March 5, 2014 Journal Entry

Wednesday March 5, 2014

Being a beginner teacher I learned a lot about teaching beginners. I wrote this post way before I attended my training at www.gobodhiyoga.com. I had been signed up to get my certification. It is so funny how not knowing anything about yoga except for what I have seen, read and been taught in other classes that I didn't feel intimidated to teach. Looking back at this post I realize there is so much more I could have offered besides poses.   

Wednesday March 5, 2014

Tonight I taught my first Yoga class that wasn’t family. I was asked by my church to teach an hour of Yoga to the Mia Maids. It was a perfect opportunity to teach and not feel overwhelmed or have to worry about feeling as though I wasn’t good enough. It’s practice right?

We held the class up on the church stage which was perfect it had the ability to dim the lights to give it a less intimidating feel, the girls all relaxed and we had a great time. Down side to have it on the stage is somewhere towards the end a bunch of boys came in and started playing basketball. Not so great for Savasana.

I led them through a series of poses that I felt would challenge them, but not be so extreme that they felt bored and as if I was putting on my own show. We started with Abs, worked our way into warrior poses, balancing poses, down to frog, pigeon, cow face, modified bridge and final savasana with a personal adjustment.

Overall, I felt the class went well. I do think I could have been more clear with what way I wanted them to stand or face, a couple times the girls got a little giggly, but I guess thats also expected out of 14 and 15 yr olds. I should have done better to direct their attention back towards their practice. For my first class I’m pleased with how it went and can’t wait to teach again, and again, as I learn more and more. Namaste!

Week 40: Baby Born

Week 40 - Baby Born

I had to come back and write this, but the night I went into labor we had friends come over and show us a series of things they do while in labor. from cat cow to the husband pushing on the low part of the back while in table. all of which felt good. We did breath work together. It’s amazing the difference of doing it alone as well as doing it with a partner. I got into a savasana pose and my husband adjusted me according to what i told him i needed. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this sooner, but it felt heavenly.  

Overall i felt trying to keep some sort of a Yoga practice and relying on my resources and the things I was taught at Bodhi Yoga. As well as letting go of this expectation to make it an intense workout I felt really kept me grounded and at peace with where I was at in each phase of my pregnancy. Thanks for this challenge or I’m sure I would have just sat on my rump until baby came!

Week 38: Almost There!

Week 38 

I’ve completely retreated from doing anything to strenuous, more or less cause I’m big and tired! ha, but I still do enjoy seated poses, stretches, breathing, lying down and doing some twists. Of course I still do the pose from week 32 religiously everynight! I will also every now and again get into happy baby. I haven’t quite figured out why they don’t want you doing that pose, unless its a pushing pose, but if i get in it just for a moment I think it feels good on my back. Being pregnant and doing yoga has really been quite a journey. I'm thankful for my training at Bodhi Yoga and I'm grateful for Syl being inspired to give me a task that required me to stay active while pregnant!

Week 32: My Pose

Week 32

I’ve been feeling really tight up in my chest and shoulders I looked up online some yoga poses for prenatal care and I came across a pose that I’ve fallen in love with. I do it every night before bed, because I think it feels so amazing. I start on all fours and I lower down to my forearms keeping my arms straight, keeping my legs at a right angle. I actively press into my arms while lowering my chest to the floor. At first I couldn’t go all the way down, but doing it every night for a few minutes before bed just releases any tightness I may have and makes it easier to fall asleep. Another great thing to do if you struggle falling to sleep. Try putting your legs up the wall using a bolster or pillow to support the lower back makes it that much more enjoyable. ( Thanks Bodhi Yoga) Do this and climb RIGHT into bed. If you wait more than likely you'll have a harder time falling asleep, because this pose helps you relax and feel rejuvenated!

Week 31: Meditation

Week 31

I’m getting to the end of my pregnancy and as i consider going into this labor and delivery without medication I really took the time to meditate and try to connect with my inner self as well as with my baby. I focused on my breath work and enjoyed some seated twist and cat cow pose.

 With two kids one on the way and a husband it can be hard to take time for yourself and focus on your needs. I find that when I'm driving in the car alone I either keep it quiet or listen to Syl's Chakra Resonance to help bring me back to ME!

Week 28: Hubby Time

Week 28
I grabbed my husband this week and we did a series of partner poses. It felt good to have someone pushing or pulling on me to get into a pose better. or just to have that resistance or stability. I wish we had more time for this. It feels good to connect in Yoga with someone else and none better than your significant other. I totally think doing this more often could help with communication, quality time, and connecting emotionally, mentally, and physically! I would love to take part in a partner yoga certification. If I ever do so I'll do with with Syl at Bodhi Yoga

Week 26: Shining Bright

Week 26  

I’m really liking sun salutations with a slight back bend. I’m sure it’s because of my belly in the front. I also don’t mind forward folds even though I need to take my stance a little wider to comfortably get into the pose where it feels nice for me. 

Check out www.gobodhiyoga.com for an intro into yoga

Week 25: STRONG

Week 25

Today I tried working on strength again. I felt good about being able to hold my plank and feel the difference in my body with the muscles that are used. My abs are still there, but are being tested. Which I’m ok with!! I also did a couple things from bodhiSpin where you squeeze in and out of a fist and lift your hands up and feel the energy pour down into you. I find that very energizing! Looking up Kundalini Yoga I found that it is very safe to do while pregnant. Just remember if you feel dizzy ride it out don't try to fight it!

Week 24: I'm a Frog!

Week 24

I don’t know why I had forgotten about frog pose, but this week I got into frog pose and it was a deep hip opener that I was actually able to get into and RELAX in. I will be continuing this throughout, cause it just felt so great.

