Yoga Passbook 2011 - (Bend & Bloom/Bent!)

Bend & Bloom Yoga, 708 Sackett Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11217

September 14th
Wednesday morning I decided to go to the 9:15am Open class at Bend & Bloom in Park Slope. I was still beat down from the other classes I had taken and wasn't too keen on the class being an hour and thirty minutes, but I wanted to get it in for the day and I had wanted to check out Bend & Bloom for a while. So off I went.  It was just my luck that when I arrived at the studio I learned that Amy, who was teaching the class,  had to take her child to the doctor that day so she decided to cut class to an hour instead of the usual hour and a half!  Yes!

Bend & Bloom is called just that because they offer kids yoga, prenatal and postnatal yoga. So they are there for everyone through all phases of life.  They have two yoga studios and I was in the bigger of the two for my class that day.  The room is pretty big and there are two windows in the room. One is pretty high up and the other is almost like a door or a little porthole on the left side of the room.

As we started the class I knew right away not to get too excited about it being an hour because I felt like we jumped right into thing. It was moving really fast and I could feel my body screaming at me. But I kept moving and breathing through.  Usually I'm pretty focused in class and I do a good job with my breathing, but I kept thinking, "My God I need to go back to a basics class for a minute and slow this joint down."  When I really started to think about it, I did dive back into yoga full steam ahead this time. When I did my 30 days of yoga  last year I took it slow to get back into the groove. Not this time. I really thought I was super yogi! Poses that shouldn't have been a struggle that day were killing me.  I know everyday if different when you hit the mat, but wow! I was bending, but I sure wasn't blooming. LOL!

That was one of the longest hours I had spent in yoga up to this point.  That class couldn't have ended fast enough. Amy was a great teacher, but I just couldn't get with it that day and I honestly wasn't sure when I would go back. Well as fate would have it, it would be the next day!

[Side Note: Although I used my passbook that day, the 9:15 an Open Flow class led by Amy is a "Pay What You Can" class. So I know with my budget being what it is these days I can go back and check the class again after my passes are finished.]


September 15th
Thursday was really crazy for me. My liner notes were due (I had started, but I missed the deadline by a long shot) and I had a doctor appointment (and the office was backed up).  I can't remember what else I did that day, but I ended up going to yoga in the evening. My original idea was to go to Bodhisattva Yoga Studio in Park Slope for their 7pm Basics class because I needed to rewind this yoga situation for a minute. I hopped on the train and ended up getting there just a little early so they made me wait outside until they were ready to let folks in.

Before getting to the studio I wasn't quite sure if I had been there before, but when I walked up I knew I had.  When I was finally let in I was greeted by Jess who was teaching the class.  She asked me if I had ever been to the studio before and I said yes. I then dug in my bag and pulled out my passbook.  Before I could even open it up to the page she was looking at me, shaking her head no. Oh no, not again.  I was reminded of when I tried to use my passbook at Move With Grace and was rejected, but that situation turned out much better than this. Turns out that once you have been to Bodhisattva with the passbook you cannot go back again with it. The passes are for first time visitors ONLY.  So my pass was worth squat.  Jess asked me if I wanted to stay and pay $18 for the walk-in. What??!!! If I had planned to pay $18 then I wouldn't have bought my passbook. Also...$18!  Really? I know there are many studios around that have $18 walk-ins, but it still boggles my mind.  I guess that's Park Slope rent for you. I politely told Jess No, Thank You and headed out the door.

So now it's 7pm. I'm in Park Slope and I really want to go to yoga. The only way I'm getting it in that night is if I use the passbook and then I remember Bend & Bloom had a Basics class happening at 7:45pm. They are on Sackett between 4th & 5th Ave in Brooklyn and I was on 9th Street & 7th Ave. So I figured I would just walk over and wait there until it was time for class.

I moseyed over to Bend & Bloom and waited for the 7:45 Basics class to begin.  It was in the same room I had been in the day before, but this time the class was packed. Since I had only been to the studio for the first time the day before, I'm not familiar with who the teachers are. When the teacher came in she didn't introduce herself so I just figured it was the usual teacher.

The instructor had us start on the wall with some shoulder stretches, which was really good for me because my left shoulder needs all the stretch it can get. It was kind of intense, but I was with her. Little did I know that that intense feeling was just a precursor for the rest of the class.  I swear during class she bent us in so many positions that were just mean (lol) and then somewhere in the middle of class she sort of starts mocking our thoughts.  What I mean is, she said, "I know you're all thinking, 'What the hell! This is a basics class?'"  HA! That's EXACTLY what I was thinking.  I was like damn, I was trying to slow this ship down and you are heating it up for real! She kept saying things about being the sub and then it clicked. Ah hell, this woman is not the regular teacher so she's just doing her own thing.  Damn! It was too late. I was deep in it. I can't even remember all the things she had us doing, but I do remember one quite clearly.

She had us move our mats to the wall for the last part of the class. She had us put one blanket, folded in half, on our mat, but lined up against the wall to give our knee some cushion.  I might not describe this next part exactly right, but you'll get my point.  She then had us put our right knee on the blanket while front of our foot was on the wall. So imagine you are down on one knee about to propose, but instead of your back foot being flat on the ground, your back knee is bent and your foot is up against a wall.  Then she has us back in a bit so we are tight in there and then sort of lean forward to get the back bend in there.  Yo! I almost cried for real.  It was one of the most painful things I have ever done. I know I had done that post before, but that day it was unreal.  It proved just how tight my quads are.  I mean DAMN that hurt.  We were holding on to blocks on the highest level beside us and then she had us put our hands on the free knee, then in the air! What?? I think my hands made it into the air or a hot second.  They barely made it off the blocks on the first side and only to my knee on the second side.  Although yoga is not about competition I kept thinking, "How are these damn people doing this?"  LOL. I mean I could hear the pain in their bodies as well, but they were in there. The energy in the room was intense.  By the time we came out of one pose I couldn't believe we were going to have to do it again on the other side!  I think by that time I was just mad at the teacher.  LOL!

