REVIEW OF YOGi WAY CLASS SEATTLE, WA

Recently I took a class in yogi nidra at yogi way. It was a free class, as it seems that perhaps not a lot of people are willing to pay for such a relaxing class. Considering how far I drive to attend these yoga classes here and there, I am very grateful for the free classes that are shared from time to time. I am already working very hard to practice, and to get there, sometimes I do not have enough to get there and pay for the class. However, when I do have it, I find joy in giving it and drive many many many miles just to practice with people, to learn more and to create special experiences.

But maybe I shouldn’t say “work”. This seems to be the western way: work, work, work. It used to be my way too, but yoga has helped me learn how to relax. Now it is not work, its “manifest”.

BUt its funny how you can still get to class and find that you need to relax. When I went to Yogi way in Seattle, I had a hard time relaxing at first. I kept thinking that I had to go to the bathroom, which is my usual feeling when I cannot relax. Anyway, we started the class with some easy movements to relax: like cat cow and some twists and prostrations. Then we got settled in sivasana. I started to relax at this point. I very gradually drifted off into sivasana, but never fell asleep. She had us make an intention, which I did. It came from a subconscious place. It seemed very deep. She talked about how making the intention in yogi nidra would make it have greater effects, because the deeper the desire driving a person, with the intention made, it would be sure to come true.

The vision I had in my eyes started pulsing, and I felt a lot of energy. After that my head started to hurt, and I got cold. When you lay like that so long different parts of your body can start hurting that don’t normally. I breathed through it and it settled. She started guiding us through visions, for example, picture yourself at a lake with the sun setting, picture the sun at noon, see yourself be a lake at midnight on the full moon, and see yourself walking in the forrest. This part was very emotional for me. In very old friend of mine was summoning me into a forrest I know very well. A place where I used to meditate underneath the boughs of a very big tree, a very sacred spot.

After that, she had us count our breathing: 27 chest goes up, chest goes down, 26 chest goes up then down, then we counted like this with our throat and our breath. This was the end of it. Shwe said it was the equivalent of four hours of sleep. I really enjoyed it, and it was actually very emotional for me. I think some things came up that I did not know were running around beneath the surface. It was very good for me. I plan to practice it when I feel sleep deprived and need assistance relaxing.

The class was worth the drive and I send congrats to Yogi Way for hosting such an event. It gives people a chance to meet new teachers and explore new styles of yoga. I believe that the more we open up like this, the more we have to share, the more we can heal each other, and the more we can relax.

A yoga teacher Cyndi Lee once talked about how some of us are hard on the outside and soft of the inside. Others are the opposite. I think that is reflected in the various Yogas people teach – very much like Coconuts and Peaches. This yoga class at Yogi Way was all peaches. I am happy to bring back the flavor, so we can make coconut peach smoothies.

Yoga Review of Flow class with Amy Robinson

Yoga Room Bellingham WA

I have not taken a class with my old teacher Amy in over a year. I was so looking forward to it, that my world became a tornado as I tore through paperwork at work, and then the streets, on my way to her class. I even got a “HEY NICE DRIVING!” yell. I showed up a few minutes late, but not too bad. Although it definately makes you question whether or not it is worth going to a yoga class, if you get so excited before it. I think the solution is to plan to arrive early, give yourself the extra value by planning to take it slow and to get there early.

Amy studied with Ana, but she also studied with someone special in India. Now after training with Ana I see what came from her, and what is just Amy. Amy has a great voice. It is very calming and introspective. She asks a lot of hypothetical questions. What I love, and know I see the influence of Ana, she asks you to feel in every pose. When we are doing balance poses, she asks you to feel that others around you and yourself are coming into balance and playing with that. She asks you to use the energy you created in your abs and reminds you to bring it down into your hips.

