get ready...

The 2010 bender is coming soon! Just like last year, the bender starts Jan 1 and runs until Jan 30. Get ready for some fun!

You can register by clicking here.

congratulations, bendees!

Well, the bender has come to an end... however, for many of you the journey has just begun!  

I can't even begin to express my gratitude and the overwhelming sense of joy this bender has brought to the studio and to my life, personally.  What a great way to kick off 09'?!  The level of dedication, excitement and energy put forth by our bendees has greatly surpassed anything I had ever imagined.  I figured we may have close to 20 people sign up, if we were lucky and turns out over 60 signed up! Think about that... over 60 people in St. Louis committed to doing a daily yoga practice for 30 days straight!  The people make the community and the community makes our studio what it is today.  I am happy to stand behind what we have built at STY.  I have full faith that it will continue to grow like crazy.  The potential is amazing around here :)

I've heard so many stories along the way... handstand accomplishments, doing headstand in the middle of the room for the first time, seeing muscles in your arms that you never knew were under there, going into full wheel from wild thing, even moving your feet/toes in ways you hadn't in years!  The list goes on and on.  In addition to the strength, agility and flexibility gained within your asana practice, there was a sheer sense of happiness around the studio.  People started to smile more often.  Friendships were deepened.  Eye contact was easier.  Not only did your bodies change, your hearts became more open.  You built the capacity to see yourself and others in an honest manner.  That's the thing about yoga... you may come to the mat to simply tone your body, but you step off your mat a little sweeter, a little stronger and a lot more settled in your own skin. 

I want to personally congratulate each and every one of you who participated in this bender.  It may seem crazy to others, but now you can honestly see how a consistent yoga practice effects your daily life.  As the folks at my favorite yoga studio (On Time) in Boulder say, "Changing the world, one downward dog at a time!"

So here's to living each day with a committed, inspired, passionate and celebratory outlook.  Thank you all for your hard work and smiles along the way.  Honoring each and every one of you, Namaste!

Brigette

Finishing the Bender!

Well, since the snow hit on Sunday, I have been hibernating and not driving. I did go to 'sub' for a class at YogaSource, but I caught a ride, since my little Miata is not exactly "roadworthy" in bad weather. I really prefer not to drive when it snows unless I have to, because the street I live on is never cleaned. However, that did not stop me from doing a home practice!

Each day since the snow I have either done John Friend's "Growing a Lotus" practice on DVD, or done a series I've worked up on my own while listening to Erykah Badu. For an hour-and-a-half, I've gone through 2 min. of Handstand and pushing up 10 times into Urdhva Dhanurasana, as Brigette stated that Shiana Sherman of the YogaKula in Berkeley suggested she do to cover all the bases of strength and flexibility. One-legged Pigeon, of course, and, as always, Headstand and Pincha Mayurasana are integral components of my daily practice. I've been working on Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana,as well, which I did for the first time in my life in Brigette's class 3 weeks ago! I remember beginning to hyperventilate when I first got into the posture, and Brigette just calmly said: "Breathe!" Such a simple suggestion, but one that most people don't think of when someone is beginning to have a panic attack. I have been practicing yoga since 1994, but have shyed away from most backbends, because of the intense anxiety they bring up for me.

One of the wonderful things about this Bender has been the way it has opened up my fear of doing deeper backbends. I don't like to open through the lower back AT ALL! I can do Upward Bow fine, but I've always gravitated toward the poses that require upper body and abdominal strength, such as inversions of all sorts... I've spent a decade of yoga practice avoiding backbends like the plague, and I teach Yoga. Hm.

I'd say, based on that little personal revelation alone, this Bender has been very, very good for me. Of course, my personal desire to get into Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I've been working on methodically for some time, but not with the intensity that the Bender has inspired. This Bender really lit a fire under my butt, so to speak. Thanks Brigette! What an awesome idea!

Now I just finally returned an e-mail from Sherry Summers about teaching at Shalom House, a shelter for women, and my friend Wendy and I just took a trip around the corner on lunch to find where the center is located. I feel as if, with teaching, I am about one step ahead of my students, but at least I am not at risk for being arrogant. It keeps me humble. That and the backbends. They keep me humble too. And the snow keeps me humble. I'll be trudging through the leftover snow today to meet up with all the Bender attendees later, and celebrate our successes! Thanks again, Brigette, for this wonderful opportunity to be inspired by everyone at Southtown Yoga. What a lovely studio.