[Side Note: I had to look up the pose so that you could know what I'm talking about. So the Sanskrit name for the pose is Eke Pada Rajakapotasana II or in layman's terms One-Legged King Pigeon Pose II. Check the photos. They make it look so good and easy. lol Ouch!]

At the end of class the teacher told us her name was Lindsay and that she was teaching on Saturday mornings as well.  When she finished with her announcements it was all I could do to put my blocks and blankets away.  It was all I could do to even roll up my mat. I was spent or should I say bent! 

When I got out to the lobby to put on my shoes I think I was the last one to leave. Lindsay was there too to close up.  I thanked her for class and it was genuine. I knew my body needed what it got that night, but it was a hard pill to swallow.  Lindsay was very sweet. She told me she liked my hat and had spotted it when I came in.  That was the night I wore my fedora to class because I don't have a proper fall or winter everyday hat yet and I keep forgetting that I have no hair.  I have to say that after class was over and my body was coming back to itself, I felt like I was floating. I really felt sort of high. It was amazing. I hadn't felt anything like that after yoga before that I can remember.  I was actually energized. What a trip. I know I just yelled and almost cussed, but I'm going to give Lindsay another chance. :-D

Namsate.

The Return of the Yog-i!

Hey Everyone!

After a long and unexpected yoga hiatus I am back! I hadn’t stopped exercising all together, but I moved back to my Sporty Spice cardio side. I was biking and walking, but honestly even the time I was putting into that was a little slim. Sometimes it takes big change to get you back on track and that is surely what has been happening over the last few months.

As you know, I’m a vocalist/musican as well as a yogi. I did a huge show in August at the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival and it was amazing! It was one of the best experiences of my life [Click Here for Michfest Recap: "This is Called the Show"], but afterward I didn’t have a voice for a week. That really scared me. I will admit that I knew there was something wonky going on with my voice before that show, but I never had anything happen to me like that before. Maybe after doing a show I wouldn’t have voice for one day, but even that was one day too many.

So when I got back to New York I went to the doctor who told me my vocal chords were very swollen and my left one was swollen to the point of almost developing a polyp. I didn’t freak out about that, but what I did freak out about was when the doctor told me I had to take medication to bring the swelling down. Seems simple, but I’m just not a pill person at all and what she prescribed me I was honestly very leery of. I know what it has done to other people in large doses. She assured me that because I was only taking 1 pill for 5 days I wouldn’t have those problems. So I took the meds, but at that moment I knew I had to get back to yoga. Yoga saved my life once so I know it will do it again.

So all that to say that I’m on vocal rest until at least the end of the month and then I’ll know more after some other tests with the speech pathologist. I will also tell you that I feel great. I’m not worried about what is on the other side. I know I’m going to be better if I just shut up for a while. When you are not well, it’s better to know what is going on so that you can do everything in your power to remedy the situation. Even if you have a life threatening challenge it’s better to know! There are healers and healing modalities all around you. Just reach out to your community and there is someone that has some information for you. If you don’t think you have community, well now you have this blog and I can point you in some direction. Okay enough of the health PSA for today. lol

Let’s get back to my return to yoga. When I was at Michfest I reconnected with a wonderful sista, dancer and yogi, Sokhna. We vowed to reconnect when we got back to Brooklyn. It was a hectic August so we just got together last Friday when she invited me to a yoga class that she was subbing for at Shambala Yoga & Dance Center. It just so happens that that’s also the new location of where I practice Reiki. She also teaches there regularly on Sunday afternoon.



Friday September 9th

Shambala Yoga & Dance Center, 367 St. Marks Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11238

On that morning of the 9th I jumped back into the fray. Class was at 8:15am and that was the best way to start my day. Since I had told Sokhna about 3 or 4 days ago that I would be at class, I peeled myself up, got myself together, jumped on my bike and headed over.

I saw Sokhna near the reception area when I arrived. We said out hellos and I checked in. I really like Shambala. They moved into a new space just down the street from where they were before. They have one studio for yoga and dance and two treatment rooms. It also feels really wonderful in there and to me it’s really all about the vibe of a space.

The class that morning was small. I think there were only four of us, but I really like classes like that. The teacher can give some extra attention if they are that kind of teacher. Sokhna told me about the class she taught on the Wednesday before and the class was in that vain. She taught a Hatha class with a little bit of Kundalini, which she says is really Hatha as well. I always know when there is a little Kunkalini mixed in when we start doing the breath of fire. Sokhna told me we were going to be holding the poses a little longer than usual, which was a little challenging because I hadn’t taken class in a while, but it was just what I needed. I can always tell my fitness level by my Om. In fact Om is the only vocalizing that I have been doing since put on vocal rest. I know it heals so I’m going with it.

Sokhna’s class was kind of interesting because some might say she did the class backwards because we ended with Sun Salutations, which was actually really nice. The class was an hour long and I can’t remember all the postures we did during the class, but what I can say is that it was really wonderful way to jump off my trip back down yoga lane.

If you live in Prospect Heights of just like to try different yoga studios in Brooklyn I recommend Shambala. Sokhna teaches Kundalini yoga every Sunday at 1pm. She is also in private practice where she does pre-natal as her primary thing. So if you or someone you know might be interested in her services I can point you in her direction.

Namaste.

Me & Sokhna

Yoga Passbook 2011 - (Move With Grace/From No Pass to Much Class)

Sunday September 11th

Rendering of 9/11 Memorial at Night

This was an interesting day. While the world was mourning I started doing laundry. I had planned to get my haircut, go to yoga and NOT watch the 9/11 memorial coverage. I know it might sound harsh or like I have no heart, but it’s really the exact opposite. For those of us New Yorker’s who were here in 2001, we were here. I mean after the world stopped watching so much, we were still here with the smell of it and the smoke still billowing and the energy of knowing that Ground Zero was not just a burial ground now that 9/11 happened, but it was a burial ground to the African-American people of New York first. A burial ground that had been thoroughly disrespected by the city of New York, but that’s another blog.

