Liz Doyle Yoga

Ask the Teacher! January 2012

2012-01-19T16:26:00.000-08:00

Here are the latest questions and answers! To ask your own, submit a question directly to me at: lizdoyle@msn.com

Is there an aspect of yoga that can help protect us from what other people say, especially stuff that hurts our feelings?
Well, first let me say that I’m sorry you’ve been hurt. It’s part of Life, naturally, but heartbreak and pain aren’t fun. Oddly, it’s these painful moments where some of the best lessons live. How a yoga practice can help is in the development of equanimity in all situations. It’s not that the feelings are not there—your feelings are important indicators for you—it’s simply that whether you are generally happy in Life will not be dictated by events beyond your control, or you will less likely be swallowed by the complexities of everyday life.
The precursor to equanimity is concentration. This concentration, according the Bhagavad Gita (among other yogic texts) leads to equanimity, which leads to detachment. Detachment should not be confused with a lack of involvement, passion, or feeling. The best analogy for me is that of an old oak tree. The true essence of the oak tree has something to do with the acorn from which it grew. It grows into an enormous tree with a large, sturdy trunk, many branches, and many more leaves. Being attached and controlled by our feelings and emotions would be like the oak being identified with its leaves, which get blown about by the wind, and even dry up and fall off in winter.
Your feeling and emotions are like the leaves, and the true Self, the real YOU, your Soul, whatever you call it, is something deep inside you, not even a physical thing—and it can be touched by the winds of time, the storms of human existence and relationships. Yogis seek to understand the eternal, changeless Self, and THIS is how yoga can help.
I’ll also add that as you become more familiar with your own energetics, through your practice, you will also be able to effectively energetically brace yourself when necessary, and perhaps make different choices regarding how and IF to interact with people.

What happens if I don't move with my breath?
This question is more relevant to vinyasa practitioners, who are, in theory, obsessed with synchronizing breath and movement. I would suggest that if you are NOT at least making an attempt at synchronizing movement and breath, you are not practicing vinyasa. This may also be one of the things that distinguish yoga from exercise, gymnastics and acrobatics. And I think we have to ask ourselves this question all the time: “What distinguishes yoga from other forms of movement?” If you’re just making shapes with your body, doing the poses, is it yoga? I contend that it is not. Yoga requires something beyond contortion of the body, something that requires concentration, and one of those things is the relentless effort to synchronize movement and breath.
The question might also be asked as “what WILL happen if I DO move with my breath?” It’s not so much that the world will come to an end if you don’t move with your breath; it’s more about the effects and experience of moving with your breath. The definition of vinyasa can be examined by breaking the word down to its roots: Nyasa denotes "to place" and vi denotes "in a special way." As we work to place our body in a special way, the breath is the perfect catalyst and vehicle for this placement.
As vinyasa practitioners, the effort to navigate transitions and challenging moments with Grace, Ease and Beauty is paramount. The work of yoga was eloquently (though unintentionally described by Do Hyun Chor:
“Stillness is what creates Love. Movement is what creates Life. To be still and still moving—this is everything.”
The breath will have a tendency to create motion in the body, and when we can ride this wave of energy, it’s easier to achieve the Grace and Beauty to which we aspire. Experiment moving with an inhale, then with an exhale for the same movement, then holding breath in, and then holding breath out. Decide which you think is best. Continual experimentation and refinement is the practice.

Aren't handstands and other inversions just about ego?
It sort of seems like that sometimes, doesn’t it? And it’s easy to get the ego involved, and that’s part of the practice. That said, hand balancing, and other so-called “glory” poses of yoga play a special role. As yogis, we seek to know and understand the eternal, changeless Self. Much of what we do on a physical level, like handstands, is to point to our true Self. When you can be calm in a handstand, hanging out, breathing in an evenly metered way, you are at least a little bit closer to that part of you that is always the same, even when everything around you has changed. Perhaps more importantly, as Edward Clark says, when you are in a handstand and you can stay and be calm—that’s great—you are developing mastery. And when you can maintain that same state of mind as you fall, or don’t make the pose—well, something real has happened—and mastery really only counts in a crisis situation. In this way, much like the rest of your practice, hand balancing is fantastic training for Life-- the discipline of developing mastery, and the practice of maintaining equanimity in crisis. These are the moments that you can take with you where the real yoga happens—outside the practice room.

What is a bandha, and how are they supposed to help your yoga practice?
First, I should say that these things are best taught in person, and easily misrepresented and/or misconstrued via the written word. Secondly, it’s important to note that the idea of bandhas in asana is relatively new, and bandhas have traditionally been used during pranayama (breath control and expansion exercises) with kumbhaka (retentions with the breath held in or out). It’s up for debate whether actual “locks” are used during asana, or if it’s a refined control of the region of the bandha in question. Third, it takes years of practice to really know and understand -- let alone meliorate the action-- of the bandhas. Just know that if you are holding yourself in a yoga pose AND breathing, you are using your bandhas- at that point, it’s just a matter of understanding and learning to control them during your practice.
According to all the classical yogic texts, we are ultimately attempting to get Prana (breath or Life Force) moving through the Sushumna (primary energy channel, roughly correlated with the spinal cord). The use of bandha is helpful for containing and directing the flow of Prana (much like damming water). We use bandhas to contain energy and build pressure in the cavity of the torso for stimulation and directing of Prana into the three main nadis (energy channels) of Ida, Pingala and Sushumna. Depending on how it's performed, when we release these “locks”, there is a stimulating and cleansing rush of energy – imagine opening a dam and the subsequent rush of water. These descriptions are oversimplifications; entire books could be/have been written on how this works, the effects of this building of pressure on the glandular system and its resulting effect on the brain and one’s psycho energetic state.
Here’s a quick overview of the three most commonly discussed bandhas:
Bandhas, or “locks”, are ways to direct the flow of energy in your body. There are many ways to create a bandha (can also be defined as “construction” or “formation”, as in the bridge pose “Setu Bandha Sarvangasana”: Setu=bridge, bandhas=construction or formation of, sarva=all, anga=limb), but the most commonly referred to are Mula Bandha, Uddiyana Bandha and Jalandhara Bandha.
Mula Bandha, or “root” lock, is to reverse the natural downward flow of earth energy (apana vayu). Think of it on a gross physical level, like lifting the perineum or pelvic floor - technically mula bandha is contraction and lifting of everything from the anus to the genitals. Ultimately, all of the bandhas will be more of an energetic thing. It’s obvious from a quality of groundedness in a posture when this bandha is being used effectively.
Uddiyana Bandha, or belly lock, is to encourage the bird of Prana to continue flying upward. Uddiyana, in fact, means “flying up”. Again, this can be achieved with a lifting of the uddiyana region, a hollowing of the belly up under the ribs. When well-utilized in asana, there will be a light graceful ease to the pose or movement.
Jalandhara Bandha, the throat or chin lock (jala=net, dhara=bearer/supporter), is achieved through a slight dropping of the chin towards a lifted chest. One of purposes of this bandha is to prevent the heat generated in the torso from moving into the cooler lunar plexus of the head region. Forgive the over-simplification of the anatomy to follow- but this bandha is of particular interest during bahya kumbhaka (retention with the breath held OUT) because it closes off the carotid sinuses which are involved in the sensing of O2/CO2 balance and help the brain know when to signal the body to breathe. In short, what this means is that one can hold the breath longer, without anxiety and panic with the use of jalandhara bandha, thereby allowing a greater accumulation of effects.
My recommendation is, of course, dedicated practice and self-study to master these concepts and acquire an experiential knowledge of the bandhas and their physical and energetic effects. Experienced, qualified teachers offer differing descriptions and opinions, so it must be experienced to arrive at your own Knowing.
Please feel free to ask any further questions you may have, and I hope to see you in the practice room soon! To find my schedule, please visit my website at www.LizDoyleYoga.com.

As a teacher, how do I handle someone with an injury without excessive disruption in my class?
If the person tells you before class, you can have a quick conversation with them about the nature and cause of the injury, and offer them a few modification suggestions. I would also make it clear to them that they should feel free to modify as they deem necessary during class, and if they feel confused as to how to protect themselves, they should get your attention.
If they do not tell you before, but you notice during class, you can have a QUICK conversation (keep to 5 breaths!) in downward dog. If you need, you can continue the conversation in the next static pose (e.g., down dog). You might be able to figure out enough to offer them a quick modification or two and then ask them to see you after class for more discussion.
Additionally, I will sometimes do the poses next to the person, showing them the modifications I would like them to do as I call out the poses. That way, it’s less disruption to the flow of the class, but they get the idea. I find this particularly effective with beginners in a class a little beyond their level of development.
It’s important for you to be clear in your own mind, so that you can communicate to your students in words and energy, that they are ultimately responsible for their own practice and well-being. Help them as much as you can, and just know that you can only do so much for someone in a group class, especially if they have not shared with you their issue and/or injury.

Ask the Teacher!

2011-11-04T14:33:00.000-07:00

I recently made a post on Facebook asking if anyone had yoga related questions, hoping someone would respond. I was surprised to receive 19 inquiries! I've decided to make a regular post of answers to people's questions. To submit a question, simply email me at: lizdoyle@msn.com... Read on for the first batch of questions and answers...

Ask the Teacher! November 3, 2011

Q: Nobody ever talks about the process of meditating… Tell me about that. Your take.
A: Well, there are many methods for meditating, so much to say, people write books on it. I think the thing to remember is not to get too hung up on the “process” to the degree it interferes with actually practicing. The process can be unelaborate, like observing the qualities of the breath, or even just witnessing what comes up without judging or interfering.
Over time, one hones one’s skills of concentration (dharana), and eventually cultivates eka grata (singe-pointedness), which leads to meditation (dyana). When one becomes so completely attuned to the object of concentration so that one’s entire being is absorbed, becoming one with the object of concentration, this is the nirvana (Samadhi) we are shooting for. From this refinement of concentration, BKS Iyengar says that ultimately the sadhaka (aspirant) “…turns his attention to a progressive exploration of the core of his being, the soul.”
In a nutshell, experiment and find something that works for you. Just know that for most, it’s never easy in the beginning, so pick a method that seems most agreeable and dedicate yourself to the practice of it. Eventually, the body stills, the mind quiets, and something special happens. Or nothing happens. But you have cultivated focus, equanimity and non-attachment in all situations, so it doesn’t matter—it’s all the same.

Q: You know how teachers sometimes say "set an intention for your practice"? I never could get it. If I keep a thought in mind, it prevents me from fully meditating through my movements (to me, the process of seated meditation is different from moving one). But I can see the benefit of practicing with intention. However, I have no idea how...
A: The setting of an intention goes back to the effort to meliorate one’s powers of concentration. All the yogic texts are very clear on this process: concentration and eka grata (single-pointedness) leads to equanimity, and equanimity leads to non-attachment. It’s a constant practice. When your concentration or effort to “hold” your intention, whatever it is, slips-- you just notice and come back.
My preference as a teacher and practitioner is to “dedicate” one’s practice. This is a slightly different practice, more of a devotional (bhakti) perspective. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that one has the right to the work, but not the fruits of the work. And we don’t need mythology to understand how this works: you can try as hard as you want, but you don’t really have any control over the outcome, so you do your best, and the rest is not up to you. The exercise of dedicating your practice to something/someone/etc. is a straightforward practice in non-attachment. You decide at the beginning, “The fruits of whatever it is I cultivate here are not for me, they are for ___________.” Ironically, the benefits still come to you. Moreover, Krishna informs Arjuna that work done with anxiety for an outcome is virtually useless. So why not offer it up? It takes some of the pressure off, and you can become truly absorbed in the work. And who knows? Knowing you are doing it for someone/something outside of yourself might actually inspire you when times get tough.

