Capturing some yoga moments from the 300hr Training...

A Premature Day 12

I know I am a full week behind blogging, but then yesterday happened. I'll continue on to day six soon, but for now, I'd rather just get the emotions of day twelve out there, and move them away......

"All sessions today are business brainstorming. Going around the room having 15 minute hot seats with everyone. Of course Nate went right before lunch and I had to wait until after.

Linda calling Nate a sexbomb was frighteningly hilarious.

My turn came, and I was beyond nervous, supposed to be about our near future in what we want to with yoga whether its working in the industry or not. We had five minutes to explain, five minutes for James to give his personal opinion and five minutes for the class's opinion. I started by pretty much saying I had no clue what was going on with all the new studios up and coming in the area, what and where I should be going, that I have no niche and I just have  no direction. 

And then it got far worse than I expected. I held it together for awhile, hitting that point where i couldn't talk without that awkward crack that everyone sees as "about to break" and yet he just kept pushing the buttons harder. Finally making me cry in front of everyone, until I asked to return to my seat, where the "hot seat" just continued.

I won't go into all the self pitying details, I do have notes on it, but basically he told me I'm not meant to be a yoga teacher, but not so blatantly. 

This is finishing my fourth week long intensive with him in the past 12 months. Not including the immersion or other interactions and Nates relationship with him. I feel like he has formed himself a very strong teacher and mentor in my head. And a very strong force in my yoga path. He has done the near impossible in taking me from being a COMPLETE skeptic and naysayer in Adamantine into a "how often can I take a weekday to drive to DM so I can take a 45 minute GSP so I can grow in the amazing practice" and in about a ten day span. That's beyond impressive. I am as hard headed and stubborn as they come. When I'm right, I'm right, turning me that fast almost takes brain washing skills. 

I digress, every session we have is very against cross training. Yoga is all we need. And he actively pulls people away from weights and cardio and promotes how bad for you those things are. All the negative affects those things have on your body and why they hurt your yoga practice. He was a Marine, he was a personal trainer, he isn't just speaking from a lack of ability to do those things. 

So we talked a little about my future, including renting space from dad for a "you-dio" to do private sessions with people, where I took a realistic approach in order to make it actually a possibility, to use the brainstorming team to help with the potential problems that I already foresee in the process. Having already flat out refused starting up my own workout program (he had previously basically told me to start my own NLXF and I think my utter refusal to do so really annoyed him). But the talk turned into that I'm limiting myself by giving reasons I can't do thing instead reasons I can. That I will never succeed if I stay that way.  That I have a lot of work to do on myself before I can accomplish anything. That I shouldn't be using such extreme words like love and hate. 

Then came the biggest insult I feel like I have ever experienced. After the constant ripping on anything outside yoga, he straight up tells me "You're a personal trainer, that's just what you are" and further went into that I have a foot in both the fitness and yoga world, but I'm barely a toe into yoga and fully exposed in fitness. 

Everyone else got encouragement deeper into yoga teaching, even mostly in Adamantine and GSP. Even those that only practice for personal reasons and have no desire to make it a job. They got ideas in how to go further and gain better and deeper careers. Even Nate was given the advice for a potential live/work GSP and private session studio loft in the future. And I got, go be a personal trainer. It was like being slapped across the face and being kicked out of the club.

I know the emotions surprised him, I could tell, but that doesn't make it any easier or better. Those came from my personal struggles, especially lately. I work harder than most I know. And have for a long time, and I don't have the body to represent that at all. I have the body of someone who does New Years Resolutions to work out and eat right, but gives up long before Valentines Day. I've seen doctors and other health professionals, I've had personal trainers, and I personally destroy my body to see results that I never actually achieve. I need to come to grips with this. One of the first endocrinologists I saw told me I was genetically predetermined to be obese. I lost it when I was told that. Determined more than anything to prove him wrong. It's now over three years later. I'm up 25 pounds and work just as hard as I have been. I wouldn't hire me as a trainer, looking like I do.