As I was doing my laundry I did happened to pull up ABC News on my computer and it was just in time for the moment of silence for when the second plane hit. Of course they showed the actual footage of it either right before of after the moment of silence and all the feelings came rushing back. Then the names. The names. The names. Then they showed an aerial view of the actual memorial. Whew! Damn that memorial is intense. I mean really, really intense. I have never wanted to go down there. I didn’t even want to drive by there. Visiting friends and family tried to get me to go down there in the months after and I just wouldn’t do it. I would tell them they could go, but I wasn’t going.  

[Breathe.]

I turned off my computer probably around letter L of the roll call. I finished my laundry, got myself together and headed out to get my haircut. I talked Candace who cuts my hair a little bit about our 9/11 memories and I felt like yoga was the best way for me to honor those senselessly killed 10 years ago.  

[Breath. Life.]

After my cut was done I headed to Clinton Hill and Move with Grace. Class wasn’t starting until 2:30pm so I had some time to kill. I walked around my old neighborhood that has changed so much and then headed back to the studio. Turned out my girl and superstar in her own right, Tamar-kali was there. She teaches belly dancing at the studio so she was helping out that day. I was still a little early so we chatted for a while until people started to show up. I pulled out my Yoga Passbook for her to sign the pass when she informs me that they don’t take passes anymore. What??!! It turned out that Grace, who owns the studio, had asked the passbook people to take the studio out last year but they didn’t do it. So the passes were in there, but they were not being honored. Oh well. I guess there wasn’t going to be any yoga for me at that studio that day because I didn’t have the $16 to swing it. Just as I was getting ready to pack it up and look in the book for a class later in the day somewhere else, this woman behind me says that since I traveled all the way down there for class I could come as her guest. Turns out it was the teacher Raquel! How sweet was that? So I got to go yoga that day.

Raquel’s class was an hour and it was an open level Vinyasa Flow class. This was another class that was right on time. Even though the class was flow she held the poses for a bit longer than usual. That class was all about the breath. Not that all yoga classes aren’t, but all of you yogis know what I mean.

There were probably about 10 people in class that day, which is a good size. Raquel was hands on and would come around and give suggestions on how to improve your posture and have a bit more ease in the poses. I was starting to feel my shoulder in this class (old war injury). But really I had surgery on it in 2003 and it’s like a grandma shoulder. When the weather is overcast or raining my shoulder hurts and it did rain that day. I just had to be mindful of the shoulder. We did some shoulder stretches in class, which helped.

Me & Raquel

After class was over I had fully planned to get on my bike and head home, but Tamar and I started talking. Class let out at 3:30pm and the next thing I knew it was 5pm and time for Tamar’s belly dancing class. She encouraged me to stay because the first class if free and as tired as I was I stayed for her class, and what a class it was.

I had never taken a Belly Dancing class in my life. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy even though the women who do it make it look super easy, Tamar included. It was a hell of a workout and the biggest thing I learned is that I’m stiffer than I thought I was. I go out dancing and I think I’m moving freely, but clearly this is something totally different. I am going to try and find a way to add belly dancing into my life. Besides it being the crazy core workout it might help to bring out more of the lady in me. LOL!

The raqin' Tamar-kali

As I was biking home from class that evening I decided that I want to go to the 9/11 Memorial. I think something opened up for me taking those classes that day. I’m ready to leave my offering.  

The now iconc photo of Robert Peraza mourning his son Robert David Peraza

 [Breath. Life. Spirit.]

Namaste.

Yoga Passbook 2011 - YogaWorks: Soho/The Snob in Me

Monday September 12th

YogaWorks Soho, 459 Broadway, New York, NY 10013

The original plan for this day was to get up and go to a class at 9:15am in Brooklyn. Well, I got up and was going to get ready to go, when I really started to think about my schedule for the day. I needed to finish some work and then head into the East Village to do a bit more. Then I wanted to go to meditation, which on 27th and 6th Avenue later that night so something had to give or in my case nothing had to give, I just had to change some of the order of my day.

So I found a yoga class that started at 1pm and chose to stay home and do my work until it was time to heard the City. The class I found was at YogaWorks in Soho. YogaWorks actually has 4 locations in New York City and one in Westchester. I have been to the location on 5th Ave and 19th street so I decided to give Soho a try.

The studio on 5th Avenue has one room, but in Soho there are three studios. The place is beautifully designed and has all the bells and whistles. A clothing and yoga accessories boutique, Organic Tea Bar, showers with towel service, sauna and digital locks on the lockers for starters. I know there were probably a few things that I missed as I didn’t take a tour of the entire facility. Sounds great right?! For many people they would be joining right away, but I have to admit that I was a little leery when I walked in. I know it sounds crazy and it is a little bit.

I have this thing about large yoga studios that I need to get over. Sometimes I feel like the more amenities, the less serious the practice or wait maybe it’s the opposite. The more amenities, the more seriously people take themselves in their practice, which can sometimes translate to a competitive vibe. Yes I know this is a total stereotype. I know that this is totally a story that I’m making up. I know, I know! I have to work on it. If you recall that’s how I felt when I walked into Pure Yoga [Click Here for Pure Yoga Blog], which is the mega-mall of yoga studios in NYC, but I had a great class. Maybe because all 50 mats that were set up weren’t used. LOL! I think my old Jivamukti experience has got me shook people. LOL! Anyway back to YogaWorks.

A very excited young lady named Christen showed me around a bit and and told me to come check her out if I was interested in joining the studio. I went into the locker room, locked up my things and headed to Studio 1.

When I walked in the studio all I could think about was the fact that it was big. I found a spot toward the front of the room so I can see the teacher (I practice without my glasses on), got my blanket, blocks, sat and prepared myself for class. The class was filling up and soon the teacher arrived. Everyone was situated when she told us to all bring our mats to the wall. We ended up spending the whole class was there, which was cool. The teachers name was Libby and she was also a hands-on teacher. She would walk around the room and adjust people in their postures. She did a really great job considering how many people were in the class.

It was during this class that my shoulder really started to hurt. When I was in Triangle pose or anything where I would have to put pressure on my left arm or even just to have the left arm in the air it was killing me. I could barely lower my body to the ground and I wasn’t even trying Chaturanga. Well I tried it once and it felt like my arm would come out of the socket. So I was kind to myself and did what I could do. It kind of reminded me of my 30 days of yoga last year. By day 5 my shoulder and the rest of my body were angry with me. That’s how the shoulder was feeling, angry. It was even hard to get up into bridge pose. I’m not even talking full wheel. Well you get my point. I was hurting. So I took my time. We did a lot of work in that class with blocks and straps so that was really helpful.