Celebration

We are only a few days away from completing this bender!  What a whirlwind it has been, for some of you.  Hopefully, these few final days bring you joy, playfulness and new perspectives on your yoga.  Naturally, the theme of this final week is celebration.  

There is so much to celebrate, about this life we are given.  We have the opportunity every single day to explore the possibilities of life.  Last Spring, I was in a class at Yoga Kula, with Kenny Grahm.  He talked a lot about this life being a gift.  He described it in such a clear way... "This life, its is a gift.  We can choose to unwrap this gift and see what's inside, or we can choose to let the beautiful package remain wrapped up and never know what the gift has to offer." 

This idea spoke so clearly to me about how yoga can effect your life.  The yoga physical practice can be a way we unwrap this gift of life.  We play, we explore, we figure things out in our bodies to help the breath flow with more ease.  When the breath flows with more ease, we can go deeper, we can live more fully, we can experience life at our greatest potential.  

Its all pretty cool, I think.  Just like anything else, though, you have to pay attention to and appreciate your practice, your breath, your life to see the amazing joy in it.  You can walk around with your head down and never see the beauty in anything... OR you can choose to look around.  See what's there.  

In my opinion, there are two ways to look at everything.  You have to make the decision to see the good, on a regular basis.  You have to honestly believe in it, too.  You can't fake optimism, it doesn't work like that.  You have to honestly believe in the good.  Anyone can pick apart what is hard or identify what went wrong - that's easy.  How about working through life with gratitude... how about living each day, like it was given to you as a gift.... how about celebrating that we are here together, enjoying what life has to offer.   It's your choice.  

To me, approaching life with a true positive approach is one of the highest forms of celebration.  I invite you to fully celebrate this life with me.   Trust me, its a very fun way to live :)

Namaste,

Brigette

p.s. another form of celebration is coming to our toast this Friday night at lululemon.  I sent out an evite, so please check your email and RSVP.  looking forward to celebrating everyone's accomplishments, together :)

Not passively passionate

I have been practicing yoga on and off now about 3 years. And last week, I went to a beginners class. And not because I'm not as passionate about yoga as I was on the first day of the bender, but because my body was physically tired.

The awesomely annoying thing about the bender has been that every class is full of so much more possibility. Poses are deeper, held longer, pushed to their edge. Which is fantastic unless the minute you get into a high lung, your leg starts to tremble like a leaf.

Being tired isn't a good reason to quit yoga or forget about the bender. No one said it was going to easy. But being tired is also not a good reason to be satisfied with letting one day of physically doing yoga be replaced with mindful meditation (not that, that is a bad thing).

So I took a step back. Sometimes we all need to be reminded it's ok to do what you can. Child's pose is ALWAYS an option. And hitting up a beginners class, doesn't mean you're a beginner. It was actually pretty wonderful. Seeing yoga through the eyes of beginner is refreshing. It reminds me that yoga is not something I want to get tired of, even if I'm tired.

6 more days. What an incredible experience we've all had. I can't wait to celebrate!

building blocks

At the start of the bender, classes were packed... everyone was full of energy and determined to complete the yoga bender.  30 days of consecutive yoga is a major commitment.  It takes lots of inspiration AND passion.  We have one more week of this bender, keep up the hard work and fierce energy you have already invested.

Classes are much lighter in attendance, these days.  That tells me one of two things, (1) you have gotten so used to a daily practice, you are more comfortable practicing at home... or (2) you have fallen off the wagon.  If my first assumption is true, that is great news!  A personal practice can be an enlightening and joyful experience.  If you fit into the category of falling off the wagon, its not too late.  You still have 7 days of this bender to make up for it.  

Test your edge.  Practice more.  Work harder.  Play with your practice.  It's time to get seriously committed, again.  As we build on each theme weekly, don't forget about the previous one.  Passion takes inspiration.  Inspiration happens when you stay committed.  Commitment relies on YOU and your community. We are in this together.

Tomorrow we celebrate Yoga Day USA with free yoga classes and a lululemon trunk show.  Come support each other and all the newbies that are drawn in.  Its exciting to see first-timers meet yoga.  The communal feeling at STY is amazing.  Come help us build :)

See you in class... 