I missed the meditation, but after that we moved right into cobra. Cobra was an unhappy opening for me. My back is a little stiff to just jump in right away. From cobra, exhale childe’s pose, inhale back into cobra. This was to warmup the back. Then we moved into a forearm plank. I definately started feeling some heat at this point. It is an Ashtanga studio, and they keep it at 83 degrees, nice and warm. Amy also makes you hold the poses nice and long, but not so long you really suffer. Forearm plank up into dolphin, lifting legs up if you want. Then Inhale leg up, exhale, curl and bend leg, bringing into chest. This is a nice abdominal workout, and I have done this in Vini yoga classes. Last time, bring it through and come into a high lunge, with a side bend. This was a nice change; I never have done this pose. Back into down dog, then vinyasa if you please. She gives you the choice of going into vinyasa, down dog, or in child’s pose, if that’s what you need today. I like that, it is very inclusive and accepting. I could see that working really well in a mixed level class. We did a warrior sequence, warrior II, extrended warrior, to interlock if you wanted. After that we did some balance poses. The choice was either easy bird of paradise, bird of paradise, or just holding foot in front of you. After this, we did standing pigeon, in any version you wanted. We did horse, and moved into twisting horse. Then we did uddiyana, and then did a staddle. I felt really warmed up for this, more than usual. Then we did squat; and for me it was pure torture. This was the only pose that I felt we just held way too long, just kidding, but OUCH! After that we did straddle side chest opener, and then forward bend. We did pigeon and twisting from side to side. We held this for a long time. After this we did a tiny bit of abs, not much.. It didn’t feel like much to me. Then we did 3 backbends of choice. I did bridge, wheel, and bow. I didn’t feel warm enough for this. I felt really good, Amy’s classes are great. I had great focus, but I realize that realy healing happens to me when I get hot. I have to be hot to do backbends, otherwise they just hurt. I need that kind of lubrication. After that we did shoulderstand. Amy did an adjustment on me. I bent my knees and she pulled me up really high onto my shoulders. I have never been so high. It felt awesome. After that we did a hamstring strectch, then brought leg open to side, opening hip, and then across in twist. Then we went into sivasana. My sivasana was like torrid dreams, re-living all the anxious moments, and then pheeewwww blowing them all a way. I felt like I woke from a hot dream.

It was a really good class. I really needed it. It was only an hour and 15 minutes, and I definately felt that it seemed kind of short for me. Everything was shortened, shortened hot section, apex, etc. Overall it felt really good for my body.

Thank you everyone for coming to Yoga Class!

I just want to say the energy has been amazing and the turn out strong!

You have brought completion to my practice and I am grateful!

Thank you for sharing your inner work and for being strong and open minded!

Please contact me via my website to discuss your goals and any of your feelings or needs.

Thank you!

Andrea

PS. Here is the location, in case you need directions or more info:

http://homepage.mac.com/mattchristman/firehouse/index.html

Here is the calendar, good with my class times
and dates – last Published: Sat, Nov 3, 2007 | US/Pacific

http://ical.mac.com/WebObjects/iCal.woa/wa/default?&u=mattchristman&v=0&n=Classes-FPA.ics

And I created a flyer for the class here on my homepage:

http://web.mac.com/mediumisthemessage/iWeb/YogawithAndrea/Bonsai.html

Review of the Shiva Rea Yoga Practice DVD

Shiva Rea Shakti DVD Yoga Practice
September 24th, 2007
Review by Drea

Select your sesh! Inhale, reach up, exhale bring it forward!

This DVD has a variety of preset classes to choose from: Basic, Solar Flow, Solar Flow II, and Lunar Flow. The Basic class is a nice class to get acquainted with Shiva Rea’s style, or for beginners. I have actually never tried this one yet, but have watched it. It looks fun and wiggly! Solar Flow is a more intensive class incorporating backbends and a few arm balances. This is a really fun class and a little more intensive on the warriors and legs then the next class, Solar Flow II. Solar Flow II is in theory the most advanced class, but I switch between the two depending on my mood. Flow II has less emphasis on legs and more emphasis on backbends. She shows a variety of arm balances. Shiva Rea has an Ashtanga background, and the practice is predominately poses threaded together with Salutations. If one is not used to this practice, it can be quite draining on the shoulders, arms, and wrists. I feel sometimes, it can be a bit boring and straining on my shoulders. I have a very strong practice myself, but sometimes repetitive chatarangas just becomes too jolting to the joints. Shiva Rea has a great “set”, beautiful Indian beach, and wonderful music. One complaint, she has very little to say besides “Inhale, Exhale”. She says a few insightful comments, but for the most part doesn’t describe the postures fully nor the purpose of them. I appreciate her worshipful devout practice. It is inspiring. I recommend the video to anyone, specifically vinyasa fanatics.

