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Karen's space
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August 19 AugustThe Rocket has been launched here at the yoga studio. It has been fun observing people begin to learn the movement, the poses, the breathing & then see their faces light up when they practice trying to jump up in a handstand. Some people are ready and do it, others don't & we are all sweating together. Yesterday a breakthrough for me in the practice was greater ease. Practicing, become stronger, and the poses become easier, the breathing becomes easier and hopefully, . . . life.
August 13 Aah Wednesday again!I am noticing a pattern. Wednesdays. I wake up unmotivated, sleepy and instead of practicing yoga, I down a couple cups of coffee. Then I look at my blog and realize - hump day. Oh yeah, I am noticing a pattern. Wednesday, the middle of the week. Being a powerfully creative human being, I am giving up that I'm tired, unmotivated, not excited about the day ahead of me, and did I mention sleepy? (doh). If that wasn't there in my way of being, what could I be? Who could I be that would be different? What's missing that I could be is being fun, being inspired, being light & free. Aaah, that's better now. Have a great day! July 27 Good YogaYoga provides the energy and presence to live my life with greater ease. Life is not always easy. Meditation gives more ease in life. Connecting with the source gives me insight into what is the right way for me to live each day. Today I got that living my life from the context of Love is the most powerful way to live. Which reminds me of what a very wise 4 year old once told me when he asked me: "Do you know what the greatest force in the universe is Mom?", "What Josh?", "Love". July 23 MorningWhen do you do your daily yoga practice? Mine is the morning. My body does not want to move. I stand on the mat and start breathing deeply, slowly bring my arms overhead, fold forward and begin to move through a very slow sun salutation. Maybe by the third sun salutation, I begin to feel like the breath is moving me. Before that, my will power, breath, any mind-trick I can think of, that is what is moving me. Surprised? The only difference between a regular yoga practitioner and someone who does not practice daily is . . . just doing it. Consistently. Nothing magic about it. However, it helps to have a goal. My goal is to practice 6 days a week for 18 months. I want to see what this body is capable of. We all have it in us. Have you ever just tried that? What is your body capable of? The rocket is like energy work for the hips, joints and your vital energy. I have not weighed myself, but I know I have burned off some fat! My clothes are looser than they were 4 weeks ago. I have practiced 6 days a week now for almost 4 weeks. Today is Wednesday, I wake up on Wednesdays now and think "hump day". This is the day of the hump - by the end of the day it will be downhill & no longer uphill! I have noticed I am walking with greater ease, I can get up into a handstand easier this week than last. I am landing less like an elephant - oh the handstands are still against the wall. That is the place I am starting. Have a great hump day. Karen July 15 Rocket 1-2-3I didn't yet mention that the Rocket is not broken down into levels. Typical hatha yoga Levels 1 (almost beginner) to Advanced will find the practice suitable for your body. Rocket 1-2-3 is simply the title of different sequences. Check it out - first class is free. The schedule is online at www.yogaprairie.com
Have an amazing Day! July 14 Rocket begins at Yoga Prairie!I returned from San Francisco yesterday morning at 6 am! I taught the first Rocket 1 class on Sunday! It went over well. It is not a class for everyone. If you like to move and breathe and sweat, this is your class. It will make you strong, no matter what your age. It is for the joints - it brings prana to the joints. I am 49 years old and my joints and strength have improved impressively in the last two weeks practicing this series! I taught a woman who is in her mid-50's in San Francisco, who has been doing it for 6 months and she was so pleased with her results so far. The originator of the rocket is in his 60's and does a modified practice. Larry Schultz (the founder of the Rocket) says it is most popular in the age 20-35 age group, it has brought the men back to yoga (it used to be a men's only practice!), but anybody of any age can practice it. I met some people who have been practicing this series of yoga from 6 months to 25 years - from ages 19 to age 70+ The older crowd modifies, yet if they have been practicing for (18 months to 20+) some years, they can do much of the inverted postures the younger ones can. I am a mid-level practitioner even though I teach it - I will show you how to modify (I have to modify several of the poses) and how to do the full pose. The shape of the pose is what gives your body the energy and nourishment it needs and moving with conscious breathing gives you the safety and strength building you want.
Come & try it! I am offering the series on Sunday through Friday. Saturdays we have our regularly scheduled Hatha and Core strengthening classes. Workshops are also scheduled on Saturdays. Next Friday is Reiki I training (25th) and this weekend the 12-month teacher training program begins.
