breathe into things for me sometimes, like, how are these people working so hard and breathing so sloooowwwwwly lol. The flow yoga is the type of class I've tried before. I did NOT like it. And I didn't really feel the energy shifting until the end when we just laid out for a bit and everyone else was all calm and comfortable, I wanted to run away, it was so weird hearing everyone around me breathing, closing my eyes around other people, all of it. It was like a bad trip. I think I may want to try the more breathy posey Yoga…. I also felt a bit silly because they said the Yoga classes were open to all levels, it seemed everyone in there knew the routine, what was coming next. By time I figured out what I was supposed to be doing, people were onto the next pose. Also, I stick to the mats, I feel I can't flow into a lunge when my foot is all squickling and scrunching the mat, but no one else seems to have this issue. To combat it, I ask to go matless. Some teachers are like "whatever suits you" and others are rather insistant that I use a mat.
I've tried to get the hubster to do an acroyoga class with me. We practice at home based on things we've seen, but I'm a bit intimidated by a class if he's going to be shying behind me the whole time.
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Dwiizie think of yoga like pole. Vinyasa class is like a routine, or a series of combos. There are a few established combos that everyone knows and does over and over (often called "taking your vinyasa") but the others are sequences that instructor calls out on the fly. There is order and sense to it but it takes a long time to really understand.
Jumping right into an all-levels vinyasa class is like jumping into an intermediate pole class. There's no way you'll do the combos right if you haven't mastered the individual moves first. Taking a slower form of yoga, where you can really learn the finer points of the specific asanas, would be a great start. Once you understand the individual postures, the flow will make a lot more sense.
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Also, ashtanga yoga is the exact same sequence, done in the exact same order, every time, without music. So people who do ashtanga end up memorizing the flow and know exactly what's next. Ashtanga is often seen as a more serious practice because it's so rigid. One of my instructors was an ashtanga practitioner for over a decade but as a teacher she prefers having more freedom.​ Vinyasa/flow yoga is more open ended, the instructors have more free reign to design their own sequences as they see fit and to target specific objectives. That also means you have to pay attention and may screw up and be a few poses behind at times (I do that all the time!) No one cares, seriously, so don't worry. If they do, you've gone to a snobby school and they suck and don't deserve your money (IMHO).
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I need a slow Yoga, the basics class. They seem to offer a LOT of all levels Yoga classes , I guess to reach a broader audience. I'm only sure of 2 studios in the area and they both rotate the same instructors between them it seems.
They do that "all levels" thing with hooping classes too, and I feel bad for the person that comes to a workshop and they've never spun a hoop in their life, and everyone else is learning more advanced concepts. And everyone says "Its ok, if this is beyond you, keep practicing this other thing" but the person just paid workshop prices to learn how to hoop, and they barely took away what they came for. They could find that free in several parks any given weekend on a nice day, we have a LOT of people who teach hoop for free or tips. I really like the Yoga people because they visit schools teaching kids Yoga, and they allow you to pay what you can for a class, some people overpay, some under pay, I try to put in whats "recommended". I will revisit it one day when I see a class that looks like its a "Yoga for dummies" class lol
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Look for a studio that has a new student intro series. Or, if that's not available, consider booking a private or semi-private session with one of the instructors as an intensive. It might be expensive, but it might work out to be the cost of several group classes and you will get so much out of it.
I was just talking to my instructor a couple weeks ago about this beginner problem in yoga. For a long time, my studio had all-levels classes every day of the week, and one designated beginner class on one evening each week. It was always very full and attracted lots of students, but every week there were brand new people coming in. There's a lot to cover before you're ready for an all-levels class. So my instructor kept having to start over from the very beginning each time to accommodate the brand-newbies. The people who'd been coming to the beginner class for weeks got bored and eventually left without ever making it into an all-level class. So now she's changed it to be a 4-week beginner series. You sign up for 4 classes in advance, and each one covers roughly 1/4 of what you need to know. Of course people complain about that, what if I have to miss one, etc etc but they can always book a private session to get caught up. I guess I'm sympathetic to the studio owner side of things.
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Thats exactly the type of model I'm looking for. I'm going to go check out their schedules to see what they've got going on…..
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So theres a Yoga Nidra (what is that?) Yin and Yang (Again…?) Tai Chi (I actually know what that is, but its not Yoga is it?) Hatha Yoga. Yoga for the People which is the free class that’s hard for me to follow. Mixed level Vinyasa. Feel Good Friday Night Flow. Gentle Yoga for Everyone (Would that be good for me?) Acro 101 which is the one I want to go to with Adam. Workshop, finding balance. That’s this month’s schedule….
