FINAL REFLECTION

The Semester has come to a quick end, and I will firmly say this was my favorite class! Yes, the aspect of free yoga was amazing, but I learned so much new information and genuinely was interested in all of it. I realized that I cannot be closed minded to the world around me, I cannot just live within myself and not realize that my actions and thoughts impact those around me.

I was brought up in a Christian household, and although some aspects of Christianity still stick with me firmly, I was really exposed to a totally different aspect of religion. And Although it is true religion does not have to be a part of yoga, I found it to be helpful in really getting the full experience of going through the journey of yoga. Up till now my "religious" aspect has been
1. to honor myself
2. to honor my body
3. to respect those around me
4. to acknowledge that I am part of the world and care about the choices I make
5. to learn to clear my mind and live in the moment
6. to become less attached to materialistic items
7. to be more carefree and not let others effect me so much
8. acknowledge a higher power and try to make it part of a daily routine
9. people with some religious view or belief are naturally happier
10. living in the world today, surrounded by materialistic distractions makes it impossible to have a fully religious life--- but religion is what you make of it

I also learned a lot more about Yoga in general. Myths and stereotypes that I thought were true, was proved to be completely inaccurate.
-Yoga is not just a form of stretching… Yoga is so Complex (beneficially it also can be a great workout that I easily break out in a sweat)
-Females who wear yoga pants and pose without much close on, give yoga a bad image
-Lulu lemon supports child labor and does not protect female rights :P
- Real yogis don't practice on mats, or in classrooms, or use any form of drugs

On the educational aspect, the comparison between East and West was also very interesting. . So much has changed and been adapted from the origins of Yoga in India to current United States. The history of yoga has evolved rapidly and spread vastly into many different forms and techniques. The documentaries we watched were extremely beneficial to grasping "What is Yoga?" as well as practicing different types of yoga allowed me to experience a huge diversity of practices.

Overall, I am grateful to have taken this class. I am looking forward to continue my practice in yoga…

What is Yoga?

Before starting my practice, I saw Yoga simply as a form of physical activity that challenges the body and stretches you out. I never really thought of all the benefits, the origins and the different types of practices both eastern and western.
In the first paper that I wrote for this class about The meaning of Yoga, I said "Each yogi is after one goal: the ability to connect to a greater power, physically challenge their bodies and achieve total enlightenment." Although I still feel that is a general idea behind yoga but there is so much more that comes with following a practice.

 Now, after practicing for two months, I have started to realize what yoga is for me.

It is a time to get away, to put my life and problems aside and focus only on myself.

It is a time to improve my physical health and work up a sweat to stay fit. 

It is a time to practice controlling my breath and understanding the needs of my body.

It is a time to push my limits and strengthen my body.

It is a time to set goals for myself and focus on achieving them. 

It is a time to clear out the toxins in my body and feel lighter and happier.

It is a time to relieve stress and connect my body to mother earth. 

It is a time to be apart of a community.

It is a time to thank my body and enhance my overall wellbeing.

Yoga is becoming a part of my life, when I leave the studio I feel relieved and like a new person.    I bring that positive energy and happiness to my day to day activities. I love being a part of this new community and can see myself continuing to practice Yoga regularly. I have become much more interested in the origins of yoga as well as the natural medicinal benefits and want to continue my research. I would also try to venture into the field of Ayurveda one day to enhance my diet…. I still have a lot to learn about what yoga is, but maybe in five years down the road I will revisit this question and see what I have to say… 

Meditation

On Wednesday Oct. 29, we practiced Meditation in class. In the past, the most I have probably ever done is just lay down and think about things or try to concentrate but lose focus within a minute or two. I believe we stayed about twenty minutes in meditation, our instructor told us that every time a thought came into our minds to just acknowledge it and then let it go. This was a very difficult thing to do because my mind constantly kept roaming different thoughts…
Meditation is something that definitely needs to be practiced with patiences daily. I believe it does have the potential to improve mental health and allow people to have better control of their thoughts and actions.
I am not sure if I can commit to start meditating regularly. Even though taking time to take care of my body is not wasting time, at this point in my life I feel constantly rushed, busy and on a schedule. It can only be ten minutes of my day that I dedicate to practicing, which is not much at all, but I also feel that I do not fully understand my goal in meditating, therefore wasting time…
But this is something I can try to start slowly practicing and eventually I will able to do a full session. Next time, I would try it with my back against the wall but I would probably avoid laying down so I don't fall asleep.

