Yoga teacher training wk 1 + 2

24JAN14-02FEB14

It's been a very emotionally charged bit of time. Yoga teacher training started and brought with it lots of good  things and reasonable heap of stress. Starting with the fact that I had to write a paper I sort of assumed was due in April in about 5 days and it supposed to be 10 pages minimum, cue the panic, but I got it done.  And I'm definitely feeling a bit more at ease on the work load front.  The rest of the two weekends brought with them getting to know 14 other really amazing individuals and I look forward to getting to know everyone better.  I'm thankful already that the training is so small.   Much less stressful for me, who is not a huge fan of groups.

Possibly as a consequence of the paper or the fact that I know I have been internally searching for things to change I've made some really strong realizations about my self, and my nature.  The smallest of which are "I am important".  Thinking about my yoga journey sparked a lot of correlations and I realized the source of some things. Mainly my strong desire to blend into the background, and how this desire starting in middle school.   I have felt and been different for basically as long as I've known that being different can get you made fun of.

Its only recently I realized that being different and having a different experience is an asset, not a flaw.  Its a hard less to wrap my head around, but I know over time it will happen. I mean for someone who hates being different I sure have an interesting way to avoid it.  I mean the initial way I was different was physical.  I was basically an extremely late bloomer, so much so that doctors questioned the functionality of my body.  I had my first cat scan at 16, so freaked out I had to sit on my mom's lap before.  No i'm totally serious.  

When we weren't talking physical things,   I mean most of my interests even now are a little atypical.  I went to a liberal arts college and majored in chemistry...I played bassoon for 15 years (some of the time it was almost as tall as I was)  I like group fitness, crossfit and yoga.  And I am a breast cancer survivor.  I mean the last really makes me a feel like a special case.  Though there are a lot of breast cancer survivors out there, it is way less common to hear that from a 31yr.    So anyway.  I am different but I am slowly realizing it makes me more of a bad ass.  In my own special way.

So what does this have to do with yoga teacher training.  Well, on its face not much.  But I am realizing as I go through this that the only way to become a good teacher, a teacher I would like to go to, is to truly now, better late than never become the most authentic version of myself.  And I'm dying to see the transformation at the end. 

Mala project

Happy new year everyone,

It's a new year, and a new outlook or revamping the outlook on things. It's a good time to rejuivinate ones self and recommit myself to the things that make me happy. 

Ok I'm sure how much sense that made but hey whatever. I started writing after taking a sleep aid for the first time in about a month, so I think it was a bit "strong" 

As some people know this will be the year of the yoga for me. I am going to do my first 200 hr yoga teacher training at Pranan Power Yoga. This is the studio I've pretty much only studied at. I like it and it feels like home, so it made sense to do it there. 

So something that I've wanted for awhile was a Mala, random yes but I have and I got one while in Austin at wanderlust. 

What is a mala you ask? (Other then a glorified necklace) 

Mala beads hold a lot of mystery. They're made in a range of different colors and materials, and while they’re used for generally the same reason, they mean something slightly different to all who wear them. If you’re curious how you might be able to use a mala, you’ve come to the right place.

What is a mala?
A mala is a string of 108 beads with one bead as the summit or head bead called a ‘sumeru.’ Malas are used as a tool to help the mind focus on meditation, or count mantras in sets of 108 repetitions.

Why use a mala?
Meditation is tricky! It can be challenging to sit still and quiet your mind for a period of time. The mala provides a much-needed anchor in these situations. It also allows the user to keep easy count during mantra repetitions.

How is a mala used?
The mala is traditionally held in the right hand and used in two ways; in one method, the mala is hanging between the thumb and the ring finger. The second finger is used to rotate the mala by one bead toward oneself with each repetition of breath or mantra. In the other method, the mala is hanging on the middle finger, with the thumb used to rotate the mala just as explained; one bead at a time. Either way, the index finger is never used to touch the mala. (The index finger represents ego, seen as the greatest impediment to self-realization in ancient Hinduism). The practice begins at the summit or head bead and continues around the loop until the head bead is reached again.

In Hinduism, the head bead is never passed over, so if more than one round is planned, the mala is turned around to proceed again in the reverse direction.

How is a mala worn?
It’s up to you! Malas create lovely necklaces, and can also be looped multiple times around your wrist. It’s a common belief that when malas are used regularly for meditation and repeating mantras, they absorb the vibrations of the practice. So the more you wear it, the more positive energy it absorbs and reflects back.

- 

Source : corepoweryoga.com/blogs/mala-beads-explained

So what am I going to do. My goal is to add 1 sun salutation, either a or b for the next 108 days. Let me tell you, it's not going to be easy cause I've already missed some days, but I'm going to try and also going to make up the days I miss. If nothing else I'll get stronger, and anything better then that would be kind of awesome.  So we'll see, wish me luck 

Renagade Rowing wk 2

09dec13

It was another good practice at rowing this week. We had the rowers set up in a different fashion this week, essentially in 2 "boats". But that didn't matter much because we didn't warm up with the pic drill. 

The workout was 

We ended up not doing the team warm up but everything else was accomplished.  I think we skipped it because we went over the website. And how to find it. I found out I was actually in photograph in the website. 

http://renegaderowing.com

So hey, I can lift... Snatch it 

The prep

Full extension 

And kapow!

Pretty cool to actually see it cause snatchs are hard. 

Anyway, the workout was good. Though it's really hard to stay at a consistent stroke rating, but I know I'll keep working and get better. 

I like the feeling around a 30 s/m, right now the other ones are really hard.