Leave me feedback! eyogaclass@gmail.com or leave me a message on SpeakPipe

Come see me at the New Media Expo in January! 

Tenacious Gratitude

Thoughts?

I can tell you mine.

Tenacious didn’t quite feel “right” with me.

I felt that being tenacious was not something I aspired to be.

It’s too rough.

Too hard.

Too pushy.

Too manly.

I imagined the quintessential football player, the one that just stampedes over the competition regardless of anything else, bulldozing through pain, through obstacles, through physical harm - Raaaaaaaaaaah!!!!

I’m not that.

In fact, it kinda repulsed me.

I didn’t want to be known as tenacious.

And then I was introduced to Adeline Arjad from Chocbite by my awesome-sauce business powerhouse Erika Lyremark. Arlene said:

“Tenaciousness + Gratitude = Success”

And then it made sense.

This larger than life word that I had chosen not to align with at all, became more than my subjective cultural upbringing and life experience.

I let the word be.

Tenacious: not easily stopped or pulled apart. Firm. Strong. Seeking something valued or desired. Continuing for a LONG time.

Synonyms - devoted, faithful, relentless.

I recognized that I pushed away tenaciousness because I was afraid to commit and follow through.

Tenacious requires a deep, unwavering commitment to the things that you value and dream and I wasn’t willing to go that far.

I wanted an out. I wanted excuses. I didn’t want to do the work, not fully.

What if it didn’t work out?

What if what I stood behind or for changed?

What if I had to defend publicly what I stood for?

What if… …..I failed?

I’m ready - NOW - because of the magic of gratitude.

You simply cannot be tenacioustenacioustenacious. It’s unsustainable.

With gratitude thrown in the mix you’ve got a recipe for unwavering magic making.

Gratitude refuels and replenishes.

OMG this was perhaps the biggest lesson that I’ve learned.

Gratitude is like doing a personal and spiritual detox. It’s like drinking and eating your greens. It’s the fastest way to clear out the cruft left by the fire of tenacity.

I’m ready to embody tenacity. I’m ready to fuel it with the nectar of gratitude.

Do you want to join me?

How about practicing along and letting me know how tenacity mixed with gratitude felt in your body? Yeay or nay?

COME BACK FOR THE IMAGES AND POSSIBLE VIDEOS TO HELP YOU WITH THE SEQUENCE!

It’s episode 100 of Elsie’s Yoga Class!

This is not a yoga asana class today, but my goodness what we have is serious yoga study and conversation.

This is super special because it’s the 100th episode and also my 6th year podcasting!!!

In order to celebrate I gathered two of my most influential teachers and we have incredible conversations about yoga and life.

The kinds of things that are shared are the best kind of yoga you can learn and be exposed to. Listening will undoubtedly take your asana practice to an unbelievable level.

I ask my teachers the questions that you guys most often write to me about which are:

• Dealing with an at home yoga practice
• Deepening your practice
• Applying your practice
• Transformative daily practice
• Becoming a yoga teacher and the best way to go about it
• Prenatal yoga and post natal/postpartum practices

In addition to all of that you will hear YOUR voices. I share your voices so you know that you are part of something so much bigger than this yoga podcast, so much more amazing.

Our kula, our tribe our community is in the entire world and across time and space.

You guys belong to a magical space and are in the cutting edge.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I certainly hope you enjoy! It is a super long episode, be warned :) Consider it a yoga workshop Elsie style ;)

Sign up for my newsletter: elsiesyogakula.com/newsletter

I just wrote a post called When The World Doesn’t See You As You See Yourself, which was the basis for this episode.

The execution of embodiment, which to me = action is what I feel in my humble opinion is a giant factor in creating lasting embedded change in our lives and something that most of us lack.

We think a ton and don’t actually do anything.

I know that I stay a lot in my head. I have the knowledge. I know what needs to be done. I am fired up and completely in, and yet for a huge percentage of the times, I stay in my head.

In that last post I spoke of your yoga practice being 1/2 deep focus and 1/2 pure enjoyment. This is a teaching that was so succinctly encapsulated and driven home by Dr. Claudia Welch in one of the amazing calls in Cate Stillman’s and Dr. Welch’s Healthy Hormone’s Course.

(If you guys are interested, I cannot even begin to explain how life changing this course is)

Dr. Welch described this focus and enjoyment concept regarding meditation and as she explained it, I realized that this is applicable to everything, particularly if you are looking to create a specific outcome aka transformation.

I knew I was missing pieces of this puzzle…

So, in an effort to embody, I created a yoga class that began to get those concepts from the brain, into the body.

How do you practice focus and enjoyment in your practice? What does it feel like?

This week’s class is 37 minutes in length. I consider it to be about a level 1–2 class, and I feel beginners can absolutely give it a go.

This class is perfect for an early morning, mid afternoon, or evening class to get you back in alignment with yourself, particularly if you’re feeling out of sorts or if you are working on getting yourself to deepen the why of your yoga practice.

PS. I’m creating a mentoring yoga-life program, incorporating ayurveda, asana, and simple in-the-world practices to sweetly upgrade your life. Divine Moxie all the way baby! Stay on the list or JOIN MY NEWSLETTER aka The Divine Moxie League!

Oh what a story do I have to tell in this episode! At least you know what’s it’s going to be all about looking at the artwork for this post.

That image was taken very soon after I walked through my door after I got held up. I found both of my girls immersed in watching My Neighbor Totoro one of our family’s favorites. Such dichotomy.

You can of course listen to me tell the story of the whole event in the class. There is a 5 minute intro and then the class begins with me telling the story of how I got held by a young man with a gun a block away from my house.

Crazy!

This is a great class to practice when you are feeling ungrounded, defeated and/or a little scared. It’ll help you get your moxie on and help you reconnect to your strength!

I mention two links in the intro:

Yogidetox My free newsletter which is The Divine Moxie League HQ

Also, do to the tragic events this week in Boston and in Texas I wrote this deeply personal piece that I’d love for you to check out: Surviving Terror- A Personal Story

Let me know what you think! email me at eyogaclass@gmail.com or call me at 310 651 6238!

When was the last time you invested in yourself?

I’m not talking about buying something, whether it be a yoga class, a workshop or even a nice new outfit. I’m talking about taking some REAL time to be with yourself, to feel your body, to listen to what’s going on in your heart and in your head.

When was the last time you did this right smack in the midst of holiday season? Particularly when you weren’t feeling your best….?

Then this class is for you!

Practice along and….

• Reconnect with yourself.
• Ground you energy so you don’t end up saying or doing something you totally don’t want to do.
• Empower yourself to take care of yourself in the best way possible
• Feel Good! Get your yoga high on right when you need it the most!

So get going and practice yoga at your own time and yet be part of something much greater 

Goodies and Inspiration Mentioned in the Intro

• Wanna support the podcast? Buy the Elsie’s Yoga Class App! Get if for your iPhone/iPad orAndroid.
• Love Floracopeia as much as I do, get 25% of your first purchase using coupon code yogeek HEREor get this amazing Breathe Blend to support your respiratory system! I am a proud affiliate 
• The amazing Cate Stillman’s Evolve Your Winter’s Traditions eCourse. So good.
• You up for working privately with me? Get the deets HERE.
• If you want to stay connected, sign up for my Newsletter please, I'd love to get to know you better!

Guess what I did???

Free Video Yoga Class is the House!

This is my first full on video yoga class which includes my signature intro PLUS a cameo appearance of my girls Hunter and Mae!

There is no theme.

It's only 30 minutes.

It's an intermediate level class, because I don't break things down to much and it keeps a pretty steady pace.

I would LOVE your feedback on this format.

I am still going to be publishing audio classes, so don't worry :) I may just sprinkle the video classes here and there...and maybe make these more of a 'premium' offering...not sure.

Give it a go.

Let me know what you think!

Support the podcast

• Please leave me a review in iTunes!!! It would be oh so appreciated :)
• Support the amazing Floracopeia (I'm a proud affiliate)! Go here and use coupon code yogeek for 25% off!

How Are You…Really?

How many times has someone asked you “how are you?” and you mindlessly say “I’m fine, thanks.”

When you are not.

When I say, you are not, I don’t mean that you just had someone you love die, or you just lost your home, or your job, or you just found our your beloved was cheating on you…I mean “you are not,” because you don’t actually know anymore.

“I’m fine, thanks” is something we say countless times and most of those times, we don’t even think about it.

Our mouths answer before we even truly think about what we are saying.

It really isn’t that your life sucks.

In fact it’s probably a nice life.

There are ‘things’ that aren’t perhaps what you wish they were…but hey, you have tons of things that other people don’t…a place to live, friends, a decent partner…blah blah blah.

At least that’s what you tell yourself. BUT there is something in your belly, a slight little feeling, that your life isn’t where it’s meant to be.

It’s that feeling that you only feel when everything around you gets quiet.

When the world stops in between each breath.

When you notice the quiet in between each breath.

Which doesn’t happen too often ;)

I bring this up because this yoga class episode was inspired by an amazing project by Adam Baker called “I’m Fine, Thanks.” It’s a VERY important life changing project that all of you should be aware of and consider donating to.

THERE ARE ONLY 9 DAYS LEFT TO DONATE!

For Some Complacency = Death

Really?

Yes.

If I would not have made the choices that I made in the fall of 2007 I would in no way be as alive as I am right now.

I feel it in my bones that my health would have suffered greatly.

I am 100% certain that I would not be a mother.

I didn’t have a horrible life, in fact from the outside it looked just peachy. I looked just peachy. I sounded just peachy.

But in between the breaths, I was not.

The following class is an opportunity to practice stepping deeper into your heart, and ask yourself “how are you?”

And answer yourself truly, in the privacy of your own mat, in your own practice.

The class itself is not particularly challenging in terms of the poses, but it is slow deliberate and I don’t teach from the ground up. You’ll get the most of the yoga class if you already have a practice, simply because you get an opportunity to forget the ‘poses’ and make it more about a moving meditation.

Let me know how it goes!

This yoga class is simple

Nothing fancy.

No crazy poses.

In fact, there are very little poses.

This is more of a practice of just doing THIS. One. Thing.

It's more about dharana- one pointed concentration.

It's about stopping doing all things at once (including quickly getting a yoga class in as part of your continued multitasking.) ;)

Let me know what you think! This is a new format as the class was recorded at home, with no students, just you guys and me!

Look below for the yoga class sequence.

Episode 94 Links!

The awesomely fantastic tunic colca, which I ADORE.

This is one of my favorite pieces of clothing from [Prancing Leopard[pl], the Tunic Colca. It's sort of like a super sophisticated and styly racerback ribbed tank top.

It's got this KILLER asymmetrical neckline that totally rocks, and it's crazy long. It totally covers by bum. It's so comfy. It looks great, it's awesomely fashionable AND I can very easily breast feed in it.

Seriously, you gotta get it! Remember to use coupon code eyk at checkout to get 15% off. This code is specially for the Elsie's Yoga Kula community!

Anna And Modern Day Slavery

When human trading becomes one of the most profitable 'businesses' in the world...one brave hacker, risking everything,leads a fight to end them...

If you can help support this incredible project, please do so!

You can check out all about this HERE.

Check out all about this piece

Discover The Eve Of Your Breath

FINALLY!!!

The more I live my life, the more I recognize that the most important aspect of the practice of yoga is the breath. Every key insight either about me, a specific pose, the way my body functions or even my relationships has come through a growth in the breath.

I remember two distinct times while practicing backbends that they unfolded themselves to me when I FINALLY breathed optimally while working deeper into the postures.

I also remember my first feeling of wholeness as I let go into savasana for the first time, I believe because I released into my breath for the first time.

The breath has particularly played a ginormous part in staying sane after the birth of Mae and becoming a Mama of two, through three pretty powerful experiences with pain and discomfort (during labor, when my sacrum went out 2 weeks after birth and when my impacted wisdom tooth got infected.)

The breath just came to my aid recently, not regarding to pain this time, but anxiety

You can hear how the breath helped me come back from an almost full blow anxiety attack!

Here are a few other things covered and mentioned in this special breathing class episode:

• What I'm doing about my Anusara Yoga Inspired status given the recent goings on.
• The why behind my choice: Courage, Prayer and Action
• One of the most courageous human beings I know, Beth Morey, and the reason this episode is dedicated to her daughter Eve.
• This is Beth's website
• Richard Freeman's Breathing CD
• The video of Mae and I doing some Mother and Infant yoga ♥ This practice is very simple and basic. There is no yoga jargon, and no fancy pants pranayama.

The practice is meant to be the first step you take into the power of your own breath.

This is a breathing practice for beginners

The breathing practice focuses primarily on cultivating your own natural breath, by discovering it's movement within your body.

If you feel like you are anxious, fearful, disconnected, or tired, give this practice a go.

If you are someone that has never done any kind of breath practice or have never paid attention to your breath and how it affects your health, this is the practice for you!

Go ahead, practice! You won't regret it. (THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE THE APP, YOU WILL GET AN MP3 OF ONLY THE 20 MIN CLASS WITHOUT THE INTRODUCTIONS AS WELL!)

• There is a 9 min introduction to the episode as well as news and sponsors
• There is a 5 minute intro to the breathing practice itself
• There is a 20 minute breathing practice

I would simply adore to hear how this practice works for you!

Oh,

Wanna know specific reasons of my choice regarding my affiliation with Anusara ™yoga, please feel free to email me and I'll break it down for you in a more private way :)

I've been at home A LOT lately.

My body has gone through a pretty massive transformation since giving birth, as it should, since it facilitaded an entire new human being to come out! My goodness does that still keep me in awe. It floors me when I think of what this body is capable of. If something is magical, it's our bodies :)

I'm also keenly aware that as magical and intuitive as it is it MUST be nurtured.

I had my sacrum/si completely go out on me about 4 weeks postpartum. Thank God my parents were here visiting at that time. I could barely get out of bed, let alone pick up my infant daughter! It was rough. No amount of yoga therapy instantanously 'healed' me. In fact, the simple act of sitting and standing was excruciating.

