Hola! It is Friday...Yay!!
I am so sore today. I went to my first Anusara class last evening. It was interesting.
My back is very very stiff; so I did something to it...good or bad I do not know.
The teacher last night was Gina Minyard. I really really liked her and her style of teaching.
Anusara is very different then what I typically practice (Ashtanga)
From what I gathered (which I am still learning) this approach is very much based on alignment and heart opening postures. After reading more about John Friend (the founder of Anusara) it reflected that he studied with BKS Iyengar for several years. Which makes sense since Nicole and I both agreed while talking last night that Anusara is similar to Iyengar yoga.
The class was much of a Vinyasa style class. It was focused on opening and we did hold postures longer than I am used to. It was different to focus so much on "scooping the tailbone" and such. I actually felt very out of my element and at a place of complete surrender.
I am still at no point to make a clear decision on this style. However, I really enjoy learning new practices.
I've practiced: Ashtanga, Iyengar, Power Yoga/Vinyasa Yoga, Yin, Kripalu, Pranakriya, Classical Hatha, Hot/Bikram, Baptiste and of course Dharma Mittra Yoga :)
I still would like to try out Forrest, Jivamutki and Om yoga which is pretty much Hatha I believe (Cindy Lee).
So it was nice to try a new "style" and it seemed to help last night with my back.
However I am very stiff today. Perhaps that is good?
I have a dr. appointment today to see if this is the piriformis muscle or a disk issue. Cross your fingers.
Denver sat at Zazen last night and met me at Whole foods for dinner. It was nice as usual.
This weekend I think we will relax and read and clean on Saturday and Zazen on Sunday.
How about you?
Enjoy your Friday the 13th!
2 days ago
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3 comments:
Hello there, I friended you on LJ (imdissertating there) and started to read this blog. I'm also a yogini so I really like reading about others finding their ways to yoga.
Just to chime into this entry - our studio did an anusara-inspired yoga class for a few weeks. It took me 2 classes to get into it then I loved it. At the end of one class, I got into full lotus and lifted myself off the ground! I was so pleased, and I knew it was a result of the work in the class (lots of hip openers, general alignment stuff, twisting thighs to open hips). I hope you're able to take more anusara classes.
I also really want to try jivamukti classes. Sadly, I'm in a city with 4 viable yoga studios - one Bikrams, one Ashtanga, the other two are vinyasa flow/Ashtanga/Hatha/Baptiste Power places. Actually, I hear there is 1 Kundalini class in town too, I'd like to try it out. We live in a relatively isolated area so the next large urban centre is 2 hrs away (where there may be more varied yoga).
Anyway, this is to say that I enjoy reading your thoughts on your yoga practice! Oh also, I'm considering yoga teacher training too.
Thanks for commenting Jennifer!
You know you always feel a loyalty to your "gateway" practice. For me that was Ashtanga.
I've had a recent injury so I wanted to just see what other sytles are out there.
I enjoyed the class and if anything it has made me very interested in learning more. I've found myself pulling out all my old Yoga Journals to see about articles about Anusara and reading online. Perhaps I will try a few more classes to see what I think.
Do you practice daily Anusara or another method?
Hi Flo!
I can't claim a particular style of practice because my yoga studio blends so many. I guess I do vinyasa practices the most - usually they are Ashtanga based (sometimes strict Ashtanga, sometimes Ashtanga-influenced); my place offers (Baron) Baptiste power yoga & detox yoga so I do that too --- occasionally I do a yin practice, a few classes at my place are Iyengar-styled, sometimes Bikrams (though less lately because it's at a different studio). The studio owner was teaching Anusara inspired for a while but she stopped because you have to be officially trained to teach it (and she isn't). My yoga place is here: www.yogasamatva.com
Unfortunately, I don't have much of a home practice. I try to make it to the studio 5 days a week though. I have a volunteer exchange with them so I put in 4 hrs of work/week (Sunday nights) and can access all the yoga I want. Pretty sweet deal!
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