Archive for the ‘On The Mat’ Category

Should bad habits be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should bad habits be forgot,
And forever left behind!

Forever left behind, my dear,
Forever left behind,
We’ll replace with healthy habits this year,
With bad left behind.

And surely you’ll start your yoga!
and surely I’ll start mine !
We’ll take our class of pilates yet,
With coffee left behind.

Forever left behind, my dear,
Forever left behind,
We’ll replace with healthy habits this year,
With bad left behind.

We two have sat on the couch,
and consumed our food and wine;
We’ve now resolved to let bad habits go
And forever left behind

Forever left behind, my dear,
Forever left behind,
We’ll replace with healthy habits this year,
With bad left behind.

We’ve resolved to let go of last year,
To ring in new habits, so fine;
Let go of what’s not serving you
And forever left behind

Forever left behind, my dear,
Forever left behind,
We’ll replace with healthy habits this year,
With bad left behind.

And there’s your old trusty mat
And give to me o’ mine!
This year we’ll take the healthy path
Bad habits left behind.

Forever left behind, my dear,
Forever left behind,
We’ll replace with healthy habits this year,
With bad left behind.

When we think yoga, most of us think about going to a yoga class. While I absolutely love sharing yoga in a classroom setting, I would love to see each of my students in a private session at least once a month to focus on them one on one. In fact, most of my work teaching in Los Angeles was for private clientele (yes, some celebrities), but mostly busy people who didn’t have time to get to a studio and take a class.

So, why private yoga instruction? These sessions offer Individual care, specific to what your needs are. Private sessions allow for one on one attention to help you really understand how to move in your body, and to identify what areas you need to work on. In a private session I can have a discussion with you to create awareness of things you might not have even considered.

You’re probably thinking, “Who can afford private yoga sessions?” If you are seeking a strong yoga practice you can’t afford not to invest in this personal attention to get you into your body.

I feel like everyone should have the experience of learning proper alignment, how to adjust for injuries, and how to refine the poses they love and learn the ones they don’t know yet! I also believe that a LOT can transform from just a few starter sessions. With someones eyes on you for an hour as you practice- watching the placement of the hands, the little patterns in your body that you may not be seeing- you can shift and grow A LOT. You can then take all of this with you back in to your studio classes!

When you take a private yoga lesson, you get to set your own specific yoga intentions. The sessions are tailored to YOU and YOUR needs. Some of my clients really want to focus on breathing techniques and some just want to learn how to do a handstand! Sometimes it changes from day to day and that’s okay too! Usually the teacher will come to your home, but often they have access to a yoga studio or their own home studio allowing you to come to them if you prefer. Private yoga is also a beautiful gift to give to a yogi you love, and they will be forever grateful.

If you have any questions about any of this- I am around and teach Thursday nights, Saturday mornings and by appointment at Sattva. I and am so excited to share with you the knowledge I have learned from my studies, my students, and my teachers! Namaste, Emily emilyburton.com

I trust everyone has heard that we are having a great contest called the Plank is On! Yeahh…Just means you gotta reaalllly work hard on those planks this month to build up your strength and shine out your best. This is going to be a fun contest; always good to have something to work towards.

While I am rather thrilled about it, I am reflecting upon the non-competitive nature of yoga. While in the extremes of a competitive mind, we won’t be able to achieve a balanced mind of harmony and joy (which is one of the great side effects of yoga). Being in the current of competition feeds ones ego.  Hey, we definitely gain something, like a pat on the back, a feeling of self-confidence, pride of having achieved something we thought impossible. Those are great things if we receive it with the right attitude.

Competition is an opportunity for us to practice two things: compassion and sympathetic joy. Compassion is the ability to accept one’s own or another’s hardships. In our case that means just fully accepting where you are at. Whether you can do plank in the fullest expression you know or not – who cares (but you maybe). What we might care about though is about how much joy, enthusiasm and love you bring to your practice. Sympathetic joy is the ability to be happy for someone else’s achievements.  No matter who ‘wins’, we are happy anyway.

Can’t wait till everyone is strong enough to take the plank up to a handstand.  

A few months ago I hurt my shoulder. And unlike the little tweeks that sometimes pop up, or even that glorious soreness that lets you know you’ve been working, (Why do my inner thighs feel like they’re bleeding from the inside? Ah yes, standing side leg series), when I hurt my shoulder I knew it right away.

I remember exactly when it happened. And why.

Despite the direction of the instructor, I was determined to take the exercise to the next level, to take it farther and stretch more, to do it better. Not better than anyone else, but better than I’d ever done it before. If I could just push a bit further…

I know, I know. Not very Sattva.

And so I pushed. And my body said, SNAP! Too far, Miss Thing. Go to the end of the line.

It hurt so much in that moment that there was no denying I’d gone too far. You’d think I would’ve gotten the hint.

But Janet’s 108 Sun Salutations were only three days away and I really wanted to participate. Despite the sharp pain and swelling, I convinced myself with some ice and a day off I’d be fine.

I wasn’t fine. After a week of sleepless nights (I couldn’t even lay on my back) and much good advice, I finally went to the doctor. Turns out I’d torn a small piece of my posterior rotator cuff.

Nice.

I spent the next two months in physical therapy instead of yoga and pilates. I was on strict orders to take it easy. Which for me, is not so easy. But I grudgingly obeyed.

Every day my shoulder felt a little better, but I could feel my head spinning. I felt like I was losing tone, losing all the progress I’d worked so hard for over the years. What about plank and chaturanga? What about down dog and dolphin? All I could think was, Come on, really? Hurry up!

But here’s the thing. I needed to heal, which takes time. And not just my shoulder. I needed to get my head right, too.

Intellectually I knew that taking time off was the right thing, but it just didn’t feel right. I’d gotten so used to giving my body the exercise it needed (better, stronger, faster!), that I’d forgotten how to nourish it in other ways.

With patience and breath, with rest and care. To find balance.

It took a few months, but I think I learned my lesson.

I’m finally feeling better. Last night I had a strong night of reformer, and for the first time in months I felt almost like my old self.

Except with one difference. When I push, because I always will, it will be more carefully, with a more conscious awareness. Instead of taking my body for granted and expecting (demanding?) it to do my bidding like some twisted up Gumby doll, I will ask.

I will always strive for more. But from now on, I will work harder to honor my body as a partner while I do.

With Yoga Asana Practice we direct the energy flow in our bodies. Each group of yoga asanas (forward bends, twists, inversions etc.) produce certain results. Forward bends  as a group, for example, have a cooling effect.

Just what we need in the blazing heat of the summer. We should practice them diligently!

Paschimottanasa, or seated forward bend, helps us to turn inward and find our center. When things get a little too aggravated practice this pose for 2,3,4 5, minutes.  It’ll make you feel a lot better – instantly.

Practice Tips:

Start in a seated position, with legs extended out and a straight spine.  If needed, sit on a blanket.  Extend arms towards the ceiling and in line with the ears.  While pressing down with the backs of the legs, lead with the chest and fold forward.  Clasp the feet and push the balls of the feet into the hands.  Continue to ground the thighs and move the shoulders back towards the waist.  Extend forward through the sides of the body and crown of the head.

Contraindications:

Lower back issues.  If pregnant, will need to spread legs wide to create room for the belly – which gives you a slightly different variation.

Modifications:

Place blanket under the hips.  Use strap around the balls of the feed.  Place a blanket under the bent knees.