Q: how yogasana transforms...
A: What’s interesting is that the asana practice transforms whether we intend it or not. It might take longer if we are not concerned with the subtler aspects of the practice and view it simply as exercise, but it will happen eventually. In my opinion, the shapes we make with our bodies imprint upon our consciousness, helping to reorganize and purify our Being. It follows then, that if we can “perfect” the alignment over time, the impact will be more powerful because the energetics of the poses will be cleaner and more direct. We naturally find ourselves, over time, with better focus and clarity, a calmer disposition, and greater equanimity—and of course, the physical benefits are obvious. Some of the physical benefits are less obvious, but as the body, organs, brain and consciousness are stimulated and refined with practice, the whole Being works better. All of this happens more efficaciously and holistically if there is an effectual methodic that the teacher follows, and the teacher is able to hold an energetic space for the practice that is conducive to this type of progress.

Q: yoga and bacon
A: Pigs are friends, not food! On a more serious note, the thing we really need to ask ourselves is “What was the process for this delicious bacon to end up on my plate?” and “Do I want to participate in that?” If we know the hows, the whys and the whats about the animals’ lives, the way they are treated, its impact on the environment and global hunger, and we are okay with that, it’s a personal decision. I never begrudge anyone’s food choices; I only hope that we make an effort to truly understand what is being supported when we pick up the fork, and it’s entirely up to the individual whether they are okay with that. It’s easy to insulate ourselves from the truthful impact of our actions through intentional ignorance, but the effect is the same. Well said by Ralph Waldo Emerson:
“You have just dined, and however scrupulously the slaughterhouse is concealed in the graceful distance of miles, there is complicity.”

Q: I'd love to hear stories taken from your hidden meanings workshop and how they relate to asana. Such as the story of hanuman and thinking of leaping (rather than gymnastics splits!) when in the posture.
A: This is such a fun and illuminating part of the practice for me. It’s my contention that the names of the poses tell us something and are a key to unlocking the mysteries of the poses and what they have to offer us.
The Ramayana is an epic poem, and Hanuman one of the main characters, so there are many stories to tell about him and the pose that shares his moniker: Hanumanasana (the splits). You alluded to one of the hints for the physical execution of this pose from the story of Hanuman:
Lord Rama’s wife, Sita, was kidnapped and he enlisted the help of Hanuman and his monkey army to find her. They had searched the land of India for her and when they reached the shore Hanuman LEAPT, in the splits, from the tip of India to Sri Lanka to find her. The lesson for us physically is that Hanumanasana is not an extreme stretching pose, but an extreme LEAPING pose, and for that reason I think it should be quite active.

Another beautiful lesson from this part of the story is that Hanuman had earned a boon of being invincible and powerful. As a child Hanuman was always into mischief, hiding the things of the sages and they placed a mild curse on him so that he could only remember how powerful he was when reminded by another. When he was standing on the shore, lamenting his inability to cross the sea between where he was standing and the land where he could rescue Sita, his friends and colleagues began encouraging him and reminding him of his greatness. At this, he remembered his capabilities and leapt across the water. This is a good reminder to all of us to encourage others and also to know that we are usually totally unaware of how amazing and capable we are. Next time you think you cannot do something- remember Hanuman!

If you enjoy these types of stories, I encourage you to attend my Hidden Meanings in Yoga Asana workshop at Yoga Bliss November 5, 2011.
See: http://www.lizdoyleyoga.com/schedule.html for more info!

Q: Balancing ease and challenge. Especially in a new difficult pose. How far is too far? When are you not being honest and moving beyond challenge to aggression. Just find that a constant conflict.

A: This is a question about the balance between sukha (delight) and sthira (steadiness). According to Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras:
II.46 Sthira sukham asanam: Asana is perfect firmness of body, steadiness of intelligence and benevolence of spirit.
Interestingly, this is the only aphorism in the yoga sutras that refers to asana. The answer to your question is quite uncomplicated: enough effort to achieve steadiness and firmness in the pose, but not so much as to create negativity and anxiety. BKS says “Performance of the asana should be nourishing and illuminative.”
The following sutra coaxes us towards steadiness, and even intimates how to get it:
I.31 Dukha daurmanasya angamejayatva svasaprasvasah viksepa sahabhuvah: Sorrow, despair, unsteadiness of the body and irregular breathing further distract the citta (mind/intellect/ego).
I know this must seem so repetitive, but we’re back to the “concentration leads to equanimity which leads to non-attachment” theme. One hint from this sutra for me is that we should establish a regular breathing pattern and be faithful to it-- “follow the breath”. For example, if it’s an inhale to enter the pose, when the inhale has stopped, you’re done. Now you stay and continue breathing, perhaps going farther or deeper with the next breath. You know when you’re grasping or coveting (graha) the pose, and in yoga we are trying to cultivate aparigraha (without greed) in all our actions.
Everyone gets frustrated at times, especially if you’re really working towards something. Constantly we cultivate equanimity in the process so that we remain undisturbed and consider all experience in our svadyaya (self-study).

To submit your own “ask the teacher” question, just email me! LizDoyle@msn.com

Beauty Will Save the World

2011-09-17T08:26:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

Dostoevsky said, "Beauty will save the world." I've been turning this over in my head a lot the last month or so. If there's one thing worth striving for in a yoga practice, it's Beauty-- otherwise it's simply acrobatics or gymnastics. But save the world? What does that mean as we live our daily lives?

Imagine if we endeavored to infuse every aspect of our lives, each action, with Beauty. What words would pass your lips, what thoughts would cross your mind, with what bhava or feeling would you do everything? It's nearly impossible to conceive of the robustness of experience, the positive impact that could have. In achieving this, I am the least among us.

Often, I am personally "lost" in the busyness of daily life, surrounded by pavement, the sounds of the city drowning out my thoughts and the symphony of Nature. A couple of weekends ago I spent some time alone at my grandmother's lake cabin. No TV, no radio, no cell service or internet. I could actually hear the wind rustling the leaves of the trees like they were talking to me. It was during this time that I realized these moments of "retreat" are so critical. Removing oneself from daily events and the barrage of noise on every level gives one a chance to settle. For me, I find it also reminds me that there is Beauty all around me, and that I should try to add to that Beauty.

The thing I've noticed most is that I usually head into these times with a list of tasks to finally complete, books to read, articles to write, etc... and none of it ever gets done. Somehow, in spite of my lack of productivity, devoid of a conscious directing of volition, a powerful thought or intention magically pops up that affects the course of my life and the person I want to be.

This gave me a new appreciation for the yoga retreat, however brief. So ubiquitous the opportunities, it almost gives the impression that a retreat cannot be all that important. On the contrary, its importance cannot be underscored enough. A group of like-minded people, coming together for a period of time to support each other in the process of self-study, in surroundings conducive to inner reflection, is bound to have powerful and lasting effects.

It's easy to think that what we do in our lives isn't that critical most of the time. But what if it IS? What if we lived as if EVERYTHING mattered? Another Russian novelist suggests that Beauty may elevate our works to that of the heavens:

"Works steeped in Truth and presenting it to us vividly alive will take hold of us, will attract us to themselves with great power- and no one, ever, even in a later age, will presume to negate them...and if the too obvious, too straight branches of Truth and Good are crushed or amputated and cannot reach the light-yet perhaps the whimsical, unpredictable, unexpected branches of Beauty will make their way through and soar up to that very place and in this way perform the work of all three." ~Alexsandr Solzhenitsyn

It's fascinating to me that these two men lived in the Soviet Union during very bleak times, and it's proof you don't have to go on a retreat to "find yourself" or appreciate Beauty-- but it might be helpful. Life can be so challenging, and sometimes apparently ugly. Find inspiration anywhere you can, look for it within yourself as well as around you, and imagine it when all else fails. And if you don't know what to do or how to do it, make it Beautiful. That has to be enough.

Satyam Sivam Sundaram (Truth is God and God is Beauty),
Liz

For information on my upcoming retreats, please email me or check out my website:

www.LizDoyleYoga.com

Tripsichore Yoga

2011-09-17T07:57:00.000-07:00

This month I wanted to talk a little about Edward Clark and what you can hope to get out of his workshop in September. For starters, it's a rare occasion to spend time with a Master Teacher, dare I say "international yoga celebrity", in a more intimate format that welcomes intelligent discourse and questions.

Edward is uniquely funny, brilliant and an effective and entertaining teacher. I encourage you to join us for the weekend of September 23-25 (details and comments from students who attended his previous workshop to the right) for Edward's workshop in Seattle. It promises to be a good time loaded with fun, great yoga technique, and yoga philosophy discussions. Here're a few words from Edward regarding what we'll be covering and why:

"At the very second you are reading this, somewhere on the globe, there are at least 3 yoga teachers exhorting their students to "Breathe". I have the statistics in my briefcase. Unless the students are enrolled in a YOGA FOR PEARL FISHERS PROGRAMME (copyrighted and trademarked), they can't have been avoiding breathing for too long. So, asking questions that seems too obvious and which have hence been overlooked, what are the advantages in breathing well? What constitutes "good" breathing? Also, a somewhat more sophisticated question, what are the techniques?

The answers to these questions may seem surprisingly complex and contradictory. For instance, on the one hand, "good" breathing is held as a tenet of most contemporary yoga practices whilst on the other hand, lengthy breath retentions are esteemed by much of the hatha literature of yore. The vinyasa premise is that breathing is a
mechanism through which prana is manipulated. But, WAIT! What exactly is meant by the term "prana"? It would be pointless to try to give a full answer to the question in this brief pitch to lure you into attending a FULL!! Weekend of workshops and lectures (Yes, come on -- do you really think you're going to "get it" by attending a couple of the sessions? I reckon it takes at least a month of 8 hour sessions to even come close).

While this workshop won't "open your heart" or "root your core" or even "make a shamanic transformation", it will present a forum for the technical aspects of pranayama in vinyasa practice -- a subject rarely given extended discourse."

Well, there you go...from Edward himself. As most of you know, I spent a month with Edward at his studio in London learning his technique. It was an incredibly meaningful learning experience, and absolutely invaluable. We all know breathing is important, and as teachers, we talk about it constantly. Edward practices what he preaches, and what Edward will teach you is the specific whys and hows of making the breath work for you in your practice. And you may be surprised to find out it's not just about the physical practice, that's just the part people see...

Pranically Yours,

Liz

PS for info on the workshop, see my website: www.LizDoyleYoga.com and to register, email me at lizdoyle@msn.com

Practicing From the Heart

2011-08-13T19:12:00.001-07:00

For those of you who know me and come to class regularly, you know I have no problem waxing on regarding virtually any yoga related topic. So why was an article on backbending so hard to write? At first I started with the hows and physical benefits, but that’s really missing the forest for the trees. You can learn the hows, the secrets and techniques, along with anatomy and physical benefits at the workshop (CLICK HERE FOR INFO) -- The real question is the why…

Let’s start with how people sometimes feel about backbends. They can be intimidating, intense, and even scary. WHY? Well, if you’ll forgive the pun, it really gets to the heart of the reasons for a yoga practice. As yoga practitioners, we are striving to practice and live in a heart centered way. Backbends are often referred to as “heart openers”. What does that mean? Do you really want your heart “opened”?

For me, when I hear it described like that, it feels like maybe my heart will be opened in a way that would make it vulnerable and easily damaged or hurt. What that kind of language is really about is living fully from the wisdom of the heart, with the heart fully open to the richness of Life- which includes pain, pleasure and all that’s in between.

