From Stephanie Sandleben, at Kula Yoga:
Stephanie: So, in my own practice, I’ve been thinking about the difference between sensation, and tapas. And realizing that they’re not the same thing.
Rough quote, I’m forgetting more of it, but her words hit the spot. It’s taken me years to realize that yoga is not the Marines, pain is not “a sign of weakness leaving the body.” Tapas, the purifying burn that is a big reason we practice asana, is achieved through appropriate challenges for the body. Not masochism and ignorance.
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Tara Stiles
The new house of (Tara) Stiles, Strala Yoga is a breath of fresh air downtown. I finally stopped by last week. A beautiful loft on Broadway and Houston, Strala has magical light and expansive space. A cozy little corner of art and couches invites you to move in. There’s a long wall of mirrors in the back, from its previous life as a Crunch gym, but that only adds to the Real World Yoga feeling. I kind of don’t want to share such a gorgeous uncrowded space, but I have to support their admirable affordable pricing — just $10 for all classes! Even the 90-minute ones! And those with Ms. Supermodel herself.
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Last night I stopped into a cute center I’d heard a lot about — Shambhala Yoga & Dance, in Prospect Heights. Friends were telling me that the owner really honestly tries to connect the community through her yoga center; classes are only $13 for a drop in, $6 community classes are offered at peak times, and social events like salsa parties bring neighbors together for some fun.
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April Martucci
I love lunchtime classes, even though I never make it to them. Short and sweet/sweaty, they remind me that it’s possible to fit a great practice into sixty minutes. (It’s the leaving work part that I can’t seem to manage.)
April Martucci, director of the Mind Body Studio at the swanky Reebok Sports Club, finally got me to a lunch class yesterday. I really liked her website, and her yoga style is called “The Fire Dragon Method” — how could I resist?
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“If you make a rule [or tell yourself a story], be prepared to stand by it with conviction. Also be prepared to change it at any moment.” ~ Will Duprey
My brain is growing exponentially. I’ve been practicing yoga, mostly at home, for 11 years. I read about it, write about it, talk about it, practice it almost daily, and yet this teacher training is growing my practice and consciousness by leaps and bounds, and we’re only two weeks in to a 12 week program. Today Will Duprey, one of my teachers, taught us to fly by grounding us. Read more
Tanya Namad
I was tempted to skip yoga today. Forty mile an hour winds kept me from crossing Third Avenue; my umbrella simply wasn’t going to make it to York. But, literally one minute after I’d given up, the cross-town bus arrived like a knight in screechy armor. I made it to class just a few minutes late.
Tanya Namad, a recent graduate of Atmananda Yoga, invited me up to her vinyasa class at New York Yoga. I did my first teacher training at Atmananda (albeit with different faculty), so I just hoped I wouldn’t be too adrift in memory bliss.
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Oh no no no
It turns out that yoga in the back of the office is the best idea ever! We’re going to keep it up through March.
The focus is “desk job decompression:” yoga poses to counteract all those ruinous hours at our laptops. We usually do 15 minutes of simple stretches to wake up the wrists, ankles and spine, then about 45 minutes of standing poses, and a guided relaxation at the end.
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I began my vinyasa yoga teacher training last Saturday. My head’s been swimming with Sanskrit, ancient Hindu texts, and physiology. I had a moment, or rather many moments, of panic. Maybe I’m in over my head. Maybe this process was a very bad idea given the vertical learning curve I’m clearly on, with no end in sight. It was all a bit overwhelming until one of my instructors, Johanna, made a very simple statement that put the entire teacher training process in perspective for me. “As you are in the mat so you are in the world.” And for that matter, vice versa. Read more
Dharma Mittra
Saturday is full of fun for Dharma Mittra fans.
For the physically inclined, Stephen Cheng leads his 3-hour “Dharma-Mittra-inspired” Vinyasa class near Union Square. I had a great time in December; only some last-minute volunteering is keeping me away.
For the devotional minds, there’s the opening of Dharma Yoga Brooklyn, on 6th Ave in Park Slope. Chanting and a silent auction from 11am–9pm.
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We’ve been having a great time w/the donation yoga at Green Spaces, so we’re going to do it again in March! Mondays, 6:45–8:00pm. Donations accepted, not required. Bring your own mat (but we have three extras if you forget.)
We’re focused on counterposes for desk jobs, but March comes in like a lion so we’ll see what comes up…