And it's not just looks either. I have no idea what I'm doing. I workout in excess. I kill myself and drown in sweat every day. I would have no idea where to start a client or how far to realistically push them. Yes, I've thought about a personal training certificate, but as a supplement to yoga. To have credibility with the gym crowd to have as clients, and have slight better knowledge. Not to go so far into it to be an actual in the gym trainer. There's such a huge disparity between the two.

I can't start over. Not just for my own self, I know I have the time. But I never finish anything. My parents spent an insane amount on film school before I realized I wasn't cut out for it, it wasn't the industry I would even remotely enjoy being in. Well over 100grand there. Wasted. Don't think the guilt over that still isn't a near constant thing. It's what keeps me working UNI Athletics, that being my only tie to education (even though not really) so maybe I don't look as much of a failure and waste of finances. No matter how miserable or unhappy it makes me as a person for eight months of the year. It changes my personality, making me negative and pessimistic and just a bitch in my relationships, but I have no choice. 

And I thought yoga was going to be it. Especially getting my 500 now. It's been a consistency in my life for 7 years now. My practice had ebb and flow, but I've never given it up. I love teaching, I love the feeling I have, I love the practice. I love the identity. And I thought the education and level certification was worth it. 10grand, all but two of it sponsored graciously. Even after my first epic failure. It's one of very few stabilities in life, I thought I was safe in continuing on.

And now this. I can't start over. I can't fail again. But I was just told I have anyway. Being told I am not meant to do the only thing I've ever felt successful doing is heart wrenching and yeah, I'll go as far as traumatizing. 

I know I can ignore him, I know that's what most would tell me to do. Ignore it, what does he know, keep going. But this is his life. He makes an insane living being the best in business at this. He knows what he's talking about. His advice to everyone else was spot on. He's more than earned the respect and listening.

The class was kind about it, but completely in agreement and supportive of the personal trainer idea. Telling me they would feel "safe" in having me as a trainer. That people would feel comfortable with me. That this is the time in my life to go do "my thing". 

It makes me feel like a liar in yoga, but I'd feel like a liar more in fitness. I got the "You aren't one of us" message. But I could never live in the world of trainers, I would be obliterated. 

The rest of the presentations were a blur. We got to GSP and I expected the worst. Unrolling my mat before we began, James came to me and said, "Thanks for letting me put you outside your comfort zone....it's my job" It was the job part that threw me. I appreciated the first half, the acknowledgement. But it's no one job to make a girl cry in front if the class, and then continue to try to make her talk."

I'll post more on the day when I catch up with blogging but I just needed the catharsis of this today.

Back to Day Four: 300hr Yoga Teacher Training

Day Four

Nate set himself up right beside me for GSP. Completely proving that he messes me up, because my practice sucked. I messed up the transition immediately and I couldn't even hear my own breath with his dinosaur breath going.  But then it just went downhill from there. 

Three minutes in, the assistant decided I not only needed a push up lesson, but to downgrade my cobra push-up to plank to down dog, to keeping my knees down. And after the scale this morning, that just put everything into a tail spin. We all know my personal dilemma with push ups; so you can only imagine how that registered into my head alone. My flow was completely killed with frustration. I couldn't figure out my first and second side, I was moved to lizard position before 90 degree pigeon (aka reduced to more remedial), I completely forgot to do King Cobra, and my two passes at wheel weren't even worth breathing through. I only got three passes at handstand (out of eleven), super late in the practice. The last one was decent, but still. Not the greatest 45 minute experience. 

Next session was Yoga Wellness Coaching, which we'd started to learn in the 200hr, but we refreshed it all and how it should lead to GSP (wishing that was realistic for me). This older woman came in to be a guest speaker with James and she just rubbed me the wrong way. Her attitude was just, I'm all for positivity on aging, but there is something to be said about realism. And being prepared for the inevitable negative, I feel, can actually keep you more positive overall. 

Afternoon was GSP assisting and adjusting. At first we rotated partners to learn the assists, and I got Matthew a lot. So not much to assist. 

James called me out on my natural inclination to make Spock fingers when I expand my hand. 