The true nature of openness of the heart has to do with truly connecting with others, the Creator and all of Creation. And to do that completely, there is a certain amount of vulnerability involved. Rachel Naomi Remen said, “At the heart of any real intimacy is a certain vulnerability. It is hard to trust someone with your vulnerability unless you can see in them a matching vulnerability and know that you will not be judged. In some basic way, it is our imperfections and even our pain that draws others close to us.”

This vulnerability then, is really about being authentic and real in a way that is available to others. Not so that you can be exposed to danger or pain, but so that you can connect. And the reason this works is because as you let go of the veil of “protection” you become closer to your true Self. When you can let go of your self with the little “s”, and be in touch with your Self with a big “S”, then the ego fades, and your interactions with Self and other are more about connecting genuinely than representing yourself in a certain way according to what you think might be most impressive.

This kind of openness and vulnerability will of course expose us to potential pain and heartbreak, but in a knowing that there will also be a corresponding joy and satisfaction that can only be experienced in the polarity between the two. This living from the wisdom of the heart provides fertile ground for the Grand Experiment we call a yoga practice. One of my teachers, Aadil Palkhivala talks about intensity versus force. As you move through your asana practice be very sensitive to the distinction between the two. At some point where you experience mental, emotional, spiritual discomfort, are you forcing it on some level? Use your spiritual discernment to know the difference.

Once you can have an awareness of feeling, practicing and living from the heart, you can use this Knowledge and Awareness to offer up the energies of the lower chakras (such as desire, fear, etc.) to the wisdom of the heart; offering also the energies of the higher chakras (thoughts, analysis, emotions, etc.) to the wisdom of the heart, the Seat of Love.

As you practice backbends, whatever comes up for you, offer it up. Work with intensity, and without force, opening your Self to all that Life has to offer, knowing you are meant and able to experience it ALL. And when you can approach not just your practice, but your Living in this way, you will be more connected to Everything, and bless the world with Who You Really Are.

Stay Bendy~
With Love, Liz

What's All The Fuss About Prana?

2011-08-11T20:01:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

This month I wanted to talk a little about Edward Clark and what you can hope to get out of his workshop in September. For starters, it's a rare occasion to spend time with a Master Teacher, dare I say "international yoga celebrity", in a more intimate format that welcomes intelligent discourse and questions.

Edward is uniquely funny, brilliant and an effective and entertaining teacher. I encourage you to join us for the weekend of September 23-25 (details and comments from students who attended his previous workshop to the right) for Edward's workshop in Seattle. It promises to be a good time loaded with fun, great yoga technique, and yoga philosophy discussions. Here're a few words from Edward regarding what we'll be covering and why:

"At the very second you are reading this, somewhere on the globe, there are at least 3 yoga teachers exhorting their students to "Breathe". I have the statistics in my briefcase. Unless the students are enrolled in a YOGA FOR PEARL FISHERS PROGRAMME (copyrighted and trademarked), they can't have been avoiding breathing for too long. So, asking questions that seems too obvious and which have hence been overlooked, what are the advantages in breathing well? What constitutes "good" breathing? Also, a somewhat more sophisticated question, what are the techniques?

The answers to these questions may seem surprisingly complex and contradictory. For instance, on the one hand, "good" breathing is held as a tenet of most contemporary yoga practices whilst on the other hand, lengthy breath retentions are esteemed by much of the hatha literature of yore. The vinyasa premise is that breathing is a mechanism through which prana is manipulated. But, WAIT! What exactly is meant by the term "prana"? It would be pointless to try to give a full answer to the question in this brief pitch to lure you into attending a FULL!! Weekend of workshops and lectures (Yes, come on -- do you really think you're going to "get it" by attending a couple of the sessions? I reckon it takes at least a month of 8 hour sessions to even come close).

While this workshop won't "open your heart" or "root your core" or even "make a shamanic transformation", it will present a forum for the technical aspects of pranayama in vinyasa practice -- a subject rarely given extended discourse."

Well, there you go...from Edward himself. As most of you know, I spent a month with Edward at his studio in London learning his technique. It was an incredibly meaningful learning experience, and absolutely invaluable. We all know breathing is important, and as teachers, we talk about it constantly. Edward practices what he preaches, and what Edward will teach you is the specific whys and hows of making the breath work for you in your practice. And you may be surprised to find out it's not just about the physical practice, that's just the part people see...

Pranically Yours,

Liz

PS- to learn more about Edward's upcoming workshop in Seattle, September 23-25, or to register, email me at lizdoyle@msn.com, or check out the website: www.LizDoyleYoga.com

See you there!

Practice Interruptus

2011-08-11T19:56:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

Here's a question: what do you do when it feels like your practice is going to hell in a handbasket? And you can define that anyway you'd like:

-I don't have time to practice

-I'm frustrated with/by/from (insert reason here)

-I'm not as motivated

-I can't find a yoga teacher/studio/style I like

-I stopped and I can't make myself start again

-I'm injured

You get the picture. I've recently been struggling with my own practice. This past month I haven't been practicing as intensely as I have for the last year, I can feel the difference in my practice, and I don't like it.

It doesn't really matter why we allow disruption to our practice. In my case, my good friend Patrick, a local yoga teacher and my yoga practice buddy, broke his arm. We have been practicing together for a year and a half or so, and it's been great. We like the same crazy stuff, we both like to work hard, and we have a similar enthusiasm for the practice. I have been looking forward to practicing with Pat for 18 months, when suddenly last month, he could not practice. UGH. I've been practicing, but it hasn't been the same. It was different when I had someone to push me, inspire me and hold me accountable on the days I didn't really feel like it. And things have been a bit lackluster for the last month as a result.

I've had all the normal feelings about it- frustration, annoyance, disappointment with myself; but I've also looked for the lessons in this experience.

Here's what I've come up with so far:

1.There is an ebb and flow to life, and therefore to the practice-on all levels. So don't be lazy, but don't beat yourself up either. Do your best to keep it together during the less ideal times, and things will come back around- they always do.
2.A yoga practice is personal, individual and about svadyaya (self-study), so it's best not to let it get too wrapped up in another person, their practice, or their existence. Yoga is personal. It is about Self-realization, not "Selves" - realization.
With those lessons in mind, it's healthy and fun to practice with one or more people. It's good to connect with other humans, and despite the requisite lip service to no competition in yoga, if everyone else is trying something, you 'll probably try stuff you wouldn't try if left to your own devices. And that's a good thing for personal growth.

Connecting and interacting with others is uniquely human, and it's where all the real yoga happens. Just make sure the practice is ultimately about and for you in a way that serves your spiritual development --with or without the company. Even though it would be so much simpler if enlightenment were about leg variations in handstand, it really has nothing to do with that, and everything to do with polishing the diamond of the soul and shining the light of the intellect upon it to reveal the beauty of its facets.

So put your efforts into your own inner practice, using the tools you have acquired thus far, with the most consistent work you can muster, and let no one or no circumstance deter you from the most important work you can do-revealing your true Self.

I hope to see you soon!
Consistently Yours,

Liz

Opportunities and Challenges

2011-06-19T00:20:00.000-07:00

I was honored by my friends' request to "officiate" their commitment ceremony. What I didn't expect was how it would change me. I arrived in town for dinner, and when I got home, I reviewed what I was going to say, and started to get very emotional. I was re-working it a bit, re-typing and reviewing everything, and I needed an objective point of view. It was quite late, but my friend Stephanie answered. She approved of what I had written, and followed with: "you need to somehow incorporate this part of you into your teaching".

Well, I knew right away she was right, but I asked her to elaborate. She said, if I could share this part of me with my students, they would be able to connect with me and feel that I care about them, and she shared with me some feedback she had received from people who had attended my classes. What hurt about these words was she was right. I know I have not totally shared myself with my students. The worst part was thinking that my students had suffered for it, and did not know how much I care about them.

I don't know what this is all going to mean for me, my teaching and my students, but I do know that sharing what's in my heart (without sounding like a blowhard) will be a challenge. I'm guarded. The power of what I feel inside is overwhelming, and I don't yet know how to express it without being overly-emotional. This process is going to make me a better human being and a better yoga teacher. And that's what it's all about anyway.

I salute, honor and support my friends Gary and Chris as they embark on their life together. And I thank them for being the kind of friends that inspire and challenge me to be the best human being I can be.
--------------------

Here's what I said during the opening remarks while "officiating" the commitment ceremony:

Hi Everyone, I’m Liz. I met Gary a few years ago when he attended a yoga class I was teaching. As yoga practitioners, we’re trying to peel away the layers of junk that prevent us from radiating our true selves, which is, of course, Love. When thinking about Love, I turned to the writings of a Sufi Mystic and Poet of the 13th century named Rumi, and I came across these words, so apropos for this ceremony:

“On a day when the wind is perfect, the sail just needs to open, and the world is full of beauty. Today is such a day.”

The fact is, the wind of life, and life’s available experience, is ALWAYS perfect. It’s really just a matter of opening the sails of the heart, so that the hardened layers of protection we wear as a result of the less enjoyable aspects of Life can be shed, and Beauty can be seen in its full glory. Today IS such a day. Today is a gateway. You may have noticed that marriages are often conducted under archways. These gates or archways are symbols; of goals attained, and more importantly, as a symbol of the end of one phase, and the beginning of another.

Gary and Chris, you’ve chosen to stand here together and make some serious promises to each other, and then walk together through the metaphorical gate to the rest of your Life together. It takes courage and “heart” to make these commitments, and to have this opportunity is a Blessing. No lifetime voyage is without hardships, but know that you are not alone. We are all here, literally at your back, to support you. Today is about your love for and commitment to each other—but know that you are not the only ones making promises today. Our presence here signifies our commitment to you as a couple, helping you all along the way, doing our part to help you keep your promise to each other.

With that said, it’s the two of you that will do the heavy lifting, and reap the incomparable rewards that only come with hard work, devotion, sacrifice, and most of all Love. Where do we look for Love, and how do we keep it alive?

I don’t know what words of inspiration I can offer to the two of you, who inspire all of us. It’s your love for each other that brought you together, and brings us all here. What is love?

Gary, Love is the feeling in your heart that fills it completely, in way you never imagined you could feel for another human being…

Chris, Love is the music of Gary’s laughter in your ears…

Gary and Chris, Love is the respect you have for each other’s way of expressing themself and the confidence each of you have in being who you are…

Chris, Love is Gary’s unexpected kindness towards and tolerance of Teddy when you first met (letting you know you would get the same treatment)…

Gary, Love is talking about your future with Chris early on, even though it made you little nervous, and Love is also his reaction.

Love isn’t one big thing, Love is the Beauty in all the little things. You already recognize the Beauty in each other, and in all the little things about your Beloved. It’s these little signs of Beauty, that add up to the one big thing: the two of you together.

Before the lovely Julie reads for you, I will leave you with one last bit of advice from one of Rumi’s poems on keeping love alive:

RELATIONSHIP BOOSTER
Here is a relationship booster
that is guaranteed to
work:

Every time your spouse or lover says something stupid
make your eyes light up as if you

just heard something

brilliant.

Where are we going with all this?

2011-06-09T19:35:00.000-07:00

After a couple months of Tripsichore, since my return from Edward Clark's tutelage, I had a couple of students ask me essentially, "Where are we going with this?" I was speechless when I heard the question- both times- proving how slow I can be! I was talking with one of my teachers, Katerina Wen, describing the question and wondering why people were asking me that. She said, "Well, where ARE you going with it?" I replied, "Enlightenment." She says, "What does that mean?" I said, "I don't know, I'm not there yet and no one else I know is either!" Then we both laughed.