Somewhere in the midst of my shoulder pain and just the sheer focus that I had to have to make sure I wasn’t hurting myself, I totally forgot about all the other mess I was thinking about the studio in general. Another impressive thing about YogaWorks Soho is that they have a light up sign outside of the studio door that say “Shhhh… Savasana” to remind people walking by the studio to be quiet while people are in Savasana. Crazy!

Once I got over myself I realized that I would really like to go back, but I might use my last pass to go to the Eastside or Westside studios just to mix it up a bit. As I headed out and on to my next destination for the day I knew it was going to be a soaking in the tub night. My body was killing me. I know it’s that good pain, but damn if my legs didn’t feel like lead.

I told you. LOL!

Namaste.

Yoga Passbook 2011 - Area Yoga/A New Home Down the Road

September 13th

Old Home of Area Yoga

I made a schedule of where I was going to go for this week in yoga. It didn’t work out yesterday, but I was determined to go to Area Yoga today. Area is my yoga home. That is where I did my 30 days and I know many of the teachers there. They also moved to a new location just down the street on Court St. in Cobble Hill, but I hadn’t been there so I was looking forward to seeing it. I decided to go to Keely’s class because I hadn’t seen her in a while. She was teaching the Open Level class at 9:15am.

I got myself together this morning, jumped on my bike and headed to Cobble Hill. When I got to the spot I could tell already that it was a nice shift. At the old place the downstairs part of the building had been under construction forever. At the new spot you enter on the ground floor and there is a small boutique carrying clothes, mats, candles and even yoga underwear. But what exactly are yoga underwear? Sorry I didn’t get a close enough look at what make them fit for yoga, but I did see someone buy a pair.

I got there a little early so I went upstairs and put my mat down in the new studio. The room seems like it’s a little smaller than the old space, but it’s much nicer. The floor doesn’t creek and the windows are beautiful. It would be a hell of an apartment!

I settled in and people started coming soon after. I thought it might be a nice small class, but boy was I wrong. Clearly the 9:15 open class at Area is the class to hit. That spot was packed. I’m always surprised when I see people at yoga a 9:15am as if I’m the only one who has day time space in their life. I forget that people are stay at home mom’s, work the night shift, work for themselves and the list goes on.

By the time Keely got there and started we had to readjust to fit more people in. It was so stacked that we had to get to know our classmates intimately. Lol

I always like Keely’s classes because she starts with chanting. Before this class the only vocalizing that I have been doing was Om, but today I added the chant. It felt good, but I’m not going to push it.

Keely’s Open classes are always challenging, but today was extra. It was rigorous and I was sweating like it was nobody’s business. Classes like that always make me wonder why people do hot yoga. Yoga is hot enough without all the extra heat. I know you Bikram folks love your Bikram, but I’m still trying to understand. Especially in Vinyasa Flow so much heat is generated and on this day I was drenched. I don’t usually bring a towel to class because usually I can work with the sweat, but today I needed a Rasheed Wallace basketball sweatband for real!

Keely had us doing poses, many of which I had to modify because my body has not caught up with my mind yet. I also needed to remain mindful of my shoulder. Chaturanga was still feeling a little funky. So in this class there were not too many vinyasas for me. Just straight into Downward Dog for me. Today she had us try Crow pose. Again not so much for me and my shoulder, but I did give it a little try. The shoulder didn’t hurt so much in Side Angle or in Triangle today. Vasisthasana (side plank pose) was a little tough, but I made it through with some modification. We went through all the Warriors, Tree pose, Virasana and the list went on and on. I was a sweaty mess about ½ way though, but it was worth it.

After class I felt great and got a chance to reconnect with Keely and a couple of other folks I had taken class with in the past. It was a really sweet ending to a wonderful class.

I’m so glad yoga is back in my life. Although my outsides are screaming (I have a heating patch on my lower back right now!) my insides smiling. Until next time…

New Home of Area Yoga, 389 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231

Namaste.

New Moon in June : Moving Meditation

Move with Grace, 469 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11205

It has been a long while since I stepped foot into a yoga studio. My last blog was on April 5th. Damn! Sad shame. I have still been active, but not in the yoga department. I was planning on picking up my passbook, when I got an invite on Facebook from my girl Ashni about an Osho Kundalini Meditation class she was teaching on June 1st, which happened to be the New Moon.

My New Moon ritual for June had already been planed out for a bit. I ended my IndieGoGo Campaign on the New Moon because I knew that although the campaign was just beginning, there was much newness ahead. I also made a spa appointment for that day at the Trump Soho Spa. I had a Turkish Hammam treatment. Amazing! No I’m not rolling in the dough like that. I was on assignment, so my treatment was on the house. Then I saw the meditation invite and thought it would be the perfect ending to the day. Somewhere along the way I picked up a Reiki client for that day as well. So it was full indeed.

The 1st was hot and humid. You didn’t have to walk to far in New York to feel the heat all over you. When I finished with my Reiki client I had to rush to get to meditation.

The class was at a spot called Move with Grace in Clinton Hills, Brooklyn. That was the first neighborhood I lived in when I moved to Brooklyn. Boy has that neighborhood changed, but that’s for another blog. I jumped into my yoga pants and then onto my bike and headed to the studio. I biked from Crown Heights to Clinton Hills. Easy ride down Pacific to Bedford. Down Bedford to Dekalb. Dekalb to Hall St and then left on Myrtle.

I was fully expecting this to be a sitting meditation. That’s what I usually do when I got to meditate at New York Insight in the City, but boy was I in for a surprise. Now Ashni has put some very subtle hints in the email saying what the meditation would be like, but clearly I missed all the hints.

By the time I got there I was drenched with sweat. It was crazy. I thought I would be okay because I was going to sit and meditate right? Wrong!