Yoga as a tool for managing addiction

After watching the documentary in class about the recovering alcoholics and drug addicts and reading the articles about how yoga is used in the 12-step recovery program; I realized how much of a useful tool yoga can be to managing addiction. 
Meditation is the key element in yoga that bridges yoga to recovering addicts. Meditation allows people to clear their mind and relax, be at peace with themselves, control their thoughts and their desires to relapse. 
In the article, Helping the "United States of Addiction" Recover, the author gives 4 steps needed to have freedom from addiction:
1. A Spiritual Path
2. Community Support
3. Yoga Meditation
4. Conscious Diet

I believe that practicing yoga gives you all of these 4 steps. Of course people who are in recovery should also continue following the 12-step program along with practicing yoga. Yoga becomes a spiritual practice because you connect with your body on a deeper level as well as a higher power. They members in the studio and in your class are your community support. The instructors are always there to guide and support you through each challenging pose. Meditation is an essential element in yoga. By meditating properly, we also control our breath and are conscious of each inhale and exhale. Breathing is a cleansing process that can detoxify the body. Then the conscious diet, not everyone that does yoga is on a diet but the concept of yoga is to be healthy and treat your body with honor and respect. It is natural for you to eat healthier when you are physically active and notice your body becoming leaner and stronger. 

I never really thought about how much of an impact yoga has to recovering addicts but yoga is in fact medicinal and it can cure many illnesses if practiced regularly and whole heartedly. 

Ashtanga Yoga and Power Flow Yoga

This week (Oct. 8) we practiced Ashtanga yoga in class. Earlier in the week we watched the movie "Ashtanga, NY" with Pattabhi Jois teaching a seminar in the US. I got some sort of an idea of what to expect for our practice, however it is always easier said than done. Ashtanga is a very progressive practice. You start with stretching and breathing poses and then slowly move on to the primary series, only with the approval of your instructor. Between each asana you take a vinyasa and the entire series is well over two hours. Although we skipped most of the vinyasas and did not do all of the moves, it was still a very difficult practice. After attempting Ashtanga, I can understand why a person only progresses when their instructor allows them because there are some tough poses that I could never do unless I keep practicing them.
Ashtanga contorts the body in many ways and if you cannot complete one pose you will keep repeating the same series your entire life and never advance forward. I can see why many people choose to quit practicing Ashtanga because it takes a lot of patience and dedication. I am happy yoga was adapted and took poses from Ashtanga to create vinyasa flow yoga. I am thankful to have experienced an Ashtanga class but I can see that it is not something I would like to regularly practice.
In the movie we saw, the followers of Ashtanga take their practice very seriously. The atmosphere was a bit cult like and people follow Pattabhi Jois' instructions without hesitation. At the end of his seminar many people bowed down to Pattabhi Jois and kissed his feet. I can see why people have a high level of respect for him but I do not agree with bowing down to anyone and putting them on the same level as God. Yoga can be a very religious practice, but having Mentors does not mean that you should bow down to them and kiss their feet.

On another note, on Saturday October 11, I went to a Power Flow Yoga studio in Clifton NJ.
http://www.powerflownj.com/locations/Clifton
I attended a free hot yoga session open to everyone and It was a great workout. Some things I noticed were:
1. We started and ended the class off with Ohm (instead of just ending)
2. Less yoga terms used (Corpse pose instead of saying Savasana or simply saying directions instead of the name of the pose)
3. There was music, a little too loud and a bit distracting. I wish it was a calmer beat but the drums and rhythm was so fast paced and didn't match our flow
4. It felt more like a gym environment instead of a studio. At YogaNine theres more a sense of family or community and here it was complete strangers and seriousness
5. Much more commercialized, being a big corporation, than YogaNine studio
6. I loved the heated class, the room was wooden and had the proper hot class equipment
7. Very unreligious, no alter, and the class did not end with any sanskrit, just a simple english "thank you and enjoy the rest of your day"
8. Overall, different but good experience, I would practice here on a regular basis

Just some thoughts...

