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.