It was then that I learned, um...RE-learned that yoga is not about the poses.

The gifts that yoga has given me have nothing to do with the poses, but with the simple and all powerful discovery of being, breathing and feeling. This discovery comes from the un-abiding choice recognize and honor Home.

What is Home?

Have you heard "Home is where the heart is?"

I think Home is the Heart.

Yoga didn't give me extra super powers. Yoga hasn't made my life any easier. I still have to address important issues, deal with stress, navigate financial woes, and experience physical pain! Ugh. That is sucky :(

But,

the practice of yoga facilitated my recognition of Home aka my Heart, and when that happens living becomes simpler, still challenging, still unpredictable, still difficult, but simple. It seems contradictory huh?

And therein lies the magic ;)

The practice of Home, developing a yoga practice at home, sustaining a yoga practice at home begins in the Heart.

Are you up for that?

Practice along :) or even simply listen along.

Let me know if Home became clearer to you and in what ways? I'd love to hear from you! WANNA GET ALL THE EXTRA TREATS? Sign up for my Newsletter :)

I know there are some of you still in the midst of Winter. Maybe your winter has been going on for so long you're not sure how to deal with it or if you can deal with it.

Winter, or at least the qualities of winter, the darkness in particular, that darkness that forces you to remain inward, to cover yourself, and to slow down is great in little bits but when it's prolonged it can get challenging.

Some of you may be physically going through Winter, the season, while some of you may be going through an emotional or spiritual winter, even though the sun is brightly shining all around. In this level 2 yoga class we go use our bodies and our hearts to fully step into the darkness, see it as an opportunity to root and ground into all that we are capable of so that we may welcome springtime and blossom through light.

I am 8 months pregnant. When I recorded this class I was 4 months along, barely out of my first trimester having gone through a rough and long winter time. My beautiful new little life needed me to remain inward, steady, calm and receptive to allow the growth of light within. The rising of vibrant Springtime was a direct reflection of the power of the darkness.

How about practicing along and dancing with the dark and the light and blossom into the world around you?

As mentioned in the podcast, get yourself a copy of the awesome audio book "The Help" through Audible and get two FREE movie tickets with your purchase!!!! You won't regret it http://audiblepodcast.com/elsies

The theme for this class was inspired by one of my friends Hillary Rubin. She has this amazing post plus video, asking questions that needed to be asked at that moment....hmmmmm. Or at least I needed to ask these questions ;)

It was all about RUNNING OUT OF GAS! Well, at least for me it was about running out of gas. It made me think about the various ways that we deal with running out of gas:

1. We make sure to make time to consistently fill up the gas tank at a specific time of the week/month to make sure we always have a full gas tank.
2. We play it by ear. We know relatively when we are 'really' gonna run out of gas and choose to milk it for all it's worth and PRAY we don't run out of gas before we barely make it to the gas station.
3. We recognize we are running out of gas but circumstances around us at the time (we got lost and are now in a looooong stretch or road without a gas station in site) don't let us fill up the gas tank. We are going to run out of gas.

I fit into number 3.

Before becoming a Mama, I fluctuated between 1 & 2. I was conscious of my choices and continued to do my best to not run out of gas. I was close a bunch of times, but managed to get my fuel on time ;) After being a Mama I have found myself without a gas station in sight quite a few times. That is a whole other ball game.

side note- y'all know I'm not referring to actual gas or driving right? this is all a gigantuan metaphor ;)

No Gas In Sight? It's Gonna Be OK.

When I first found myself without a gas station in sight I panicked. I honestly thought it was the end of the world. I had a total and complete meltdown. I felt so alone. As I sat in my despair I did recognize that I needed to let someone know, I wasn't alone you know, I had my toddler with me. I reached out: God, my beloved, my friends, my teachers and most importantly myself.

I let myself soften. It opened my eyes to see that it really wasn't the end of the world. People run out of gas all the time. It's what we do about it that matters :)

I still run out of gas...and I'm ok. I always have an extra tank of gas with me. I always let my family and friends know where I am, in case I need an unexpected pick-up ;) And most importantly, I absolutely make sure that I enjoy the time while I wait for the gas to once again be filled up.

This week show is brought to you by Ice.com, please visit ice.com/yogaclass to get 25% off sitewide. I'm getting soooo fancy!

This class was inspired by one of you lovely people. The mighty Jennessa posted on my Facebook wall asking if I would consider doing a prenatal class in the next couple of weeks and voila! Here it is.

Here is the disclaimer: This class is aimed at pregnant women that already have a working knowledge of yoga and have done yoga prior to attempting doing this audio yoga class OR that recently have decided to practice yoga because they heard that yoga was good when you are pregnant. Always be mindful of your own body and consult your doctor or midwife before attempting any physical activity such as this class. This yoga class is not medical advice.

Sorry to be so serious but it comes from my deep desire for you to choose what's best for you and to be mindful of the choices that you make especially when you have a beautiful little life growing inside of you.

Given that, this prenatal yoga class is a little over an hour, not too intricate but deeply focused. It is what I consider a level 1-2 class and not the best for absolute beginners of yoga. You may do the actual class or you may use it as a meditation and simply listen to me speak, and do an extended savasana :) Props to have near you if you happen to have them, blocks, blankets and bolsters. Use them as you please.

The Meaning Within

The theme of the class is all about creating meaningful boundaries. I find that when it comes to parenting physical reminders really help me. I have a gold pendant of the virgin mary that my Mom sent me, that is actually for Hunter when she gets big enough, I also have bought myself a couple of rings and a bracelet that hold deep meaning to me, due to the precious stones, the metal and even the shape. They serve as physical manifestations of sacred choices. It sort of magically worked out that this episode's sponsor was a jewelry site. I found a lovely amethyst silver ring that resembles one I wear when I want to choose to remember promises I've made to myself as well as a silver cuff that is almost exactly like one I own when I want to remember power, strength and grounding. If you wanna get yourself some power jewelry for yourself for Mother's day go to http://ice.com/yogaclass and get 25% off the entire store PLUS free shipping! How about that for a treat? There is TONS to look through!

All right, enough!

On to our class :)

The 60+ Minute Prenatal Yoga Class Sequence

Tadasana

Tadasana with Anjali

Arm Salutations

Uttanasana Play

Uttanasana Ardha Uttanasana (Strong foundation plus tons of side body long)

Stand back up to Tadasana

Move to the back of the mat

Prenatal Half Sun Salutes

Uttanasana/Ardha Uttanasana

Downward Facing Dog

Balasana

All fours

Down dog

Plank

Teeny Baby Push-ups

Cobra and variations

DownDog

Walk hands back to Uttanasana

Uttanasana/ Ardha Uttanasana/Uttanasana/Tadasana

Half Sun

Prenatal Sun Salute with baby chattarunga push ups

Tadasana arms interlaced above the head stretching to the sides

Sit down

Sukhasana plus kegels

Marichyasana Open Twist

Badhakonasana

Wide supine twist

Savasana (Supported in Whatever way feels the best)

This whole podcasting thing has taken a life of it's own. You guys are my inspiration. You are what keeps me going. Yet again, I was inspired by another one of you.

This podcast episode is dedicated with love to the virtual kula, specifically to Michelle and Alfie ♥

If you'd like to support the show's sponsors, please feel free to purchase the Elsie's Yoga Kula Podcast App for the iPhone or Android for $3.99 OR go on over to Prancing Leopard and get yourself some lovely duds using the coupon code eyk for 15% off your purchase!

If you've got some time, check out my 20 minute interview on Build A Sexy BodyEpisode 20 :)

I taught/practiced this class on February 12th at The Pittsburgh Athletic Association in Oakland. I teach one class there a week: Saturdays from 11-12:15. If you are not a member but would like to drop by as a guest, please email me eyogaclass (at) gmail (dot) com. It will be $19

Hunter got sick and it totally made me think about immunity. I'm sure that those of you that read this blog and perhaps other content that is similar are aware that immunity is not just about bacteria and viruses being present in your body and all of a sudden you get sick. It's not just about the physical. It's all about the beautiful trifecta of mind, body and spirit. All of this affects the how your body reacts and doesn't react to pathogens that decide they want to wreck havok inside of your body.

The optimized circulation (inter-relationship) of our thoughts, our deep desires and the clarity of our body is the magic formula to sustain supreme health in all parts of our lives. I want to work more on that circulation.

While Hunter was sick I found myself getting harder, more fearful and less willing to soften, trust and be grateful. She has a cold for goodness sake! I felt a deep tightness in my belly. I let my mind go to places that it should not have been going to, and in the process I was feeling pretty crappy myself, wound up, stressed out and nauseous.

My circulation was off.

It took all of me to focus and remember the goodness, the steadiness and the beauty.

This practice is what I did to get myself back together. I put myself upside down. I forced myself to physically get into a place that I was NOT in. Getting into the shape transformed my ability to see more than the little things and re-attune myself to the Bigger picture :)

Physical benefits of this inversion/immunity practice:

Strengthening the circulatory system (big focus for me this year).

• Improves blood-flow to the endocrine glands
• Helps to energize and stabilize the whole of many systems.
• Revs up the lymphatic system.
• Energizes and strengthens the heart and circulatory system.

If you want to know more here are a couple of articles that are FANTASTIC about inversions and their affect on your body :)

• Amazing in depth info about the lymphatic system: Yoga And The Lymphatic System
• Wonderful info about the lymphatic system no paristalsis. Yoga Anatomy The Lymphatic System

  The Yoga Class Sequence

The focus of this entire practice is all about staying centered when life puts you upside down.

Hands and knees

Downward facing dog 3 min

Balasana

Pincha Mayurasana 1-2 min

Balasana

Handstand 1-2 min

Uttanasana

Pincha Mayurasana 1-2 min

Vajrasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Handstand 1-2 min

Uttanasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Siddhasana

Let me know your thoughts about this shorter class in the comments!!!

The Show Sponsors

• The Elsie's Yoga Class Podcast App for the iPhone or Android for $3.99
• Prancing Leopard Organics - Use coupon code eyk to get 15% off of your order. If you are not looking for spend any money but want to support the podcast and/or Prancing Leopard please tweet a nice big thank you to @prancingleopard for supporting Elsie's Yoga Class or simply go to the Prancing Leopard FB page and leave them a little thank you there for supporting the show :)

This episode was absolutely inspired by one of you.

I was asked basically how to practice yoga daily. This is something that I think about every day, that I meditate on, and continue to refine.

I'm not going to describe my own process but tell you what it boils down to, at least for me: Meaning and Truth.

If you don’t first and foremost ask yourself who you want to be in the world, what has meaning, what has value to you, and continue to refine the answer and deepen the questions again and again, whatever you decide to do (be it a daily asana practice) will be unsustainable.

If you do refine your questions and lack integrity in the way that you live your life, by telling yourself little lies and convincing yourself that they ‘don’t really matter’, no matter what you do, you will not be able to sustain your practice. Particularly your practice of being the best human being that you can be, with a full and clear heart.

I'm only sharing ‘cause I've been there. I tried really hard. Doesn’t work.

The more that you refine the sacredness of your life and live in truth the more freedom and lightness you will have and reflect. It is through choosing to remain steady with great sensitivity no matter what, that the ease and goodness of life becomes a daily gift to unwrap and enjoy. You will then not only have the deep strength needed to sustain this but also offer this great support to all those that you touch :D

Now on that positive note ;)

Happy New Year!

This episode’s yoga class is a Level 2 class that does require at least a basic working knowledge of yoga poses. It is both available by clicking the link below as well as through my yoga podcast and through either my iPhone Yoga App or my Android Yoga App.

I'm also honored to have Prancing Leopard Organics once again as a sponsor for this episode :) If you haven’t checked them out PLEASE DO! And upon check-out use code eyk and get 15% off!!! Woo hoo!

I taught this class on December 30th at BYS Yoga Studio in Pittsburgh.

The Level 2 Yoga Class Sequence

Downward Facing Dog

Eka Pada Downward Facing Dog/High Lunge/Downward Facing Dog

Eka Pada Downward Facing Dog/Lunge Twist

Uttanasana/Ardha Uttanasana x 3

Surya Namaskar x 4

Tadasana with arch back

Vinyasa

Parsvakonasana/Vira 2/Reverse Vira

Vinyasa

Parsvakonasana/Vira 2/Reverse Vira

Skiers Pose into Utkatasana

Uttanasana/Ardha Uttanasana

Plank on tops if feet into upward facing dog

Downward Facing Dog

Vira II right and left

Reverse vinyasa

Ardha chandrasana/square hips/standing splits variation

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Ardha chandrasana/square hips/standing splits variation

Uttanasana

Tadasana/tadasana on tippy toes/squat on tippy toes

Uttanasana

Deep lunge on forearms

Uttanasana

Standing hip stretch

Standing baby cradle

Vinyasa with salabasana with arms behind the back

Pigeon/pigeon twist

Lunge with thigh stretch

Dhanurasana x 3

Childs pose

Downward Facing Dog

Uttanasana

Easy supine twist

Savasana

The second mudra is called Kubera Mudra

One of the hardest things to do once you have resolved to stick to a really meaningful promise to yourself, or you've committed to something really valuable to you is sticking to it. We always waver. No matter how strong your commitment.

Kubera mudra is a physical expression of your deepest wish to stick to it. It’s very simple and this can be done so easily almost imperceptibly anywhere. It’s very cool :)

Practicing Kubera Mudra

The first thing you do is embody your sankalpa, your deepest heart’s desire. If you can be clear and simple in formulating the words of your intention in a positive way, that would be really great.

• Settle into a quiet place regardless of where you are physically.
• Place the tip of your thumb, index finger and middle finger together, bend the other two fingers so that they rest in the middle of your hand. Putting your fingers together in this fashion is a huge forceful commitment. You are harnessing desire, power, faith, courage and intensity behind those fingers.
• If you happen to be alone and are up for speaking out your intention do it three times while holding the mudra.
• Sit until you begin to sense your sankalpa seep into your breath and heart- again.