When I got in I had to sign a liability form, which I thought that was strange if we were going to just be sitting there. HA! When I get in Ashni was talking to two other classmates about what we were about to do. She backtracked for me and told us that we were going to be shaking, dancing, standing and sitting or lying down for 15 minutes each! Folks, that’s a long time. She showed us the shake and then talked a bit about the dance, which was our own and not choreographed. Well there went my idea that I was going to be able to cool down right away.

After the instructions Ashni fired up the music. It sounded like someone on a vibraphone. It was very staccato and it did make you want to shake. Oh did I forget to mention that we are doing all this with our eyes closed? Carrying on...

So on we go shaking for 15 minutes. Probably the longest 15 minutes of my life. I actually got tired after a while. It was wild to do, but there I was doing it with my eyes closed. Finally that music faded down and then there was new music.

This time the music felt like something one could belly dance too. I begin dancing. Remember we all have our eyes closed. So as much as you might want to all-out dance you can’t move around too much as you might bump into your neighbor or better yet a wall! So there I am dancing with my eyes close. Now I’ve been out dancing many times in my life. I’ve seen the inside of my share of clubs. I have danced for hours on end without stopping for water, but this also seemed like one of the longest 15 minutes of my life. Maybe it felt that way because I couldn’t move around so much. I could jump and sway and spin, but I have to admit that the first time I spun around with my eyes closed I got really dizzy so I didn’t try that again. Lol. So we all danced while Ashni told us to free our minds of anything else but the dance. It really felt good.

After some time that music also came to an end. Then we were instructed to sit or stand for the next 15 minutes. I chose to stand. I could feel the energy rushing through my body. So much of it was going to my feet. I’m sure because I was standing, but it was really amazing to feel. I stood there in Mountain Pose for 15 minutes. That’s the longest I have ever held that pose. I think now I’m starting to understand it’s power. Just to stand and really feel your feet beneath you is amazing. Now that I’m writing this I know I have to do that barefoot in the grass. I’ll be sure to report back about that.

Then the last 15 minutes we laid down on the floor. Usually when I’m in savasana I don’t fall asleep, but this time I was tired. I don’t know if it was the shaking, the dancing or just the heat of the day, but I was beat. I kept hearing myself breathing and it would wake me up. Soon Ashni was bringing us back and the class was over.

It was just amazing. I think something changed in me after that. I had been fighting headaches for a while and I haven’t had one since the New Moon. I know that was only about a week ago, but trust me that is big for me.

It was the perfect end to my New Moon day. I really felt like the New Moon was working on me that night and even now. I felt like old things were being left behind and the new was coming in. Thank Goddess. I really need a change.

If you are interested in Ashni’s class it’s Every Wednesday evening at 8pm at Move with Grace in Clinton Hills, BK. The class is by donation. Call ahead to make sure class is happening. I think it may not be happening this week (6/8), but it will return next week.

Stay tuned. I will soon return to the mat.

Namaste.

Yoga Passbook 2011 - Day 6 (Yoga Vida NYC/The Secret is Out!)

Yoga Vida NYC, 99 University Place, NY, NY, www.yogavidanyc.com

Yesterday I was determined to go to yoga. Mercury is retrograde so everything was slower than usual and than I had a few internet snags to contend with, but I made it! I was going to go in Brooklyn, but due to the snags in my day I didn't make it to the bank in Brooklyn because it closes at 4pm. So I headed to the City where the banks close at 5pm and decided to take my class there.

I went to my bank branch in the Village and then walked over and up to Union Square, and to Yoga Vida NYC.  Like many of the places in my passbook I had never been there.  The studio is on University Place on the 6th floor of a building. When I got there the building felt familiar, but it wasn't until I was leaving that I realized why.  Core Pilates is also housed in this building and I had been to Core a few times before.

As usual, at least for the past two classes I was really early.  I walked in, took off my shoes and noticed that the release forms were out. So I signed and walked around a bit only to find that there was a huge class in session in the bigger of the two rooms in the studio.  That class was packed! It kind of reminded me of Jivamukti, which is also in Union Square.

Yoga Vida felt really great. When you walk off the elevator you are right in front of where everyone drops their shoes and coats. The men's room is to the left and the front desk is to the right.  Right in front of the desk is the small class room. This is where I had class, but if you go around the corner there is the larger classroom and clearly they needed that because again it was packed! If you keep walking straight there is a cute lounge and the the ladies rooms is to your right and the changing rooms are to the right of the couches.

Front Desk. Small class through the door.

Since I was early I was going to sit in lounge and wait  for someone to officially check me in, but just then someone walked in who could help me.  Turned out it was the teacher.  Great! So she checked me in, told me we would be in the small room in front of us and I could go in and set up.  I walked in and wasn't too clear about which was the front of the room was. Usually there is an alter of some sort, but there wasn't. So I asked and she told me which was to face and I set up my station.  There was one other woman there setting up her things as well.

Lounge area. Comfy couches.

As I sat waiting for class to start a myriad of things were going through my mind.  The music that was playing was great and I was wondering who it was.  As people were trickling in I was lamenting the fact that I was the only person of color yet again in class. But just as I was saying that to myself this ultra bubbly sista walks in the door. She looks right at me and says hello! She then starts talking to me about how she has to set up a station for her friend who is coming and her friend likes to sit in the front of class and she doesn't because she doesn't think she's any good at yoga, but she keeps coming back because her friend keeps inviting her...and on she goes.  I think I was in shock that she was talking to me and she was black. HA! Just so happened her friend was Latina so I had to eat my silent words.  I am very clear that my yoga practice is not about who is in class with you, but I really do love to see people of color in my yoga class. It just makes me feel good because so many of us are not taking care of ourselves. But that's a whole other blog.

The small class was pretty full, but soon we were off and moving.  The teacher's name was Jessie. She was really pleasant from the jump.  She introduced herself. Check! She asked if people had injuries she should know about.  Check! She told people to take care of themselves. Check! Okay let's do this!

When Jessie began her class there was no Om three times or even once and strangely enough it didn't matter. Her energy was so vibrant I think we really didn't need it. Very strange for me to say that, but it's true.  The class was a basics class and although I have been practicing yoga for a long time I really like basics classes because it keeps you tuned up. Especially if you haven't been practicing regularly like me. Jessie made it clear that she would come around and adjust people if needed and I really love that because I believe in the power of touch.

