In-Class Observation

I observed the class on November 14. It was a class of reflection on what we had already done in the class thus far with the introduction of one or two new moves.

Gina began the class by talking about a few minor changes to the schedule that would take place, then began a very high energy yoga routine. The class reviewed the past moves we'd been practicing for weeks, but at a much faster rate than we'd ever performed them before. It left the class out of breath but invigorated.

The previous weeks classes were all classes that focused on meditation and relaxation, so the quick pace of this weeks class was like a kick in the pants. In cobra pose everyone held their arms and legs out straight, resting on their abdomen, and moved their arms up and down quickly. "Like alligators!" Gina declared happily. Even the music was more upbeat today. To warm up they did jumps from the top of their mat from the downward facing dog position. Gina told them to concentrate on kicking their legs up high and holding them there.

During the stretching portion of the routine the class pulled their right knee back, held it and the foot with both hands and rotated the entire leg side to side. I couldn't hear the name of this move when it was mentioned but it was a new one that Gina introduced that day.

Overall the class moved much more quickly when observing! Everyones ways of doing the moves are so different! It's very interesting to watch, like watching a work out video, a Yoga instructional DVD or something. I always feel as though I'm the only one struggling with the poses, but I could see that several people weren't performing the moves as effortlessly as I'd assumed they could, but everyone was doing their best.

For me, the best part of doing the routines is the tension relief in my back when I stretch. I come to class very tensed up from working hunched over a computer all week long. In general I need to be more relaxed about not getting poses right the first time. I'm hard on myself when I do them wrong.

I really hope I motivate myself to practice Yoga outside of class because it really does make my body feel so much better. I haven't gotten sick yet this semester and I've been surrounded by coughing kids and with the late nights, lack of sleep and poor diet, that college usually entails, it's a wonder I haven't been on my back all semester long. I can't help but feel that the yoga has been very restorative in that way. It's wonderful exercise, and for someone who works on a computer all the time, it helps to keep me limber and flexible. I love showing my friends things I've learned in class.

In-Class Observation

I observed the class on November 14. It was a class of reflection on what we had already done in the class thus far with the introduction of one or two new moves.

Gina began the class by talking about a few minor changes to the schedule that would take place, then began a very high energy yoga routine. The class reviewed the past moves we'd been practicing for weeks, but at a much faster rate than we'd ever performed them before. It left the class out of breath but invigorated.

The previous weeks classes were all classes that focused on meditation and relaxation, so the quick pace of this weeks class was like a kick in the pants. In cobra pose everyone held their arms and legs out straight, resting on their abdomen, and moved their arms up and down quickly. "Like alligators!" Gina declared happily. Even the music was more upbeat today. To warm up they did jumps from the top of their mat from the downward facing dog position. Gina told them to concentrate on kicking their legs up high and holding them there.

During the stretching portion of the routine the class pulled their right knee back, held it and the foot with both hands and rotated the entire leg side to side. I couldn't hear the name of this move when it was mentioned but it was a new one that Gina introduced that day.

Overall the class moved much more quickly when observing! Everyones ways of doing the moves are so different! It's very interesting to watch, like watching a work out video, a Yoga instructional DVD or something. I always feel as though I'm the only one struggling with the poses, but I could see that several people weren't performing the moves as effortlessly as I'd assumed they could, but everyone was doing their best.

For me, the best part of doing the routines is the tension relief in my back when I stretch. I come to class very tensed up from working hunched over a computer all week long. In general I need to be more relaxed about not getting poses right the first time. I'm hard on myself when I do them wrong.

I really hope I motivate myself to practice Yoga outside of class because it really does make my body feel so much better. I haven't gotten sick yet this semester and I've been surrounded by coughing kids and with the late nights, lack of sleep and poor diet, that college usually entails, it's a wonder I haven't been on my back all semester long. I can't help but feel that the yoga has been very restorative in that way. It's wonderful exercise, and for someone who works on a computer all the time, it helps to keep me limber and flexible. I love showing my friends things I've learned in class.

Patanjali: A Legendary Dance

For the group paper, my group and I researched Patanjali, the father of Yoga. A man of mysterious origin, his Yoga Sutras would carry the essence of Yoga and teach people for generations to come.

After reading the research assembled by the group I was impressed by the validity of yoga as a lifestyle. In my prior ignorance I’d always imagined yoga as a trend that soccer moms did on the weekends at their local gym. It was very refreshing to learn the history and to discover its impressive and esteemed lineage. Patanjali was clearly a learned man. I wish more was known about his birth and life, but perhaps it’s better to leave his origins a mystery, and maintain the illusion of ethereal creation versus a typical human birth.

Of the 8 sutra's, I could most relate to number 2, Niyama - the 5 observances, including cleanliness of body and mind, satisfaction, body discipline and mind control, greater awakening of the soul and God within, and worship of God. These are all things I try to incorporate into my daily life. I have described before my Christian faith and I may have mentioned my general attitude toward life as one of constant progression. One should never stop, but should always seek to see what they can improve for or about themselves. Practicing Niyama subscribes to all the goals I seek daily for my life.