If you are out in the wild, just hold your fingers together in this fashion and let that power fuel the support that you need to follow through with your highest intentions.

A bonus feature of the Kubera mudra is that it opens up and decongests the frontal sinuses, especially if you draw air up upward as if you were smelling the sweetest yummiest perfume.

So you've gotten the background of the Grounding Mudras, you've learned about Ganesha Mudra, and now you've got this one.

Have you tried them? One? If you do let me know! Leave me a comment :)

Here is the first mudra that I’ll be sharing with you for grounding yourself attuning to your heart.

I’ll first really quickly simply show the mudra itself and what to do. We are not going to practice them. If you do want to practice the mudra, check out the corresponding videos and audio only available for both of these mudras over at elsiesyogakula.com/holidaytoolbox. They will be available very soon.

Keeping Your Heart Open

The first one is called the Ganesha mudra.

This is a powerful mudra for bringing heat and brightness to the heart. It strongly invigorates the chest cavity, your heart beats faster, warmth envelops the heart center and creates a rush of mighty energy.

Having worked with this mudra, I find it to work very well when experiencing heart ache, sadness, depression, feelings that have a quality of innertia to them, a heavyness to them. This mudra helps the stuck feeling in the heart, the heaviness begin to lift. It gives you space and the courage to live with an open heart 

I have found that if you are really angry and rageful, it may not work as well, as the heat that is created with this mudra may just fuel things up more! Although at times this may be necessary and exactly what needs to happen, as it will give clarity to your anger, for quick and pure transformation 

Practicing Ganesha Mudra

• Hold your left hand in front of your chest with the palm facing outward. (Thumb closer to your solar plexus, pinky toward your collar bone).
• Now grasp the left hand with the right hand, with the back of the right hand facing outward.
• Leave the hands at the level of your heart.
• Take a few moments and inhale fully.
• Exhale vigorously, forcefully while pulling the hands apart without releasing it the grip.
• With an inhale let go of all the tension.
• Repeat 6 times.
• Then sweetly place your hands at the sternum holding the mudra. Focus on the feeling in the heart area. Rest there.
• Then change your hand position and repeat.
• Sit quietly with yourself

Please let me know how this works out for you  I’d love to hear your thoughts about this matter!

This video is part of a series of three videos which will offer two mudras as a way to ground yourself through the holidays, and are part of my Holiday Toolbox! If you are not interested in watching the video, simply read on, and you will get the same information 

The tools that I offer focus a lot on the engagement of your whole self. The mudras are not so much about concentrating on one practice but on using all of your self, most importantly your senses, simply because some of us get stuck in one place- usually our brains! This way we can truly embody what is necessary to transform our lives into the best that we can be.

A Key To Calm Down

There are times that I’m so overwhelmed or so in my head that for the life of me, no matter how hard I try to settle and essentially calm down I can’t. What I have found for myself is that if I engage physically: a yoga posture, a mudra, I drink a cup of my favorite tea, or even listen to my favorite podcast or music and take a brisk walk, I don’t have to work so hard to get my inner self to shift.

There have been times when I do these physical actions, this embodying, and I create the space necessary to really start to break patterns of behavior inside of myself and I can then work in my brain, within my mind to attune to the finesse of tools that we all have within our selves.

Does that make sense?

So, given that I’ll be offering two mudras for your holiday tool-belt. I’m not totally gonna get into what mudras are or what their power is, suffice it to say that they are in my words a Connection Enhancer and Remembrance, which is really what these tools are all about.

As much as it would be lovely to practice these mudras in a seated position, quietly in some perfect place, you don’t have to, to receive their gifts. Find a quiet space in your day, wherever you are, in your car, in the bathroom, in your room, whatever 

I’d love to get your feedback. Why don’t you leave me a comment?

Also, come back for the other two videos! I’ll be releasing one tomorrow and another the next day!

Who Is The Bully?

I've been doing a lot of meditation on worthlessness or the feeling of being unworthy.

Often times this feeling arises from the way the world speaks to us, perhaps in the form of bullies around us, family members, peers, bosses, etc. but what has really become clear is that it's not the world that is the root of this feeling, but ourselves.

The biggest bullies that we have in our world are not outside of ourselves but within ourselves.

In this class I went back to one of my favorite books, Christina Sell's Yoga from the inside out, as she speaks of this bullying within the book so very clearly. She inspired me to teach this class to get you to look at yourself honestly and recognize the bully within. See it and transform it.

Recognize how worthy and beautiful you are. Stop the bullying.

I know that I have been a bully to myself. I also know how that personal bully can break the heart much faster the outside ones.

Are you a bully to yourself? Practice along with us. Give yourself the time to rediscover your worth.

You won't regret it!

An Advanced Yoga Class for your consumption! Tons of sun salutes, strong hip openers, handstand, plus arm balances, be ready to rock and roll!

Those of you with the app, check out the extra features: class sequence and also the mini tutorial for Vishvamatrasana

I wrote a more in depth blog post over at in the Shownotes for Ep. 84 at Elsie's Yoga Kula, regarding listening and how it has and continues to affect my life and relationships. 

If you want to win Shannon Gannon's new Album Sharanam please go ahead and leave a comment over at the blog, OR at the Elsie's Yoga Kula FB Page :)

Sign up for Newsletter Magic and be in the know of what's going to be going down for EYK very soon!

Look forward to hearing from you!

25 minute meditation.

These past few months I nearly got overwhelmed by anxiety.

This hasn't happened to me in a LONG time.

I lost control of my rational thought process and simply dove into a feeling that was suffocating and terrifying. I can't say that I was in any way comfortable. The only thing that pulled me out of it was my toddler Hunter. She forced me to get out of myself and engage her. The moment that I disconnected from her off I went into a very uncomfortable sense of overwhelm.

I refused this.

Take Control of Your Anxiety and Fear

Instead of allowing myself to be pulled by this avalanche of anxiety and fear I chose to meet it, with softness and full consciousness. I looked at it straight in the eye. I used a technique that I heard in a podcast, and I sooooo wish that I remembered what episode and what this guy's name was because I would share it, believe me, but at this moment, finding the episode would take me YEARS, so that will wait. I may update this post to add the info

.

Anyway, the technique was to feel where the emotion was in my body, fully. You are to notice which was its winding, clock wise or counter clock wise, and slowly unwind the feeling the other way until it dissolves. At first just moving into that hard ball of tension in the middle of my diaphragm was enough...but as I practiced this technique I began to see that I could literally unravel the anxiety!

Unraveling- It's all about creating space, space to feel, to choose, to remember, and to find your ground. Most importantly, finding space helps you remember that you are part of something so much bigger. Anxiety is about disconnection and isolation. It's an emotion that rises when you absolutely become limited and small. As you unravel the feeling, you begin to get more spacious, there is literally more room in your body, your breath, your mind, your heart, and you can step back a bit and see things as if you are watching from a bird's eye view.

You are ok. You truly are. You are more than ok in fact :D

A couple of days ago I received and email from one of you requesting a more breathing centered practice. Although this simple audio meditation is not specifically about the breath, there is no way to escape the breath. Space is breath.

Every time choose to center myself and incorporate this very accessible and easy meditation practice, you get the opportunity to re-attune yourself to align with something more than anxiety and fear.

I want that!

Listen, practice and do this and tell me what happens! I'd love to hear if this works for you

Have you subscribed to my newsletter? 

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Kitaro
"South Wind" (mp3)
from "Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Sampler, Vol. 1-4"
(Domo Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
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An iPhone 4 Yoga Class For Your Enjoyment!

And here I thought that I was going to get some time to be able to publish more episodes to you guys...in JULY.

Not so much, but alas! Here’s a yoga class to start the month off right! This one is close to my heart. It’s focus is all about the way we are swayed and often times misguided by what we see and hear all around us, especially the media. It is a call to take responsibility for our choice making and the way we go about making choices. The inspiration for this class came straight from all the hoopla around the iPhone 4 and its antenna issues.

If you happen to follow me on Twitter or are part of the Facebook Elsie’s Yoga Kula Community, you would know that I have an iPhone 4! Yipeeee! So I speak from my own experience with the device, and I’m totally loving it!

Given that I’m sure you have heard at least something about the whole antenna thing, so I sorta offer my 2 cents about it and wrap it around a yoga class.

What’s interesting about this theme is that it mirrored the hoopla around an article on my beloved teacher John Friend in the NY Times. If you haven’t already, please read the article, John’s response to the article PLUS Elephant Journal’s exclusive interview with John. Interesting how perspectives and opinions shift and change if you simply choose to step deeper into them :) And move from your heart.

This week’s online yoga class

This yoga podcast class is a level 2 class, and if you have a yoga block in the house, please feel free to take it out and play with it during our backbends towards the end of class. I cut a bit of the class in the middle because I did a demo that doesn’t really work if you weren't there so why put you guys through it :) If you do hear references to it, or to another demo that I had a student do, just dismiss them. Pretend that you went to the bathroom during that part of the class!

Welcome to EYK episode #6!

Just in case you are a new listener, the Elsie’s Yoga Kula Episodes are all about community. There are times when I want share with you guys more than the few minute intro that my Yoga Class Episodes allow me ;) This is where I share some of the feedback that I’ve gotten from you guys, plus answer some questions I get, or anything else that I desire to put out

Today’s episode has some inspiring feedback from you guys, PLUS and interview with my twitter buddy Scott from Boston who shares all about his experience going to yoga for the first time ever! Some pretty cool insights from his perspective.

This episode is brought to you by Elsie’s Yoga Class Podcast App for the iPhone and iPod touch, you can find it in the iTunes App Store for $3.99. The extra features for this episode of EYK is a snippet of one of my therapy workshops talking about What is Optimal Blueprint! So check it out you guys :)

What's in the Podcast?

A powerful Level 2 yoga class that builds lots of internal strength and stamina

I know that if I asked you who or what you hold valuable and dear you could tell me without much thought. I'm sure that you've thought about how much your family, your homes, your friends, your culture, etc. means to you. I'm sure that now that I've brought your attention to this, you have a clear idea in your head and feel pretty strong about where you place your value.

The thing is, that we think about this too much. I mean that we keep that which we value in our thinking mind. We intellectuallize much more than we internalize it, within our hearts. There is a level of detachment that comes with it. Yes, we love our family. Yes, we love our friends. Yes, we value our home. Here's the question: Do your actions, from day to day, from moment to moment honor and abide by that higher intention? If we could graph our daily activity, and our daily thoughts, what truly takes up the majority of our days? What would it show?

I know that for me, my graph would show huge interaction with my cellphone and my ipod. It would also show me constantly checking my email, FB, Twitter, and stats. (Note the word checking, there is no actual engagement involved.) And these are my physical behaviours! I am also guilty of being with my daughter and having my mind full of everything BUT my daughter. I think more about podcasts, blog posts and creating content on a daily basis than I think about my breath, my body and growing my relationship with those that I have said I hold valuable. There are countless opportunities to deepen relationships. There is enough time. I know that I tend to leak my energy in places, thoughts and actions that in no way deserve it. Unconsciously, through my thoughts and actions I am serving and cultivating less than optimal relationships.

The level of commitment and discipline required to sustain an optimal level of engagement and relationship in our lives is great. It requires that we choose, and choose again, always refining and clarifying moment to moment. We must sustain the focus throughout our days, slowly building a strong internal practice, that lets us be at once soft and steady.

As I became aware of this for myself, I had to share this. I know that I am not alone. My desire is to place what I value in my heart, not in my head. My desire is to engage and hold the sacred where it's meant to be.

How about you? Do you observe your behaviors and thoughts serving and cultivating less than optimal relationships? In what ways to do abide by the Highest?

Start By Breathing

FYI! There's a video towards the end of the post to supplement this episode :)

And speaking of the video...Thank you my dear and lovely sponsors Prancing Leopard Organics! The clothesthat I'm wearing in the video are from them and I ADORE them :D Listen to the intro to this episode to get your coupon code for 15% off your purchase!

This is not a yoga class! This is another episode of Elsie's Yoga Kula, the community facet of my live yoga classes. Here I get a chance to address feedback and add content that isn't a yoga class, but is yogic in context. 

In this episode we address some feedback from you guys, including inspiring yoga books, plus we have an awesome interview with the amazing Donna De Lory!

This is a level 2-3 class :) 

I had never viewed memory as something alive and tangible. In fact, I don’t believe I’ve ever thought about memories as ‘gifts.’ As I thought about this concept I realized that when I remember something from my childhood or come across a scent I hadn’t smelled in a long time, or find an article of clothing I haven't worn in a long time, it is like receiving a gift. Those memories are gifts I get to open every time I encounter them. They always serve to remind me of what I give value to in my life.

One answer that emerged from the Lifelines group is that we should surround people who are forgetting with acts of remembering. People in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease are in danger of forgetting that they can still remember, as are those of us who work with people with Alzheimer's. - Dr. Dienstag

Something affected me about this sentence. Yes, it is about folks that have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, but did you catch the last little bit of that quote:

as are those of us that work with people with Alzheimer’s.

To me that means everyone.

Then it becomes about something completely different.

How about you? Are you in danger of forgetting that you can still remember? Are you surrounding yourself with acts of remembering?

It’s when we are about to loose something that we hold dear that we choose to step in fully to do something about it. Why is that? Why must we wait until the situation is dire before choosing to fully engage in our lives, our relationships, our environment, our bodies, our hearts, etc?

Move back into the culture of your body, cultivate it and grow it.

This was the theme of this week’s episode. Inspired by a conversation from one of my favorite podcasts Speaking of Faith . It was regarding manuscripts and the “monastic library that rescues manuscripts from across the centuries and across the world. And there are worlds in this place — on palm leaf and papyrus, in microfilm and pixels — stories of ordinary life as well as the rise and fall of civilizations....In their lives as in this work, the relevance of ancient manuscripts to people of the present and the cultural cargo of the past itself are revealed in a new light.” - Krista Tippet

I don’t have a particular affinity for manuscripts themselves, in fact I haven't ever really thought about them, but after listening to this episode they were revealed to me as yet another expression of the sacred in the every day, and how there are so many many treasures that often times we overlook within our every day lives

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The treasure that I speak about in class specifically is the treasure of our bodies, and the way that we loose sight of the beauty of it’s culture until it begins to unravel.