Happy bending!

Brigette

Passion

Passion... even the word itself has fire to it.  Passion is our theme this week.  There is a lot to say about passion and what it means in your life.  Take a moment and ask yourself, "what are you passionate about?"  

In yoga, we often find passion within our asana practice.  There are certain "ah ha" moments that happen while practicing and we start ignite that feeling of passion within those experiences.  To me, passion comes into play when you find something you love, without obligation.  It develops free of choice, by free will.  No one ever tells you what to be passionate about.  It stems from love, desire and attraction.  It can be toward a person, idea or even an activity.  For example, I am deeply passionate about yoga (shocker, I know).  I love how it makes me feel, both mentally and physically.  I love teaching yoga, mostly because I want every single person possible to have the same wonderful experience in their life as I've had and will continue to have.  My deep passion for yoga drives me to learn more, teach more, grow more.  No one is on my back telling me to do any of this.  I do it because I love it.

Take this idea to your practice.  When you step on the mat, think about what you are passionate about.  What makes you tick?  Use every ounce of effort to bring your passions closer to your heart.  The power of positive thinking is a very powerful tool.  Think about your passions.  Dream about your passions.  Most importantly, live your passions.  

My teacher, Mitchel, said to me one day.... "when you look back at your life as a story, do you actually want to read it?  Do you like your story?  If you don't, take every opportunity possible to make your life a story you want to read.  

Live passionately.  If your passions are currently on the back burner, figure out a way to bring them forward.  Figure out a way to live through what you are passionate about.  Don't waste time living an OK life, when you could be experiencing something grand. 

A life full of passion, now that's grand!

Committment AND Passion!

It's been an interesting journey this month! Last Friday, I was on my way to class, and my car battery died! I spent the better part of the day getting the battery replaced, and spending time visiting with my father. He took me to pick up my car, and everyone at the autoshop loved him! So, the day started out with fried jumper cables, progressed to a lovely afternoon with my father while we waited for my car, and then a quiet personal practice of yoga at home. I practiced Pincha Mayurasana in the middle of the room, and then Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana, which I'd never done until Brigette's class last week. I felt peaceful and happy.

This week, when I taught my Hindu friends I found my inspirations for teaching coming just hours before, as usual, and I found it to be filled with both Passion and Committment. I came across the phrase: "Committment is to intention what sunlight is to a flower." I feel as if I am daily watering my practice, and the practice of others. As I began to teach my class we were listening to Sheila Chandra's rendition of "Love it is a Killing Thing", and the lyrics caught my attention: "I wish my love were a nightigale for to sit on garden wall, and I to be a drop of dew upon his chest to fall..." finding it to aptly describe the feeling of Bhakti, or devotion to Source. I read a haiku from Clark Strand's out-of-print Zen classic: "Seeds from a Birch Tree"

"All beings are blossoms, blossoming in a blossoming universe"
[In original Japanese:
Hana no yo no
Hana no yoh naru
Hito bakari]

I found my love for the natural world expanding so much, that when Jyoti and I took our usual Sunday walk after class, the winter trees with their branches against the black sky looked like beautiful old gnarled hands filled with love.

I'll be 'subbing' my first class for Chris Yonker in two weeks, and sometime next month teaching an 'audition class' at another studio. After 'officially' beginning my yoga journey with Lynn Magee and Kitty Daly in 1994, and then studying with Erich Schiffmann, Rodney Yee and Chris Yonker, I slipped off the path from 2003-2005. By then I was too weak to do yoga, and so began chanting Sanskrit mantra. To this day, I have been chanting for hours each day, sometimes sitting in meditation as well, or simply chanting silently while doing other activities. This "committment" has been solid since 2005. And my passion for the Divine has not waned, only grown fuller, like the moon.

Passion

Brigette mentioned passion as the new focus for this week, I know nothing has been written by her stating that yet, but I wanted to say some words that popped into my head this morning as the inaugeration is coming to a close.

As many know I started with ashtanga as my regular practice and taught only that style of yoga for many years, but as I was introduced to the alignments surrounding Anusara yoga, and met more and more Anusara teachers and practitioners and saw the unbounding love and energy they hold and extend from themselves to all around them, and discovered on my own from practicing with these alignments the freedom it gave my body to allow the energy to travel through it and how it opened up my heart and mind. I must say that I have a passion for teaching these things as I discover them.

