Believe in the Impossible

"I never knew I could do that!" Is the most rewarding phrase I hear as a yoga teacher. My goal is to expand your perception of reality. Come to class with an open mind, a desire to grow, and working towards doing things you never thought you could do.

Paula rocking the side crow variation with eagle legs

Road Trip Warrior

yoga on the road - Road Trip Warrior 2 Pose

I'm happy to be back this week after a week of traveling the southwest!  Hopefully all of you got a chance to meet our newest yogaRX teacher- Michelle.  She subbed for me last week while I was on my spring break adventure.  She'll be taking over the newest classes that are added to the schedule:  Tuesday/Thursday nights at 6:15pm and Saturday at 8:15am.  Welcome to CF Stapleton, Michelle!

This week will be a mixture of postures we've been practicing with some arm balance reviews sprinkled in.  There will  be more of an emphasis on grounding and pull-up recovery to balance our work in cross fit.  Looking forward to seeing everyone this week!

Namaste.

Week #11- Full Moon Flow

This next full moon is due to shine on us this week on March 23.  It is meant to be the last full moon of winter, an indication that spring will soon be upon us.  In a sense, the full moon symbolizes the end of something in your life, paving the way for a new beginning.  This time period is also the time to restore, reflect, and relax.  We will be working on a more restorative flow this week in preparation for the start of something new in the next moon cycle.  Time to set new goals, be creative, and allow a vision of this phase to unfold.
Namaste,
Amanda
outdooryogaflow.blogspot.com

Padma=Lotus

Our Sankalpa this week is to focus on creating beauty.  The lotus is a sacred flower that grows through mud.  Mud is not usually described as "beautiful", but if you look hard enough, beauty is there as the lotus blooms.  Thus, the intention this week is to create beauty where it's not apparent to see.  This can be related to a word we learned a few weeks ago: ananda, or bliss.  Ananda is being positive in any situation.  Padma is similar, but instead of finding beauty, focus on creating it.  We will be doing work around lotus pose (padmasana) this week too!

Week #10- Twist +vinyasa

First of all, I'd like to say:  Yay to everyone coming and trying out new variations, inversions, and arm balances!  It's been really cool to see people step out of their comfort zone and try new things.  As a teacher, I can't explain how rewarding it is to help you through the experience of doing something for the first time.  People have been getting upside down, using arm strength for balancing, and progressing through more challenging mobility movements.  You are doing fantastic and I hope you are noticing a positive change!

This week we are going to focus on twists and binds to help cleanse the organs of the body.

"Twisting creates a 'wringing' effect on the abdominal organs.  This helps to flush the liver and other organs, directing blood and lymphatic fluid into the larger vessels of the cardiovascular system, eliminating toxins."

Binds are not new to class, but this gives an opportunity to dive deeper and show a greater variety to asanas.

Looking forward to seeing you on your mat!
-Amanda

Sunday Funday

For all you newbs out there: don't worry! We're all in this together.

Intentions

At the start of every class I have been introducing a "Sanskrit Word of the Week" where I tell you its meaning and we set an intention.  Usually the intention and sanskrit word create a theme that helps drive our asana practice.  But what exactly is an intention??

“Our intention creates our reality.” Wayne Dyer

The sanskrit word for intention is "Sankalpa"- "it’s a representation of a desire or positive thought that you want to manifest in the world, a promise you make to yourself." 

The intention is set at the beginning of class so that we can reflect on what that is and connect it with our physical practice, or asanas.  We want to refer back to this intention throughout class and let it stay with us even after we leave our mats.  

For the longest time, I went to yoga because I wanted to be more flexible, put my body in crazy positions it's never been in before, and overall yoga just made me feel good.  I couldn't explain why until I realized that over time I was unintentionally creating self awareness, reflecting thoughtfully about myself and influence in the world, and I was changing my actions in a positive way because of it.  I didn't know if my intentions set in class were "right" or what it even meant to set an intention.  I just knew that I could create my own space for the time I was on my mat and learn; learn about myself, learn about focus, learn about a practice of an ancient culture, and open myself to a world of possibilities beyond myself.

I created a list of themes and sanskrit words we've covered in class so far.  Come back to the intention you set in your class.  Did you carry out your promise to yourself?  Did it cultivate mental clarity?  Emotional well being?  Did you even notice a change in your lifestyle?  Reflect on these things and I'll meet you on your mat. 

Namaste,

Amanda 

Collection of Past Words and Themes:

• Prana (Energy)- Creating and Sustaining Positive Energy
• Vishudda (Communication/Throat 4th Chakra)- Ways to communicate and motivate others
• Svadhyaya (Self Study)- Body awareness and learning how to notice slight changes in our bodies
• Anahata (Heart/4th Chakra)- How we show love to ourselves and others
• Drishti (Focal Point)- Keeping your eye on the goal and setting steps to reach it
• Ananda (Pure Bliss)- Finding the good in any situation