Northwest Yoga Conference Interview with Liz Doyle!

I was recently interviewed by Melissa from Northwest Yoga Conference (February 18-19, 2012) where I'll be presenting Saturday February 18th, 9-11AM on Hidden Meanings in Yoga Asana (half practice/half lecture and discussion)- sign up for my workshop or the whole weekend HERE!

Read on...

Ever wanted to know a little more about your yoga teacher? Here is your chance! We asked teachers at the conference to share what inspires their teaching and practice and let us know about their yoga favorites. They also share what they are looking forward to most at the Northwest Yoga Conference. Enjoy!

Meet Liz Doyle, a prominent yogi in the northwest, who will be teaching yoga practitioners about the “Hidden Meanings in Yoga Asana”. You can find Liz Doyle teaching yoga classes and workshops on both sides of Lake Washington and at retreats, teacher trainings and festivals throughout the United States and internationally. In addition to teaching adults, Liz also offers yoga classes for children. Learn more and sign up for Liz’s email newsletter at: LizDoyleYoga.com

Inspiration:

What was your first yoga experience?

My first yoga experience was when I was a sophomore in college. I raided my parents’ library before I left for school that year, and one of the books I took was Richard Hittleman’s Yoga: 28 Day Exercise Plan. I didn’t know it at the time, but it’s a great little book and a well-rounded sequence. I followed the plan religiously, and I loved it. For some reason, I didn’t keep it up, and did not practice again until I was 30, when I began a regular practice with an Iyengar teacher in San Francisco. The rest, as they say, is history.

What does yoga mean to you?

Yoga is a science for Self and/or God-realization. It’s a well-charted path for uncovering the Self, and becoming better versions of ourselves, and along the way developing an understanding that the Kingdom of God is within us.

Why did you decide to become a yoga teacher?

My original intention was to sign up for yoga school to develop my own practice. Simultaneously, I was really struggling with my job and my boss, and things were not working out. I was out of town for a weekend, doing a lot of soul searching and praying for guidance as to what the heck I was supposed to be doing with my life. I remember sitting by a river, quite emotional about my situation, literally begging for a sign as to what I should do—and lo and behold—nothing happened. Such a disappointment, but it was time to head to the local yoga class, so I got up and went. At some point during class, I handed the student next to me a block. After class, totally out of the blue, the teacher came up to me and said, “You should be a yoga teacher.” I figured signs don’t come any clearer than that, so I quit my job, went to yoga school and started an organizing business to support myself until I could teach.

What do you hope students learn from attending your yoga classes?

What I hope my students learn is that they are far more than they think they are, and the beauty of who and what they are has nothing to do with the physical practice. I know that sounds funny coming from someone who’s known for an intensely fun and challenging class—I just hope that an unusual experience in the physical practice helps them come away with a feeling of wonder and curiosity about the world around them and within them. I wrote a mission statement that encapsulates what I’m trying to create for my students, so I’ll include that here:

"It is my fundamental belief that yoga is a transformational process for the development and reorganization of one’s consciousness. With that said, it is my heart’s intention to utilize yoga to create the appropriate energetic space, and provide techniques and tools to enable the true yoga practitioner to operate from their authentic Being."

Which teachers have influenced your yoga practice and teaching?

Kathleen Hunt: Kathleen is an amazing soul, and an incredible teacher. She is a master at holding energetic space, conveying the teachings during an asana class and sequencing to a peak pose. You can check out her studio at: Samadhi-yoga.com

Edward Clark: Edward applies an uncommon level of intellectual rigor to the practice. He has designed a practice and cultivated an ujjayi method that is well-grounded in yoga philosophy, and emphasizes Grace and Beauty in asana to cultivate eka grata (single-pointedness) to connect to the One. Read an interview with Edward at: http://sattvayogaonline.com/one-enchanted-morning-the-return-of-tripsichore-to-seattle/

Andrey Lappa: Andrey is another intellectual yogi who has developed a system, a precise methodology for a complete and whole experience in the practice. It’s a rather complex system for kundalini awakening and stimulating one’s consciousness for the purpose of Enlightenment. Read more about it at: universal-yoga.com

Katerina Wen: Katerina introduced me to Edward and Andrey and in my opinion, is the perfect blend of the two. I had a magical time the two years I spent at her studio before it closed, and I cannot thank her enough.

About the Conference:

Share with us some of the highlights of the workshop you are presenting at the Northwest Yoga Conference.

The workshop I’m leading at the NW Yoga Conference is one of my favorites. As practitioners, we spend so much time contorting our bodies into shapes and hurling ourselves through space- but where do these poses come from and what do they mean? I believe that the names of the poses give us hints and clues about the lessons contained in the poses and how to unlock them. It’s these names, stories and symbols that we’ll be exploring for the purpose of adding meaning and richness to the lessons of the practice.

What are you looking forward to the most at the Northwest Yoga Conference?

I’m really excited about connecting with the yoga community on a larger scale. It’s always a good feeling to be among fellow practitioners who care enough about the practice to hang out learning for a weekend.

Ask the Teacher! January 2012

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!

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

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

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

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?

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!