This new direction my teaching has taken has been embraced by most of my students and in their embracing of it it makes me want to teach it even more.

I've slowly, over many years, discovered a passion, not the only one, but one of many in my life and I must say it only grows and grows as I share it more and more and more each day. And the students I encounter in all my classes, but most notably at Southtown Yoga on an almost daily basis inspire me more and more and build this passion in me more and more.

As I over the next couple weeks am dropping my very last ashtanga class which has been holding on by a thread, which happens to be the very first class I ever taught on my own back in 2001 I realize that I was holding onto the past in keeping this class as long as I have, attached to it in some way and now that I am releasing it I see the universe conspiring to give me more and more in the line of this passion. I anticipate even more and more coming my way as I embrace my passion even more, and I look forward to sharing that with you and having you feed it in me and back around again, creating that circle that is life!

Namaste, Keith

Commit or else

Commitment seems like such a scary word. I used to tease my fiancee before we got married that "forever is a long time." And it is. No two ways about it. Commitment COULD be viewed as something designed to trap you until the end of time, or you can choose to look at commitment as comfort.

There is comfort in relying on something or someone. There is comfort in knowing you can depend on them/it to be there. This is the way I choose to look at the bender. I am as committed to it, as it is to me. We are there for each other to lean on, to depend on.

I view commitment as a two-sided thing. Sure an inanimate object can't commit itself to you, but it can give you things. Yoga gives you as much as you give it. It responds to you in the like and kind you speak to it. Some days it's gentle. Other days it wants to make you work. Some day it wants to take it farther and deeper than you every thought possible.

That's the beauty of a commitment. Because once you are willing to open yourself up to it, you are free to discover the depth the relationship can go. And to be honest, some days the commitment is a little more than superficial (A headstand counts as yoga, right?). But other days, I just know that my relationship with my yoga has grown.

I think people fear commitment because they think it means 110% every second of everyday. I like to think of it as making a decision to stick with something to the best of your ability and not denying yourself the beauty of the relationship. Grow. Learn. Hell, fail! But don't let the relationship you have developed over the last 19 days with your yoga die.

Happy Over Halfway!

Rachael

Commitment

Ok, I've been thinking about this idea of commitment a lot since Brigette posted the first blog on it and what does that mean to me?!?

I've been committed to an almost daily practice, at least 5-6 days per week for what will be 9 years in March, so how does that fit, not really anything I could come up with to write about. Until my practice this morning.

I was doing an Eye of the Tiger practice, which is something that was laid out by John Friend in a specific order to optimise the use of the Universal Principles of Alignment and open up your body - probably more open than its ever been. One day you can focus on backbending, ab work, hip openers, arm balances and standing poses, another day forward bends, inversions and standing poses (always with the damn standing poses!) and today was a day that I was doing the former.

So I go through Sun Salutes, handstands (about 5 different ways) and forearm balance. Did I forget to mention that you always start with these when doing Eye of the Tiger? Ok, now you know. Then I go to standing poses, arm balances, abs, hips and I'm about to start backbends, somewhere in there is where I usually poop out-I mean I've been going for an hour and a half already, but then the commitment idea came into my head. Am I committing to this as my practice today? No, I'm wanting to poop out, so I did it and committed to finishing. Much to my surprise I feel better now and more invigorated than I have in weeks and was able to do some of the things more fully than ever, even being able to do the hardest (in my opinion) of the backbends, Mandalasana. You go up into a headstand and then drop back to Viparita Dandasana, basically headstand in a backbend and then walk or run around your head, both directions. We did this in the Practice class this past week but I did it at home by myself. I had to committ yet again to working on my Eka Pada Rajakapotasana and was able to get my foot, in two different ways.

Now the point of all of this is not that I was able to perform these asanas but that by committing to doing my best in them I was able to get deeper into myself and deeper into a connection with reality and feel more open to bigger and better things and my back feels fracking awesome!

I hope to hear some more from more of you soon!

Keith

Commitment

Having just reached a milestone in my personal relationship – five years – it's only fitting that I post on commitment...right? :) Hehe.