The epiphany for me was that I am out of touch with my students to some degree, and need to be better at explaining the WHYS of what we're doing from their perspective. The gap is a result of the fact that this is my Life's Passion, which I practice and study incessantly, and some truths seem self-evident to me, but probably aren't so obvious to someone who wanders in to the room for a workout or to become more flexible.

Don't get me wrong, you can get a workout and become more flexible by doing yoga, and though those are not reasons I practice, they are wonderful side benefits. If you think about it, it's not likely the entire reason you practice either. There is something transformative that happens in a practice, whether or not you are looking for it. If you come to my classes, you may have heard me say that if you are doing yoga solely to be in shape and shapely, then go to the gym-it's faster and cheaper. And I'm not saying this to be flippant- if you think about why you choose to practice yoga; you know it's more than hot aerobics and a stretching class.

So why do I teach what I teach, make you do all this crazy stuff over and over until you can do it proficiently? Where are we going with this? It might be illuminative to understand philosophically where I am coming from. I believe that your practice is a training ground for Life. You learn, accumulate and practice skills that take you into the real world- where the true yoga takes place. So if practice is to assist you in your Life, we must imitate the circumstances of Life to some degree. For example, Life is not always predictable, so why should your yoga practice be? Daily Life is sometimes predictable, like the individual poses or components of yoga, and those things can be refined and perfected over time for efficacy, and then we try to move between the poses with Grace (like moving from activity to activity in your Life).

What if you never challenge yourself in Life? Your world closes in around you. The same with the body-if you don't move, you lose range of motion. If you don't move your body in different ways and challenge it, it won't get stronger, and in fact, may actually weaken. I ask people to leave open the possibility for growth-mentally, emotionally, physically. I learned from one of my teachers, Lux Sternstein, to use the word YET if you find yourself saying no, can't, won't, etc. It at least leaves open the possibility for something beyond your mental limitations. "The greatest progress in your life is when you know your limitations, and you have the courage to drop them." ~Yogi Bhajan

YOU ARE AMAZING. You can do things beyond your wildest dreams. But only if you try. Would you let your child use training wheels their whole life due to fear? Or, at some point, do you put them on a two wheeler and push them down the sidewalk, even though you know they will fall? What if your one year old child decided after a few tries, or even a couple months of trying that they could not walk and just made the decision to give up? What would you say? My guess is that you would tell them that they would keep trying until they figured it out. Period.

Nick Cave (not the singer, but a director of the Art Institute of Chicago) sums up my reasoning behind pushing oneself physically in a yoga practice as a vehicle for mental expansion, "I believe that the familiar must move towards the fantastic. I want to evoke feelings that are unnamed, that aren't realized except in dreams."

So assuming you're still with me- what do we do with all of this "stuff" we've stirred up with our physical practice- why are we doing it? We're trying to cultivate a sense of mindfulness, awareness and equanimity in all situations. We observe our inner reality as we move through the challenges of our practice without interfering with what we notice. This experiential observation, in the controlled environment of our practice, is helpful to understand our reaction to: pressure, fatigue, discomfort, frustration, even elation, excitement, pleasure- and we work to maintain the consistency of the breath to create equanimity in the mind. As Edward Clark says, "Evenness of breath synchronized with evenness of movement creates evenness of mind."

If we can become skilled in our practice with this (and this works in the physical asana practice as well as a sitting (meditation) practice) we are less likely to be swallowed by the complexity of experience in our lives. Another of my teachers, Aadil Palkhivala recently wrote about the space between feeling and reacting. It's in this gap where you decide what kind of human being you will be, and in yoga, we practice recognizing the gap. Everyone has "positive" and "negative" feelings, the question is will you react to them, and if so, how? The challenges created in yoga practice represent opportunities to practice in circumstances not regularly encountered, so it becomes easier to manage the complexity of ordinary life.

The other thing you realize over time is that nobody is judging your practice- only your inner critic. And isn't that how it is for us in Life? We are our own worst critics. You learn that even when you are doing your best, sometimes you still screw up and maybe this helps you judge others less knowing they are doing their best too- and they may not have your knowledge and awareness, or tools as powerful as yours. It's important, when one runs in to plateaus, challenges or even injury and illness, to TRUST THE METHODS. They work. Well, one caveat-the methods work if YOU do! This trust of the practice (which includes the option to innovate) requires patience. And who doesn't want more of that? My Yogi Tea fortune yesterday said, "Patience gives you the power to practice; practice gives you the power that leads you to perfection." Yogi Bhajan is not talking about perfection of the physical practice; he's talking about the uber Perfection with a capital "P".

Yogi Berra says, "In theory, there's no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is." So you must do your practice. Sometimes that means it's repetitive and boring, sometimes it means you learning stuff that scares you, sometimes it means extraordinary intensity and discomfort, and just as often, joy, pleasure, satisfaction, and just plain feeling good.

If you were one of the students who asked me "where are we going with this?" I did not have a good answer, and I apologize. If you asked me today, my briefest answer would be, "We are going towards being better versions of ourselves, better human beings in general, Self and/or God realization, and in the end, Enlightenment. Whatever the heck that is." As for the long answer-I hope this newsletter helped.

Feeling (en)lighter already,

Liz Doyle
www.LizDoyleYoga.com

2011-06-09T19:32:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody,

Well, it's October 3rd and I'm sending out the "September" newsletter-- I should be writing about procrastination...perhaps next month.

I'll be keeping it uncharacteristically brief this month. Mostly what I want to share with you is the sheer elation I have with regard to the practice lately. Practicing Tripsichore makes me look forward to the next practice even before I've rolled up my mat after savasana. It's so much FUN!

The reason I mention this is that I hope you will join me and experience it. I hope it will invigorate and motivate you the way it has me. If I can share that with you, it will be a satisfying role as a teacher for me.

I think this must be what it was like to be a child and discover I could sit up, then oh my! I can crawl! Crawl??? Let's try to stand up and maybe even walk-- holy crow! Let's RUN! And dance! And now, as an adult, I'm finding the same joy, frustration, challenge and motivation as I've learned to stand, walk, and maybe even "dance" on my hands.

Even without all the fancy tricks, in it's simplest form, Tripsichore Yoga feels and looks beautiful. And perhaps I'll be equally excited about something else one day; but that's the beauty of Life, and yoga practice, as a grand experiment and discovery. Come see what's in it for you.

Experimentally Yours,

Liz Doyle
www.LizDoyleYoga.com

Tripsichore Yoga

2011-06-09T19:18:00.000-07:00

What can I say about Edward? He's out there. In a "Life (and a yoga practice) is a grand experiment, question everything" sort of way. One of the many things I appreciate about Edward is that he applies an uncommon level of intellectual rigor to the practice. He has a reason for everything he does. You may disagree with the reason, and he welcomes thoughtful discourse. Where can you find THAT in a master teacher these days?

I would say that Edward is my "guru" or my teacher, but he is an
"anti-guru" guru. He wants practitioners to think, take what he teaches and innovate- make it more, make it better, add one's own experiential knowledge to develop the technique.

I encourage anyone and everyone to do three things:

1. check out his website: www.Tripsichore.com

2. buy his video- and then have FUN!
CLICK HERE

3. attend his workshop and performance in Seattle in March (and September 2011)- date TBD- I will announce it in my newsletters (sign up for the September workshop HERE)

Mental Range of Motion

2011-06-09T19:14:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

Well, after two years of wanting, working and planning, I'm finally sitting in the airport to fly to London to study with one of my teachers, Edward Clark, of Tripsichore Yoga fame.

Just a few quick notes before I go:

First, I arranged for some great subs while I'm gone- you can see the list to the right, and I encourage you to be very consistent and diligent in your practice while I'm away. Stay strong, get stronger, work on your breathing and gracefulness, for we will have lots of meaningful and FUN work to do when I return.

Second, my teaching and workshop schedule is very busy when I return, and I encourage you to deepen your practice and join me for the weekend retreat September 24-25 at Mt. Rainier, and one of the workshops I have scheduled- you can read about them below.

Third, I wanted to share with you an experience I had in the few days leading up to my departure. I started to feel anxiety about leaving for an entire month. In my mid-thirties, I noticed something happening that I didn't appreciate very much. My comfort zone was getting smaller, and things I had enjoyed previously (like international travel) evoked a bit of fear and anxiety in me. At that time, I was preparing for a 3-week trip to South America and I realized that as we get older-- much like our connective tissue! -- our comfort zone naturally shrinks. So unless we do something to consciously push our limits, we'll end up doing less and less, and that's no way to live.

Your yoga practice is a microcosm of life in many ways, and just as in class where I encourage you to try new things, things that make you nervous, challenge you and things of which you never even conceived, I encourage you to do this in Life. Do something that makes you a little nervous- it's good for you.

Expansively Yours (and with much love),

Liz Doyle
Www.LizDoyleYoga.com

Pose of the moment: Utkatasana

2011-06-09T19:06:00.000-07:00

Last month's newsletter on crow v. crane pose was a big hit, so I thought I would briefly address another pose that is commonly referred to incorrectly. If you missed it, check it out on my blog HERE.

The pose I'll focus on this month is Utkatasana. It's often referred to as chair pose because you stick your rear end back and squat down almost as if you were sitting on an imaginary chair. However, if you translate the Sanskrit name, "utkata" actually means "powerful, fierce, uneven."

In my opinion, there's nothing fierce or powerful about sitting in a chair, and for that reason, I prefer not to refer to the pose as "chair pose", but by it's name, Fierce Pose.

The names of the poses give you an idea of what rasa, or essence to take on when performing the posture, and often indicate what is to be received from the pose. Utkatasana is the beginning of the Warrior Series, and it's meant to be fierce and powerful like a Warrior. And if one, in fact, follows BKS Iyengar's instructions, it cannot help but feel fierce. Mr. Iyengar instructs us to bend our knees until the thighs are parallel to the floor (ouch, my quads hurt just typing that), and to avoid stooping forward, but to keep the chest as far back as possible. Then he says, with no hint of irony, "breathe normally." That's why he is a yoga master I suppose.

A picture speaks a thousand words, so I'll include a few here for illustrative purposes.

Compare the feeling of "fierceness" these poses convey:

Now both of these poses are lovely visually, and yet there's a definite difference in the impression they leave, and no doubt, what the practitioner is feeling in their body.

Try out the difference for yourself in your next practice, and really go for it. You will receive the benefits (strong back, legs, toning of the organs, development of chest) of Utkatasana much more quickly and intensely.

Keeping it real and fierce,

Liz Doyle
Www.LizDoyleYoga.com

Get Down Dog

2011-06-09T18:55:00.000-07:00

Just for fun I thought I would share a couple of pictures that were taken this week while I was practicing. I was feeling grouchy when I got to practice that morning, and laid out my mat and started on some handstand walking.

When I returned to my mat about 10 minutes later, the teacher's dog, Aigo (loosely meaning "love dog"), had decided to camp out on my mat. It's funny how animals somehow know when you need some amusement. In any event, I did some other work just beside my mat and eventually decided to simply work in the available space on my mat. The teacher saw what was going on and took some pictures with his phone.

The "Love Dog" did not move until I was finished with my practice, and pulled my mat out from underneath him! And it definitely cheered me up.

Crane or Crow?

2010-06-04T14:37:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

Among many of you, I am known to be, shall we say, "particular" about the correct names of the poses and their meaning in Sanskrit.