Then we were to partner up to assist the whole sequence after dinner break, Nate assists handstands so he had to partner with an equal level. And before I knew it, I was the only one without a partner, aka I got Matthew again. Before we began, I was warned that he's an overcorrector. And thank god I got the warning, because even with it, I was ready to just completely give up halfway through and start crying in a hidey hole. Still not perfect at the choreography, if I didn't have finger placement correct, I had to do it again, let alone get the poses in the right order. I did almost everything twice, with full assists to everything. And after a full GSP already, and learning the assists, the body's in some turmoil. Nothing I did was good enough. I was far and away the last one done.  I'm pretty sure Nate was ready to punch him I was so upset with the whole thing, but the problem is that there wasn't an ounce of meanness in him. He just wanted everything perfect immediately. And he was patient and nice about it, he just was going to keep telling me what was wrong and have me do it until I was closer. 

When it was time for my turn to practice my assists on him. James whispered that I should "correct the shit out of him". Problem was that he was flawless. Didn't even fake nothing for me to practice adjusting. Granted, I was in such a funk, I just wanted to leave anyway. 

Iowa City Yoga Festival. Part Two!

Saturday:

Nothing like starting your Saturday morning with some 7am pranayama! Ok, I would rather be sleeping, but I had to try it out. Jim Bennitt is rather well known in the area, so it couldn't be too bad. I just have the attention span of a gnat that early in the morning when I am supposed to sit still….

Second class of the day was the one I was most looking forward to, but also the one I was fearing the most. Having heard everything that I had about Andrey from James, I think anyone would be super nervous. He is a very intense human being. And his class followed suit. He started with speed talking about his universal yoga practice with charts. I think I understood a little more than half. Such a heavy accent at that speed, I did the best I could. We got started with the practice, and he raced through it, and its an intense practice, I can only imagine how crazy it could be at normal speed with legit intent. He expects everything instantly and at full possibility. This one girl kept getting yelled at because she wasn't listening to the directions. Although, frankly after a while, she basically gave up and that just pissed him off more. He killed my shoulders though. They aren't meant to move like that!

I was supposed to have James as the next session, but after Andrey's arm murder (combined with two Gauntlets the day before) AND knowing what James expects, I decided I would rather have brunch! Nate was in the same boat, so we ventured off to campus in the rain to locate the Bluebird Diner. Second best decision of the weekend! The place was packed, and rightfully so. Absolutely delicious. I was responsible and got a nice omelet. And then split this GLORIOUS order of pumpkin bread french toast…. ;-)

Afternoon was Gabriel Anzoulay, Thai Yoga. The guy looks exactly like you would want your yoga instructor to look like. And sound like. And just like Dreaming Bear the night before. The women weren't anywhere close to shy in showing their "enthusiasm". At first he seemed to take the class a little bit too seriously. But really, in partner stretches like this, people doing them for the first time, you have to expect a little silliness. Otherwise, it might take it to the completely other level of totally awkward. I'd done partner yoga before, and that was quite helpful in the different Thai yoga poses, but it was a learning experience for sure. I'd love to try more sometime. 

Dinner was slightly more complicated than brunch, driving around in humid stormy weather, for far longer than should be done. But eventually landing on a sweet sandwich place. Which which! Yum. And crashing asleep.

I just love this picture of Benji.

Sunday:
Realizing that you have to be checked out of your hotel room before your first class of the day isn't all that bad. Until you realizing its pouring rain. Oh well. Jim Bennitt's purification session was up first. And I think it was maybe 45 minutes in to the two hour session that my brain said, "Hey, I'm done, this is too much focusing in a short weekend" and from then on out, I was just focusing on getting through the class. The breath work was kind of cool. It was the kind that churns your stomach in and out and in circles. Jim's a really easy talker, you can get into what he's' saying (until you lose focus). Although he had us attempt peacock, and I am pretty sure I was going to break my spine with my stomach. It was pretty entertaining though, "If you're one of those people with boobs, you're going to need to scoop them up." And by pranayama work at the end, I was making up stories about the people near me in my head….