Step into the challenge of Truth and get Healthy

Keeping on this same topic, I am launching an in depth 3 part eCourse. I’ve had requests from the online yoga community, from my Pittsburgh yoga community AND from my own desire to create this. It employs empowering simple practices that you can incorporate toward your optimal health and wellness.

Everything You Need You Already Have Learn How to Recognize, Cultivate and Sustain a Healthful Lifestyle: A Three Part Heart eMmersion

The first stage is all about turning inward and BREATHING! I’d loooove to have you join in. Space is VERY limited. I am only accepting 3-5 participants each time that I offer the program in order to make sure that I can truly serve you and your commitment. Learn all about it by clicking on the following link! It begins June 6th and goes until July 3rd.

Stage 1: Start By Breathing

Gifts for Elsie’s Yoga Class Podcast listeners!

Two awesome little presents for my online kula members!

One of them is a special coupon code from my newest show sponsor Prancing Leopard Organics. I’m THRILLED that they are giving this to you guys! The coupon code is mentioned on the podcast as I really want to honor those of you that have been my loyal students :) So awesome!

The second is a FREE DOWNLOAD from the magnificent Donna De Lory. I am so honored that I get a chance to share the track Sanctuary with you guys from her latest album of the same name :) Just click on the link below and snag away :D

Sanctuary

It’s a beautiful track. I’m sure that you will enjoy it :) If you are interested in more you are more than welcome to sign up for Donna's mailing list HERE

Please feel free to join the community over at the Elsie’s Yoga Kula FB Page :) plus, remember that I have a fancy pants iPhone/iPod Touch Podcast app that rocks! If you buy the app you won’t even have to download the Sanctuary MP3 as you can simply download it straight from the app itself, plus, get the Prancing Leopard coupon code right away. How fun is that? It’s only $3.99 and it absolutely supports my endeavors to serve you more fully :D

Yoga Lesson: How do we tune into nature and allow it to deepen our life?

Every day I am brought to back to the application of yoga lessons in my life. Yoga or life as I choose to see it now, becomes a pulsating beneficent opportunity, a gift really, for me to become a better human being. This past week I was given the task of preparing one of my current students to step into an Anusara Immersion with my beloved teachers that has already started. She missed the first weekend, or half of Part 1. My job is to catch her up *gulp*.

Out have come all of my notes and of course the Immersion Lesson plans and the like.

Succinctly explaining the Anusara Philosophy, the 3 As and the UPAs (Universal Principles of Alignment ™) is not the easiest thing when you have crazy time constraints. Arghhh!!!...goodness gracious!

So given that, studentship has been on my mind. I am stepping into the seat of the student as I pour over how to convey all this knowledge in a way that will be optimally soaked in by her. I adore the way that I heard John explain studentship using the Elements. I remember how he shared that using the elements as teaching tools is wonderful because they are understood and experienced by all, so we have a common ground from which to step into the teachings and also deepen the understanding of the UPAs within the yoga postures. Since I’d been meditating on this theme, lo and behold, I taught all about it!

This episode’s online yoga class is a Level 1.5 class (in other words strong).

It’s slow, meditative and we take time to get into things. I hope you enjoy stepping into it!

By the way, let me know which elements you resonate with the most :D

In my intro I told you that I recorded 2 other classes that I was unable to use for the podcast, but I’m making them available to you, if you would like to download them. Both of them are level 2 yoga classes. One of them is a full 80 minute class with less than optimal audio, and the other one was a TOTALLY awesome class, but I ran out of batteries half way through the class! Ugh!

EXTRA Level 2 80 min Class with the theme of Dreaming and Community EXTRA Level 2 Unfinished Class with the them of “Let Your Smallness Dissolve” and the Pareto Principle

★★★I want reviews from you!★★★

If you have any yoga gear, or yoga clothing, or any yoga related accesory that you would like to review either because you LOVE it, or HATE it, or perhaps are simply indifferent. Let me know! email me at eyogaclass (at) gmail (dot) com. I would love to have you be part of the online yoga community :D

This is NOT a yoga class! Hello and welcome to episode number 4 of Elsie’s Yoga Kula the special series of Elsie’s Yoga Class: Live and Unplugged Podcast, that’s all about you and all sorts of extra exclusive information about yoga and culture. As always this podcast is brought to you by the Elsie’s Yoga Class Podcast App for the iPhone and iPod Touch available in the iTunes app store for $3.99. Why not have your yoga in your pocket!

Listen to the Podcast

I am sooooo excited about this episode! Two subjects people, two subjects that I get a ton of email and questions about. The first topic is aimed a bit more toward yoga/fitness/alternative health professionals. I am honored that a lot of you listen to the podcast and am glad that you reach out to me regarding how to grow and supplement your own practices and businesses via new media. I can help you regarding audio stuff, but my video making skills I’m afraid are not as pristine HA! I’m sure you’ve seen at least one of my videos where I cut off my head!

Cut off head videos:

• sun salutation
• headless pigeon

So given that, I had the privilege of interviewing someone that DOES have lots of expertise with a still camera and a video camera, plus even more know how as to how to create, yes, CREATE your own DVD (something I know NOTHING about). You guys will just LOVE this interview, seriously, tons of great conversation and sharing of insights! Which brings me to the next topic of the episode: Yoga and Men!!! I know that most of y’all listening right now are women. To those of you that practice consistently in a studio setting, I’m sure you’ve come to see that the majority of people that come to yoga class are women. That demographic is also true of the listeners to this podcast, BUT I do have some pretty strong and committed male listeners. I also have some wanna be committed male yogis that have stayed away because they are a bit afraid. I don’t blame them, the first time I walked into a yoga studio I also was a bit intimidated. I just happened to have had a bit more experience with dance/movement/bare feet/hard wood floors due to my life as a theater actor, but it was still a bit weird. I get it, especially for the guys, the images that you see out there of peeps in al those yoga shapes, can be a bit intimidating, so I asked my guest, who is also a yoga intructor! In fact, there was a time in his life that he taught yoga INSIDE PRISONS!

So who is this super man you ask? His name is James Wvinner, producer/director/photographer/yoga teacher/yogi extraordinaire. You ready to step into the conversation? Here we go! This was recorded at grandma’s house on a Saturday afternoon...

Listen to the Podcast!

Here are the links of all that James touched on:

• Desiree Rumbaugh DVDs
• Brian Kest
• Richard Freeman DVD
• Fit Soul Fit Body
• Desi Bartlett

Tell me that product doesn’t sound awesome? I know that I want it! So, I have a little surprise, for all of you lovely Kula members, you guys will get 10% off the product for the next month! So basically you guys have until March 23 to get 10% of the how to create your own exercise dvd! You just have to listen to the podcast to get the coupon code! I know how hard it is to gather up information and study and learn from so many different resources. I believe this is one of the most valuable products that I’ve seen come to market, plus it comes from such a genuine guy with so much talent I can’t even take it! Have you seen his photographs and his videos?

This has to be my all time favorite 30 second promos that I’ve EVER seen. When I saw this promo, I totally wanted to work with James. Seriously.

Click here to visit Make Your Own Exercise DVD.

Well, enough about that!

Yeay for Men and Yoga!!! A request for you guys

I wanna bring it back to the men. So what did you ‘guys’ think about what James had to say? I’m putting out a request for you men, those of you that listen to this podcast. Would you help out your fellow wanna be yogis that are a bit intimidated by this whole yoga thing and send an email or better yet call 310 651 6238 and leave a voice message to give some advice? perhaps share some of your favorite resources? That would be really really cool!

I don’t want to make this episode too long so I’m just gonna share a few emails with you, I’ll share more on the next one.

Feedback

This is a comment regarding EYK Episode 3 Yoga App, Muscular Energy and The Best Yoga Mats

Hi Elsie, thanks for the podcast!  So good to hear from you.  I wanted to add my two cents worth of advice about the mats.  I have always had a lot of problems slipping and sliding on my regular sticky mat especially in downward facing dog.  I got a lovely grippy Jade yoga mat which helped but did not solve the problem.  About 9 months ago I got a Yogitoes skidless towel.  This towel goes on top of the regular sticky mat and there is no more slipping and sliding!! It has really made a huge difference in my practice, I cannot recommend it enough for anyone who is having problems with slipping due to sweaty palms.  The only drawback is that it does not work on the Jade mat, you have to put in on the regular cheap kind of mat.  On the other hand it is easy to wash, I just pop it in the washing machine and let it air dry, and it has held up really well.  Hope this can help someone!

And here's a lovely little email :)

Hey Elsie,

I've been doing your level 2-3 yoga podcasts almost every morning for the past two months and I'm addicted! I've been going to yoga classes on and off for years, but for the first time I feel like someone is actually teachingme. And I can't even see you! I'm an acrobat and aerial artist so I  do a lots of stretching and conditioning to stay in shape, but I have to say that after two months of doing your classes I'm more flexible than I've ever been in my life. You should see my backbends now...my shoulders are so much more open now because in one of your podcast you talked about hand placement. It was the tiny adjustment I needed to make to really round out my upper back and push my my chest forward. And also, splits are easier than ever now thanks finally doing to all of those high lunges correctly. I hope one day I can make it out to Pittsburgh and take a class in person. You rock!

Thank you for everything,

JD

This is an event that I was asked to help promote from one of my ex students in LA. Please go to the FB event's page to find out all about it! If you live in LA and want something fun to do about checking out some dance?

Rune Dance Theatre, a community-based contemporary dance theatre company presents RADIO LUNA, a performance installation opening February 25, 26, and 27 at THE FOUNTAIN ROOM, 4903 Fountain Ave., Los Angeles, CA, 90029. Created by choreographer/artistic director, Diana Cummins in collaboration with video artist, Allison Stewart, RADIO LUNA draws upon myths, music and our continued fascination with the Moon, its powers and influence over our lives. The show begins at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $15 pre sale and $20 at the door. For reservation information, call 323-934-3336 or visit the PROJECT page at www.dianacummins.com and www.indiegogo.com/RadioLuna and www.allison-stewart.com 2 worthy causes are honored with this event: one is for www.unembraced.org and the other is for www.thesolisfoundation.org which helps women in Kenya start their own businesses

One of the cutest T-shirts ever ever ever from the Phyzz Yoga Blog! A little product that I just found soooo cute I can barely take it.

Thank you so much for those of you that have joined the Elsie’s Yoga Kula FB page, located at http://facebook.com/elsiesyogakula. It’s really rockin’ over there! I’m doing my best to post great content for you guys there, both personal and lots of great articles and information to supplement your practice. Whenever I do any sort of giveaways I’m gonna be doing it via the FB page, so come on and join up! There is a little section over there for Reviews, it would be so cool if you guys could review me there. It’s a really powerful tool for me as an indie business owner. It’s absolutely appreciated! I’ve also started a discussion asking you guys to share a bit about yourselves, and who you are so that you get a chance to get to know each other.

There are soooo many of you listening to the podcast. Let’s connect even more and help each other grow! Please leave me feedback on the FB page, email me at eyogaclass (at) gmail (dot)com call me at 310 651 6238 follow me on twitter at twitter.com/yogeek and if you have a moment, please review me! either in iTunes and the FB fan page! Love you guys tons! I’ve got sooo much more great content coming up!

Upon learning about and delving into the earthquake in Haiti, and specifically the lack of infrastructure within the area where the earthquake hit, and the lack of foundation to receive help, it forced me to look at what was going on in my ‘home’, my heart, my surroundings so that I could help create clarity HERE and NOW.

Why HERE and NOW?

I donated money. In fact, how could you not? It was made so easy to give, so very easy to give. You saw how fast the human heart can open up and offer. You all experienced a sense of unity did you not? It’s amazing how open our hearts are. I have so much faith in the human race and our ability to open our hearts. I have no doubt.

Now, our ability to keep the hearts open and sensitive, to work daily to make choices that will optimize our well being and that of those around us is a different story. I can speak from personal experience as I say that I’m lazy when it comes to that stuff. I often times choose to ‘fix’ what’s broken in the house later. It’s too much of a pain now. I’ll eat healthier later. This pound of ice-cream isn’t gonna hurt me now. I’ll discipline and engage with my daughter later, she’s only 16 months old, there’s plenty of time....and on and on and on. That later, turns into years (or at minimum months). Those every day things are the infrastructure:

An underlying base or foundation especially for an organization or system.
The basic facilities, services, and installations needed for the functioning of a community or society, such as transportation and communications systems, water and power lines, and public institutions including schools, post offices, and prisons.

If we don’t tend to that, regardless of how open our hearts are, how willing we are to give, how much we want to work, the delivery of that love, support, resources will not get there easily. At least that’s how I see it. The foundation will not be set when push comes to shove. Infrastructure is not exotic, it’s not exciting, it’s very grounded, methodical, and I guess you could say boring? Our job as yogis is to make these every day choices, these mundane often boring and at times, may I say annoying tasks sacred, valuable and full of meaning. It is in those every day ways that we build our foundation, our underlying system within our household, within our relationships, within our BODIES that we create the optimal way for us to share that wealth of heart and spirit with which we are all blessed

.

Build the infrastructure and Clear the path to Love

The more that we cultivate our infrastructure, the more that we will be able to share and love each other, support each other in a myriad of ways. We will be ever more effective and clear and raise ourselves and each other to a higher level of consciousness.

Some links mentioned in the intro:

• World Virtual Yoga Conference
• Hillary Rubin (refer to link to find out about her specific session and the magic $100 off code!)
• Leave a review in iTunes (link opens up iTunes)
• Leave a review in my Facebook Fan Page! (that would be groovy, there's a page just for reviews!)