I decided this month to address an inconsistency that has bothered me for some time. And that's "bakasana". Now, almost everyone calls this crow pose, but "baka" means "crane" in Sanskrit. The Sanskrit word for "crow" is "kaka". So why does this matter and who cares? Well, I care, and I tell you why it matters! ;)

First, let me show you some pictures:

Here's a crow:

Here's a crane:

Big difference, yes? Take a close look at the crow. Notice how it has short, sturdy legs, that are bent slightly. And yet there's a sense of lightness to the bird --- you've seen a crow hopping on the ground. That's what I mean, the legs are bent, and strong, and though the crow is much lower and closer to the ground you get the feeling that the bird is strong and could just hop, jump up and fly at any moment.

Now look at the crane. It's a water bird, and the legs are long, skinny and often straight. (I know, you are thinking my long skinny legs remind you of a crane- but I digress). The "rasa" or "essence" of the crane is a patient vigilance waiting for it's prey, it's large body perched high atop those long straight legs.

How does this translate to the physical poses? First, most people have to learn "kakasana" (crow pose), with arms bent, before they can straighten their arms and perch their body high up on top in "bakasana" (crane pose). Look at the difference between these two poses:

A young girl in kakasana (crow):

A woman in bakasana (crane):

Pretty obvious difference, right? Now compare them to the images of the actual birds above and determine for yourself if the "rasa" (essence) and feeling you get from the two poses is different and closely resembles the bird after which they are named.

If you come to my classes, you often hear me say that the name of the pose will give you an idea of what you are going for in a pose, and what qualities are there for you to receive from a pose when you are in it. Next time you lift your body up and balance on your hands, imagine yourself not just IN the pose, but AS the pose.

Be Flighty!
Liz Doyle
Www.LizDoyleYoga.com

Vote for Best Yoga in Area Code "425"!

2010-04-28T20:28:00.000-07:00

Last year, I was voted runner up for best yoga on the Eastside. And it was because people like you took the time to vote for me. It's really easy and fast, and if you're so inclined, I would appreciate your vote again this year! Here's how:

Go to http://www.425magazine.com/best_of_425.php and you'll be directed to the 425 Magazine website. Scroll down to the "Health and Beauty" section, look for "best yoga studio" and type in: www.LizDoyleYoga.com

I also teach kids yoga at various schools each week, and you can vote for me for
"best after school program" by finding the "kids" section, and typing in: www.LittleFriendsYoga.com

Thanks for your help!

Wishes and Kids

2010-04-28T20:26:00.000-07:00

What you see above is a hand gesture known as "Kubera Mudra". It is considered to be a very powerful mudra for manifesting things you want. It also cultivates inner repose, confidence and serenity.

Here's how it works:
Simply place your ring and pinky finger into the palm of your hand, say outloud the thing you desire, and then connect the index and middle fingers to the thumb.

There is a palpable feeling of energy in the tips of the fingers!

This week we did this in one of my kids classes and when I asked if the kids could feel energy in the connection between their fingers, one little girl said, "It's like your fingers are talking to each other!" Indeed.

Wringing Things Out In Twists

2010-04-28T20:25:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

Wringing Things Out In Twists

This month one of the studios where I work asked me to write an article about twisting in asana. This is that article:

I will cover the importance of twists, their physical and energetic effects, symbolism of twists, benefits, some tips for going deeper comfortably in twists, and a few caveats.

Twists are a significant part of the practice because the central nervous system is housed in the spine (and brain). So when you want to influence the physical body and the energetic body, you have to manipulate the spine. When you are in an asana, consider what the spine is doing.

Think very simply about these poses: feel the body, what is the body telling you? Is it hot, or is it cold? etc... Based on the heat level in the body, you can feel where things are going on an energetic level, and if the spine is twisting, there is some obvious heat. You may wonder why twisting poses are known as detoxification poses-- twisting wrings out the organs, and stimulates the spiraling movement of the energy.

On a physical level, twists stretch the deepest back muscles, especially those closest to the midline of the body (the spine). As you are twisting, every organ inside you is being twisted and compressed, and when the twist is released, your system can flush fresh blood through your organs cleansing and stimulating them. Equally important, twists maintain the range of motion of the spine, both on the structural and muscular level.

Energetically, the spiraling of the spine has profound effects. If you look at a tree, or the growth of a bone, there is never a straight line, it's always in some kind of a spiral. Even as your nose is working a turbine effect, swirling and spiraling the breath through your body, your spine is making the same shape, magnifying the energetics. In my own practice, I feel the adding of a twist to a pose doubles or even triples the energetic effect of what I am doing, and sometimes magnifies or speeds things up.

Twists are very balancing in general, and can have the effect of decreasing frustration, anxiety and fear. Often as we feel these emotions, we hold our body differently, so twisting may be simply releasing the tension we hold as a result of experiencing these emotions. Regardless of whether the resistance is emotional, mental or strictly physical, this is good reason to move into twists mindfully, and without speed. Take time to feel your way into these poses, breathing the whole time. Have a sense of the twist happening in your whole spine, including your thoracic (mid back) spine, rather than isolating the twist in the cervical (neck) or lumbar (low back) spine. I often see practitioners initiate or drive the twist from the neck. The best way to approach twists, in my experience, is to keep the front of the spine as long as possible and think of articulating each vertebrae in the twist from the bottom to the top of the spine. There is a tendency for a forward or side bend when we twist, and this is not conducive to maximum twisting and comfort. It requires more effort, but go for a mild backbending of the spine first, and then twist. Play around with it in your own practice, you'll find you can twist significantly more with the front of the spine elongated.

An entire article could be dedicated to just the symbology of twists, so I'll try to keep it brief. Each pose has its own essence, and there is something you can receive each time you take a twist, although it may not always be the same every time.

In the case of twists, how many times have you heard someone say:

"They're all wound up!"
"I just need some time to unwind."
"The road of Life is full of twists and turns."
"It's a vicious spiral."

Spirals are physically, energetically and mentally ubiquitous. When you come into your next seated twist, consider how winding around and looking behind you might give you a new perspective. Twists remind us of the need to reflect on what we've done and notice as things come full circle- pun intended, of course!

In challenging twists like parivrtta trkonasana (revolving triangle pose), it becomes clear for the need to be well grounded. A strong foundation is critical for a sense of lightness and freedom as you move in all directions. What is the right balance between effort and surrender- especially when there is much to manage- and how can we relate this to how we are in the world?

In a situation where right and left become ambiguous, what does this teach us? In a world where things aren't always as they seem, how do we move from disorientation to integration?

Ultimately, your yoga practice is a microcosm of Life. The situations you encounter in the practice room have application where the real yoga takes place- with your friends, family and co-workers. If twists can teach us to let go of our attachment to the right and left sides of our body, perhaps we can also learn to relinquish our search for security through attachment to that which is transient.

Stay twisty,
Liz Doyle
Www.LizDoyleYoga.com

(Fine print: 1. Deep closed twists are not recommended for those who are pregnant. 2. Please let your teacher know if you have vertebrae, disc or sacroiliac issues. 3. Never force yourself into a twist- be well grounded and take your time breathing your way into it. 4. Have fun!)

PRAN(A) MUDRA

2010-04-28T20:23:00.000-07:00

This is a mudra (hand gesture) I use in kids yoga. It is the gesture of Life and offers the following benefits:

> increased vitality
> increased self-confidence
> reduces anxiety
> helps turn Life's challenges into adventures

We use it with a self affirming chant while marching through "scary" parts of a yoga story.

As grown ups, we can do it at any time, while in a yoga asana or not to enjoy it's benefits.

A Quietus

2010-04-28T20:22:00.001-07:00

Hello Friends!

One of my dear friends is scheduled for brain surgery this week. She was supposed to have her surgery last week, but her neurosurgeon sprained his ankle badly and had to postpone the surgery for a week. Can you imagine going through the mental preparations for something like that, getting yourself "psyched up", and having it canceled the day before? Unbelievably stressful. She was understandably upset, in tears and distraught, not sure how she would be able to go through it again.

Fortunately, one of her best friends called her and invited her to go skiing. My friend refused, because she was busy at home in her pajamas, crying and scared to death of facing another week of anticipating this surgery. Even more fortunately, her friend is very strong and called back and simply told her to get ready, and she would pick her up in 20 minutes.

My friend went skiing and it completely changed her mindset. Talking with her after she got back, she sounded like a different person, and she was so glad she went.

Coincidentally, the word of the day on my iPhone app was:
quietus
-noun,plural-tus·es.
1. a finishing stroke; anything that effectually ends or settles: Having given a quietus to the argument, she left.
2. discharge or release from life.
3. a period of retirement or inactivity.

It seems that we often think that these times of rejuvenation, or removal from "activity" must be an event, large and/or final. What I'm learning is it doesn't have to be like that.

There's a fantastic metaphorical lesson from camel pose (ustrasana). The camel takes what it needs when it is available and stores it for later. Ustrasana teaches us about replenishing when we can, and saving up for the long haul and times when there isn't enough. Life requires stamina, which requires energy and judicious expenditures of that precious energy.

And this doesn't necessarily mean that you work yourself silly until your vacation. Back to the camel-- although the camel can consume up to 30 gallons of water in 13 minutes (a vacation if you will), it is also able to glean enough from winter desert plants for the camel to last weeks without water.

Life is a constant juggling act of responsibilities, activities, and energy exchange. Don't squander the opportunities for joy, play, time with loved ones and rest, even when they seem to brief to matter, or it seems challenging to take advantage of them. We need them to balance those times when we're "building character."

p.s. in the process of the time it took me to finish this letter, my friend has had her surgery and is doing amazingly well!

Warmly,

Liz Doyle
www.LizDoyleYoga.com
lizdoyle@msn.com

PRATYAHARA (withdrawal of the senses)

2010-04-28T20:19:00.000-07:00

At a recent class with one of my teachers, something happened that was the perfect example of citta vrtti (fluctuations of the mind) and the power of pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses).

We were at the end of class, and we usually sit for 5-10 minutes. The teacher had a CD in the CD/radio player of Gregorian chant-like repetitions of the word OM. It was quite trance inducing. At the same time, the radio must have been picking up a strong feed because I could hear a staticky talk radio feed in the background. Not loud or clear enough to understand what was being said, but loud and staticky enough to be completely annoying and distracting.

Being the Buddha-like practitioner that I am, I began screaming (just kidding). It was interesting though, because I thought after a while that this must be exactly what my incessant mind chatter (citta vrtti) must be like. Not loud enough to be a conscious thing, but steady, full of static (metaphor for annoying and negative), and damned distracting.

The whole point of yoga is to ultimately quiet the mind - Yoga Sutra 1.2: Yogah cittavrtti nirodhah: yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind - and here was this perfect metaphor right in front of me.

So, I began listening to my breathing, feeling for my heartbeat, looking inward, and guess what? I know it sounds like I'm making it up, but it really seemed that the distracting static went away for a while. I didn't believe it was really working, because I could still hear the OMs, and I thought, "Oh, well, it just isn't picking up static anymore." So I started listening for the static again, and sure enough, it was still there. The other thing that happened, was that even though I wasn't even thinking about it, I came up with an idea for which I'd been searching for weeks.

Why am I telling you this? For two reasons:
1. These yoga practices really do work.
2. Your practice is a microcosm of Life. Figure this stuff out in the practice room, and you will have tools to manage and improve your life.

We all have distracting, destructive mind chatter, and most of it is pretty repetitive. The easiest thing is to distract the mind with something positive, a short phrase or word (a mantra of sorts, if you will). As long as your brain is on a hamster wheel, it might as well be a positive - or at least neutral- one.

Eventually, the mind really does quiet, and the more you practice, the easier it gets and the quicker the quietness comes. When your mind is quiet, that's when the good stuff arrives. Try it out- your creative brilliance might surprise even YOU!