Thus cuing me to probably leave early. I really wanted to stay for the Gong bath in the afternoon, but that involved five more hours of focused practice and then getting home at the complete end of the weekend. But leaving early meant i'd have nearly all of Sunday left to be productive. Sadly, I voted the latter. But I will get a gong bath in sometime again, I am determined!

It was a great time. I will go again next year (maybe just keeping in mind that I have total ADD). Definitely an edgy event for Iowa, and hoping that it will become more of the norm!

Iowa City Yoga Festival. Part One.

I seem to have a habit of blogging about events that happened two weekends ago. So why break habit now? This past summer, I was crazy lucky enough to be able to train with James Miller and earn my 200RYT certificate. It just so happens that he produces the Iowa City Yoga Festival every year. October 12-14 was just the weekend! I knew most of my classmates would be there, and I knew some others in attendance, so of course it was a great time. 

First off, best decision ever made, staying at the same hotel as the festival was being held in. I can only imagine the nightmare that would have been trying to drive in and out all the time. So that was a happy moment right away. Plus, it was a really nice new hotel. A surprising find in the middle of Iowa, that's for sure. The festival opened up on Friday night with all of the vendors, and of course, I fell in love with this gorgeous coat immediately. Trying it on was the biggest mistake. I kept staring at it all weekend. However, I am proud to say I didn't succumb to the pressure! 

I was barely in the conference center before seeing classmates of my training classes, and kept seeing them all weekend long. And James was all over the place, it being his event, but the weirdest part of that, was that he was dressed in normal clothes. Not even a suit, but nice pants and a button down. Now, I saw this man every single day for 13 hours a day for two weeks this summer. He has a uniform. Short yoga shorts and tight t shirts. Never once did we see him in anything else. So pants were just a very oddball look. 

We go in to the Opening Ceremonies that night and Matahara was playing on stage as we found seats. And who sits directly behind me? Andrey Lappa, James' ultimate mentor. I was star struck far more than I should have been thats for sure. But he was only an attendee of the evening, and the speakers were just as awesome. Max Strom has the voice of butter. I would listen to him read a phone book. The aerialists…..were there. Tao Porchon-Lynch is the world's oldest yoga teacher. She is 94 and came to stage in leather pants and stilettos. Adorable. She told us about helping the French Revolutionaries and helping people escape in the war. AND learning with Iyengar. Insane. 

Andrey Lappa & James

Tao Porchon-Lynch

Then on came Dreaming Bear. The man had his spine infused five weeks ago and yet he got on a plane from Hawaii to come perform for us. And I'm so glad he did, it was super crazy weird and froofy, but he totally sucked you into it. He had us with linked pinkies and saying aloha to each other with cheek kisses. Good lord just typing that weirds me out. But by the end, we were all singing his Little by Little song and it STILL gets in my head. He was cool. And the older women were totally cougaring out for him. He had long curly hair and the face of Bradley Cooper. They were swooning for sure. A great way to end the opening night. 

 

Everyone needs some Whole Foods snacks for a weekend of yoga!

Teaching the Teachers!

It's been a week since graduation, and I finally pulled out my take home tests last night to get started. I had glanced at the first page of questions when we originally received them, and had no stress about them. Well, maybe I should have looked a little harder, cause oops. They're going to take a little bit of time. And I leave on Wednesday for Boston for a few days. I gotta see my lovely girls! Its weird to think that its almost been a full year since Meg's wedding. Time has flown.

It seems almost as recent as last weekend's graduation! Although the past week seemed to CRAWL by. Every day felt like Thursday. But I got more done actually before Thursday than I did the entire two weeks I was gone. I did nothing but eat breathe and sleep yoga studies for 15 days. It didn't even feel like it at the time, but looking at my planner of my to do lists now, holy cow has it stacked up. I don't really mind though, James' teaching style and attitude was worth it to have to catch up on fifteen days right before another week away from home.