Took a Friday am class with Robin last week or so and she was great. She has a very relaxed and calm voice. She was the instructor which I've seen most practice poses along with us. This was one of the first classes I took and I wasn't sweating like crazy. My muscles were a little sore but my endurance seems to be improving. I struggled more with holding a pose in a depend asana than the out of breath cardio feeling.

Today on October 6, I went to yoga flow in the morning. I think this may have been one of my favorite classes up to date. John was subbing for Laurie; I really enjoy Johns teaching. I woke up in a good mood and didn't feel tired even though it was 8am on a cold Sunday morning. The class started smoothly but we quickly moved into the "flow" of things. We worked on a lot of sun salutations and we did quite a few poses in which we were half way forward folded with a straight back and circling our arms around. (Unfortunately my back is now sore from all this circling) Anyway the class flew by! and it was a great workout! He called each pose and it was easy to follow along but still challenging my mind, balance and over all body. To end class we played around with headstands…. And Wah-Lah! I did a head stand! On my forearms and yes slightly against a wall, but I did it and held myself up for what seemed like minutes! I am still super excited about this because not only was I scared to fall but went for it anyway, I did not think I would be able to do this for awhile. Practice makes perfect, So now my next goal is to do one away from the wall. Left yoga feeling great, Good day!

Iyengar Practice

This week during John's Tuesday night 9/30/14 class we practiced something a littler bit different. Since Yoga Nine just had a work shop and he learned some Iyengar techniques,  he incorporated them into our class. Iyengar is not much of a "flow" class. There are many props (blocks, rope, the wall, etc.) used and it seems more focused on working certain parts of your body specifically in each class. In this class we utilized the wall a lot and we worked on some lunges. The movements are very controlled. It was an interesting glimpse to the Iyengar class we had on Wednesday 10/1/14 at Stockton.

Annie came in to teach us Iyengar. We were all very tightly squeezed together because we had limited wall space. This day we used all the props I previously listed as well as blankets. It was interesting to take part in Iyengar practice but I really wasn't a huge fan. With all the in class practices I feel that I am somewhat biased to not liking them because of the environment (really bright lights, cold room, cramped space, loud noises, etc.) we are in but I enjoyed our previous Bikram practice more compared to Iyengar. I thought that the class lacked focus and was a bit scattered. There were too many pauses between poses. However, I did feel like it was more of a muscle strengthening practice than cardio so I am glad to say that I was not sweaty going to my next class.

I then went to two other classes taught by Kate (I think) and she really incorporates Iyengar style in her teaching. We worked on shoulders and arms "for the week" so my shoulders grew a little sore by the end of the week. I am Iyengared out. And have come to the realization of how much I love yoga flow classes.

Yoga is definitely a ritual practice. I mentally prepare myself the day before and keep reminding myself that I have yoga at a specific time the next day. My body naturally relaxes. I remember when I first took yoga, I would take my cellphone into the class with me and just keep it on silent. When I started attending Yoga Nine, I kept my phone in the cubby. Now after a month of going, I don't even care to bring my phone with me inside. I have learned to some how unlatch myself from the outside world and even clear my mind more easily from other distractions. Being in the "yoga mind set" is definitely not the same mind set as my normal day to day thoughts. I am trying to bring the calmness and self control into my daily life but it does not always come easily. I also would like to comment that I enjoy practicing with people older than myself. I feel that I am more relaxed and comfortable and the practice is taken more seriously. When practicing in class some people feel too comfortable around their friends and talk and laugh during yoga and it distracts the silence and tranquility. I love starting class with breathing exercises or opening up my chest by lying on my back and I love ending class in shavasana. I feel that class would not be complete without these routines. I also enjoy being in the front of the room and not have to worry about looking at other people. The chanting of OHM at the end still has not fully grown on me but these are all some of my rituals I have noticed.
...I've been putting off getting a new mat to replace my 5 year or older mat, which really frustrates me because my hand slips off of them every time I practice. I really need a new mat!

