yogic release
I went to a yoga class today at a studio that isn't very close to home, but isn't too far away, either. The class began at 0930 and I was there by 0900, so sat in a nearby park for a few minutes.
I'd never taken a class with the teacher before, but I had met him, and my own teacher likes him, so I figured that was good enough for me. When I went in and paid up, the desk yogi said it was good I arrived early as the class fills up. And fill up it did, with approximately 30 students; one of the biggest classes I've been to in a while.
The teacher started out by announcing a workshop by Amy Weintraub called "Lifeforce Yoga: Yoga to Manage your Mood". I actually took a short version of this class some years back and really did not like it (one of the few yoga classes I've had an actual aversion to), in part due to the over-focus on kapalabhati pranayama aka "skull shining breath". The more I practice pranayama, the more I am glad that it is not a significant portion of Iyengar practice, as it's just not something I'm drawn to.
Today's teacher was very effective and guided the class through a long sequence of poses, mostly built around prasarita padottanasana (although the photo in the referenced link shows the head on the floor, which was not where we went).
My only gripe is that the session ran long. One reference on the website listed the class as running from 0930 - 1100, and another one from 0930 - 1115. By 1130 I was itching with anxiety (did I have anywhere to be? No. I was still anxious!). The teacher said this class always lasts for two hours!; I advised him to update his schedule.
Still, the focus on hips made a difference, and for the first time in a week I had no pain in my right hip. Blessed relief.
I'd never taken a class with the teacher before, but I had met him, and my own teacher likes him, so I figured that was good enough for me. When I went in and paid up, the desk yogi said it was good I arrived early as the class fills up. And fill up it did, with approximately 30 students; one of the biggest classes I've been to in a while.
The teacher started out by announcing a workshop by Amy Weintraub called "Lifeforce Yoga: Yoga to Manage your Mood". I actually took a short version of this class some years back and really did not like it (one of the few yoga classes I've had an actual aversion to), in part due to the over-focus on kapalabhati pranayama aka "skull shining breath". The more I practice pranayama, the more I am glad that it is not a significant portion of Iyengar practice, as it's just not something I'm drawn to.
Today's teacher was very effective and guided the class through a long sequence of poses, mostly built around prasarita padottanasana (although the photo in the referenced link shows the head on the floor, which was not where we went).
My only gripe is that the session ran long. One reference on the website listed the class as running from 0930 - 1100, and another one from 0930 - 1115. By 1130 I was itching with anxiety (did I have anywhere to be? No. I was still anxious!). The teacher said this class always lasts for two hours!; I advised him to update his schedule.
Still, the focus on hips made a difference, and for the first time in a week I had no pain in my right hip. Blessed relief.