Yoga Sutras and Contentment

2010-01-28T13:12:00.000-08:00

What Do the Yoga Sutras Have to Say About
Santosha (Contentment)?
Everything you need is inside you.

2.42 From an attitude of contentment (santosha), unexcelled happiness, mental comfort, joy, and satisfaction is obtained.
(santosha anuttamah sukha labhah)

santosha = contentment
anuttamah = unexcelled, extreme, supreme
sukha = pleasure, happiness, comfort, joy, satisfaction
labhah = is acquired, attained, gained
Santosha brings happiness and joy: From an attitude of contentment (santosha), unexcelled happiness, mental comfort, joy, and satisfaction is obtained.

Contentment comes from within: We humans seem to always be seeking satisfaction in the external world and our internal fantasies. Only when we comfortably accept what we currently have will be able to do the practices that lead to the highest realization.

Respect

2010-01-28T13:06:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends!

I was talking with one of my teachers, and relaying a story a yoga teacher once told during a class, and my reaction to it. Her immediate reaction was, "You HAVE to write about that in your next newsletter!!!"

So here you go: I was in a class with a yoga teacher we'll call "Bob". Bob was telling us how he was in a public restroom and before he washed his hands, he turned the knob on the paper towel dispenser so he didn't have to touch it after washing his hands. (He was preaching to the choir so far, because I do the same thing.)

Bob commences washing his hands, splashing his face, whatever... While he's taking care of business, he notices the guy next to him is done washing his hands and is shaking the water off his hands, wiping the water off his hands, and repeating. Bob finally figures out that this gentleman saw Bob get his paper towel ready and was WAITING for Bob to finish so that he could dry his own hands.

Bob then pauses for dramatic effect, and says theatrically, "Now THAT is respect." Pardon me, for being so contrary, but the first thing that popped into my mind was, "Sorry, Bob, RESPECT would have been you telling the poor man to take the towel and THANKING him for noticing and waiting so politely without rushing you."

The lesson here is that we all get very self-centric, and think that WE are the ones due respect. (Check this out next time you're in traffic and get angry when someone won't let you merge, yet you find yourself behaving the same way when you're in a hurry.) We forget that everyone is due common courtesy and respect and the best way to engender respect is to be respectful and behave in ways worthy of respect. Given that we aren't (well, I'll speak for myself!) all perfect, I hope that when we realize that we have not behaved in a way that is worthy of our fellow humans and their respect, that we acknowledge it, and apologize-- if not to them, at least in our own hearts.

Respectfully, :)

Liz Doyle
www.LizDoyleYoga.com
lizdoyle@msn.com
206.660.2321

LOYALTY

2010-01-28T13:01:00.000-08:00

Writing about respect got me thinking about loyalty and rewarding quality. So here're some links to people who are highly talented in their profession, and decent human beings. If you are able use them, please do!

Robert Varley (www.eleveightsalon.com) has been cutting my hair since I was 15. Robert's amazing; I had a precision haircut once that was so incredible, strangers would stop me on the street and ask who did my hair. He just opened his new salon. He also does stunning container gardens for your deck.

Dr. Russ Nomi (www.nomidds.com) is my dentist. Very down to earth, and an unbelievably talented dentist. Russ is an impressive businessman -- wait until you see the efficiency with which his business runs, that's a study unto itself-- and a great guy.

Lucy (www.lucy.com) is a yoga and active wear apparel story, with locations in Redmond, Bellevue and UVillage. The people that work there have been very kind to me, and it is likely the friendliest staff you'll find around. Very helpful and upbeat, and their clothes are great.

Phyzz Yoga (www.phyzzyoga.com) has been featured on local television,
and is run by my friend Karen Lindenberg. Phyzz Yoga is a Seattle-based mobile yoga studio that brings yoga and meditation classes to offices and unexpected spaces. Karen is fun, funny, and a quality instructor and person.

Be Truly You (www.betrulyyou.com) is a Seattle Based company born out of the passion of two women, my friend Ann Caiola, and her business partner, Heather. They offer eco-and soul-friendly clothing and lifestyle products. Be Truly You is one of the first companies to offer a line of eco-friendly glass water bottles encouraging us to reduce our bottled water usage and lessen our environmental footprint. I love mine!

SANTOSHA (Contentment)

2010-01-28T12:58:00.000-08:00

I realized recently while washing dishes in my "step-saver" kitchen, that I am feeling a sense of contentment I have never felt. I'm living very simply, well within my means and have whittled my personal belongings down to very little.

It's quite liberating really. I will say that I got here kicking and screaming all the way. It's hard to let go of things of which we're fond.

I know that this is a feeling I should have had all my life. I have spent most of my life striving for more and bigger and better, and thought that if I was truly content with my current situation it would make me complacent.

Of course, that's not true. It's human nature to excel and explore the boundaries of what we're capable. What I've found instead is that I have more energy, and I'm more excited about life in general and my plans.

All of this simply because I've allowed myself to enjoy what Life has offered me so far.

Upcoming Events!

2010-01-28T12:52:00.000-08:00

I'll be leading a gentle movement and Yin Yoga class at Lucy in UVillage February 5, 2010 from 12-1PM. It's free, so grab your mat, a blankie, and come on down!

See other events (Backbending workshop, teen yoga, yoga alignment workshop) in the below post.

Upcoming Events/Workshops

2009-12-23T14:24:00.001-08:00

Here are a few things I hope you attend!

Teen Yoga:

Next start date: 1/10/10
Sunday 3:15PM-4:15PM
at Shakti Vinyasa Ballard
Phone: 206.297.9642

If you're interested, please pre-register, we need 10 students to continue the series.

Secrets of Backbending Workshop:

at Shakti Vinyasa Ballard
February 6, 2010
1PM-3:30PM

at Yogalife Greenlake
February 20, 2010
12:30PM-3PM

We will cover:
*basic spine anatomy
*purpose and benefits of backbending
*the critical contribution of hips and shoulders
*simple (but little known) tips to happier and deeper backbends

Yoga Basics Workshop:

Appropriate for ALL levels. Good alignment is critical, for both safety and rapid advancement of your practice, particularly when we are moving around quickly in a vinyasa class. Please make the time to attend this valuable class.

at Gold's Gym
Issaquah January 23, 2010 1-3PM
Redmond January 30, 2010 1-3PM
Bothell February 13, 2010 1-3PM

Expect to learn:
*proper alignment and fine tuning for a variety of foundation poses
*graceful transitions between poses
*basics of breath control techniques
*deep relaxation techniques

Twelve Days of Yoga

2009-12-23T14:18:00.000-08:00

I have to give credit to my favorite people at the Palace (there was a hummingbird nest in the fruit tree outside the studio-- check out blog entries) for the inspiration for this holiday yoga song, sung to the tune of "12 Days of Christmas." Special thanks to Jagrata Minardi for the 5th day (+) and Ed Clark for the 2nd day inspiration.

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
a Hummingbird in a pear tree!

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me:
2 Titthi-Bs
and a Hummingbird in a pear tree!

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
3 handstands
2 Titthi-Bs
and a Hummingbird in a pear tree!

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
4 lunge twists
3 handstands
2 Titthi-Bs
and a Hummingbird in a pear tree!

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
5 CHATTURANGAS!
4 lunge twists
3 handstands
2 Titthi-Bs
and a Hummingbird in a pear tree!

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
6 lotuses blooming
5 CHATTURANGAS!
4 lunge twists
3 handstands
2 Titthi-Bs
and a Hummingbird in a pear tree!

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
7 dogs a-downing
6 lotuses blooming
5 CHATTURANGAS!
4 lunge twists
3 handstands
2 Titthi-Bs
and a Hummingbird in a pear tree!

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
8 crows a-flying
7 dogs a-downing
6 lotuses blooming
5 CHATTURANGAS!
4 lunge twists
3 handstands
2 Titthi-Bs
and a Hummingbird in a pear tree!

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
9 Shivas dancing
8 crows a-flying
7 dogs a-downing
6 lotuses blooming
5 CHATTURANGAS!
4 lunge twists
3 handstands
2 Titthi-Bs
and a Hummingbird in a pear tree

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
10 peacocks strutting
9 Shivas dancing
8 crows a-flying
7 dogs a-downing
6 lotuses blooming
5 CHATTURANGAS!
4 lunge twists
3 handstands
2 Titthi-Bs
and a Hummingbird in a pear tree

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
11 Hanumans leaping
10 peacocks strutting
9 Shivas dancing
8 crows a-flying
7 dogs a-downing
6 lotuses blooming
5 CHATTURANGAS!
4 lunge twists
3 handstands
2 Titthi-Bs
and a Hummingbird in a pear tree!

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

12 Suns Saluting
11 Hanumans leaping
10 peacocks strutting
9 Shivas dancing
8 crows a-flying
7 dogs a-downing
6 lotuses blooming
5 CHATTURANGAS!
4 lunge twists
3 handstands
2 Titthi-Bs
and a Hummingbird in a pear tree!

Stability vs. Rigidity

2009-12-23T14:13:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends!

I want to talk about this idea of rigidity versus stability. What first got me thinking about it was this article about Pilates that was commenting on our obsession with the "core," and that most of us aren't able to engage the deep midsection muscles. Moreover, most of us tend to think of ab work as something that creates a six pack.

Oddly enough, I've seen people in my class with some great six packs who have clearly been putting in a lot of time on the Ab Master, but can barely hold themselves up in side plank. Although side plank requires a certain amount of strength through the side waist and midsection, it's a relatively simple pose. So whatever they are doing, and I'm certainly not complaining about the aesthetic, there's not much there in terms of function. There's plenty to discuss as it relates to the physical practice of yoga, but maybe this rap would be more interesting if we talk about it as a metaphor for life.

As a person and a human being, it seems that achieving stability without rigidity would be desirable. We want to have abilities, things and people around us that can support us and keep us from getting wacky; at the same time, we want to keep our resiliency. And I mean that both from a mental perspective, the way we think, but also as it relates to how we react to life and life experience. In other words, the ability to bounce back. And when we know we're resilient and that we have the ability to "bounce back" from the most trying of circumstances, I think it affords a certain level of calmness that translates to emotional stability.

On a physical level, how do we apply this concept? On the one hand we have big muscle groups and we can make them big and giant and strong on the surface. Sort of bracing ourselves, or applying a thin layer of cement around our skeleton. There's nothing wrong with that unless we do that to the exclusion of all the deep, internal support systems, like our tendons, ligaments, pelvic floor and diaphragm. And all the little stabilizing muscles that we don't think about much until we need to use them, and we realize "holy crow, I got nuthin'!"

If we can create some stability from the inside out, I think that's a much more effective plan of action vs. patching things from the outside, hoping to create stability on the inside. It's an interesting way to look at our yoga practice, because we often get distracted by the extremities of the pose. For example, "am I touching the floor?", am I holding my big toe?", etc. And what really needs our attention is everything that's touching the floor and holding us up. What does that feel like? Because that's our foundation. And the pose should be built from there. And from there, play with the internal engagements-- the lift of the pelvic floor, the use of the deep belly muscles, et al.
If you're not sure what I'm talking about, get in downward dog and notice how at the end of your exhalation, your low belly sucks up toward your spine and you don't even have to try to do it. Also notice how soft the "six-pack" belly muscles are. there's something deeper than that happening to lift your belly up, and yet the outer muscles are still very, very soft. So what is that? How is it working? There are lots of muscles working there, the psoas being one of them in that case.

The question then becomes, how do we identify, use and strengthen these things? We talk a lot about mula bandha (root lock) and uddiyana bandha (belly lock), and those things, frankly, take most yoga practitioners a solid 1-3 years to really get a handle on. And the refinement of those goes on for a lifetime. I'm just now, after 10 years, getting to the point where I can effectively articulate mula bandha in ways that helps me in different poses.