Sixteen days of straight yoga has been hard - today I am really excited to join Brigette and the rest of you for Happy Hour Yoga at 5 and the day before I was looking forward to Kim's class -partialy because of the guilt I felt for having binged on homemade chocolate chip cookies while watching Gossip Girl (shame on me, I know) the evening before.

But the day before that? He** to the No I did not want to practice yoga. My hamstrings were mad at me from my Tuesday practice, shoulders tight from sitting at a desk typing all day and I was just plain old tired and worn out from a day at the ole office.

I still practiced though and I felt better after for doing it.

I've often been told to "commit" throughout my life, whether it was when I was a gymnast and my tyrant of a coach would scream to “commit” to a tumbling pass, or my parents breathing down my neck to select a major and stick with it, and now with my career and the need to see the forest through the trees.

Committing to anything is hard because it means there will be times when everything feels good and comes easy, and other parts that are hard to digest. But, when I look back to the aforementioned commitments and the results, I did ok – mainly because I stayed focused and stuck it out. It’s the same in my relationship – we’ve been through some good and bad times, but when we struggled and stayed committed through it, we were much strong after.

I think that is how we will all feel after this bender is done – better and stronger for sticking with it.

Namaste!
Agatha

Commitment

We are almost at the half way point of the bender!  Time to bring our focus to commitment.  At the beginning, its easy to stay energized and practice every day.  You want to start out on the right foot.  After two weeks straight of yoga every day, its a bit easier to talk yourself into skipping a day, here or there.  Don't do it.  Stay committed.  You are in this for the long haul.  

Commitment means more than keeping up on your daily practice.  Think about your other commitments in life.  Work, relationships, friends, family... on your mat, you learn how to be compassionate with yourself.  You learn to accept where you are in your practice.  When you try a new pose in class and it just doesn't happen for you right away, you don't beat yourself up over it.  You give it your best shot, and you try again next time.  With enough commitment and determination, you can usually build the strength and flexibility to (eventually) nail that pose... or at least get a lot closer to doing it.  Take that idea off the mat.  Learn to be just as compassionate in other areas of your life.  Accept where things stand in your life and find something to love about each and every aspect of who you are... and who others are around you.  That is part of staying committed.  

So, commitment does mean practicing every day, just as you promised yourself you would.  But, it also means staying committed to who you are.  Staying committed to your self truth.  Finding the same compassion you use throughout your yoga practice and taking that approach in your daily life.  

Stay committed.  Be who you really are.  Love your life and those around you.  

Inspiration

I am inspired by my teachers and their ability to see the potential inside me and others. It amazes me that Keith and Brigette can see something I am capable of doing long before I realize I can do it. So, I find that I take that inspiration off the mat with me into my world, hoping and really, truly looking to discover the potential inside each person I meet. I hope to discover what someone can do versus what they cannot do. And, for that inspiration and insight, I am eternally grateful because it inspires a hopefulness and optimism within all my relationships that I did not have before. Namasté.

Inspiration

I have to say that I owe my love of yoga to my friend Jeanne (who is also doing the 30 day bender). She kept asking me to come to yoga with her and I repeatedly said no because I'm not flexible and I'm not strong. I was truly terrified. After a particularly frustrating day, she put her foot down and told me I was going to yoga with her. With much fear, I attended my first class, and I can honestly say it has changed my life. Not only am I stronger physically, but also I can't believe the emotional impact it has had on me. I am a perfectionist in every area of my life--I like to do things well and be the best in everything. When I started yoga, I was afraid that I would fall into the trap of wanting to do a perfect headstand or trying to "perfect" a pose that was too difficult for me. But what has been perhaps the greatest gift of yoga is that I am always content being where I am at. I challenge myself but I never force myself to do something I'm not ready for. And it is the one space in my life where I am not judgmental of my weaknesses. I feel more confident about who I am and I feel more at peace with where I am at in my life right now. Yoga has been a definite grace in my life. Thanks to all of you for continuing to inspire me!

inspiration...

so, i'm getting married in april. and to be honest (at the risk of sounding shallow) that's the main reason i decided to do the yoga bender. i was looking to jumpstart my body into greater strength and outward beauty for that one day.  i've gained weight and i don't feel as good as i'd like.  but i'm pleasantly surprised that going to yoga (almost) every day doesn't feel like a chore the way dragging myself to the gym does.  i have been in the BEST mood (except for the bout of PMS) since the bender started.  my body feels amazing! 