Meditation/Ultimate Ohm

The smallest particulars vibrate to the sound of Ohm.

I really enjoyed making the "Ohm" sound in class. Dividing it into three parts was a clever way to help us learn to make the sound properly and it was calming. Below is my reflection from my yoga notebook on the meditation.

"I had some back pain so it was a little hard to focus during the meditation, but overall I felt my body relax, not as concentrated on my breathing as the exercise probably intended, but I liked making the Ohm/Ahm sounds. When I make them it's nearly impossible to focus on anything else."

The heart quality I had chosen for the practice that day was Acceptance, and also Patience. I need to be more accepting of the circumstance in my life currently, and patient that they will work out eventually. I need to stop rushing to try to fix and patch things up quickly. Some problems and people take time to heal.

Also the back pain was resolved by the end of class that day which was a relief. I'd been very sore after Mondays exercise but I currently am not sore or in any pain anywhere so Wednesday helped to work out the kinks. Looking forward to next class!

Personal Progress

My personal progress in yoga feels slow. The teacher is doing a good job of taking us through what I assume are basic poses. She says we are a very strong class, but I personally don't feel as strong. I receive quite a deal of necessary correction in class which, though helpful makes me feel discouraged that I don't seem to naturally be very good at yoga. I do have to remember that many people have taken classes before and I am only a beginning.
My physical strength has also been tested. I find my arms and back of my thighs are very sore after yoga and the following day. Hold plank or downward facing dog poses become excessively challenging the longer we hold the pose, but I am too stubborn to relax into child's pose. I want to progress, I don't want to give up. It's a problem that I see taking child's pose during a different pose as "giving up". I should probably attempt to be more vulnerable.

The end of the classes have been very satisfying however. I am always grateful when our cool down and resting period comes. More importantly however, I've find that though I struggle to keep up with the poses during "practices" in the class, by the end when we combine them into a full routine, it comes much more naturally, my body moves more smoothly and I feel more confident in myself.

The entire affect overall has been good. I am generally not as tired afterward as I imagined I would be from how the sessions go. It does give me energy, particularly as, now that I am head long into my graphic design classes, I am averaging 4-5hrs of sleep a night :/ Not healthy, but my remedy is to catch up on the weekends and replace sleep with yoga and coffee.

Today I ran into my art professor that I'd had a bit of conflict with the day before. He had over run class time on Tuesday by 20 minutes, saving me for second to last with 15 minutes to go before my next class started. This is a 5hr class, so you can imagine my frustration that he was not able to properly manage his time to give 14 students adequate attention. My critique of my work was terribly, he ripped apart my ideas, concepts, ect. I left mid-crit to reach my other class, extremely frustrated, furious, self-righteous, angry tears pouring down my face. The following day (today) I ran into him coincidentally right after yoga. I was amazed at how calmly I was able to talk to him. He also was much more calm and less belligerent than he'd been the day before. I listened quietly to his suggestions, asked polite ways that I could reach his standards and than departed, feeling like I had new direction, encouraged, and so calm. I can't deny the affect of the previous yoga session on my mood, clarity of mind, patience with him and ability to realize that perhaps my work had not been appropriate to what he had been asking for.

Thank you yoga.

Notes, Unit 4 Intention/Dedication: Focus

Pgs. 21-26, 178

Learning to Meditate
- Hatha yoga poses originally to prepare the body for meditation, a devotional exercise of contemplation.

- The best times to meditte are just before sunrise or sunset when nature slows down.

- Try to keep your meditation time consistent

A mudra - a seal.

adi mudra - breathing

abhaya mudra - dispelling fear

agni mudra - digestive process

apan mudra - patient and serene mind

gyana mudra - calmness and clarity of mind

phyana mudra - meditation

asanas - poses.

After reading this section I assumed the pose on page 178 (which was quite comfortable) and attempted to meditate, using the apan mudra for patience and a serene mind, two things I've been struggling with lately. I scarcely lasted 5 minutes. I went into child's pose and then stretched as I've been sore from yoga and then went to bed. I will attempt to meditate sometime in the future. Emptying my mind was easy at first and then became steadily more difficult as I have a very active imagination.

Notes Unit 1-2

Book, pgs. xiii-xiv and 18-21:

asana - physical postures of yoga

pranayama - yogic breathing

mudras - yoga of the hands

Book, pgs. 1-9 and 12-16

Happiness, a desire to remember something that is a part of our very nature. Search for happiness is a search for our true selves.

Yoga does not exclude any religious practice. A way to discover more about self and relation to the universe.

"I am not my body, mind or emotions, for my body, mind and emotions change."

Tantric view closest to Christian view of the body.