I can't say I agreed and liked James' style at first. He liked to "make our brains smoke" by throwing so much at us all at one time, just a little bit over what we felt like we could handle, and then changing the topic to something compeletely new. But after awhile, that really seemed like the best way to do it, because somehow subconsciously we kept processing everything and with practice upon practice in chunks and pieces of the sequencing, we all ended up getting it. And considering some of the people in my class, that was a totally amazing feat. Not that they weren't smart or good learners, it was just ALOT of information to process. And then to do it in front of a room of 20 people that knew EXACTLY how it was SUPPOSED to go, thats a lot of pressure.

Although, I must admit I am shocked at how good our group was. There wasn't really any negativity or eye rolling or people thinking they were better than anyone else. The energy was always positive and encouraging and uplifting, even in times of screw ups and mistakes. And James and Ann were a big part of that too. Even as the instructors, who's job it is to make sure that we know every little piece of information, they made it clear that it was ok to not know everything perfectly right away. Or even right away in that two weeks. Its not something that comes immediately, it takes time and experience, and they were so forgiving in all our little flubs, and when James would critique us he would even ask if we wanted them, because he didn't want us to think that he was insulting us and berating us with mistakes, but we all craved them. We wanted to know what he thought was wrong with our teaches and our ideas and he was open to not just saying what the problems were, but why it was that way, and what we could do to fix them in numerous ways in case one option didn't really fit our personality or style. It was all about us individually and making us be the best we could be in the way and style that we wanted to do it. And it was more motivating and productive than any strict teacher could have ever made us. We wanted to make him happy and wanted to hear what we could do better. He clearly was born to be a teacher of teachers. Striving for the best, but with an open mind that the best might be slightly different than the way he prefers it. You know you aren't going to change the way a 60 year old hippie goes into a headstand, so even though she is wrong, she can succeed in the headstand, so why bother?

His stories were absolutely crazy too. His growing up story alone was enough for me to be fascinated in him, but then to hear about all the different jobs he has continued to do, and the random hobbies and interests and even all the things that he learned from the one that taught HIM all of his yoga knowledge. Absolutely mind blowing. He has infinite knowledge in thee most RANDOM of topics and histories. Im sure he couldn't name a single city of Real Housewives, but he can go into great detail about the 100th Monkey Theory, or the SunEaters, or the buddhist retreat that involves people literally going into meditation for a full year, not eating or drinking ANYTHING, and surviving the experience. Just a wealth of information spurred on by just a seemingly random comment. I loved it. I love that kind of intellect. The amount of notes I took on things i wanted to google and research once I got home is kind of crazy. And most of them completely unyoga related ;-)

And I can't even get into how Ann has been practicing for only five years and is the most impressive yoga practitioner I have ever seen. The progress she has made from not touching her toes to going into handstand scorpion in that short amount of time just is a complete mind boggle. My brain might melt.

I suppose those tests won't fill themselves out just because I'm singing James' praise….

Official!

Graduation Day!!!!

Day Fifteen: James Freestyle Level up Practice, Yoga Business, Personal Story/Goals, Personal Notes, Group Picture, Graduation Ceremony and Cake!

• Wendy was super cute this morning and passed out mini flashlights so that we would all remember to let our lights shine. 
• James introduced the concept of warming up on our own, going through sun salutations or anything we needed so we wouldn't have to waste class time doing them.
• Because we warmed up ahead of time, we were able to go super freestyle and James put forward quite a few challenging, deep and fun poses. 
• Poses like Spider, Turtle and half Crane! aka, poses that make you yelp, oh! my hamstrings and inner thighs!
• But yet, getting into transverse lunge, I went  as deep as I could go, and looked around, thinking, going this deep looks like Im in a whole new position versus what it normally looks like!
• Yoga studios are failing because their business models don't work. Very few and far between studio owners are actually making money right now. 
• Sharing our thoughts on our own personal futures, its nice to hear Ann not just say that I am a good yoga teacher, but demand that I ask for a full time job, not just sign up for the sub list as a beginning.
• The more famous you become in yoga, the more you think you're a rockstar, and quite a few yogis seem to think that way. Including S. Nardini apparently. And parties like one.
• I love the idea of writing your name on a piece of paper, then passing it around the room so people can write you a little note on it. A perfect way to end 2 SOLID weeks together. Then the person right before you folds it into "origami" before giving it to you. Some creative ideas…thats for sure ;-)
• It doesn't matter how organized or adult you are about it, taking a group picture and getting everyone in place is near impossible. 
• Nothing reflected the experience more than sitting outside, and walking in the ceremony, across three yoga mats in any way we wanted (lots of bowing and curtsies) to get our certificates. 
• James had three options. Handshake, high five, or hug. No fist bumping, chest bumping, or picking up. So cute.