As class began we moved through cat/cow and a few other postures to get warmed up before we hit our first down dog. Jessie was very attentive to everyone in the class. She would slow things down and demonstrate something if she thought it would help people. I really appreciated that. When you practice yoga for a long time, you might get the feeling that you have it all correct, but then someone will break something down for you and then suddenly it really clicks. That is what happened for me a few times in class. First was with knees, chest, chin and keeping my arms in an outward rotation. Now I have been taught this for sure and probably have been doing it, but doing it and being mindful of doing it are two very different things. Same for coming into a flat back after moving through Uttanasana (forward bend). It was like a lightbulb went off and I have been doing these moves for years! I love it when that happens. 

The rest of the class was really awesome as well. Good music and great teaching.  I love that combo.  I could hear the young lady in the back who had talked to me earlier, talking to herself about her practice. She was saying out loud, to her herself how terrible she was at all of this.  I wanted to stop and tell her that this is not about being good or bad. Yoga is not a competition. Not even with yourself. It's a practice and if you keep going you will get better and feel better.  No time to beat yourself up. But I know she'll be okay. She has a friend and she keeps coming back.  That's really the best sign of them all.  Even if you are grumbling through the whole class, keep going back.

So I know you are wondering what the secret is.  I had posted an earlier blog about Area Yoga being the best keep secret because their classes are only $10. Well I found another one! Yes folk, drop in classes at Yoga Vida are $10 and for new guest right now they are offering at week of unlimited yoga for $10. Also if you are a student then classes are....drumroll please...$5!  Yes I said $5!  I wish I had a student ID.  HA! Another thing that is not listed on their website is that they offer Karma Yoga, which is basically work-study.  So you can help out around the space and you can get free yoga in exchange.  I didn't get all the details about that, but it was nice to see that option. I know many studios offer this kind of thing.  Now I understand why that big studio was packed when I walked in. 

So yes Manhattan folks. There is $10 yoga in Union Square. I think Yoga To the People is also very inexpensive, but I'm also shocked to find a cheap, good class in this city where some studios will try and run you over $20 and I'm not talking Bikram. 

When class ended I had to go over to the iPod and see what Jessie had been playing when we came in because she was playing it on our way out. It was the first Fleet Foxes and clearly I'm late because it was their first album from 2008. But I have to get that joint. It appealed to my hippie sensibilities. LOL!

Jessie (awesome teacher) & grasshopper

I waited until some of the folks left and asked Jessie to take a photo. She was really sweet. Found out she's an actress and voiceover artist as well. Got a little advice on the V.O. front from her as well. That was sweet!  Then I headed out.  Another great day on the mat.

Namaste.

Note: Don't forget to check out my IndieGoGo campaign.  One of the incentives is Yoga Class with Me! Let's make music and be healthy together.

Yoga Passbook 2011 – Day 5 (World Yoga Center/Best of Upper West)

World Yoga Center 265 W. 72nd Street, NY, NY, www.worldyogacenter.com

I'm back! I know I have been away from the blog for a while, but it has been quite a whirlwind for me since my last post. I’ve been to Paris and London and back and it was amazing! If you haven't gotten a chance to read my travel blog please check it out at www.blakbushe.blogspot.com.  I was hoping to get some yoga in in London so that I could report back, but alas there was no time. But now I’m back in NY and back to class and ready to share once again.

I’ve actually been back from Europe for a while and I have been trying to find an opening in my schedule to get some yoga in. Ever since I touched down I’ve been running. If it wasn’t one thing it was another. Finally last Monday I finished up a bunch of things that were looming and decided to take myself to yoga on Tuesday. I had a plan for the day.

I was going to head to yoga and then head to Modell’s to get myself a swimsuit because I want to start swimming again to add so maybe I can do a triathlon again. Then I was going to head down to DSW to get a new pair of sneakers and then home. Seemed simple enough.

For my first foray back into yoga after a long break I decided to go to the World Yoga Center. It’s on the Upper West Side and there is a Modell’s right in the area. I had gone to Modell’s in downtown Brooklyn, but their swimsuit selection was slim pickings. Sometimes the same stores in City has more selection than the ones in Brooklyn. That's just the ugly truth of the matter and a whole other blog.

Class that day was at 12:30pm. I left the house in a timely fashion, but I still thought I was going to be late. I missed the train I thought I should have been on to get the upper west side in time so I was under the gun.  By the time I reached 72nd street I couldn't believe I was actually early.  It was a beautiful day in the City so I was glad I traveled so far just for class. It was the best excuse to get out of the house.

World Yoga Center is on 72nd b/w West End Ave. and Broadway.  It's right across the street from Ashford & Simpson's Sugar Bar.  As I walked down the street toward the studio I saw the big sign for the studio on the North side of the street.  When I got to the door, there was a sandwich board out front with studio information on it.

There is a buzzer next to the outside door to get into the studio.  The studio is up one flight of steps and directly around the corner.  When I walked in and there was a small foyer area and then the one big room that is the center.  For some reason I was expecting this big center because of the name World Yoga, but that's what I get for making assumptions.  Honestly I was really glad it wasn't super big. I really needed cozy today on my first day back in a while.

I was greeted at the desk by Jana who I soon found out was also teaching the class. They had a bowl full of money on the counter for Japan Relief, which I thought was great and the energy of the place was right on point.  As I said I thought I was going to be late, but I actually ended up being 15 minutes early. Jana showed me the bathroom/dressing room and I went back to put down my bag and get ready for class.

When I came out, Jana and I chatted for a while since we were the only people there.  She talked about the style of yoga we were going to practice that day, which was Anusara.  I know I had practiced it before, but I couldn't recall when.  But as long as it wasn't Ashtanga we were in business. LOL!  She told me about the benefit Kirtan for Japan they were having at the studio and I told her that I also play in a Kirtan at Laughing Lotus. I then revieled that I was musician to which she replied, "No wonder you are able to come to class at this time."  LOL. That made me chuckle because then I wondered what she was thinking of me when I walked in. I don't think it was anything bad, but I do often wonder how I come across when I enter new places with new people.  As we were in mid chat, another woman walked in and found a spot in the room.  It looked like it was going to be a class for two which was great!