It's interesting to explore, but if all we're trying to get is strong quads, glutes and a six pack, then we're never going to get all the subtleties. When the big muscles are locked down, the smaller, deeper (but arguably more powerful) muscles can't fire at all. And we won't be as stable, safe or strong in terms of function. We may look strong, but are we strong? And I'm not talking about how much can you bench press, but are you strong enough to support and manipulate your own body. I don't think we have to choose, but if we do choose, do we prefer to BE strong, or LOOK strong?

For me, in my life--- emotionally, mentally, physically, spiritually, I want to BE strong. Hey, I don't mind looking good any more than the next guy ;), but I want it to be real, and authentic, and deep, and from the inside.

So, keep practicing, and I'll see you soon!

Warmly,

Liz Doyle
www.LizDoyleYoga.com
lizdoyle@msn.com

Think Crazy, Take Chances...

2009-12-02T13:55:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends!

I've never considered myself a particularly fearful person, I've always thought of myself as being strong, resilient and open to change. I recently butted up against my own limitations with the latest project I'm working on, which is a children's yoga DVD (ultimately with a book and yoga cards, for those of you with kids). One thing at a time!!

If I'm to be perfectly candid, I've been procrastinating a little, and been a little half-rumped about it. I don't have a ton of money to spend on production, and I've been fortunate to be introduced to a professional filmmaker/videographer, who is highly qualified, and will do it for very little.

Anyhow, I was supposed to send him an email a couple of weeks ago, and I told him I would do it in a few days. I just didn't send it, and wasn't sure what was holding me back. I had spent the time to outline all the steps to completing the video-- find some kids, figure out what I'm going to do, etc. I finally figured out that I hadn't sent the email that would put it all in motion because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to pull it off. And it sounds so ridiculous, it's just a video, and really, who cares?

I suppose it started to feel like a lot of pressure. I get a gaggle of kids lined up, and their parents have expectations, and if I tell people, my friends and students will have expectations, and what if I am not good enough to make it interesting and compelling and finish it??? I'm afraid. And that stopped me from doing the simplest things.

It became clear that if I broke it down into tiny steps, I could do those steps and it wouldn't feel scary. So, I made a list of kids currently in my classes that would be good candidates for the video, and I wrote notes to their parents asking permission to include the child. And then of course, I had to deliver them! What if they say "yes" and then it never happens, do I look like a jerk? etc, etc.... so I thought, I'll just write the notes. And then I was able to get the chutzpah to pass out a couple of them, and then a couple more...

My mind was making up all kinds of stories and reasons why the parents would say "no", why I couldn't do it, and why it wouldn't work out for me. It's almost embarrassing to be telling all of you this. I had already written out everything I needed to say to the videographer in the email, and simply did not send it. Why? Why?? So silly. So finally I just typed it up (which took a full 1.5 minutes! I'm sure he's thinking "this took you TWO weeks????") and sent it. So far, the world has not come to an end.

Now it's done and I can move forward. This was such a good lesson showing me that I just have to try. Coincidentally, if there is such a thing, I've been running across inspirational quotes about simply making an effort and trying. Reminding me that the failure is not in a lack of success, but a lack of trying to do anything meaningful. I finally convinced myself that I have to go for it. Not just in this situation, but in Life. And if it doesn't work out, so what? What am I afraid of? Seems so obvious, doesn't it?

So I encourage you to think crazy and take chances. Live a good life. I mean, why not?

Warmly,

Liz Doyle
www.LizDoyleYoga.com

My Family: The Best Yoga Teachers

2009-12-02T13:48:00.000-08:00

I was home for Thanksgiving, and my parents and I went to visit my grandmother in the assisted living facility. We were all sitting around chatting when suddenly grandma looks at me and says, "You've gained weight. You're fat, you need to lose some weight." What a sweetie, no?
Anyhow, it got me thinking about Satya (truthfulness) and Ahimsa (consideration for self and others). We all know that we're not supposed to lie and we're not supposed to hurt people. What is interesting to me, as a human and a yogi, is striking that right balance between these principles. At what cost to Ahimsa do we tell the truth? And at what cost to Satya do we spare someone's feelings? I don't know the answers, but this is what make the yamas and niyamas an interesting study. Let me know when you figure it out! ;)

RROOOOOAAAARRRRRRRR!!!!!!

2009-12-02T13:46:00.000-08:00

Imagine you're a lion today and receive these benefits:

~Relieves tension in the chest and face.
~Stimulates the platysma, a flat, thin, rectangular-shaped muscle on the front of the throat. The platysma, when contracted, pulls down on the corners of the mouth and wrinkles the skin of the neck.
~Simhasana helps keep the platysma firm as we age.
~Facilitates the three major bandhas (Mula, Jalandhara, Uddiyana).

The Breath, Self-study and the Practice

2009-09-28T20:09:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

About a year ago, I felt that the next stage of development in my practice would come from a melioration of the breath, and it's something I work on constantly. The practice is, as one of my teacher's said, "a meditation on the breath".

On a recent vacation, I attended a yoga class and the teacher kept encouraging a VERY loud Ujjayi breath (see article to the right for a description). I listened carefully to her thoughts and instructions, and tried some things out in my own body.

In my opinion, especially for beginners, an extremely loud breath can be particularly helpful in tracking the breath and it's qualities, as well as learning to control it. And even as one's practiced becomes more advanced, I think it can be helpful on occasion to power up the breath depending on what's happening in any given day or pose; perhaps if one is losing track of the breath or having difficulty sustaining a consistent breath during a particular practice. But I don't think that the volume of the breath is the only indicator of its proper execution.

I often hear or see students in my class who have such an intensity in the breath, that it actually creates tension in the body. Additionally, the movement of the breath in the body is isolated to one particular area, and not necessarily because the breath is intentionally directed there.

At some point in one's practice, there is a refinement of the breath, making it more subtle, and I'm not referring simply to it's volume. The Ujjayi rhythm, always audible by it's nature, becomes an opportunity to regulate the breath in a controlled way, and in no way creates undue tension or tightness in the breath or body. As for where the movement of the breath can or should be found, watch this video of BKS Iyengar demonstrating JUST ONE BREATH. And notice, with an inhalation of nearly 50 seconds, his body barely moves. There's no radical pumping or expansion of the belly, it's as if the entire body is gently and calmly absorbing the breath equally. And listen to the sound... the beginning sounds exactly the same as the middle and the end.

As an experiment, try to make each of your exhalations sound like the inhalations, your inhalations sound like exhalations, and the duration and quality of each sound the same throughout your entire practice--WOW! It requires such focus and control. And at first, learning to direct the breath to certain areas of your body is helpful. Later, maybe one can achieve the ability to breathe as fully as Iyengar, as the entire body participates equally in the breath.

Yoga is a practice where everything, and I mean everything, is done with intention. Not a cell of your body is left out of your awareness, and everything has meaning and purpose. Your practice is a vehicle for self-study. Try new and different things out in your own body and decide for yourself what you think and why.

Treat your practice with respect and love. Whether you intend it or not, the beauty that occurs in your practice will spill out into your everyday life, so make it the best you can.

Warmly,

Liz Doyle
www.LizDoyleYoga.com

What is Ujjayi breathing and how is it done?

2009-09-28T20:07:00.000-07:00

I like Tim Miller's description:

When done properly, Ujjayi (translated as "victorious") breathing should be both energizing and relaxing. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali suggests that the breath should be both dirga (long) and suksma (smooth).

The sound of Ujjayi is created by gently constricting the opening of the throat to create some resistance to the passage of air. Gently pulling the breath in on inhalation and gently pushing the breath out on exhalation against this resistance creates a well-modulated and soothing sound-something like the sound of ocean waves rolling in and out.

It is important to remember that the key to Ujjayi breathing is relaxation; the action of Ujjayi naturally lengthens the breath. Some small effort is required to produce a pleasing sound, but too much effort creates a grasping quality and a grating sound. Generally, it is the inhalation that presents the greater challenge. So begin by practicing on the exhalation where there is a natural letting go process.

To practice the inhalation, focus on creating a soothing and pleasing sound that is unhurried and unforced. I suggest working on your Ujjayi breathing in a seated, relaxed cross- legged position. Imagine sipping the breath in through a straw. If the suction is too strong the straw collapses and great force is required to suck anything through it.

Once Ujjayi breathing is mastered in a seated position, the challenge is to maintain the same quality of breathing throughout your asana practice.

Throughout your practice, try to maintain the length and smoothness of the breath as much as possible. Once you find a baseline Ujjayi breath in a pose that is not too strenuous (Downward Facing Dog for example), endeavor to maintain that quality of breath throughout the practice. Some asanas require great effort, and you may begin to strain in your breath. If you are straining in your breath, you may be pushing yourself too hard in your practice.

Use that feedback as a guide throughout your practice-if you start to strain, it may be time to back out of a pose and rest.

Moving Again... a study on impermanence.

2009-09-28T20:01:00.000-07:00

I just moved for the third time in 2 years (don't ask!) and I was lying in bed last night, first night in the "new" place, and couldn't sleep. The feeling of the impermanence of everything in life, including my own life and the lives of those I love, was feeling so heavy.

The first line of the book The Road Less Traveled is "Life is difficult." I remember reading those words 10 years ago and thinking that it was stupid, but now I understand it in a different way. I realized that I have been waiting for life to get easy and things to settle down and change less so I could relax. I've been coming to understand in a new way (not simply from an intellectual perspective) that the nature of life itself is that it is constantly changing and it's challenging. So I might as well relax now, right? I was discussing this with my friend Mary Kay, and she said, "Instead of waiting for things to settle before you relax, why don't you relax and see what settles?" Amazingly profound.

I'm learning why the very nature of life feels so weighty to me at the moment. I suspect it's because this understanding is moving from an intellectual understanding, and into my being via the body, so I'm feeling this concept as emotions and sensations. And it feels like a loss. A loss of security in the traditional sense. Who knows what will fill it's place, or how long that will be around.

Although I'm not sure it's been all that practical, these moves, I think, have been good for me. They have been a constant reminder of the impermanence of Life, and everyone and everything in it. I have been unable to become complacent as it relates to change and impermanence because the minute I start to feel settled everything is changing again. I also just realized as I'm writing this that my moves have all been right at or very near solstices or equinoxes, which is another marker of change. Another friend, Karen, was suggesting I remain mindful of the unconscious associations I may make with these events as it relates to the time of year. For example, she was recalling when a beloved pet died in the late fall, and for a long time couldn't figure out why she kept getting depressed in the fall.

As I ponder the constant change, and the fleeting nature of everyone and everything around me, I am more appreciative of the time I have with people and circumstances. I've also realized which possessions I care most about. A person really figures out what belongings are meaningful when they have to haul them around all the time. And what has simply been hanging around is more easily discarded. It's a good exercise.

I'm not sure where this is all going, so for now, I'll settle for this understanding and more appreciation for everything Life has to offer. Even the stuff that doesn't seem so great at the time.

What are the Eight Limbs of Yoga?

2009-08-24T20:10:00.000-07:00

What Are the EIGHT LIMBS of Yoga?

The eight limbs refers to the eightfold path of yoga. BKS Iyengar says, "When the eight disciplines are followed with dedication and devotion, they help the practitioner to become physically, mentally, and emotionally stable so that he can maintain equanimity in all circumstances. He learns to know the Supreme Soul, and to live in speech, thought and action in accordance with the highest truth."

