Chaturanga Dandasana - Aka~Low plank or the Yoga Pushup.

Chaturanga currently is not my favourite pose! There was a time when my upper body strength could support this pose but as of late, it's more likely you'll see me come down a few inches then gracefully lower to my mat.

In my head I think that poses I don't enjoy or I'm not "good" at are the ones that will truly benefit me the most. So I keep trucking along and I figure at some point it will just come naturally or it'll get easier. But does it ever get easier or do we just get better at it with practice?

For now, I’m ok with modifying by dropping my knees and coming all the way down to my mat then rising into Cobra Pose. Although, there have been times I amaze myself and get into Up Dog from Chaturanga with ease. That happens mostly earlier in the day when I have lots of energy. But what a great feeling!

For now I'll take whatever comes. It's called a yoga practice for a reason.
K.

"The pose begins when you want to get out of it." ~Baron Baptiste

This weekend we focused on Sun Salutations or Surya Namaskar. I’ve personally taken them for granted in my own practice. I've rushed through them trying to move onto better (or easier poses). But we need them in our practice to warm up our bodies, sync our breath and stretch all our major muscle groups. Having the time to actually break down the poses and breath gave me a new appreciation for Sun Salutations. .

Or so I thought.

Then Erica guided us through a series of flows and believe me, I again was wishing for it t be over! But isn’t that what yoga is all about, pushing you outside of your comfort zone? I got through it with some modifications for my knee.

Also this weekend we had our first lesson on Holistic Nutrition and Samantha brought us in some delicious treats to try. Eating healthy with simple foods and being mindful when we eat is really not that difficult if we put some time and effort into it.

I personally like to meal prep so that I have good choices always available to me. It keeps me from getting hangry and just putting junk in my body. Something everyone can work on!

Till next weekend!
K.

I think I’ve committed and talked myself out of this training a half a dozen times in the last 2 years, because I have a chronic knee injury. I haven’t even been to a class in 8 months. Teacher training has been a dream for as long as I can remember. This was going to be the time. I wasn’t backing out.

Until the night before when I slipped on ice and felt the all familiar looseness inside my knee. The same feeling I have before every dislocation. My anxiety and fear kicked in. Could I even do this? Was my surgeon right when he said there is no way? I even emailed Samantha the night before and said I needed to try one day of the program to see if I was even able to practice.

But I could do it.. I didn’t forget the poses, I knew how to breathe and I missed it. A lot.

I walked into an amazing environment an instant kula (yoga community). .A new beginning! It was a lot of information our first weekend and we already started practice teaching. I did however, sound like a 6th grader giving a book report in front of the class, complete with a cracking voice and totally forgetting how to talk for a moment.. But I got over it and it was easier on day 2.

I'm ready for next weekend. Well, almost, I need to do my homework. .But I'm here!

K.