but the biggest thing about this yoga bender that inspires me is the amazing assortment of human beings in every class. i love STY because of this strong sense of community. i've met some of the coolest, most interesting and beautiful, smart people (mostly women) at STY and made some real friends that i value a great deal. the chatty moments before & after class inspire me, when it's possible to connect with the people around me that i'd otherwise probably never even meet. it's hard to believe this is the same place i was so nervous to come a year ago! when i first started, i'd sit on my mat before class, quietly, and want to talk but i didn't know anyone. slowly, it's become more and more a place of fellowship and community.  

i'm inspired by how hard everyone works in class! last night in brigette's class we were laughing about how people who don't practice yoga think it's just this gentle stretching and breathing...(this is after one hour of nonstop physical exertion compliments of brigette!)  i love those moments when a class is really hard and we're all sweating and exhausted and i make eye contact with a friend and just laugh because it's so weird and awesome that we're all doing this together.  

i'm inspired by the strength and flexibility of the other students. sometimes when we're working on something that my body just isn't ready or able to do, i look around and i'm just completely amazed! not in a competitive way, but in a, holy crap! that is awesome! kind of way. :) and when a friend comes to class with me and they are challenged and inspired too, it makes me happy. 

i'm inspired by how yoga has made me more aware of myself, my body, and the space i occupy in the world. 

my teachers inspire me. i feel so supported and "seen" by the teachers whose classes i attend regularly. i feel like i'm making progress in every class.  i feel as if the teachers know each of us and our bodies and what we can do so intimately that they know just how to adjust each of us to make the pose that much better, deeper, more aligned. 

yoga, to me, feels joyful even when it's really hard. especially lately, i've found myself laughing or smiling in the midst of one of kim's hellish pose-holds or sarah's crazy jumping planks or brigette's (what feels like 10 minute but is really one) hand stand holds. i love this yoga bender! i might make it a 90 day bender to take me all the way to the big day. i bet i'd have wicked arm muscles by then. :) 

~amy~

Inspiration

So, with all this talk of inspiration it makes me think. I tend to be a very uninspired person, especially during the winter when I'm more prone to feel like drawing myself into a hibernative state rather than coexist with other humans. But then I got to thinking, when I teach I always feel inspired, when I was in Colorado with all those Anusarites I was inspired, when I take a class I get inspired and when I'm doing my practice at home I get inspired to make up new poses or sequences, so I guess damn it, I do find inspiration in things.

The number thing that inspires me as a teacher and just as a human is the students, and I must say mostly the students I've encountered at Southtown Yoga. And I can safely say that because most of my students have followed me there from other locations and some have completely switched to there from other said locations. Anyhow, back to my point, I have taught many people for long periods of time and seeing the progress or that one "aha" moment on their face is why I do this. Seeing the realization that their finally grasping this shit, is why I do this. Creating a connection with the students is why I do this. Learning from my students, turning me into the student is why I do this.

I used to get crap when I first began teaching from other teachers in St Louis because I became friends with my students and I must say I was proud to be their friends because they inspired me to be a better teacher, a better person too and so I saidphooey to them and kept becoming friends with my students and am the better person for it I must say! I just opened two of my students wedding with the chant we used to start class every Sunday with and cried through the whole wedding watching the open heartedness and love from everyone there towards them and felt blessed to have been a part of it, and if I hadn't become their friend I wouldn't have been there at all.

So, in the grand scheme of things we're all students and we're all teachers and therefor can inspire things within each other at all times and should acknowledge that and be forever appreciative of it. So next time you're feeling a lack of inspiration go to a class and observe what happens within you, and all around you and be grateful for it.

We all are a community and I say thanks to Brigette for creating Southtown, along with Ivan and Jenifer and anyone else involved, because from my experience this sort of community within a yoga studio hadn't happened until now and for that I am grateful and inspired to bring everything I have to the plate, each time I come to teach a class and learn from all the students whom attend.

I've gone on way longer than intended, but oh well, hope to see each and every one of you very soon!