• I reached my time to get my diploma, "You better teach." Im telling you, these people know how to create confidence. 
• There was even graduation cake for us! Sweet treats for sweet people.

• Waiting to take pictures and say goodbye to James and Ann was like waiting in line for santa. And John was a great elf ;-)
• Leaving that room was strange, knowing I wouldn't be back. So much time spent there. 

RYT Day Eleven. Final Countdown.

Day Eleven: Student Led Practice, Feedback, Yoga Wellness Coaching, Mobility Testing & Choreography

• "Silence is a gift"
• James gave me Voice of the Day for my Mat Series. Both in front of the class and in private. Yay! :-)
• Wendy and I figured out the perfect way to remember the Foundation series sequence. Just tattoo the whole sequence down your forearm….in stick men form.
• It's hard to demonstrate your yogic strengths when you can't really do most of the original party tricks. 
• Speaking of strength, I have a decent amount of upper body strength. From kickboxing and lifting and general movement, I am perfectly capable of doing pushups. But I can't. My arms just lock stuck at a certain point going down, and I can't get past a certain level before it crashes. This has annoyed me to no end watching other people succeed far more than I when they started in a worst place. It took until this course to understand. James is a huge advocate for opening up the shoulders. We do shoulder rolls 4 times in the sequence. Now multiply that by however many times we do it a day in practice and workshops and such. We are basically blowing open our shoulders into mobility. And its fantastic. At the gym the other day, I figured I should keep up the attempt like normal, and I lowered down to pushup position. And popped through a good 15 pushups from my toes, no problem. Lightbulb on! My shoulders are so tight and locked in that my chest physically couldn't open enough to get to the full expression of a pushup. Needless to say, the revelation is potentially life changing. At least at NLXF ;-)
• I love surprising people with things, such as my hidden core strength. I do abs people. Lots and lots of them. You may not see them, but trust me, they're there.
• But also with freakish things. James had me playing with my pigeon toed ness in front of the class, I didn't realize how much I could do with my feet that others couldn't.
• Workshopping someone who is feigning to have polio with a bad short leg just seems like pure karma for all my DisneyWorld claims….

RYT Day Nine. Starting in the Sun!

Day Nine: Yoga in park / experiences / theory / anatomy / passive yoga (Thai yoga)

• Yoga in the Park was an eye opener to how much we have been ruined by educating ourselves. But by ruined, I mean making ourselves so much better that we see all the things we know we will never want to do wrong.
• Such as, giving someone breathing cues, everyone has different breath! Lateral Flextion, shudder. Creating a practice that has zero balance within the body. Calling out someone "special" in the crowd and catering to something they desire. 
• I will never say things like loosey goosey oozy gooey spine, create an ice cream scoop with your butt, a piece of sky fell into my lentil soup…?!?!?
• Theory and Anatomy were a bit rough, my eyes were just refusing to cooperate, no matter how much I was interested. 
• The Psoas is your fear muscle. 
• The Psoas supposedly also creates that falling sensation when you fall asleep sometimes. It occurs when the muscle fully relaxes.
• During passive yoga (Thai), I felt a crazy pressure on my 5th chakra (throat) and heat on my 7th (third eye). I have no idea what this means, if anything, but it was a highly weird sensation. 
• I felt like I woke from a coma after passive yoga was done. Talk about restful.
• I never thought I would be one to even think about this, but i really contemplate moving on to the 500RYT. Not soon per say, but sometime. I really dig this. Plus James has the best setup for the remaining 300 hours, and the guy is a walking encyclopedia of yoga/wellness/thebody. Its insane. I could drink it up.