Namaste! Karen July 10 Rocket 2Today was more teacher training for the rocket in yoga. I realize I studied Ashtanga two years before actually teaching it & now I'm learning another slightly complex system to teach without having practiced it! So I am learning the Rocket and realizing it will take actual practice for a few months - a practice on my own and practice teaching to become qualified to be certified to teach it. How fun - a way to stay motivated. Today I learned where to place my hands for bakasana (crow pose) a balancing pose (on hands), became more proficient at handstand at the wall, am noticeably stronger, and am actually more physically active without pain than I thought possible. However, teaching while I learn is awesome. Students will learn a practice that will make you noticeably stronger while staying safe. A system of yoga only is a good system if it works and this system works. Until tomorrow....
Karen July 08 Tuesday Fitness FryToday is going to be Reid's Fitness fry. It's not really called that, but it is the ultimate in core strength work. I just cannot wait. Really, it is amazing. at least 1-1/2 hrs. of core strength work and promises to work every teeny muscle possible that will support me in inverted poses! Yesterday learned rocket 1 (more about it) and got more instruction on handstands, bakasana, and more - yoga & more yoga. I am loving it. The studio is still there - check out the instructors. Support Yoga Prairie while I am being barbequed. Can't wait to come & teach everyone to reach for the sky. Love Karen July 07 Lake Tahoe My day off we went to Tahoe City to leave the ashes of Deborah's deceased mom & dad. They are now in their resting place in a spot overlooking a beautiful mountain stream near twin pine trees. It was a lovely trip. We drove through San Francisco's microclimates (cold, warm, cool, etc. - with temperature variations of about 12 degrees F depending on which part of the city you are in. I saw the golden gate bridge in the fog still at 2 pm, we drove through Sacramento (at 102 degrees), then into the mountains where the temp dropped again into the 80's. The mountains are beautiful, and the homes - - we drove by many beautiful log cabins & log homes. We ate in a restaurant that had photos of the first cars going through the snow there (snow over your head!) I can see why so many people live here. It is really beautiful, and alot of people live here. Lots of traffic. However, taking the trains works just as nicely, takes the same amount of time with traffic and you can read too. Monday...Awake at 6:37 am, and now getting ready to leave for the train to my all-day teacher training. I don't know if I am really rested, but here we go, now there are 6 solid days ahead of us of training. For me the training is amazing, yet the icing is being in a studio that has been open for more than 17 years, is very successful and getting to know the teachers and students. These are people who come from all over the world and take this teaching all over the world. There are people originally from the Ukraine, China, (now they live in San Francisco area), currently from Stockholm, Phoenix, Vancouver and Minnesota (me). I am the only one new to the Rocket, but it is similar enough to Ashtanga that I am not lost. It is fun & playful practice, the best advice I got (from Larry Schultz) is to try 3 times, then move on. (so you don't hurt yourself or wear yourself out, yet you will get it eventually). July 06 Day of RestToday is the day of rest in the training. Joshua's 20th birthday! Happy birthday Joshua! (my son!)
Yesterday was another amazing day. I rode into San Francisco with Deborah after spending the 4th of July evening with her & her family. It was so wonderful to hang out with my friends who are like my family and their 6 or 7 cats and I even got a nap. I ate alot of vegies - healthy food - actually got stuffed on vegies! Deborah has the ashes of her parents and we are going today to Reno, Nevada, where they liked to go play, and say our final good byes today. Deborah is also a Reiki Master, and her first Reiki master/teacher and myself (also her reiki master/teacher), - all 3 are going to do this today. In between shows, Deborah is teaching summer school, drama to some inner-city kids from Oakland, and I had no idea (being such a sheltered yogini) that kids even in Oakland, CA are living lives that are unspeakably heartbreaking. One of her students (10 years old) saw her brother shot to death - he leapt in front of her to take the bullet meant for her. This was only a few months ago. Deborah is working for an organization that is bringing an art school to these kids. This is a tough job for even Sister Robert Anne, these kids need a stable adult in their lives who is not going to leave or die by a bullet.
So I backtracked. Hearing a story like that, what can you say or do? Continue to seek to do your purpose on this planet. Only you can find that. I have found mine is teaching yoga & helping other's to find their purpose. Having your own practice, listening to your own breath - doing a practice that manages your health, calms your mind - this can help you to find what that purpose is. I look forward to my day, tomorrow is another day of learning & practice with a rested body. But today is what there is. Now is all there is. You can be here now by listening to your breath, observe your movements, and really look at those who are in front of you, and truly listen - now. When you notice your mind is wandering off - to future or past - bring your self back to now. This is where there is real magic.
Namaste, Karen
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