Miss the nimble days of fearlessly busting out handstands in the backyard? Even if you have never found joy in a handstand, now is your chance to return triumphantly to your youthful excitement about life itself. That’s right — that’s what learning handstand is all about.
If you already have a handstand or are just starting to explore the possibilities of this rejuvenating posture, this six-week series will move you forward to a deeper understanding of this wonderful and powerful inversion.
Have fun exploring handstand with other students, and after six weeks you will have more strength and confidence in your handstand and in your whole yoga practice.
The six week series will be held at Evolution Yoga on Thursday nights from 7:30-9pm starting on September 16th. The cost is $99. Space is limited so to pre-register call Evolution at (802) 864-9402.
If you have any questions you can talk to me at the studio or Friend me on facebook and we can communicate that way. Hope to see you there. :-)
John
Chit Ananda
I am spending the week at Kripalu assisting Todd Norian and Ann Greene at an Anusara workshop. It’s been a really wonderful experience. On top of that, last week my wife and I assisted Ann in teaching a couples workshop here. While Jane and I were helping out with the couples workshop we came up with the Chit Ananda game. Chit Ananda is a concept of remembering that you are a blissful being. So, when you play the Chit Ananda game you ask “why” having to do with any action, with the answer being about Chit Ananda. I know, it’s a little strange and obscure, but you definitely have to stay on your toes and be quick with the Chit Ananda answers.
For those Chit Ananda junkies out there, here’s an example. Say I’m doing the dishes and asked “why”, I’d say something like — “well, when you do the dishes it creates a clarity in my house and space in my mind to more easily see that my true state is to be joyful and happy.” That’s actually a pretty good example. :-)
So, I have Chit Ananda on the brain, so this weeks video is about remembering and recognizing the fact that our true nature is to be blissful. In the asana part of the class we do backbends, which are great for finding your true bliss. And, besides that, I recorded the video here a Kripalu in the yoga space where we have been holding the workshop, which is very cool. Enjoy! John
Finding Support in Community
This week’s class is about drawing in and connecting to the energy of community in helping you connect more to your own heart and to yourself. I had this wonderful experience recently where my wife and I were driving to a community oriented class of 108 Sun Salutations on top of the Mount Philo. It was a sweet event put on by Lindsey Foreman and Sofi Dillof who have formed an organization called the Vermont Community Yoga Project.
A few miles from Mount Philo I hear a big ‘BANG’ under the hood. I pull the car over, turn on the emergency flashers, and open the hood. Jane gets out and walks down the road about 20 feet, picking up a very large washer that she spotted in the rear view mirror as it was flying down the road behind us after we heard the sound under the hood. I look under the hood and see part of the alternator is MISSING. Not only the washer Jane found, but a number of much more important pieces.
Jane and I have 10 minutes until the class starts on Mount Philo. If we hurry I’ll get there in time and I figure we can deal with the car later. We drive to the bottom of Mt Philo five minutes later and the car is severely overheating. The car not only doesn’t have a working alternator, but it clearly no longer is able to keep cool.
We have no choice and decide to drive up to the top. Mount Philo isn’t really a mountain, but it has a very steep mile long hill to the top. As I start heading up the hill I look in the mirror and see huge amounts of smoke billowing out behind the car. I figure the only choice now is to race up the hill as fast as I can — the engine thermostat is pegged to the maximum heat.
Finally we make it to the top and I park and turn off the car – we immediately get engulfed in smoke. Jane and I quickly grab our mats and leap out of the car. We look back and the car is almost hidden by the amount of smoke coming out of it. Jane says, “Well, nothing we can do about it now – let’s go do some yoga.” We are laughing at the whole craziness of it all as we head to the practice area.
We arrive at the yoga spot just right when it’s time to start. The organizers quickly welcomes me, I apologize for cutting it so close on the time, we lay down our mats, and start practicing. Everything is absolutely perfect. There are no bugs, the sunlight is beautiful, we can see for miles and miles across the landscape below as we practice, and there are around 50 people all practicing together on top of a mountain for the benefit of others. During the course of the practice Sofi invited us to do sets of salutations for the benefit of others — family, friends, pets…basically practicing in honor of community. It felt so good to take the time to focus in that way in such a perfect setting.
Both Jane and I had a wonderful time – the car problem was meaningless compared the joy of giving to the community in person by really being with a community on the Mountain, and from the heart for dedicating the practice to others. The individual focus and problems of the car didn’t mean that much compared the joy of community. In fact, the cool thing was that by focusing on community, when we slowly drove the car back home we actually had fun. Giving to community, being part of community, made the individual experience more full. It was fun to have a broken car!
So, in this video class we focus on really hugging in the energy around us, the energy of community, to give us more support in postures.
Enjoy! john
Creating Space To See Inner Goodness
In this week’s video I’m focusing on creating spaciousness inside to be able to connect with the goodness that is always present. I had an experience this past weekend where my wife’s computer died suddenly, without any warning. It was a shocking bummer. Even though it definitely wasn’t fun to not have a computer (which is used for work), I think we took it pretty well. One of the reasons I think we did is because of yoga. The purpose of the practice is to remember that you’re awesome. So if you think about that everyday in every practice and really believe it, then when some event comes up that isn’t the best (like you’re computer going on the fritz), you don’t take it personally. Instead, it’s good to remember that we are all good inside, but sometimes things happen that aren’t that great — that never takes away from the fact that we’re still good. Nothing can take away from the goodness that is always present in all of us.
So, enjoy the video, and remember…you’re awesome! :-)
John
Wonderful yogaLIVE! Experience
We had a great yogaLIVE! class on Saturday. The day was pretty hot, and one of those kind of days where you just want to stay inside, read books, and take naps. So, I wasn’t so sure people would be able to come. But then a great crowd of people showed up! It was awesome. The class was focused on opening your senses. We ended having the class in the shade under a big tree, with Steve Ferraris and I setting up in the middle of a big circle. I’ve never taught like that before, but it was perfect for this class — thanks to Jess for the idea. :-)
It was so great to have the sound of the wind blowing through the leaves and the feel of the breeze on the skin. All accompanied by Steve on percussion.
All the images in the post are from the class. Thanks to Rachel for posting them originally on the Burlington lululemon facebook page.
Stay tuned for the next yogaLIVE! sometime in the Fall. John
yogaLIVE! at the Burlington Yoga Conference
Today is the day for Evolution YogaLIVE! class and community party. The class is at 6pm and then potluck starts around 7:30pm.
I was just checking out the weather and it could be a little iffy this afternoon with the possibility of thunder. We’ll play it by ear.We’ll meet at Evolution and then decide whether to practice inside or out. Either way it should be a fun evening with other yogis hanging out practicing and then sharing food, fun and conversation. If you have a class card the cost is just $6 to pay for Steve Ferraris to come play plus a punch on your card. Otherwise it’s $20 for the evening.
Hope to see you all there! John