Just some amusing images I saw during the day. A lovely combination of strip mall stores. And the Clive Festival set up a water slide using the fire truck...PERFECT day for it.

Day Seven. Inversion Heaven.

Practicing before dinner!

Day Seven: 90 min yoga flow, Asymeterical Series Practice, Group Teach, Practice Workshops, Inversions

• Way too many backbends the day before leads to ALL day back pain and atrocious formed cobras.
• But besides that, I am getting extremely flexible. But 12 hour practices a day will do that after a full week. 
• My shoulders have at least twice the opening ability that they had this time last week. Its insane. 
• During practice, the stronger the ujjayi breathing of the person next to you, the better you can keep it going yourself. I have problems in this area. I just….get sidetracked.
• Jonathon Goldman is THEE best savasana music ever. Especially 7th Chakra Chant. Its goose bump worthy.
• The average person does three yoga poses over the course of their life. Lying down, seated, and standing. Take the relaxed calm feeling you had during final relaxation and bring it to your seated position, and then on through the rest of your day"
• I am finding the poses of Asymmetrical Sequences are getting muddled with over practice. Its one big blur.
• Todays compliment's involved me having cute outfits and having a vibrant presence during my group teach. I'll take it :-)
• I have figured out my pronoun problem. I saw We and Our while doing the practice with them, but can get out the You and Yours while I am teaching as I watch. I must fix this somehow. 
• "Show me what you think your best plank is"
• Two straight days of this many group teach practices has me feeling like a little kid beat up on the playground by a big wooly Yeti.
• I realize more and more how much of an introvert I am. I prefer to take my meal breaks in the car alone.
• Tonights Inversions made me realize that they can be fun when instructed properly and efficiently. 
• Example, don't go from half shoulder stand to shoulder stand. Go to shoulder stand from plow, its WAY easier and your back is able to get MUCH straighter.
• For headstand, create a yamaka out of your hands. 
• James gave me a headstand assist, but I totally rocked my own balance. I might actually succeed at inversions!
• No way did I ever think I would be able to do a forearm stand. And I did. Whoa.

Day Six of Yoga Tricks.

Day Six: 90 min yoga flow w / workshop, Sun salutations practice, Asymetrical Series workshop, Group Teach, Adjusts & Assists

• Starting a practice with heavy thoughts will only lead to frustration and significant degeneration of mood.
• Learning to teach yoga means lots of people practicing on you which also means a LOT of pushups and bruised knees. 
• I learned I have hyperextended knees while workshopping pyramid in front of the class.
• As it has been for my entire life, when speaking to a group, I need to SLOW DOWN.
• Being told that I have a voice and style meant to teach yoga, makes me blush and smile really big. 
• No SI stretch poses, sidebands, or pigeon. Ever. Yes, you heard me. No pigeon. 
• My hips are a lot tighter than they used to be. Firelog used to be a breeze. I blame running. 
• "Issues are in the tissues."
• James made the declaration that I will be doing dropping back bends by the end of the intensive. I want to doubt that highly, but so far his instincts are amazing….we'll see!
• Making a huge emotional/mental switch from a bogged down negative morning to an energy vibrant happy evening is a really good turn around.
• In my class, we have a hippie widow that shares a hitch bit too much, a female Iraq vet, a hoola hoop instructor that lives in a van, and an ACT essay grader. 
• I come and go so much from this hotel that most of the time, I totally forget where I parked. 
• Learning pose adjustments and assists is not only super helpful, but also ridiculously nice to play the student and get all stretched out at the end of a long day.

Ill teach you to go bendy bendy!

Well. I pulled the trigger. July 2012. Two week intensive with James Miller. Yoga will be bleeding out my eyeballs, but I WILL be certified.

More to come!