I have to be very honest, winter is very challenging for me. I do my best to see all the goodness, I really do, but when winter begins, man does it kick my spiritual booty! I don't often have time to sit and meditate on my themes for my classes. I'm working on being more efficient in my themeing and conveying more of the Anusara Principles of Alignment ™ and Philosophy more clearly, but as I'm sure some of you teachers know this requires work, time and study. The clearer and simpler a teacher's theme is the more skilled and experienced they are (at least that's my observation). It's kinda like watching a great dancer, you only see the beauty of the art, you get pulled into the dance itself, not the specifics of the dance, the steps, how many hours the artist had to rehearse in order to make it seamless... I'm getting more and more adept at allowing nature to guide me into what I teach. This generally happens during my walk to teach my yoga class. I've learned to let go of 'what I have to do' and simply allow myself to listen and to drink inspiration freely. Thank God for Christmas lights! They were so beautiful! They showed me things I hadn't seen in a while, streets that I walk often shifted and shone in a different way. I was more intrigued by what was going inside the homes that the outside. I saw beautifully decorated houses whose windows shone so bright. I saw shapes and figures all inviting me to step deeper into the homes, into the warmth of the inner dwelling. I realized that the holiday lights where put there in a very strategic way, they weren't just randomly placed, they weren't merely thrown out, but carefully thought out and generally speaking, placed in ways that would enhance each individual dwelling. The specificity of the way the light was cast out was a clear reflection of the owners time, thought and commitment. I saw that in order to place these lights optimally the dweller must first be willing to search the closets, the basements, the attics, to get the boxes out and choose what to cast out. What makes this so glorious is that all this beauty wouldn't be seen if it wasn't for the shorter and darker days of winter. The winter serves to take us deeper into the closet of the self so that we may bring out the decorations of light and enhance the world around us by the way in which we choose to cast our own individual light out into the world. Vasudeva vasu = dwelling place deva = the light The nature of the universe is how you choose to pour the light of consciousness into the dwelling place of the self. As you do this oh how it shines brightly all around, showing off those mighty beautiful lights. How do you choose to create a dwelling place of light? Just putting that out there.... So, given all that, this week's class is a Level 2 class, I know it's been a while! Let me know your thoughts, I always ADORE hearing from you all!!!! you can call me at 310 651 6238 email me at eyogaclass@gmail.com or comment at elsiesyogakula.com :) Remember this podcast is brought to you by the Elsie's Yoga Class Podcast App for the iPhone, a lovely way to support the podcast if you happen to own an iPhone or iPod Touch. $3.99 in iTunes! $3.99!!!! That's pretty cheap if you ask me! Consider purchasing it!

Hello All! Here's a new one towards the end of the year! I know I know! It so has been forever. I will now officially stop apologizing. Here's all I have to say about my lack of posts...Hunter.

If you don't know who that is..that's my 14 month old daughter. Anyway, This week's episode came about from a lot of your requests for some more meditation/relaxation type stuff. I decided to put this little imagery relaxation to strengthen the immune system as a little treat to get you through the flu season!

How about them apples?

The music that you hear in the background is by the talented Vic Hennegan off his CD Desert God and the song is called Gaya.

The whole thing runs about about 32 minutes all together. Give it a go and let me know your thoughts! Oh and I'm already editing episode 76! and guess what...a level 2 class :) yipeee!

 thoughts and feedback: eyogaclass(at)gmail.com or call 310 651 6238! hugs and kisses all!

The voice mail that is played at the beginning of this episode is why I decided to do these episodes that I call Elsie's Yoga Kula. There is so much power to sharing your journey. This practice of yoga can take you to so many absolutely fabulous places, not only on the mat but off the mat. I know that my yoga practice opened up so much for me, in fact it was the catalyst for gigantic growth in my life, and I'm in no way talking about the poses. They are the icing on the cake :) They provided me with the first courageous steps towards something more! Thank you sooo much for sharing Jeanne (sp?) ! I am thrilled when I hear stories like yours, those that are all about stepping deeper into your self, to see the vast goodness that dwells within! NICE! Oh, and I would be honored to have you come to my class! Even though I only teach 1 public class a week...but more to come, promise! As you can hear, this message was actually sent 'quite' a while ago. I'm trying to go back and honor you guys that sent me messages long ago :) And if you haven't sent a message to share with me and the kula DO SO. I'd love to help all of us stay inspired and feel that we are truly part of a world wide community! So call me to share at 310 651 6238 Hello everybody and welcome to Elsie's Yoga Kula episode #3! Happy Autumn :) Oh man is Pittsburgh gorgeous when the leaves start to change! My most favorite changes, that of the ivy, it's like fire snakes climbing up trees and buildings. So beautiful! So much has happened this year it's unbelievable. truly. Last year right around this time I became a mother. Yep, my lovely Hunter is 1 year old as of October 2. Happy Happy birthday my baby girl! You have shifted me to become someone I honestly never knew was inside. I've gotten...sturdier, that's for sure :) I started to finally teach public classes, I was laid off of my job last November, man! and now I'm in the process of developing my own consulting business. As soon as I get all my stuff in gear I'll let you all know all about it. You can venture to YoGeek.Me, to see a gradual development of posts delving into the world of yoga and technology :) It has been an incredible fortifying year, full of everything you can imagine, calm, love, fear, angst, courage, meltdowns, you name it. I have LIVED! You guys have made this year for me a sort of life line. Your emails and messages and support have provided me with hope and strength. If you are listening to the podcast I now read an email from Maria Rose from Vermont :D and my response to her email! Listen to the Podcast! EYK News: Remember how I mentioned the cool personalized bottle from the company SIGG on EKY Episode 1? Well, I take that back. I used to love those bottles but the practices of their CEO has left me less than pleased. Here's the quick scoop: SIGG CEO Steve Wasik recently announced that SIGG water bottles did in fact contain the toxic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in its liners until August 2008. That means that any bottle that you purchased before 10/08 contains BPA. They are allowing customers that purchased a bottle prior to this date (you would know by the bronze liner instead of the pale yellow liner that are the new ones) to exchange their bottles. But the Environmental Working Group is not satisfied with this. Here is letter sent by the President of EWG to SIGG: On behalf of the Environmental Working Group (EWG), I write to ask that you issue an unambiguous apology for misleading consumers and retailers about whether SIGG bottles contain the toxic chemical bisphenol-A (BPA). I further urge you to modify SIGG Switzerland CEO Steve Wasik's recent announcement of a SIGG voluntary bottle exchange program. Consumers should be able to take SIGG bottles that contain BPA to an authorized SIGG retailer and receive a refund for the full retail value of the product. The cost of the refund should be covered by SIGG. The announced exchange policy, which forces customers to accept a replacement SIGG bottle, puts them in the untenable position of having to trust Mr. Wasik and his team about the composition and safety of the replacement product. It is our view that SIGG's reputation will be difficult to restore while Mr. Wasik remains at the helm of the company. Sincerely, 
 Kenneth A. Cook
President
Environmental Working Group In case you want to exchange your product you can go to http://mysigg.com/bulletin/ to read all about it. I'll post a link in the shownotes. Just last week I was interviewed by David Spark about my new iPhone App! It was such a cool experience. He's a really great guy. What was crazy about the whole thing is that I scheduled it specifically so that Hunter was in an optimal mood and she could keep herself occupied. The interview was supposed to take 10 min. Of course none of it went as planned. As we signed on in Skype, my camera decided not to work...ggrrrrrr. I had to trouble shoot for about 10 minutes! I did have an opportunity to see my lovely friend Inge's face as I had my mini freak out. I asked her to help me but at that time she had no solutions for me. I figured it out FINALLY! then of course, the moment that David started recording the podcast Hunter fell down and conked her head. yep, of course she did. anyway, the whole thing ended up going really well. I'll put a link in the shownotes for ya'll. Here's the article on David's Blog: Elsie's Yoga Class: Making Money From Podcasting Here's the larger piece on Mashable! 9 Successful Techniques For Making Money From Podcasting And speaking of my iPhone/iPod Touch app...Have you gotten a chance to buy it yet? It's $3.99 and what you get is the ability to stream all of my content, all 70+ classes without downloading anything at all, at the push of a button! Plus, I'll be adding a PDF of the sequences of my classes a little bit a time, so you can have it with you as you practice! Occasionally I may add little videos here and there and some other bits and pieces of content. Now, I have to clarify that if you happen to have an iPod Touch, the only time that you can stream the content is when you are connected via Wifi. Thank you Lisa for helping me be clear about this :) Full disclosure, there have been some issues with the 1st version of the app (the classes not streaming and the app itself not opening). The new version HAS been released which fixes the majority of the bugs. If you have downloaded the app and still experience problems, please feel free to contact me via email so we can get the issues resolved! If you have wanted to support this podcast, this is a wonderful way to do it. I do get a teeny bit of money from the sale of each app. I'd like to take the opportunity to thank all of you that have already downloaded the app, from the bottom of my heart, and I'd also like to thank all those of you that have donated to Elsie's Yoga Kula. I'll share that last months donations allowed me to make our car payment. It was a blessing. I've been doing this podcast for 3 years and I have never put up a donate button, until now. At this moment, I feel that I can and I have had requests from you guys, so it's helped me make the decision. If you'd like to donate to the podcast please feel free to do so, if you'd like to donate to the podcast in another way other than in a monetary way, I have put up a page telling you of all sorts of ways in which you can 'donate' that don't include money. Check it out. Any little thing totally helps and like the page says, Support the Podcast, support the family! We have another voice mail from a listener! So listen up if you wanna hear :) Here's Vanessa Best's Web site: The Spinal Space Thank you Juli from Atlanta! I know it was a while ago, but she very kindly sent me an email and told me that I had inadvertedly tagged episode 69 with an 'explicit' tag, YIKES! Totally did not want to do that. I went in there and fixed it as soon as I could, although I know that a few of you got that episode with an explicit tag, and of course there was nothing explicit about it... It's all about listener emails! Carli from Kansas My 16 year old son talked me into trying Yoga with him. He plays football and his coach got them started on Yoga. I am a runner and lift weights, I took a yoga class once but it never stuck. So I started looking for yoga podcasts and came across yours. I loved it. It was very hard for me to follow at first because I am not familiar with the poses. So I went online and found your website! I flipped out when I realized I can look at the poses to the episodes online and follow that way. I'm so stuck on yoga now! I love your classes and how you describe things. You Rock! Thank you so much Carli :) You know, I totally keep forgetting to tell you guys to come check out this site! The pictures are there, there are a couple of times where there are corresponding videos and extra links at times, especially when I mention an article or something like that in my theme :) oh, and the EYK episodes will be transcribed as a blog post (hence this post ;) ), so if you wanna read, what I said, then all you have to do is go to the corresponding blog post! Marie from Ol Miss Hi Elsie!I hope you are well. I've just started listening to your podcasts, and they are so great! I have a random question for you. What kind or brand of mat would you recommend to someone who is just beginning yoga? I have a mat that I have had for a long time, (I've started and stopped yoga a few times), but it is starting to kind of thin and I've found a few holes. Also, do you have any other advice for a newbie like me? Thank you so much and have a great weekend! Marie Here's my answer to Marie Hello Marie :) Great questions! Regarding the yoga mat...I'm a very big fan of the Jade Yoga Mats. At times they can bunch up a little bit off the floor, as they are not as 'sticky' as the yoga mats that you would purchase almost anywhere. My fave from Jade is The Encore because I like my mats to have a bit more substance when I practice. The Encore is the one that I have (at least I have the prototype as they sent it to me before it was released. Also love Beinjoy yoga mats. They are soooooooooooooooooo pretty :) That gets some bonus points from me. They feel very good. Also I own 2 Manduka ™ mats, the purple PROlite and the Black Mat PRO. They have some eco friendly versions that are also available, which I've been meaning to try. My purple mat has lasted me for about 5 yrs! and it looks almost the same as when I bought it. The only thing thats wrong with it now is that my kitties got to it and scratched the tar out of it ;) They also have a mat that supports an organization called 'off the mat into the world' which I think is pretty darn fabulous organization. Another company that I love is Prana. They have a FANTASTIC mat that I want to purchase the is wider than most mats out there. When I practice in order to have my shoulders properly aligned I honestly have to widen them so much that my pinky fingers end up being off the mat. I don't mind, but their new Revolution mat takes care of that! Plus it's eco friendly :) A lot of the mats that I have mentioned are pretty pricey, $60+ and UP! It is a lot of $ I know. You can get some mats from Prana, or Jade or even Lululemon that are eco friendly for between $35 and 40. I know that I have not needed another mat after buying my purple mat so long ago. I just like to try out other mats, and share about them :) Let me know if I can help you with anything else! As a beginner practitioner, I would merely say to take your time, to listen to yourself, and to choose to always be honest and open with yourself every time you get on the mat. Choose to step in deeper and enjoy your own body, with all it's 'limitations'. They make you the unique beauty that you are. If you get through a class and you haven't smiled....I would make that my priority :) Smiling and laughing truly allows for a deeper moving into your heart to see what really matters! Marie's answer: I ended up getting a Manduka Black Mat Pro and I love it!!! I've been practicing for three weeks and it has been really awesome to see how my body is responding. I also wanted to let yo u know that I started a blog about my yoga journey, girlmeetsmat.blogspot.com. I am wide open to any comments or suggestion :) Thank you so much for everything!! NICE! I do love the Manduka Black mat. That thing is hardy, the thing for me is that I now tend to leave that one at home as trekking around with that puppy on a bike, or a bus, or any amount of walking that isn't just a block or so, is soooooooo hard on my back. That mat is HEAVY :) Just to let you all know, there is a fantastic article by one of my Twitter/Facebook buddies, the mighty Nancy Alder and it's all about this same exact subject. It really gets in to more detail about the mats and especially pricing and it's a great read! Nancy Alder's article: Ecologically Minded Yoga Mats Meaghan Message :D Hello! How are you on this beautiful day?! I am a fellow yoga teacher, brand new, and IN LOVE with your site. It is so inspirational and moving and every detail means so much. Thank you for keeping us involved with your journey. I wanted to take a moment to personally invite you to take a peek at my website. I am training to run a half marathon to raise money for research towards Crohns, a disease incredibly close to my heart, which my boyfriend has struggled with for more than 20 years. My website is : meaghansrun.net The first ten people to raise 500 dollars in the next week will be matched 500 from a local company! So, if you are thinking you may be able to donate (any amount, big or small) -- now would be a perfect time! And, it is tax deductible . Lots of love and thanks, Meaghanxo I saw the other day mighty Meaghan or Megan ) sorry if I mispronounced your name that you reached your goal! Congratulations, and if any of you would like to donate to the cause follow the link above! and thank you so much for sending this along! Kate in Italy! Hi Elsie, I am a Canadian living in Italy and have just started using your podcasts for my daily practice. Thank you! You say the phrase "scissor your legs asymmetrically together" quite a few times and I am very confused what this means...is it possible to get some clue about that? Thank you again for beaming your classes out for the world to access. In Italy classes are in Italian which makes English speaking me a little lost. Your classes are a big help. All the best. You know what I wanted to do to answer this question? I wanted to ask my students to tell me what that means to them, as often times I (I think all teachers) tend to relly on saying things one way, and you guys may just have 'better' ways of explaining this. OK, so here goes a bit of an explanation. Isometric movements according to wikipedia: Definition Isometric exercise is a form of exercise involving the static contraction of a muscle without any visible movement in the angle of the joint. This is reflected in the name; the term "isometric" combines the prefix "iso" (same) with "metric" (distance), meaning that in these exercises the length of the muscle does not change[edit] Isometric resistance Resistance in isometric exercises typically involve contractions of the muscle using: ▪ the body's own muscle (e.g., pressing the palms together in front of the body) ▪ structural items (e.g., pushing against a door frame). ▪ free weights, weights machines or elastic equipment (e.g. holding a weight in a fixed position) ▪ pressure plate type equipment that has a digital readout of maximal force. Depending on the goal of the exercise, the exertion can be maximal, or sub-maximal. Basically, you are engaging your muscles even though the poses are 'static'. There is an action that is involved always everytime that you are in a pose. In Anusara the principle that best describes isometric movement (or scissoring the legs together) is called Muscular Energy. Here's the definition according to the Anusara Teacher Training Manual....( you're just gonna have to listen as I'm NOT typing this whole thing out ;). One way that I teach these actions, I learned from one of my teachers Noah Maze, is by getting 2 folded blankets, placing them on a non carpeted floor, placing one foot on one blanket and the other foot on the other blanket. Once you're all set there, widen your feet apart and do a standing pose, like Warrior 2 for example. If you don't pull energy to the midline, I guarantee you that you will be doing the splits! It's a pretty cool exercise that teaches those actions, just for fun! Well, that was a bit of a long explanation! I hope that makes sense Kate! And reaching out to yoga teachers out there, how about you sending me some ways in which you teach pulling to the midline, or muscular energy? It would be awesome to share you wisdom with the Kula :) email me or send call me 310 651 6238 (put that number in your cellphone!!!) Ok, just 3 more things to address, as it looks like we're running a bit long! Ahhhhhh . I got an FB message from Isabella, she just wanted to say thank you to me, but she also mentioned that she was looking for a fan page for me. Well, I do have a Facebook Group! Search for Elsie's Yoga Kula, I haven't started a FB fan page....yet....I'm still figuring out what is best for me and for you guys. I know how crowded FB has gotten with soooooo many fan pages and groups and all sorts of other stuff, and I honestly don't want to add to all that. When I feel that creating a Page will add value, and I can honestly keep it up and have it be a place were you guys and myself can participate more fully I'll do it. I gotta really see how Fan Pages work. When and if I do that, I'll send y'all a little not in the FB Group, OR post something on my blog! This episode's art work is a class that a long time listener Tracee Sioux hosted at her Bookclub weekend getaway. How cool is that???? LOVED it! It was podcast #10 from El Salvador and it was all about authenticity. She said "We were touched and those of us out of practice or beginning were also a little sore. LOL" Thank you sooooo much Tracee for sharing that picture, and it really warms my heart to know that these classes are being used it such fantastic ways!!!! If you wanna know a bit more about Tracee, check out my blog post on my other blog YoGeek.Me. She's a pretty phenomenal woman with an incredible Web site calle The Girl Revolution, all about empowering girls, and I'm ALL FOR THAT!!! And lastly, I'm going to close by letting you know about an Affiliate that I'm working with. I will only work with people and organizations that I whole hearted believe in and whose products I absolutely USE AND LOVE. Floracopeia is one of the most incredible companies that I have had the gift of coming into contact with. I'll tell you more about the organization in a future episode, but right now I'd like to share with you 2 products that I use almost daily: Hormonal Essential Oil Blend Directly from the Floracopeia Website: For women who are interested in optimizing their endocrine health for long lasting vitality and radiance, the Hormonal Blend is a valuable addition to your every day pleasures. Two drops in the palms with a deep inhalation will deliver the healing benefit of this blend directly. In addition, the subtle floral perfume of this blend is a beautiful fragrance for any occasion. Its benefits include relaxant, aphrodisiac, anti-anxiety and mood enhancing effects. BUY THE HORMONAL ESSENTIAL OIL BLEND! Relax Essential Oil Blend Directly from the Floracopeia Website: Use the Relax Blend in times of stress or potentially stressful situations and environments. It is a lovely diffuser blend when you want to create a relaxing and pleasant environment in your home or elsewhere. It is a wonderful blend to diffuse around children, to apply on the car seat on long rides or the pillow before bedtime. Working people will gain great benefit from the Relax Blend and should consider it for use during the morning commute or before important meetings; there are rarely times when it is not useful. It has beautiful anti-axiety and mood enhancing effects that are subtle and intoxicating. BUY THE RELAX ESSENTIAL OIL BLEND! Do consider purchasing either or both of these products. They are amazing AND they go to support a MUCH larger vision. MUCH MUCH larger, so the purchase is not only supporting your health, me (a teeny bit) and also the world LITERALLY. I'll put links in the show notes so you can read a bit more about Floracopeia but do stay listening as I'll also have a special show sharing more about it myself! If you DO want to buy these products, please use the links provided in this post, as when you purchase via that link, I get a little support for the podcast :) Thank you guys for listening. I can't tell you how thrilled I am to have such a wonderful community!!!!! Please continue to give me feedback, questions, problems. I still have so many more questions to get to, I should do these more often...! phone number, email, FB (profile and Group) and Elsie's Yoga Kula!!!! It would be lovely if you'd consider leaving me a review in iTunes, those are deeply appreciated! Meet you on the mat later!