The eight limbs are as follows:

1. Yama:
Our attitudes towards others

2. Niyama:
Our attitudes towards ourselves

(for more info on Yama and Niyama,
see a previous blog entry)

3. Asana:
Practice of the physical postures

4. Pranayama:
Practice of breath control exercises

5. Pratyahara:
Withdrawal of the senses

6. Dharana:
Concentration

7. Dhyana:
Meditation

8. Samadhi:
Total absorption, profound meditation

2009-07-20T19:33:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

Socially unacceptable feelings. We all have them; anger, frustration, sadness, jealousy, resentfulness, impatience, the list goes on. Since we all have them and experience them, why do we find it so hard to be honest about it and express these feelings?

I think it's particularly challenging in the yoga community, where part of our practice is observing the yamas and niyamas (see the previous blog entry), and part of practicing yoga and "taking one's yoga off the mat" is living differently out in the world. It's seems to me that many interpret this as "I'm not supposed to have these feelings".

I was talking with one of my teachers about my perceived pressure, as a yoga teacher, to be a certain way. She summed it up so well:

"I am very up front with what I am going through. I don't want people thinking for a minute I live in an ivory tower and I will not perpetuate the perfect-life-yoga-teacher crap. I think we should let people know we are getting pummeled, so they can see us recover."

It's not real for people to pretend they are always happy and perfectly content and peaceful. It's a load of crap. As humans we all experience these "negative" feelings. As yogis, the yoga is not in avoiding socially acceptable feelings, or in denying them, but acknowledging them (satya), and still maintaining good behavior.

For example, it's normal to get frustrated while driving in traffic. Instead of pretending your not annoyed by the guy that almost crashed into you, hopefully, you'll recognize what you're feeling, sense what's happening in your body (for example, where you are holding tension and gripping, what's happening with your breath), stay calm and let it go. Either that, or you could go into a road rage and follow them yelling and honking and using your car as a weapon. We've all seen those people too, and hopefully we can avoid the "negative" action that might result from the "undesirable" feeling or experience.

Yoga is not about cessation of the mind, or for that matter cessation of an experience, like negative feelings; it is about refining the mind and consciously directing our attention to accomplish what we desire, with the tools (the mind and body) that we've been given. Stay present in the now. You won't always live up to your personal ideal of perfection, but that's normal. Have a REAL experience, and live to the best of your ability. There's no joy without sorrow, no pleasure without pain. The contrast of the the nadir of human existence helps us appreciate the pinnacle of human existence. Use your practice to help you understand how to fully experience everything that Life has to offer. And we'll all be right along side each other, occasionally tripping down the path.

Warmly,

Liz Doyle
http://www.lizdoyleyoga.com/

What the heck are the Yamas and Niyamas???

2009-07-20T19:26:00.001-07:00

Hi All!

I thought I would post this from July's newsletter as a refresher. Also, I there was a typo in the newsletter, listing both the Yamas and Niyamas as "attitudes toward ourselves"... I suppose that was a Freudian slip of sorts alluding to my extreme narcissism-- HA! So here you go:

What are the Yamas and Niyamas?

Yamas - our attitudes toward others:

1. Ahimsa: Non-harming

2. Satya: Truthfulness or right communication

3. Asteya: Non-stealing or non-covetousness

4. Brahmacharya: Appropriate use of sexual energy or moderation

5. Aparigraha: Non-hoarding

Niyamas- our attitudes towards ourselves:

1. Sauca: Cleanliness

2. Santosha: Contentment

3. Tapas: Self-discipline or correct habits

4. Svadyaya: Self-study

5. Isvara Pranidhana:
Reverence to a higher intelligence or the acceptance of our limitations in relation to God

Living in Greatness

2009-07-12T21:13:00.000-07:00

This mind-blowing picture is of our own Bernhard Weigl. Who would have guessed that the unassuming, hard-working practitioner with a graceful practice is also a cover-boy for a kite-surfing magazine??? All I have to say is, this is why we work on backbends in class!

So back to the title of the article. I've done a bit of ultra running, and after completing a 5 day stage race in the Colorado Rockies a couple of years ago, I was a bit teary-eyed telling a class about it. I was emotional because it was challenging, and there was a moment when I wasn't sure I could do it, so finishing it meant something to me. Someone actually asked me that question: "Why would anyone want to do that?".

It really set me back. After I was done being offended, it got me thinking: why DO I want to do those kind of things? As it turns out, that night I picked up the Tao Te Ching, and opened it to the 25th verse:

"There was something formless and perfect before the universe was born. It is serene. Empty. Solitary. Unchanging. Infinite. Eternally present. It is the Mother of the universe. For lack of a better name, I call it the Tao. I call it great. Great is boundless; boundless is eternally flowing; ever flowing; it is constantly returning. Therefore, the Way is great, heaven is great, earth is great, people are great. Thus, to know humanity, understand earth. To know earth, understand heaven. To know heaven, understand the Way. To know the Way, understand the great within yourself."

The point really is that you, I, we, come from greatness. We are gifted with this physical form and this is our vehicle to find our way through this life. How else to get a glimpse of the greatness from which we came unless we are doing things previously unimaginable? This is why I do "that".

Remember the first time you could balance in crow or headstand? Do you remember the thrill? Anytime you do something you thought was impossible, at least for you, you are reminding yourself of your greatness. And it doesn't have to be physical. Maybe you think that 15 minutes of stillness and contemplation is impossible for you. What if it IS possible? And I'm suggesting that you are capable of FAR more than you can ever imagine. Why not get a little taste?

From a yoga perspective, in my opinion, there's something valuable about challenging and complex poses and sequences. I don't think they are REQUIRED, but here's why I think they are beneficial:

1. They are FUN!

2. Through our accomplishments, we get a glimpse of that Ultimate Greatness, which is our source.

3. I believe that there is a connection between our physical body and our consciousness; and to maximize our capacity on every level, compassionately exploring our physical limitations and the maximum number of physical shapes our body can perform is stimulating on every level of our existence, and helps clear the energy channels.

Please understand that I am not suggesting that we do things inappropriate for us. And on any given day, year, or stage in life, something else will be appropriate, and learning to respect and honor that is part of the practice.

Why do you do what YOU do? Do you have a reason? Maybe Bernhard can chime in. I'm going to post this on my blog, because I know there are many inspiring people and scriptures from religions and spiritual traditions of all kinds, poetry, books, et al, and maybe there's something you can share that has inspired you to find your greatness. What helps you feel connected to your greatness?

What are your thoughts? Please, share it all on my blog, I want to hear from you. And I hope that you will all find inspiration to discover, remind yourself of and live in your greatness.

www.LizDoyleYoga.com

June 2009 Newsletter

2009-06-22T16:38:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

As you likely know by now, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (the lineage holder for Ashtanga yoga) died Monday, May 18, 2009. He was one of Krishnamacharya's (commonly known as the grandfather of modern yoga) main disciples, two others being BKS Iyengar (known for a practice of refined alignment), and his son, TKV Desikachar (focusing on his father's more adaptive and personalized approach to yoga).

I had the opportunity this last month to spend a weekend at a TKV Desikachar workshop. It was remarkably intimate, and an interesting experience for me. It's always a special experience to be near one of these master teachers, they almost literally ooze the richness of their lineage.

What I came face to face with at this event was my own attachment to my expectations. I was disappointed. And I felt guilty and embarrassed by it. What does it mean to be near someone like this and wish you could have your money back? I kept wondering if somehow I was not esoteric, smart, or advanced enough to appreciate the value. I would hear people talk about this "amazing experience" they were having. Another woman explained to me, in detail, the detox symptoms she was having--stuff I had only experienced on extended fasts of over 2 weeks; and still, no big breakthroughs for me. I decided I'd better just keep my mouth shut, because I was the only one not "getting it".

So I made this confession of my inferiority to a fellow teacher and friend when I returned, and she asked me to describe what we were doing. I told her it was all experiential stuff, no theory, just simple, neutral chants repeated, then breathing while mentally repeating the chants (10 breaths at a time), with rest in between. Which meant we would lie down, breath 10 breaths while chanting mentally, then continue lying there to "rest". And I would lie there thinking "rest??? rest from what???".

My friend pointed out that my lack of a mindbending experience was likely because Mr. Desikachar was teaching to group, and therefore tailored it to the beginning meditator. In other words, because I have a regular asana, pranayama and meditation practice, I wasn't feeling the same things as those who were experiencing these things for the first time.

Who knows if that's why, or maybe I just didn't get it. What I did learn is that a little theory goes a long way. Some people have a better experience with a context in which to place their experiences. Not only that, it helped me remember that the effect of what I teach my students may have a different level of intensity for them than it does for me, and I can't make any assumptions about that.

In the end, 20 hours of chanting, breathing and moments of quiet stillness can't hurt and I came back feeling centered and relaxed. At the same time I learned something about refraining from judgement of my experience, or lack thereof. What I am or am not experiencing is just as valid as what's happening with anyone else (and vice versa). Moreover, I must remember that every one of my students is an individual that has a unique experience in any given moment given their circumstances. So three cheers for all of us as individuals, and the texture our individuality adds to the fabric of Life.

Warmly,

Liz Doyle
www.LizDoyleYoga.com
lizdoyle@msn.com
206.660.2321

Shower Yoga!

2009-06-22T16:35:00.001-07:00

SHOWER YOGA:
Gomukhasana arms

A title to pique your interest, but it's not nearly as salacious as one might think. For those of you, like me, with really tight shoulders, here's a little tip for getting into the arm portion of gomukhasana: While in the shower, I soap up my back, hands, and arms, then work my arms into the pose. I usually start with my second favorite side first, and then let the hot water run over my shoulder, especially in the places where I'm really feeling sensation and stretching action.

It has helped me over time get my arms into this pose consistently with greater ease. Let me know what you think. And if there's a particular pose you struggle with, let me know, I'll cover it in my blog or a future newsletter!

Email questions, comments and requests to:
lizdoyle@msn.com

June 09 ANNOUNCEMENTS AND SCHEDULE CHANGES

2009-06-22T16:33:00.000-07:00

TEEN YOGA BREAKS FOR SUMMER

CHECK OUT THE CURRENT SCHEDULE HERE

Hummingbird Update

2009-06-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

This isn't the best quality image, but this was the picture I took of them two days before they left the nest...their eyes are glowing from the flash, and if you look carefully, you can see their baby beaks, one pointing right and one pointing left.

I decided to do a follow up note on the hummingbirds, because the response was overwhelming to the story I told in last month's newsletter. Here're a couple of the responses I got:

From James:
I had to write because I know exactly what you mean about feeling pleasure and satisfaction over other people's growth and it was a nice reminder that others may feel the same for me.

Hummingbirds as shaman totems represent joy, the sweetness and abundance of life and the ability to change direction easily, great totems for a yoga studio!

From Cathy:
I love your hummingbird story. We had hummers in our bamboo in our backyard. Look at the attached picture - top center are the two babies in the nest. We would watch them every day. And when it got windy and rainy, I worried. I worried they were going to get wet and not survive. I thought about putting out one of those patio heaters for them..... But it only took one sunny day & they were off. The nest is now vacant. But I look at it often and think of those little hummers. They are still in the hood. I hear them in the bamboo - a distinct little clicking noise. They zip around and occasionally stop on a branch to say hello. Super cute! I believe it is a good omen to have hummingbirds nest in your tree. And even more so to notice they are there.

Here's a picture of Cathy's hummingbirds...
Ever since I wrote last month's hummingbird story, I've noticed more hummingbirds, hummingbird images, and all things hummingbird related. I'm not sure it means anything, but it does make me happy and I remember the little guys that I watched from the time they were eggs to when they were old enough to leave the nest. A microcosm of life, no?