Bikram Practice

On Tuesday night Sept. 23, I went to hot yoga flow. Instructor Kristina was substituting John's class. She was great. It's interesting to see the difference in teaching methods between instructors. Kristina ended the class with reading one of the Yoga Sutras. This was the first time I heard one read to me at the end of a class.
*After taking last week off from doing yoga, my lower back pain finally went away. Starting again this week and now I feel like my back strength improved.
Then on Wednesday morning I went to Laurie's class. I was in such a good mood on Wednesday and it felt good to get up in the morning and move my body.

In class we had our first Bikram practice this week. It was unfortunate that we didn't experience the complete Bikram environment since our classroom was a great deal colder than a Bikram studio would be. However, I thought this form of practice was really interesting. It was a lot more systematic because it consisted of repeating the same pose 2x's on each side of your body. It was more of a step by step approach then a flowing pose to pose class. The breathing in Bikram is also different then what I am used to. Normally breathing in and out through my nose, in Bikarm you breath out through your mouth. Another different aspect is that when laying in shavasana we kept our eyes open in order to be awake and aware of our environment. I think it's interesting that Bikram is always the same consistent poses and you practice to improve those poses instead of challenging your body to try new things. I would practice Bikram again and even regularly. However,  I would do it as a side practice and still participate in other forms pf physical activity because I feel that' doing the same thing over and over may eventually take your body to a plateau and you won't improve.

The physical culture of yoga is one that can be described as a normal healthy practice. People do yoga both to strengthen muscle and as a form of aerobic activity. The instructor of Bikram that came to teach my class, Chris, was very persistent about talking about the health benefit of each pose. He described why we were doing that pose and how it can help certain aspects of our bodies. As we examined in the first few weeks of class, yoga may have started as a religious practice but now in the 21st century many people take yoga purely for the physical aspect and keeping your body healthy and in shape.
Since taking yoga, I have noticed difference in my body. Certain muscles are more defined and I am much more flexible.

I just couldn't wake up

Who am I kidding? I didn't make it to the 8:30 class on Sunday morning =(
Nonetheless, I did go to the gym and still kept physically active. On Monday I actually attempted to go but when I got there for the supposed "11-12:15 All Levels Flow" there was no class. So back to the gym I went.
Finally on Tuesday September 16, I made it to yoga.
I really enjoy this hot all levels flow class but unfortunately I have discovered that some of the asanas in this class have been the root to my lower back aching. Gladly, I don't feel any pain when I am practicing.
I really love practicing at a studio. I don't believe I would be getting the same experience if I were just attending the classes held at Stockton. The atmosphere, temperature, silence soothing colors and lighting in the room all enhance the sessions. Also when I have attempted to practice yoga at home before I feel like I was not doing the poses correctly or spending enough time on them. I enjoy being in the classroom environment but still feeling a sense of peace and in my own space. I also like the fact that at the studio, the instructor helps you adjust your pose and I don't believe the teacher at Stockton does that.
I will be making a quick weekend getaway from Thursday-Monday so unfortunately I won't be able to practice this next week. I feel like I have already improved from my first class, my body seems to be more flexible and strengthened. So I am a little sad that I will take a few step backwards when I return. I tried to make it to class today but other things got in the way… I will just have to keep on stretching and doing some cardio the next few days and hope I pick up where I left off on Tuesday. Let's hope for the best. Have a good week everyone!

Saturday: September 15, 2014

Power Yoga Class with Laurie!
So getting out of bed this morning was a challenge. However, I told myself I'm making the most out of this yoga journey and once I get into the rhythm of going regularly it'll be less of a struggle. My left side lower back was still a little sore from Tuesday but I kept telling myself the more yoga I do, the better it will get…
This class was great, and a super tough workout! You are completely drenched in sweat because not only is it none stop moving but for most of the time the heat is also turned on. It was a small class and overall a little more advanced for my level, but I liked the challenge and it forced me to work even harder. I have to say this morning I wasn't 100% focused on the present and that is one aspect of yoga that I struggle with conquering. A lot of times my mind wanders, I definitely was thinking about how much I was struggling with each pose instead of focusing on improving the pose and concentrating on my breath and what I was doing... I was also thinking about what i was going to eat for breakfast hehehe Anyway, after this class I realized how much I want to work on to get to a full head stand, holding my bridge and crow pose and improve my plow goals. I believe that if I commit to practice by the end of the semester I can achieve all my goals.