Ready to delve into the depth of your Heart? Yikes! One of my all times favorite themes to teach is Sankalpa, or Intention. This isn't a general intention, or a teeny tiny intention but your heart's truest wish, your deepest heart's desire embedded in the richness of your Self. I know that when I was first offered the opportunity to meditate, truly ponder my sankalpa, it began to shift me very deeply. In fact it was the mere asking of 'what is my intention' that facilitated living a more fulfilled and truthful life. It informs my life every day, and now it becomes even more important as it helps guide me to be a better mother. I also must be honest. The power of one's own Sankalpa is very powerful, and at times requires a great shift from us if we are going to align with it fully. I felt my Sankalpa, I knew it in my cells and for many years I chose to 'ignore' it's fullness, for lack of better words. I was not ready to truly embrace what living in my truth would require of me. It took me years, plus the help of those around me who knew me and loved me enough to require me to be absolutely honest with myself :D I recorded this week's yoga class at Matrika Yoga, where I've had the opportunity to teach series classes, all with a connecting theme. This specific series was called "Yoga With Grace", just a very welcoming way in which to offer yoga classes that were beyond just the yoga poses, beyond the asana. I had the opportunity to teach more from the Heart, from a deeper place of basic Anusara philosophy, tapping deeper into the Source. Although this class is a very basic Level 1 yoga class, with a lot of basic alignment and instruction, the theme is always one that we can always step deeper into. If you are feeling a bit down, disconnected, lost, possibly need a tune up, do this yoga class :) Oh, and how about a piece of paper? and pen? Just to write down some thoughts, especially during the opening meditation. Let me know how it goes.... PS If you would like to support this podcast, how about buying the iPhone App? $3.99, not bad :D Also, like I mention in the show, Click here to find out a few other options to support the podcast

A Level 2 Yoga class!!!!! How Do We Truly Know Anything? Man am I always a mess! Believe me, I do try to be neat...and tidy...and organized...but somehow I always end up with fantastic chaos all around me ;) The worst part about this is that I was like this BEFORE I welcomed my beloved baby, so now with her in the picture my chaos(mess) has escalated to new heights. The good thing is that as the mess escalates my need to find clarity also grows and thus came the theme for this week's yoga class :) My teacher John guided me to recognize how one truly begins to know something. How do we acquire knowledge? Deep knowledge? How do we align with anything? You soften, feel and attune. We attune to the Highest. We attune by getting close to that which we wish to know. This learning is not a head thing, but a heart thing as we truly begin to 'vibe' with and resonate with each other at a much deeper level :D Listen and practice to the class and see if you can begin to attune to something bigger! Finally something other than a Level 1 basic yoga class! This week's class is a Level 2 Yoga Class, not quite an 'advanced' yoga class, but a bit faster in pace and a warmer practice. You will find within this class preparations for more advanced postures such as Urdhva Prasarita Ekapadasana into Handstand (Standing Splits into Handstand) and Archback (maybe even a drop back *yikes*). If you are a seasoned asana practitioner and are acquainted with these poses, please feel free to rock it in the comfort of your own sacred practice space ;) Love the Feedback! email me- eyogaclass (at) gmail (dot) com leave me a message- 310 651 6238 (I'd love to play you guys on the episodes! Plus you can promote your stuff that way!) or comment on this blog! Other ways to connect with me: Connect with the Yoga Podcast Community Elsie's Yoga Kula on Facebook Join us! This week's Yoga Class Online is a Level 2 Yoga Class

The Yoga of Everyday Life and Podcasting! I honestly have tried to post and episode for almost a month. Every day I think about it. Every day I decide THIS is the day to get it all done. Every day the day ends, I'm exhausted and focusing on editing, writing, encoding and uploading is the last thing that my brain is capable of doing :( 3 years ago I began to publish this podcast. 3 years ago Elsie's Yoga Class: Live and Unplugged Podcasts came to life! So much has changed, and so much has stayed the same :) A few things that have stayed the same: My love for podcasting My love for yoga My love for service My love for you guys! My love for legwarmers Although I am no longer the care free legwarmer wearing bicycling full time yoga teacher from Los Angeles and have morphed into the occasional legwarmer wearing full time Mommy/Wife part-part time yoga teacher from Pittsburgh the deepest part of my heart still wants to continue this podcast, PLUS add better content to all those of you who would like it. I may not be consistent. I may say things that I want to happen only to have my life block me in some way, but I never forget what I've said. I'm still with you and plan to be with you for as long as you will have me! :D This is Episode 2 of Elsie's Yoga Kula. I share a bit of an update and invite you to participate in a small mediation that helps us all that are dealing with financial challenge/stress. I know that finances are tight for a lot of people. I also know how economic matters may prove to be huge causes of stress, anxiety, fear, and even health problems. The short meditation in this podcast episode is just a simple way to reconnect with the abundance that we DO have, something we often forget. I tell you this from personal experience. I share this meditation with you because I know that I do this little meditation almost daily because it helps me to stay grounded, and I definitely need to keep my connection to the bigger Source. I share with you because it's a great way to connect with one another so that we may through our thoughts create support for each other in these financially challenging times. I love you all! :D YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE MEDITATION EPISODE BY CLICKING THE BUTTON BELOW! (it's really a short one! Less than 20 min!) [audio #] Love the Feedback! email me- eyogaclass (at) gmail (dot) com leave me a message- 310 651 6238 (I'd love to play you guys on the episodes! Plus you can promote your stuff that way!) or comment on this blog! Other ways to connect with me: Oh yea!!!! I have a FACEBOOK GROUP!!!! Come join the rest of the virtual kula :)

This week's Yoga Class Online is a beginner yoga class Declare Your Freedom I had the opportunity to teach a yoga class at this year's Annual Mensa Gathering in Pittsburgh! It was quite an exciting experience. It's always such a treat to teach outside of the yoga studio, and it's also very exciting not knowing who is going to be showing up :) I was thrilled to see a pretty good outcome of between 20-25 people. The majority of them did not have yoga mats and quite a few of them weren't wearing what we would call 'yoga clothing'. You see, none of this matters. The practice can be done anywhere, no props nor specific attire needed! How Do Your Choices Reflect Optimal Freedom? This yoga class is what I would call a beginners class. Although one does not need to be a beginner to practice it. We as practitioners can bring complexity to any class as we choose to step deeper into it's nuances and continue to make more meaning with every breath and every movement. Something simple can be ever so fulfilling and can become a gift to all of us who choose to pull the meaning of our hearts into it :D Let me know your thoughts! Enjoy the practice! This week's Yoga Class Online is a beginner yoga class Leave me feedback 310 651 6238 email me eyogaclass(at)gmail(dot)com