But just when you feel like exhaling and putting the video down, don’t do it before you discover the Lunar Sequences. The lunar vibe is really when the vibe takes off, maybe her vibe,maybe her style of teaching, or maybe its a nice way to down tempo from other styles of yoga or just a hard week.

The music on the video is very traditional, very spiritual and was a nice choice. I after hearing it I went looking for music on Shivas website but ended up in London where she seems to have some alliances in a crowd that is far from the vibe of the traditional music one hears on the video. Because she started doing yoga at fourteen, she got in early enough to know and enjoy spiritual music. However I am not talking about the trance dance techno stuff she is into.

But she stays clear of that techno in the lunar flows and so it is inspiring to do yoga to her video a few times, maybe on a rainy day. But then its off to the park where the air really flows, outside, yes…. In nature but without the plastic studio blocks. Why do people always take those with them on their yoga videos? Rocks and trees keep it real. But like I say, do the lunar flow and ask your nonself how it feels.

From basic to harder to next level, Shiva gives you two dvd’s for the long session in you, plus she is down with sounds true – so she must be one with the energetic rhythmic movement which happens through her.

My teaching dates for yoga @ the Firehouse are set!

Contact me about classes! I would love to hear from you and we can talk about your needs and wants. Have you had any injuries I should be aware of? Do you have a next level you would like to take your practice, maybe I can help you get there.

Have you seen my Studio Website?

I have started passing out flyers already and spent the day walking around bellingham. it was joy talking to people about the Firehouse and upcoming opportunity to share yoga.

Classes start OCT 22. Mondays and Thursdays 12-1:30 PM Only 10 classes!

Here is my homepage: http://web.mac.com/mediumisthemessage/iWeb/YogawithAndrea/Bonsai.html

Yoga Community in & of Bellingham

I am starting a list of the various places and people of practice. I will continue to add to it and will share my experiences and feelings about yoga here. Please let me know if you are aware of any independent teachers who teach privates outside of the studios, people who are also interesting and indamix!

Today I found the first few Studios to add.

Everybody’s Yoga
http://viniyogabellingham.com

IyengyarYoga Northwest
www.yoganorthwest.com
1210 10th St
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 647-0712

Fusion Flow Yoga

Inner Composure Yoga
Sattva Yoga Studio
http://www.innercomposure.com/

8 PetalsYoga
Elizabeth Kerwin 360 738 4805 ext. 1
Elizabethkerwin@hotmail.com

Amanda Upton, M.A.Ed
http://www.shaktimovement.com/page/show/477
amanda@shaktimovement.com

The Yoga Room
http://www.bellinghamyoga.com/classes.php
1210 Bay Street, Suite 101
Bellingham, WA 98225
360.733.7628

Beyond Limits
http://www.beyondlimitsyoga.com
209 Prospect St. #4
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-YOGA (9642)

Additional Bellingham locations include:

Bikram

YMCA

Additional links are of near by studios, I think its important to travel to see and practice with teachers of distant lands and consider it part of the way of life that yoga is.

Anacortes
Kundalini Yoga with Pamela Nixon

Kenmore
Orange Carbon

But if you are doing yoga in Bellingham, or near by, please support the Fire House Community Center and look into classes with Andrea.

http://homepage.mac.com/mattchristman/firehouse/index.html

Meet a new view of Bellingham

What is your view of Bellingham? What is mine? Can we share it? Does it change? Do we?