The other Yoga studio I know of (that’s not Hot Yoga) has level 1 which is all levels, level 2 mixed and level 3 expansion. You buy a weeks session, 13 weeks, enrollment for spring ended the last day of March. They have “get moving” Core Flow, On the Go Flow, Vinyasa Flow, Yogaworks Flow. “Slow down” Deep release, gentle, restoratives and pranayama. “integrate and harmonize” hatha iyengar “specialties” laughayoga sustainable vinyasa. I can’t tell one thing from another.
Neither seem to offer private or semi private instruction. *head spinning*
When I try to ask questions about where I fit in (they do this in belly dance too) they just say “Come try a few and see where you fit in” I live out in the boonies. Its over an hour to both these studios, and I don’t really have the money to go class sampling right now. I eventually decided on a fusion bellydance series, I like it, but its not what I wanted to learn. I guess Tribal and Oriental would be the next I have to try. I really just want to figure out which is the type I’ve seen that I like and want to emulate. Lots of breaks, isolated movements, belly rolls, balancing things on the head. I LOVE the belly rolls and precise hip/chest lifts and drops. The fushion class is just slithery and graceful, it reminds me of how I dance naturally.
I’m so glad you Veeners know just about everything 😀
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There's a difference between instructional yoga classes and guided yoga classes – and sadly, they're often not even labeled that way, but you'll definitely get a sense for what kind of class you're in once you're there.
One thing you have to realize about an all-levels class is that, guess what, all levels will be there, so hell yeah there will be people who are WAY farther along in their yoga journey than you are. Just like in pole – you must resist the urge to compare yourself to them. What happens in yoga is between you and your mat, not you and your peers. I do feel for you, though. There are some girls in my Intermediate pole class who are way more advanced than I am and sometimes I'm like "What are you even doing here? What am *I* even doing here?"
I would suggest getting there early and talking to the teacher before the class, saying that you're pretty new to yoga and haven't taken many classes yet, and don't have all the poses memorized. They will then know to give you additional instruction instead of just naming off the poses. And they may even say that this is not the class for you. And you probably don't want a teacher who only names the poses in Sanskrit, either. (I've always found that to be just a touch show-offy.) I've learned many of the Sanskrit names for poses but still like it when the teacher says "Triangle Pose" instead of "Trikonasana."
And yeah, if you can find some classes that are specifically Beginner or Fundamentals, go for those first over an all-levels class if being around the more advanced practitioners makes you nervous.
That scared run-away feeling you describe is what happened when I took my first Bikram yoga class. Bikram is a VERY intense style of Ashtanga yoga, done in a 100-degree-plus room. It's almost more like military drills than a "class" by the general definition. And OMG, worst yoga experience of my life. I spent most of the class in Child's Pose because I was literally and physically panicking. I couldn't deal with the heat (I was just getting over a head cold, probably not the best time to try Bikram) or the intensity or my own sweat making it impossible to do pretty much anything. It's a 90 minute class and I wanted to run away after the first 15 minutes. I don't think you could pay me to go to another Bikram class at this point. And that's OK! You don't have to love every style of yoga.
And I wouldn't expect you to "feel the energy" the first time in every class, you have to feel comfortable in the class before that will come through for you, and that takes some practice and acclimation. As for your foot sticking to the mat and preventing you from flowing – It's totally fine to make mini adjustments as you go, to reposition your foot before you sink into the lunge – even OK to fall over in tree pose! No one expects you to get it right every time or to perfectly and effortlessly flow from move to move, you're not getting dinged any points for having to fix yourself.
I actually have the opposite problem of slipping off my mat and I have started using Tite Grip on my hands and feet to help with that. I'm starting up a Hot Yoga series in May – not Bikram, just vinyasa style in a heated room – and think I will be using Tite Grip a lot just to keep me on my mat. 🙂
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@Pankake Funny you mention English vs. Sanskrit. Yoga suffers from a similar problem as pole in that not everyone agrees on the common English names for poses. Of course everybody knows what Triangle Pose is, but I've tried to discuss arm balances with people and they have no idea what I'm talking about unless I use the Sanskrit name. I have taken a class taught by an instructor from Australia once and she used some different names… I was so confused. At least the Sanskrit names are (usually) pretty universal. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif
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