I’ve been trying to work on my breath more as my belly grows I can tell it’s getting hard to long breaths. I always feel a little short of breath. I'm going to try really hard to forcus on this though because one of the first things I learned in my training at Bodhi Yoga with Syl was "The breath is not apart of the practice IT IS THE PRACTICE" I can't even begin to tell you how true that is. Especially in my teaching other I find so many people holding their breath when trying to get in a pose or when something gets hard. So BREATH ALWAYS!!

Week 23: Grabbing at Extra Energy

Week 23 

It’s weird how some weeks I have so much energy and feel great doing yoga and other weeks it’s just Blah! This week I felt very powerful in my warrior 2 as well as my high lunge. I really liked reaching forward with my heart and and fingers spread I just felt like I was grabbing at any extra energy in the universe I also felt very steady in my practice.

I’m still liking the sitting twist, but I can tell it won’t be long before the belly gets in the way and I won’t be able to twist as deep or breath while twisting, but as for now I feel still safe doing the twist. 

Interested in where I got trained check out Syl at www.gobodhiyoga.com

Week 22: I've still got it!

Week 22

I love being able to do some balancing, core, strength poses. Still being able to get into crow, makes me feel like I’ve still got it. I have come to realize that through this pregnancy the “Warriors” are going to be my friend, because no matter how big my belly gets i will be able to get into these and feel the benefits. For not being a singer OM-ing is my friend and I’ve always feel the energy it brings, (thanks Syl for the training at Bodhi Yoga) but for some reason being pregnant and OM-ing makes me feel as though I am connecting not only with my spiritual self, but also the spirit I’m carrying. I’m feeling more out of breath and really feeling the benefits that are coming from childs pose. I feel great doing dolphin push ups! It feels good to know that although I may be growing I still have physical strength.

This week my balance felt off in side plank. It was hard for me to stack my feet or even lift the top leg, but when i took the modification and steadied myself more I could easily come into the pose. And of course with a growing belly, I am now at the point it doesn’t feel so great to do any pose that requires me to lay on my stomach. That just hit this week.

21 Weeks: It's a GIRL!

Week 21

I’m loving prsarita and I worked my way down into frog pose. Hip openers are feeling so amazing! ha ha and i’m also feeling a little more flexible which i’ve read comes with pregnancy.
I did try a headstand this week and while I was able to get up I can tell my abs are slowly fading on me and it took more effort than usual. granted I know it says not to do headstands while pregnant, but I felt comfortable doing it, so once again I'm going to listen to my body.
Even though I've been pregnant twice before. I feel more now than ever to connect with my baby and provide safe home for her. I feel as though Yoga helps me reconnect with my body and the little body growing inside of me. Being trained at Bodhi Yoga taught me how to take the competition out of yoga and just be present with where you are at today. 

Prasarita Padottanasana - Wide-Legged Forward Bend

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"Prasarita" — meaning "spread" or "expanded"
"Pada" — meaning "foot" or "leg"
"Ut" — meaning "intense"
"Tan" — meaning "to stretch"
"Asana" — meaning "pose".
This pose is also sometimes called "Straddle Fold," "Standing Straddle," and "Wide-Legged Forward Bend,"

Benefits : Stretches the back and inside of the legs
Opens the hips
Stretches the spine, shoulders and chest
Grounds you and calms the mind
Can relieve mild backache

picture and notes taken from augustyoga.com

20 weeks: Practice makes Perfect

Week 20
It's funny how a week of trying to maintain a yoga practice the difference it has made in some of the poses especially being pregnant. One week of practice and I didn't feel as out of breath and doing a twist was barely noticable. Reading online the suggest not doing twist while pregnant. So I'm just twisting until my body tells me that I've twist far enough. With everything in yoga its listening to your body and doing what it asks of you. So... a little recap
Twists didn’t bother me as much, I don’t know if it is because i’m getting back into the practice of things. The only time I felt the twist being a little more difficult is when I am twisting over my leg in a lunge.

Legs up the wall still feels great, but I’ve been loving the steadinesss I’m feeling in Warrior I and the stretch and lengthening I feel in my mid belly when I go into reverse warrior 2.

I really can't thank Syl enough for my training at gobodhiyoga.com

19 Weeks Preggers

My yoga teacher Syl at gobodhiyoga.com asked that I document my journey of being pregnant while trying to maintain a yoga practice. So I'll be keeping a personal journal as well as showing what I did here.

Week 19
    -This week legs up the wall with my bolster has been feeling the best. It’s been helping with my sciatic nerve and my restless leg syndrome.My husband gave me yoga bolsters for Christmas and I cant say enough about them especially now being pregnant! I highly recommend getting a set. We used them all the time in my training at gobodhiyoga.com Where I’m just starting out again in yoga. I’m feeling really out of breath especially when i do any type of twist. They feel almost impossible

Drishti: Focused Gaze

I'm an off and on yogi. I received my training at www.gobodhiyoga.com From the beginning I wanted to learn something new and take on a new challenge. I do my best to always maintain a practice, but sometimes life catches up with me, because I'm also a wife and a mother to two small children soon to be three.  Although, I may not get a daily practice in. It still lives within me. I decided to name the blog "My Drishti Yoga". I am making this blog about my focus, where I intend to set my gaze. It may be during a practice while doing an asana, or it may just be the intention I set for myself as mother and a wife. It could be to not be lazy, or to spend the day not worrying about the chores of the house, but playing with my children. To take more time to for my husband or for myself. Whatever I choose to focus on I'll be more committed and in the moment with giving it all my attention. To not lose sight of what is really important! And so it begins!...