By the end of the class, and the next day, my back was hurting even more… I think I need some major acupuncture. But in the meantime back to Yoga tomorrow. Who knows maybe my theory will come true and I will get rid of the pain? Or maybe my back will be shot out for good? We shall see!

Gentle Yoga

I took a Gentle Yoga class on Thursday September 11, 2014 and it was a completely new experience. It was very gentle and more of a stretching and deep breathing class than I had expected it to be. Robin, our instructor, was great. She really explained details and modifications of each pose as well as how to breath properly. We practiced massaging our feet and using our toe muscles to grab a piece of paper on the floor. I really liked this exercise because I didn't realize how I never work out my toe muscles. Also after we massaged our feet, we laid down and I felt how much more blood was rushing through my feet and how open and relaxed they felt. Overall, although I didn't get a sense of a physical workout in this class, I still got a relaxed and total body stretching which is another side (one of many) of yoga not many people realize exist.

My First Yoga Classes

On Tuesday, September 9, I began my first day of Yoga. After a long weekend of laziness, I went to the gym the night before and my muscles were aching a bit. Nonetheless, I figured yoga was a great way to get some stretching in.

What I believed would be a 6pm Power Yoga class ended up being a mild version of Hot Yoga. There were only four people in the class, leaving enough air to breath and not feel overcrowded. The air was dry and I have to say it did get me sweating and giving me a greater sense of a workout. We started off with some breathing exercises and stretching and flowed smoothly through the class. John was a great instructor, he was very descriptive with the moves and came around and helped us.
I thought that the most challenging poses were:
1. Semi triangle/pyramid - I found this to be a bit of a strain on the back of my knee
2. Bridge (Arms and shoulder blades touching each other on the ground) - I never knew my arms could go that far back
3. Plow pose - the hardest part was getting my legs and back raised not necessarily holding it there

Although my lower back was killing me when I got home, I told myself I was still going to Yoga in the morning!

Wednesday, September 10, I made it to Laurie's 9am All Level Yoga class and found myself in for a challenge. This class had some similarities to the previous day's class but to me it seemed that the movements flowed a lot quicker (or maybe it was because my entire body ached). Laurie also came over and deepened my poses (all the while I thought I would break my back) but it did make for better stretches! I realized how tight my body is when I realized all the people older than me easily flowing through these poses…
I also realized that the most challenging aspects of Yoga for me are:
1. Remembering to keep breathing. As if thinking about all the deep stretching I was doing isn't difficult enough, I have to also remember to keep breathing and in an even 4 count rhythm. jeez
2. Over thinking all the poses and then:
a. when I finally get it, its time to move onto a new pose
b. holding it there and deepening into the pose further and further
3. Mentally focusing on the present and what I am doing. Clearing my head of all other thoughts.

One question I had always wondered was: Why do we finish Yoga by chanting OM? After watching "Naked in Ashes" I discovered that it is the most sacred syllable and regularly used in practice and in prayer.

When class was just about over and we were laying down in Savasana I felt every inch of my body throb in soreness but mentally I couldn't help but feel so relaxed and at peace.

Starting My Practice

Today I am beginning my first day of Yoga at Yoga NINE studio. I am very excited to practice during these next 3 months. I have previously attended Yoga classes but I never practiced strictly. This past semester, I studied abroad in Italy and I participated in Power Yoga for 1 week. I absolutely loved it. At first I was stressed because I couldn't fully complete all the moves and the class went quickly, making it a bit difficult to keep up. However, after the class was over I felt such a sense of accomplishment. We laid on the mat for a few minutes with our eyes closed and the instructor massaged our shoulders with some lavender oil. I was so relaxed and fully engaged with every part of my body. I better understood what people meant about yoga being something greater than just a physical activity.

After watching the documentary" Enlighten Up!" I was surprised to find that Yoga in fact originated as more of a religious practice. In parts of India, many people don't partake in the physical fitness but revolve their entire practice around God. Lately, I have been struggling with some emotional struggles with finding myself and what truly makes me happy. I hope that if I put enough of my mental strength and energy into this practice I can find some sort of inner peace and become more content with myself.

Best of luck on everyones journey!