when your mind and your mouth don't communicate

I know that in my single year of teaching yoga, I have had quite a bit of opportunities where I have completely perplexed those attending my class.

This past weekend, I was taking a yoga class with the very talented and Shiva Rea-trained Coral Brown, and she had the same experience. Well, kind of the same experience. To her benefit, she just confused us, but her mouth and mind were connected. It was awesome. We were doing this really interesting circular flowing sequence that included a side lunge, then you walked over the other foot and turned your body until your original back foot is on its side and you're kind of turned to the back of the room....see? I can't even describe it. Anywho, it ended up being a really funny and authentic moment. A dripping, sweaty class full of 25ish people and we're all like "what the hell...? am I doing this right?" She just went with the flow, saying we all got the general idea, and saying that's what her goal was: to confuse all of us.

It happens all the time to me. When I'm teaching, my mouth can just suddenly take off. I mean to say one word, and another escapes my lips. It's pretty entertaining to me, having a bunch of people look at you like you are absolutely nuts. "You want me to do whaaa with my leg?"
Sometimes I just confuse myself. Don't we all?

I like being in moments like these because it usually produces a smile from someone. I smile because it's...well...embarrassing (and humbling), but I'm okay with it if it makes somebody else smile. I'm not nearly close to being perfect, and even if a class full of people get to witness that fact in action, I'm okay with it. I believe that yoga doesn't have to be quite so serious, and I try not to practice or teach anything that will make people too stone-faced (well, okay, I understand that plank pose isn't the most fun place to be).

Next time your shoulders are feelin' the burn in down dog (or if you're just havin' a sad sally day), turn the corners of your mouth just slightly upwards (see where it grows...). It will soften the rest of the muscles of your face, and even if you're beginning to feel any inkling of resentment or disdain, you might be able to trick your brain into thinking you're happy and release some endorphins.

Heh. Cats doing yoga.

Modern Family

God I love this show. It's one of those shows that you could watch for hours. And Phil rocks.

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm at home feeling very grateful for the delicious food we get to cook in our new kitchen, the wonderful people in my life, and life in general. Last night my parents had a couple of their friends over and we had a nice little get-together. It's awesome being able to cook in a place where there is more than about 4 feet to prep food. I took advantage of it yesterday...I cooked butternut squash soup, baked chocolate chip pretzel cookies (love that sweet 'n salty..), pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, oven-baked parmesan herb potato crisps, and baked up some (sweet 'n salty) squash seeds. I don't know if you're supposed to eat those but I like using the whole veggie, seeds and all, regardless.

I'm enjoying being home but it always occurs to me that it will probably never feel like the same home
I had back in high school. I don't know what it is, but the moment you move out...things change. I went out to the bahs (bars) last night for a short while and that was some pretty prime people watching. It's interesting how everyone looks around, trying not to make eye contact with people from their distant past. Anywho! I should probably go help down in the kitchen, the count down for lunch/dinner is winding down. Remember to send your turkey some thanks as you think about everything else you are grateful for :-)
I leave you with the great Adam Sandler. Happy Thanksgiving!

Reverse superman pose with VIDEO!

I think a lot of people view yoga as something serious--a non-smiling, body curving, leg over the head activity. I like to think of it as a way to explore the way the body moves, and last night was a fun example of that. I went to my fellow yoga teacher friend's house, Adi, with one of my roommates, Ainslie. I went feeling tired and run down (it's been a long week, so ready for some home comfort and cookin!), but immediately pepped right up when we all started doing...guess what...yoga! We were practicing arm balances like crow and side crow, but then we started doing partner yoga and acroyoga. Shit's fuuun. Here's a picture of some random people I don't know doing one of the poses we were doing last night. Not sure what it's called.



If I could have one superhero power, I think I'd wish to fly.
I guess that's why I like this pose so much. Reverse superman pose. Partner poses are interesting because you have to have such a trust in and balance with the person flying you. We human beings are nuts!

Anywho, if you'd like to try it you should watch the video I've posted below of me and Ains demonstrating for you. Even if you have no intention of doing it, I recommend that you watch it, because you'll see us make fools of ourselves at the end...and what's better than that?! So have fun, GO EASY (Ideally both people should do some light stretching before), and don't be afraid to fall!