This is NOT a yoga class. This is episode 1 of a new facet of the podcast. More yoga classes comig up next week! Hello and welcome to the First episode of Elsie's Yoga Kula, where we share, cultivate relationship and deepen our yoga by entering the community of the heart, which is both your own heart, AND it's the heart manifesting as the company we keep. I've been talking a lot about getting new facet of the podcast up. And it's finally here! Some of you guys may have been listening for a while so you may be a bit more aware of my story, but some of you may just have started to listen so I'll just do a quick recap. I lived in Los Angeles and taught in yoga in Los Angeles until October 2007. While I was there I was blessed to have lots of fabulous classes and an incredible community of both students and teachers that I could delve into and cultivate. The LA yoga community is thriving and abundant. Now I live in Pittsburgh. I transported to the Burgh for LOVE. I'm very happy being here. I have the best family ever ever ever! with my soon to be husband and my 9 month old little daughter Hunter. The only thing that I'm lacking (other than Jamba Juice...but I digress) is the yoga community. Having started teaching again after my baby was born and being able to once again post my classes has given me a connection to you all, and I cannot tell you how much it means to me. The power of this medium and our ability to share together this incredible practice is one of the greatest blessings in my life, so I decided to share a little bit more! I want you guys, all of you that are part of this podcast and practice together, to get to know each other a little bit, plus it also gives me the opportunity to share a little bit more about other yoga related things :) You guys up for it? So to begin, here we go with our first voice mail, It's Nikki from DeMoines! Please listen to the Podcast to hear the Voice Mail :) You are so welcome! You know, I have to do another one of those deep savasana (Episode 61: Chill the Body Out, A 13 Minute Full Body Relaxation) and yoga nidra episodes (Episode 62: Yoga Nidra Yourself Out, a 65 Minute Deep Meditative Relaxation). Personally .... I LOVE those!!! I used to practice yoga nidra a lot more than I have an opportunity to now. One of these days I'm sure I'll be able to again...oh the Mommy life :) Thanks for the call! I'm a very big RSS lover. RSS is sorta like using a DVR to record the shows that you wanna watch. RSS stands for Real Simple Syndication, which means that you can syndicate or publish material 'simply'. Most websites now days, have a feed associated with them. If you subscribe to the feed, then whenever new content is published to that feed you receive it automatically. This brings me back to the DVR metaphor, so you can read, listen or watch that content whenever you want. The way that you are subscribing to this podcast is via it's RSS feed. When you are in iTunes (for the majority of you subscribe via iTunes) and you subscribe to any podcast, you are subscribing via RSS feed. Sorry for the long winded explanation, just doing it for those of you that may wanna clarify a bit :) In order to receive the content you need to have some sort of RSS reader, such as iTunes. iTunes deals primarily with audio and video feeds. My personal favorite RSS reader that deals with audio, video, but mainly text feeds is Google Reader. I subscribe to A LOT of feeds and love reading them on my cell phone. Google Reader has a really easy and simple mobile site that I check countless times a day. The reason for this huge discussion is that I'm going to share with you guys, blogs, posts, videos, etc. that I find inspiring from Google Reader! So, here we go! I'm not sure how I found this blog, but I'm loving every post. It's called Rose Garden Yoga by a yoga teacher named Elizabeth Goodman AND she's a certified Anusara Yoga teacher! I'm thrilled every time I see a new post. I'm inspired by her eloquence and her love of the garden. It is soooooo worth your time. Great insight into the yoga of every day :) Another blog that I'm diggin' is the Everything Yoga Blog at itsallaboutyoga.com. I enjoy this persons posts very much. I always end up with some new information, whether it be about a specific point of view, some sort of new product or website, whatever. I believe that I enjoy reading the posts so much because the author's voice is so natural and absolutely down to earth. Check those 2 blogs out, AND use Google Reader! You can read so many more blogs in one place! Kinda like having your own special magazine :) Here's a nifty little product that I LOVED! Found out about it via the Everything Yoga Blog I just mentioned. Ok, I'm sure y'all have come across SIGG water bottles, those really cool bottles from sweden? Well you can totally MAKE YOUR OWN PERSONALIZED ONES!!!!! O M G. I have 2 already, and I LOVE THEM! So if you go to http://www.cafepress.com/designer/sigg/ You can see how to do it! It really is the coolest thing ever, plus if you don't know about Cafe Press you'll get a chance to check out that site! It's a GREAT resource for creating your own stuff. And now for our next voice mail: Mary from Houston Dude, Mary, totally humbled. Thank you! You are way too sweet. I'm soooo glad that the podcasts are able to serve you, honestly. I'm very glad. I absolutely know how you feel. Totally get it, AND I'm working hard at this whole Mommy thing, doing my best at that and all the other stuff. I think at times the will to do it all comes from a desire to connect and to serve fully. Thanks again And now for our first email of the episode from Nora in North Carolina This is all about Prenatal Yoga!!! You can hear the email conversation and what I have to say if you listen to the episode Empowering your Prenatal Yoga Practice: Advise from Yogi Mama to New Yogi Mama Speaking of prenatal yoga, Sue Elkind is doing a prenatal yoga teacher training in Athens Greece!!!!! Sept 7-11 Athens, Greece Prenatal Teacher Training www.NYSYstudios.com Check it out at www.sueelkind.com If you decide to do this...please email sue and tell her that you heard it from me! snyoga (at) mac (dot) com Another email: Lina from Malasyia!!! how exciting is that???? Thank you so much Lina! Now I'm not going to answer this question here, I've (actually we, my dear friend Hillary Rubin and I) Have just answered this question and lots of other neat little teacher type discussion topics over at Mudra Moments. You can subscribe via RSS in iTunes or listen straight from the website at Mudramoments.com! I've already let Lina know that we addressed her question in Mudra Moments Episode 13, but I thought some of you guys may be interested in still hearing the question! One of the reasons that I'm doing this also is so that I can share with you the listeners stuff that you care about and would like to share yourself. I got an email from someone that I got to know in LA, although they lived in Las Vegas: Yoga Rants and Raves (http://www.yogarantsandraves.com) and they are on twitter! http://twitter.com/yogasanctuary) plus, this is their WEBSITE: http://www.lasvegasyoga.com And our last voice email of the day, Anne NC thank you sweetie, I think Hunter is FAMOUS!!! I still have a lot more of your emails, comments and phone calls to share! I contacted some of you to see if I could use your email, please know that I will, it's just that I didn't want to make this a REALLY long show...just enough to make it fun. If you want to be on the show, or share something about yourself or something you are doing that you would like me to check out and share with the Kula, send me an email eyogaclass@gmail.com, comment at elsiesyogakula.com or CALL ME!!!!!!!!! it's soooooo easy to do it, and how fun is it to hear yourself on the show!!!!! woo hoooo 310 651 6238 :) or you can record your own MP3 and send it to me! Please let me know if you enjoyed this. It's really another way that I can deepen our relationship and allow us all to get to know each other better! Hope to hear from you! Oh yea...one last thing :) The 3rd year anniversary of this podcast is coming up at the end of July. I hope to put up a special episode, plus some fun giveaways, so if you wanna be part of that episode, send me a voice mail sharing with me a special time that you practiced with it, or something along those lines so I can put it on the show! Much love and blessings

The Power of Fire Hunter and I got the opportunity to see fire at it's most powerful, as it blazed across the street from our home. I was in awe of watching it burn. I had a visceral reaction to the flames, as I felt it's strength and felt it's power of destruction deep into my bones. As much as this fire was destroying the building across the street, I also new that it was transforming not only the building, but the entire neighborhood. In Ayurveda, fire or Agni, is incredibly important. It is this fire that maintains and sustains optimal vibrant health...when it's in alignment :) Listen to this week's yoga podcast and practice along to connect with your inner fire in body, mind and breath :) Love the Feedback! email me- eyogaclass (at) gmail (dot) com leave me a message- 310 651 6238 (I'd love to play you guys on the episodes! Plus you can promote your stuff that way!) or comment on www.elsiesyogakula.com :)

The Path of the Yogi Within Social Networks

I’ve been on Twitter since the Spring of 2007, way before it became so CRAZY mainstream. When I first got on Twitter, there were only a handful of people that I had actually met face to face. In fact, the people on twitter that I interacted with were basically all from the podcasting/new media community and 90% of them where out of state or out of the country. There was not one person from my yoga community.

That has now all changed.

I would say in 2009 the yoga community on Twitter has skyrocketed. I’m in awe of the amazing amount of tweets about yoga, from yoga practitioners, teachers and studios. It’s yoga yoga yoga all the time now! I love it because now I can literally feel my yoga kula around me here in Pittsburgh because many of my Anusara yoga friends in LA and from other parts of the country are now on Twitter, including John Friend (the founder of Anusara Yoga)! Needless to say, that’s some serious growth!

In the past 2.5 yrs that I’ve been on Twitter, I have not ONCE had a negative experience with anyone I followed or followed me. In fact I’ve developed some pretty special friendships with some folks on Twitter that I would have never come in contact with otherwise. I’m a bit saddened to say that I’ve had my first ‘negative’ experience on Twitter, and it was with a fellow yogi.

This episode’s artwork is a snapshot of the initial dialogue.

I think all of us have every right to have our own preferences and opinions about yoga and about what yoga system or philosophy we align with. In fact that goes for your spiritual and religious life. One of my fellow Anusara teachers referred to yoga philosophy as ‘resonant energy’.

resonance |ˈrezənəns|

noun

the quality in a sound of being deep, full, and reverberating : the resonance of his voice.

• figurative the ability to evoke or suggest images, memories, and emotions : the concepts lose their emotional resonance.

• Physics the reinforcement or prolongation of sound by reflection from a surface or by the synchronous vibration of a neighboring object.

• Mechanics the condition in which an object or system is subjected to an oscillating force having a frequency close to its own natural frequency.

• Physics the condition in which an electric circuit or device produces the largest possible response to an applied oscillating signal, esp. when its inductive and its capacitative reactances are balanced.

• Physics a short-lived subatomic particle that is an excited state of a more stable particle.

• Astronomy the occurrence of a simple ratio between the periods of revolution of two bodies about a single primary.

• Chemistry the state attributed to certain molecules of having a structure that cannot adequately be represented by a single structural formula but is a composite of two or more structures of higher energy.

ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French, from Latin resonantia ‘echo,’ from resonare ‘resound’ (see resonant ).

Which Yoga Philosophy Is Right? Which Yoga Philosophy is the Best?

If a philosophy resonates with you, you will be more harmonious, more sensitive, more open both with yourself and with others around you. You will in fact be able to add more beauty, goodness, auspiciousness to the world through your thoughts, actions and unique presence. You will embed the philosophy so deeply inside of yourself that you will be able to serve those around you and yourself in ever deepening and refined ways. If whatever you choose opens you to recognize the blessing of your life, your wisdom, your auspiciousness, and in turn shows you that you are part of something much Greater, and of the Intrinsic Goodness of life, than you are in optimal alignment. It’s not about which yoga is the best: Ashtanga, Iyengar, Power, Viniyoga, etc, nor what philosophy, Tantra, Advaita Vedanta, Classical, etc. but how do your actions, your thoughts, your words offer the most auspicious part of yourself AT EVERY MOMENT. How do you feel in your own authentic heart, and how well are you able to serve and uplift those around you?

If you lock your fulfillment into how other people receive it you will never be fulfilled.

We always have a choice. If we do disagree with a particular style of yoga’s philosophy, or teacher, or practice, in what way are you going to communicate that with those around you so that you show through your actions, interactions and WORDS the highest integrity, always aligning to the Highest most Auspicious part of ourselves? Bottom line, do the actions you take make you a better person. Are you being authentic? It’s not easy, especially when confronted by someone that happens to get under your skin

Be very mindful of what you put out into the world, especially when it is written down and sent out into the world. It holds power, and it speaks loudly.

Love the Feedback!

• email me- eyogaclass (at) gmail (dot) com

• leave me a message- 310 651 6238 (I’d love to play you guys on the episodes! Plus you can promote your stuff that way!)

• or comment on this blog!

This week’s class is a grounding Level 1-2 Yoga Class.

The class can be modified to be more basic or more advanced by choosing to do the full poses instead of the modification.

You are more than welcome to use as many yoga props as necessary to offer you the optimal alignment of your poses. Have your props near you so you can grab them as needed.

Always doing SO many things at once.

I know for myself it is very rare that I do just ONE thing at a time. Now being a Mom, it becomes even harder. The mind races from one place to the next, things become so cluttered and often times takes us away from our center. Practicing some asana and taking even just a few moments to pause quietly and feel can give us so much access to the vast wealth of steadiness that we all posses. When we see that steadiness, when we find the Center, we can make better and better choices regarding our lives, our health, our relationships and how we choose to step into the world. Let's practice together!

Love the Feedback!

email me- eyogaclass (at) gmail (dot) com
leave me a message- 310 651 6238 (I'd love to play you guys on the episodes! Plus you can promote your stuff that way!)
or comment at http://elsiesyogakula.com!
Other ways to connect with me:

Other ways to connect with me:

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This week's class is an uptempo Level 1-2 Yoga Class.

You are more than welcome to use props, especially blocks for poses like Trikonasana. I also really love to have a blanket by so I can sit on it during the centering at the beginning of class :)

Aligning and Re-Aligning

My baby girl has recently started having solid food. She got constipated. One would imagine that the only thing that it would affect, would be her demeanor, as she was pretty uncomfortable. In fact, this constipation made other things come out of alignment. She was unable to process her food properly because nothing was really moving :( She threw up. A lot. This made me very worried, as she had never done that before! This is this week's yoga class theme. Listen to find out what my very wise Randy had to say and how it all turned out :) Oh yeah, the class was recorded on April 22 at the Pittsburgh Athletic Association

Thank you all for your comments!

Just to let you all know. I'm plan on supplementing the live yoga classes with little extra episodes sprinkled here and there. Since the yoga classes themselves are so long, I never want to make my intro more than 6 minutes, as you really need to be getting to practicing! Given this predicament, I've decided to address emails, questions and feedback that I get from you guys in another supplement of the podcast, this is going to be all about Elsie's Yoga Kula, meaning both YOU GUYS (your feedback, your questions, etc) and a little bit of extra sharing on my part, thoughts, focused classes, or practices, or even news about yoga products or any other online yoga tools that I have found helpful.

What do you think about that? Let me know!

To add just a bit more to my plate I have started a new website/business :) YoGeek.Me. I have posted my very first blog post there: Top 10 Ways That Technology Empowers Yoga Professionals. Check it out! I would love for you to leave your comments, especially if you are a yoga teacher or maybe someone that simply feels a bit awkward with technology!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE LOVELY MAMAS OUT THERE!!!!!