Namaste,

Keith

Everything and nothing

I've been having a hard time pinpointing one inspiring thing. Maybe it's the brown, yucky outside that makes finding a bright spot hard. But that doesn't mean I am completely without inspiration this week. On the contrary, I would say this week I have felt inspired by everything and nothing.

9 days into the bender, finding a little bit of inspiration everyday has kept me going. One day it was simply the girl in front of me who was way better at yoga than I am or ever will be. One time it was the thought of my little dog at home who is always so happy and excited about life. (We should all have such a sunny outlook all the time.) The other day, I was honestly moved by a song playing in class. Artists truly amaze me. It's a gift I do not possess.

Simplistic? Maybe. But in my opinion, everyday does not have to be life altering. Everyday, you don't have to make it your mission to change something. Sometimes, I'm just happy finding inspiration in the sheer fact that I love my husband, my dog, my home, my job and my life. Sadly, not everyone in this world can say that.

My problem is that most of the time I think too much and too hard about things. Having power over my own mind and be able to shut it off..and knowing I can do it...well, sometimes that is just as much a blessing and an inspiration than anything else.

Happy Bending!

your turn

So, as you may have noticed... its your turn.  I will continue to write entries on this blog to aid to your experience and trigger thoughts and ideas for your bender.  However, if you have registered for the bender, you are now registered as an author to this blog.  

Share your experiences.  Spread your thoughts.  Speak up.  This blog is meant to be a place for our bender community to connect.  If you feel great, write about it.  If you feel sore, write about it.  If you feel like you could burst with excitement from all the energy in your body/mind, write about it. 

We are in this together.  Take a moment and share your experiences here.

oh, and don't forget to sign your name when you write an entry.  sometimes it just shows your sign in name and its hard to decipher who is who.

game on!

Brigette

Daily Inspiration

What inspires me? I must say that I am inspired by so many things on a daily basis...from family to people that happen to cross my path.
People in general amaze me. We all have the same 24hrs in a day and accomplish very different things! So when I am inspired with how much someone has accomplished, I look internally and think that I too have the same amount of time to be just as productive! So I have vowed to make the most of every day and on a daily basis find something/someone that inspires me and renew this positive energy.
I was introduced to yoga by my lovely sister-in-law Jenifer in 2006 when I moved to St. Louis and lived with them. I must say that with her and my brother's daily inspiration, I became a much healthier person. Since then, I have strayed a little and stopped finding this daily inspiration within myself. I ceased to do yoga and other daily activities that I know are important.

Then.... I came across "The Bender" email invitation from Bridgette and joined! Yeah me.

It has been a challenge and I have welcomed all the soreness. I have found inspiration from the teachers at Southtown Yoga as well! They too have their strengths and have helped me become very aware of my body period. It's strengths and weaknesses. I have not laughed so much at myself more than in the past 6 bender days! My body has provided me with much needed comedy relief!

Thanks for the invitation and inspiration Bridgette and Southtown Yoga yogies!

Happy New Year and good luck to all my fellow benders.
Like Bridgette shared on day 5 with us "may everything we do have it's purpose!"

My Inspirational Family

Thank you for your efforts on this blog, Brigette! You asked what inspires me...my beautiful family inspires me! A very special thank you to my older sis Chris in Orange County, California, my younger sis Karen in Charleston, South Carolina, and my adorable mom Lauren in Hermann, Missouri. Your open-minded willingness to go on a yoga bender with me is truly a gift! I will be dedicating my practices to you this whole month. I love you guys so much. You are all my heroes in so many ways!

INSPIRATION

So, we are one week in... how do you feel?  I have heard many great responses verbally.  If you registered for the bender, you should be able to log on an write bender entries, now.  If you have questions, email info@southtownyoga.com.

The theme of this week is INSPIRATION.  What inspires you?  Why do you come back to your mat, time and time again?  Give meaning to your practice.  Look to those you admire and see how they operate.  Talk to friends.  Ask your family.  Find out what makes this all worth it.  Don't live your life on default.  Be inspired.  Go after your dreams.  Live your life by doing things on purpose.

We are lucky.  There are so many people, natural surroundings and theories to look to for inspiration.  Within your yoga practice, look for something you aspire to work toward.  Whether that is a yoga pose or a state of being, identify something to put your efforts toward.  Make this worth it to you.  Every time you come to your mat, open your mouth to speak or choose how to react to a situation.... come back to what inspires you.  