According to Jana, Anusara yoga classes always start off with a chant. So we opened with a chant and that was really great.  Then we sat in meditation for a moment and then began the series for the day.  I have to tell you it was an amazing class.  I don't really know a whole lot about Anusara yoga to break it down for you so I did a little research.

According to anusara.com, "Anusara yoga is a school of hatha yoga, which unifies a life-affirming Shiva-Shakti Tantric philosophy of intrinsic goodness with Universal Principles of Alignment." Also "The vision of Anusara yoga is grounded in a Tantric philosophy of intrinsic goodness. In this philosophy we take the premise that everything in this world is an embodiment of Supreme Consciousness, which at its essence pulsates with goodness and the highest bliss. All of creation is divinely danced into existence for the simple delight and the play of embodying the Supreme’s own blissful nature." I can get down with that!  LOL!

Now that you have been briefed about the style I'll tell you about the class. First and foremost it was great! I know I said that, but it needs to be said again. Jana is a really attentive teacher and you can tell that she really loves yoga.  She wasn't just mailing it in.  The class was supposed to be a Basics class, but when Jana realized that me and the other women in class had a more advanced practice she kicked it up a notch. That was fine with me. Jana and the other woman in the class happened to have taken teacher training together so they knew each other well.  You could just feel her genuine excitement throughout class. I really appreciated that.

That afternoon class was only an hour and honestly I think that's all I could have done.  I needed to get back to it, but I needed to ease in slowly.  It was a great way for me to get back into my practice.

Me & Jana

Anusara Chant

Om

Namah Shivaya Gurave

Saccidananda Murtaye

Nisprapancaya Shantaya

Niralambaya Tejase

Translation:

I offer myself to the Light, who is the True Teacher

within and without (the teacher of all teachers),

Who assumes the forms of

Reality, Consciousness and Bliss,

Who is never absent and is full of peace,

Independent in its existence,

It is the vital essence of illumination.

World Yoga Classroom

Note: If you have read the information "About Me" on the side of the page then you know I'm also a musician. Currently I have the Can a Girl Catch a Break? IndieGoGo campaign going to raise funds for my next album.  One of the incentives for donating to the project is yoga with me! I would love to have some of my blog readers by my side while I'm making my album. So check out the IndieGoGo link below and be a part of making the album happen and let's downward dog together!

Namaste.

Yoga Passbook Day 2011 - Day 4 (Om Factory/The Boss)

Om Factory 265 W 37th St, New York, NY, www.omfactorynyc.com

If you read the little bio on the side of this blog then you know I'm a vocalist/musician as well as a yogini.  Tomorrow I am on my way to Paris for the first time with a band called the Burnt Sugar Arkestra Chamber. I'm so excited as I have never been to Paris before. 

On the day of the last Burnt Sugar rehearsal before Paris I decided to get a little yoga in. I looked through my Passbook and found Om Factory. The yoga studio is on W. 37th street, which put me really close to the rehearsal studio on W. 30th street. 

Om Factory has a nice vibe to it.  It has three very nice size studios and the changing room is cool as well. There are cubbies to leave your belongings on the right as you walk in, which is a also a sort of lounge area with benches and shoe storage.

The room we practiced in was orange and had a great symbol painted on the wall. I was one of the first people to class so I put my mat down and relaxed for bit. The teacher was in the room getting himself together and two other women were in the room with me as well.  The teacher came over and introduced himself (you know how I love that),  his name was Faramarz and he complimented my t-shirt I had on for class.  He informed us that he would be teaching that day in place of Kelly who had an emergency.  Well the ladies in the room didn't seem too pleased about that. They kept talking about Kelly's class and how challenging it is.  I mean they went on almost to say that it was going to be hard to fill her shoes.  Now I had never had class with Kelly so as far as I was concerned Faramarz was my teacher.

Soon the room began to fill up and class began.  Faramarz had us begin in a restorative pose to help open the shoulders. We started on the floor, but it only went up from there.  The class is called Vinyasa: Foundation Level, but it was challenging for sure. I kept chuckling to myself thinking that those ladies probably put the "I'll show you" into our teacher for the day and he was giving it to us.  LOL!  I know that probably wasn't the case, but it sure felt like it.

Usually any class that says "Foundation," "Basic" or "Level 1" won't take the students through certain things like chaturanga (at least not right away), but that was not the case here. We jumped right into it. There was no talk of kness, chest, chin.  Of course we could modify, but he didn't call it from the beginning.  So you know this class was off the hook.  Once during class I glanced over at the two ladies who were raving about Kelly. I think they were wishing for Kelly to come back...soon! 

All in all it was a great class! Faramarz is a great teacher. He had jokes and reminded us to smile though the poses. He would demonstrate harder positions and come by to help people. Maybe this was "Foundation" test day, but whatever, it was a great class.

When it was all over I had to talk to Faramarz and get a picture for the blog. After chatting for a bit I found out that he is the owner of Om Factory. Well no wonder that class was as challenging as it was.  HA!  I could only laugh.

Me & Faramarz

I pulled myself together after class and headed over the rehearsal.  Great way to get in the right mind for a 4 hour rehearsal.  All in the name of Paris!

I'm going to do my best to find some time to get a yoga class in while in Europe. I would love to get my downward dog on in the UK!

Namaste.

Yoga Passbook 2011 - Day 3 (Go Yoga/Hipsterville)

Go Yoga 112 N. 6th Street, Brooklyn, NY www.goyoga.ws

Last Thursday’s yoga class was so challenging that it took me two days to recover. LOL! Okay I’m just kidding…sort of.

Last Thursday I had a Reiki client and I wanted to go to class right afterward instead of going home and having to wait until the evening. So I searched my book and found Go Yoga in Williamsburg. I prayed the G train would be in my favor and that my client would be on time since I practice in Cobble Hill and the class was in Williamsburg. Well, my client wasn’t quite on time, but the G train was in my favor.

As soon as I finished up I headed to Smith – 9th Street to catch the train. I had to take the G to Metropolitatin and then switch for the L to Bedford, the heart of hipsterville.

For those of you reading this who don’t know about Williamsburg it is the land of the hipsters during the week college students hanging out on weekend. Some would say it’s one of the cooler neighborhoods in Brooklyn. The heart of indie rock, but now I’m think it’s a bit over run with people who are trying to live in the “cool” part of town, which makes it totally uncool. But hey, I didn’t have to live there I only had to go to yoga.

Go Yoga is on one of the main drags in Williamsburg, North 6th street. I used to hang down there a lot when it was actually hip and before Galapagos moved to Dumbo.

The class started at 3:30pm and thanks to gentrification, the G train actually came and I got down to the area pretty quickly. Those of you who know, know that there was a time when the G would never come.

The 3:30pm class was an Ashtanga class (Click HERE for more info on Ashtanga Yoga). I hadn’t taken Astanga in a really long time, but honestly after the class started I was wondering if I had ever taken it at all. I have taken a lot of yoga and I am pretty well versed in all things yoga, but I was in for a surprise.

When I got to the spot I was the first one there. I filled out the usual first time paperwork, checked in with my passbook, put my things in the cubby and headed into the class. The studio is very quaint. It’s got a stone walkway as you enter, and the classroom has stained glass in the skylights and French doors in the front of the class. The doors don’t lead to a yard, but there is a bit of outdoor space. So you could see the snow on the ground. Must be really pretty when it is snowing or even raining.

I put my mat down and grabbed a blanket. I was about to get a block as well, but the teacher quickly told me that all I would need was the blanket. How would she know that? Hmmm... I went with it.

Since I was so early I sat on my mat and read for about 10 or 15 minutes before others stared showing up. In the end there were only three of us. I heard one woman talking to the teacher before class about her shoulder hurting. I only mention that because after we started class you would have NEVER known this woman was hurting. I know you are not supposed to be checking people out while in class, but during this class I felt I couldn’t help it and here’s why.

Class begins and I’m getting ready to settle into my seated position to get my Om on, when the teacher abruptly tells us to stand up, feet together, hands in prayer, then...Om (3x). Then she went into this call and response chant. This would usually not be a problem as I’m pretty good with Sanskrit at this point, but this time I was not ready. Well, let me put it this way. I’m black. I come from a long tradition of call and response, but the one thing you have to know about call and response is that no matter what language you are giving it in, you have to give it in bits and pieces so people can catch on. Then you can put it all together. You don’t do the whole verse at once and expect folks to just chime in like it’s no problem. So when this happened and all I could do was really hum the tune and not say the words, I just knew I had wandered into a more advanced class then I expected, or had I? I was totally puzzled and honestly frustrated out of the gate. My ego was getting the best of me for sure. LOL!

So we jump off the class with Surya Namskar A or in layman’s terms, Sun Salutation A. Okay. I can do this. So we go through the series a few times. Then we move on the Suya Namaskar B. Okay. I’m still good. We are moving at a fast pace. Straight to chaturanga no knees, chest, chin, but that’s cool. I’m with it. Then we start rolling through the postures.

What I didn’t know or remember about Astanga is that the system goes through a certain set of postures each time and I think they are the same every time. Also what I didn’t realize is that many of the postures of levels of difficulty from A to D. Maybe I shouldn’t say difficulty, but they postures become more challenging as the letters go up. They also include Vinyasas that are the usual chaturunga, upward dog, downward dog, but then there is also the jump throughs and jump backs from a seated position, where you would shoot your legs back behind you to plank or forward through your hands to a seated position. I don’t know if I would call a vinyasa and I don’t know if I’m making any damn sense, but damn it was work! We also always had jump forward to uttanasana at points. Now I know I’m throwing around whole lot of unknown words so some of your all and your mind is starting to hurt. Well now you know how I was feeling that day in class! LOL!

To top all that off, as I stated above, I thought I was really well versed in all things Sanskrit. Well the teacher started calling names of things in Sanskrit that I had never heard of so I have no idea what to do and she wasn’t trying to demonstrate so I was looking at the other two ladies in the room. Not really the best idea, but I needed a little guidance. Help really! When we got down the C and D levels of the postures in some cases my body was not having it. I looked over at the woman with the “hurt” shoulder and she was wrapped up like a pretzel! HA! All I could do was laugh to myself.

As I was looking around the room, struggling, I see the teaching helping the pretzel lady and I’m think, “she doesn’t need any help. I need the damn help!” HA! My ego was really coming out. I was thinking all kind of stuff on that class. “How come the teacher is not helping me? If she’s not going to demonstrate the poses, then what is she here for? Did some white guy make this mode of yoga up? I know she sees me struggling so why isn’t she offering modifications?” Now mind you, I know how to modify, but my ego was saying that “she” needed to tell me cuz “she is the teacher!” LOL! The teacher did come over and help me in the class. She was actually very nice, but wow the mind can be a monster.

I kept looking at the clock (bad) and I was sweating up a storm. People don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t get your sweat on in yoga. That’s a damn lie! I can’t even recall all that happened in that class, but I will say this. When we finally got to savasana I was so ready to lie down. HA! I was nailed to the floor!

Usually at the end of class the teacher will tell you to roll over to your right and then sit up and cross-legged position for you last Om of the class. Well not in this class. When savasana was over, the teach just said, “Thank you. Now go and rest.” Ha ha! I was like damn. No hug, no spooning, no goodnight kiss. It felt like, “Thank you and goodnight!”

So I gathered my mat, glasses and my ass up off the floor. Packed up all my things, went to the loo and put on my outside gear. The teacher came of and handed me a sheet with the Ashtaga poses on it and the long chant that she did that day. Apparently they do it every time so folks who come, know it.

She asked me if someone had got me the yoga passbook as a gift. Which really translated to asking, was this your first time doing yoga? Damn! I must have been looking crazy. LOL! It was all good though.

Originally I thought I would never go back to that class, but I think I will or maybe find another Ashtaga class. My ego is not going to beat this girl down. It’s yoga after all!

Namaste.