For me, I get so much inspiration from my great teachers.  I feel so grateful to have the knowledge and experience gained from so many skilled teachers.  They have taught me that dedication and continued learning will take you to your utmost potential.  Last fall, at the Anusara Grand Gathering in Estes Park, I was surrounded by so many great beings (including great teachers).  I was overwhelmed with joy and excitement while learning and interacting with who I consider the best teachers in our country.  A few months later, I came across the video of the making of the Anusara syllabus poster featuring the great Darren Rhodes.  I watch this clip over and over again.  The control, the strength, the commitment to his practice.... its all very inspiring to me.  

There is no right or wrong answer to the question, "What inspires you?"  Just make sure you take the time to stop and think about what that means for you.

healthy eating for healthy living

Part of bringing yoga into your life includes lifestyle.  As with any other physical activity, your body needs the right type of fuel to reach full potential in your yoga practice.  Throughout the bender, consider taking steps toward better nutrition.  Whether you already eat very healthy or not, make an effort to make at least one change every week toward better nutrition.

Think about it like this, a car can't run on lemon juice.  It just won't work.  The car won't be able to take you where you want to go.  Eat to nourish your body.  So, anything you choose to eat, should serve your body.  The details of how that works, are for you to decide.  You don't always have to be extreme with this concept.  Just pay more attention to what goes into your body.  

here are a few tips to get you started...

1. Cook at home more often.  Buy fresh, whole, non-processed foods.  Cook with healthy oils (like live oil) and use fresh spices.  If you eat a lot of meat, try and replace meat with fish, once a week or so.
   
2. In regards to processed foods, if you can't pronounce all of the ingredients on the package, don't eat it.  Most unhealthy ingredients are complex words that we don't use in our daily vocabulary. 
3. If you feel dehydrated, go for coconut water instead of Gatorade or other sports drinks. Coconut water has more essential electrolytes and no added sugar or preservatives.  Also, coconut water has more potassium than a banana, which helps with muscle cramping and recovery.  You can buy coconut water at natural food stores like Whole Foods, in St. Louis. Probably Trader Joe's, too.
4. Eat a colorful diet, every day.  Try and eat as many different colors throughout the day, as possible.  For example, if you eat a spinach salad for lunch, work in another color for your vegetable with dinner - like a sweet potato or carrots.  Remember, when you cook veggies, never cook them longer than a few minutes.  The longer they cook, the more the vitamins seep out.   Better yet, try eating a raw (nothing cooked) for a day.  You will have more energy than you can imagine!

Just a few to get you started, many more health tips to come!

happy bending!

Brigette

a new year

We are off to a fantastic start!  Over 50 people are signed up for the bender.  That means at least 50 people in St. Louis are committed to 30 consecutive days of yoga.  What a strong showing for our yoga community!

I've had several people ask what to do at home, if you can't make it to class.  Here's my advice.... start by rolling out your mat and move through a few of your favorite warm-up poses.  Sun salutes are a great way to get moving on your mat.  There is really no wrong way to sequence your own practice.   Just do what feels right.  Sometimes, I do warm ups for most of my practice, while other days I skip right to some more challenging poses.  It depends on your energy level and mood.  Try and do one thing a day that challenges your body and your mind.  

Another tip is to pick a few poses to do every single day, in addition to the rest of your practice.  Headstand or handstand are both great options.  If you do a specific pose every single day, you are likely to get stronger and more open.  Its amazing what consistency will bring to your practice.  On the other hand, its also important to add variety to the rest of your practice.  So, if you do headstand every day, make sure you change up the rest of what comes after that.  

Don't be intimidated to practice by yourself.  Its very important to go to classes to expand your horizons, learn the skills to better access your practice and gain support from your community.  However, its also important to practice on your own to gain broader knowledge of what your body needs, what your tendencies are and how you work on your mat when no one else is watching.  

If you are looking for more help on sequencing your home practice, check out this article by Desiree Rumbaugh.  She is a highly skilled Senior Anusara Teacher and has very clear descriptions within her sequencing.  If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

happy bending!

Brigette

p.s. If you are still interested in purchasing the $90 unlimited package, you can still do so.  The package expires Jan 30th no matter what, but it can be purchased at any point during the month.  The sooner the better, so you get the most out of it.