You all know how to reach me:

• email me- eyogaclass (at) gmail (dot) com

• leave me a message- 310 651 6238 (I'd love to play you guys on the episodes! Plus you can promote your stuff that way!)

• or comment on this blog!

Other ways to connect with me:

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I'm going to stop saying that I'm going to post more episodes more often. I absolutely don't know! Agh! Mind you, I'm now all set up technically, finally! I've been recording more consistently, so now it's just a about editing and posting :) I have recorded more than one class, and I'm refining my workflow so that I can TRULY post more episodes. I'm sure you all know by now, I'm a new Mom. My little baby is 7 months as I write this post. She has now settled into herself more, which is allowing me time to step into my own self. The only time that I have to upload, edit, post, etc. is when Hunter is sleeping. Those naps are the sacred time when I can do fun stuff like this podcast, PLUS all of the gazillion things that I have to catch up on: dishes, showers, general clean up, answering emails, paying bills, you get the picture. All I can say is that there aren't enough hours in the day to do ALL that I want to do. My life continues to ebb and flow and my biggest focus is on always remembering to constantly re-align....OH, that's the next episode!

In this week's episode I talk about LISTENING. It was all brought about by my latest venture: teaching other yoga teachers/professionals to podcast. I actually did my first 'virtual' workshop! It was very cool. Anyway, within the workshop I explained why I'm partial to an AUDIO yoga class as opposed to VIDEO. Y'all can listen to my intro to find out why ;)

And my new site! YoGeek.Me

Thank you for continuing to listen. I so appreciate you guys very very much.

Enjoy the yoga class!

Here are all the places that you can find me!

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In this yoga podcast, we have a level 2 class! Can you believe it? It has been a while ;)

The class was recorded at Yoga Matrika in Pittsburgh!

Props needed: a yoga block

THE SEQUENCE

Hands and Knees

Downward Facing Dog/Eka Pada Downward Facing Dog/Opening the Hip in Down Dog/High Lunge

Plank

chattarunga

Downward Facing Dog

Uttanasana/Ardha Uttanasana x 3

Tadasana

Surya Namaskar x 3

Crescent Pose

Vira II into Reverse Vira

Trikonasana

Uttanasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Tadasana (with eyes closed)

Vira II into Reverse Warrior (with eyes closed)

Trikonasana (with eyes closed)

Tree Pose

Pincha Mayurasana Prep

Pigeon

Pigeon with Block on top of front thigh

Pigeon with Thigh stretch

Setubandha into Urdhva Dhanurasana x 3

Downward Facing Dog with knees bent into Straight legged

Child's Pose

Supine Twist

Knees to Chest

Savasana

Wooo hoooo
Finally got a new episode up :)

Please feel free to follow me on Twitter

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and to add me as a friend on Facebook!

Also, you can leave me voice feedback at 310 651 6238
I would so love it :)

This is my personal blog, little teeny bits and pieces of me. No long posts ;)

This is a leve 1 (Basics) Yoga Class. This is a great class for yoga newbies.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST TO FIND OUT WHO WON THE MIGHTY JADE YOGA MAT!!!!!

The winner must email me with their snail mail address, and color choice so that they can get the mat delivered straight to them :D

New Contest! This time win an iPod Touch!

Facebook

Please Review Me in iTunes :D

In this Level 1 Free Yoga Class:

Seated Side Arm Stretches

Hands and Knees

Cat/Cow Stretches

Downward Facing Dog

Hands and Knees Alternate Limb Core work

Downward Facing Dog

Lunge into Straightening Front Leg into Lunge Twist

Uttanasana

Tadasana

Arm Salutations x3

Half Sunsalutations x 2

Lunge with Arms over head

Plank

Cobra

Lunge with Arms over head

Uttanasana

Tadasana

TO THE SIDE

Warrior II

Prasarita Padotanasana

Parsvakonasana

Tree Pose

Deep Lunge with Forearms on the Floor and back knee down

Child's Pose

Setubandha x 3

Outer Hip Stretch on the Back

Easy Twist

Supta Padangustasana

Savasana

A Beginner's 1 hour Yoga Class. It's a whole new batch of students, and a whole new state I'm teaching in. Not my usual 'type' of class, but happy to be teaching again so much!!! I love it. Check out the full sequence, with new pictures (in the pics I'm 21 weeks pregnant) and follow along at www.elsiesyogakula.com

Also I'm giving a way a Jade Yoga Mat, just fill out a survey on my site :)

Feedback 310 651 6238
eyogaclass (at) gmail (dot) com

Finally I posted a new episode!!

This is a nice hip opener class so get to it!

Episode 39: Spotlight Integrity

You will need a yoga block for this or yoga blocks (towards the last quarter of the class)

Wizzard.tv

Jade Yoga Mat contest! There's a Jade Yoga mat just waiting for you! All you have to do is fill out the survey that you can access from my side bar or right below :)

For all of you that happened to have filled out the survey before I announced the contest, please email me at eyogaclass (at) gmail (dot) com and give it to me so I can add you to the list of hopeful winners :D

I will announce the email at the beginning of July

Of course I gave the wrong contact number *sigh* it's 310 651 6238, call me!

In this yoga class podcast:

Hands and Knees

Down dog

high lunge right an left

plank

uttanasana

ardha uttanasana

tadasana

half sun salutes x 2

Surya Namaskar C x 2

lunge with back knee on the earth and arms up 

arms interlaced behind the back with legs bent behind you and flat back

straighten legs with arms behind x2 

Deep lunge with knee on the floor and arms inside leg R

down dog

Deep lunge with knee on the floor, etc L

down dog

Crescent Pose

plank/chattarunga/cobra

down dog

twisting downward facing dog

uttanasana/ardha uttanasana/tadasana

surya namaskar x 2

Parsvakonasana

Downdog

Vira 2

downdog

parsvokonasana

child's pose

downdog

lunge twist (parvakonasana twisting)

runner's lunge twist

downdog with open hip leg up

child's pose 

get a block or two!!!! 

pavrita trikonasana

hanumanasana prep x 2 with a block

happy baby

chill on the back

on the belly, ardha bhekasana

dhanurasana x 3

easy supine twist

supta padangustasana twist

twist with legs crossed

knees to chest

savasana

Hmmmmm

Where has Elsie gone to you ask? Well, getting swallowed up by the Pittsburgh winter, if you must know :(

I have been unable to even have an opportunity to practice regularly let alone find somewhere to teach. It's been a very challenging for me now that I have a full time 9-5 job. I now spend all of that time infront of a computer! And it's been so cold and dreary that I have not wanted to step into anything other than my yummy home and sleep.

I have become a bear that happens to work on the internet for a living ;)

I will be back, fully at some point. I just cannot, in all honesty and integrity tell you when this will happen, and when I do I guarantee that it will be a much different Elsie! That's all I gotta say...

I created this video to a fellow internet buddy, Nick Schmidt. We met randomly through online community and he asked me to teach him a little bit of yoga, and I did...with this little video.

Simple, short and precise. A great way to get your yoga practice in even if you only have 5 minutes :) I usually add music and all that jazz, and I may in the future, but I just quickly edited this puppy and decided to publish. To get something out for y'all!!!

Would love to hear your feedback! I would love to hear from you guys all the way around. You guys have now become my only connection to the Kula. How very ironic that Elsie's Yoga Kula is now fueled by you guys. I love it! This is what it's all about!

Please leave me a review in iTunes! or tell a friend about this podcast :D

A fun and inventive short vinayasa sequence, which is actually done in Episode 33

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

I keep telling you guys this, but I'm still not teaching publicly, so I cannot post any new yoga classes for you guys :( But I do have one that I just found!!! I just have to take more pics for it, as there are some things that are new, and may be a bit confusing ;) but fun, fun, fun!

I hope to get an actual class up next week! Yipee!!!

So, my way of kinda dealing with this issue is providing you all with some of my prior content on the feed so that those of you who are subscribed can get these videos delivered right to your computer!

I do hope that you enjoy these!

You can listen to it's birth ;) in Episode 33. Enjoy!

Wow! a 65 minute Yogic Sleep, of course relaxation. Yoga Nidra coming your way!

I had such a great time recording this Yoga Nidra! Experience deep yogic sleep. It's a great practice for unwinding and truly diving into the depth of unconsciousness. So fun :D

ALL MUSIC IN THE PODCAST BY VIC HENNEGAN

intro song: Movin' from the Pure Creative Spirit CD

yoga nidra music: Gaya from the Desert God CD

I'm not a yoga nidra expert by any means. I had a experience during a Yoga Therapist teacher training to study with Richard Miller and experienced such bliss!

I bought his yoga nidra tapes and practiced it at home that way.

In case you are interested here are some more sources of Yoga Nidra studies and basic information:

http://www.swamij.com/yoga-nidra.htm The Yoga Nidra CD that I have

Yoga Nidra on Wikipidea

Totally dug Anandmurti Gurumaa's beautiful voice in this CD. If I were to buy another Yoga Nidra CD I would get this one: http://www.yogawonders.com/
this site has a great introduction to yoga nidra narrated by Anandmurti Gurumaa, so worth it.

Plus she's got a great website herself: Anandmurti Gurumaa
With a fantastic Charity for girls...Shakti :)

Richard Miller and his website Non-Dual.Com

These are a couple of Richard Miller's books:

Integrative Restoration: The ancient practice of yoga nidra, for easing stress, healing trauma, and awakening to your timeless Presence.

Yoga Nidra: The Meditative Heart of Yoga

Rod Stryker : and his CD Relax Into Greatness
I based my yoga nidra on his CD. His stuff is also great.

All right,

So my birthday is coming up! Some of you have asked to give me something, as a thank you, and what I ask of you is to leave me a review in iTunes. I'd love to see if I can get 50 reviews by my birthday!

also,

Please LEAVE ME VOICE FEEDBACK! 310 651 6238

Elsie's Originals

A 13 minute Deep Yogic Body Relaxation with an 8 min intro with feedback ;) enjoy!

Something new!

Since I still don't have a public class and therefore no "live yoga class" I decided to do a sweet full body relaxation. Listen up and enjoy allowing the body to let go and release :)

I would so enjoy any sort of feedback from you guys! Especially letting me know if you like this sort of thing, 'cause I tell you chillin' and the 'slow' is where it's at ;)

FEEDBACK 310 651 6238

emotionally charged Level 1 90 min Yoga class! This was my last class, that I taught in Los Angeles before moving permanently to Pittsburgh PA. So much beauty. So much love. Listen up and give me feedback :)

310 651 6238
eyogaclass@gmail.com

From Pittsburgh! 1 hr, strong fast paced Level 2 class, recycled from last December (previously #20) Check it! It's a good one to do after or before xmas shopping.....

down dog
uttanasana/ardha uttanasana x 3
tadasana with parvatasana arms
1/2 sun salutations x 3
sun salutation X 3
Crescent Pose
Parsvakonasana
On right leg only!
Monkey Lunge
Vira I/Vira II
Crescent Pose/Lunge twist
Ardha Chandrasana/Trikonasana
Vashistasana
Uttanasana/Utkatasana into twisting Utkatasana
On the left side!
Monkey Lunge
Vira I/Vira II
Crescent Pose/Lunge twist
Ardha Chandrasana/Trikonasana
Vashistasana
Child’s Pose
Twisted Child
fun new pose (crazy twisting down dog variation)
pigeon prep
deep lunge with thigh stretch
dhanurasana
cobra on ridgetops x2
sukhasana twist
diamond pose

Special Elsie news! Level 1-2, 85 min class. Very slow and methodical because there were a lot of injuries in class that needed to be addressed. Focused and very good. Give it a go when you feel you need time and patience :) Check out www.elsiesyogakula.com for the sequence and a corresponding knee therapeutics video!

Tulsi Tea

Link To Facebook Elsie Tired Video

Dancing Yogini

She Yogini

1 hr strong Level 1-2 Class. Great for no time restrictions. Live in your heart. Step in there and work :) It's so worth it.

Hillary's Yoga Practice

Mudra Moments Facebook Group

Great Level 1 80 min class for beginners. One of my favorite themes to teach :)
Review me in iTunes if you have moment guys! Pretty please :)

310 651 6238

Come watch "Touch the Names" at:

Follow me at:

www.praptiyoga.com 

Opening Night Pictures on:

A level 2-3 class and it's 75 min :) move into letting all the old stuff die, let the harvest moon lead the way!

Level 1, 90 Min yoga class with no inversions and good for beginners.
eyogaclass@gmail.com
310 651 6238

Level 2 50 min kinda flowy class ;) fun fun fun

90 Min Level 1-2 Class. Up tempo and deeply powerful, with a couple of inversions!

Level 1, 90 min Yoga Class.
Deep and Steady.
We do 1 inversion (L pose at the wall x 2)

Every Person is Precious (This I Believe Essay)

ONLINE YOGA CLASSES AND PODCASTS ROCK (Facebook Group! Join!!!)

John in San Diego

Portable and New media

The Sequence:

Hands and Knees/Downward Facing Dog

High Lunge/straightening the front leg

Uttanasana/Ardha Uttanasana x3

Half Sun Salutations x 3

Surya Namaskar

Crescent Pose

Surya Namaskar x 2

Lunge Twist

Balasana

Demo L Pose at the Wall with Daniel

L Pose at the Wall x 2

Parvakonasana

Prasarita Padotanasana

Parvakonasana (yep, again)

Parva Prasarita Padotanasana (torso to the side)

Tree

Deep Lunge (choose your variation)

Pigeon

Ardha Bhekasana

Lunge with thigh stretch

Setu Bandha x 2

Eka Pada Setu Bandha

Ardha Matsyendrasana

Sukhasana Forward Fold

Breathing

Give me some love! 310 651 6238 or email me eyogaclass@gmail.com
love you all!!!!

ELSIE'S SURVEY!!!!

Feedback! Call me! 310 651 6238 and come join me at the Podcast and New Media Expo :)

Podcast411 interview with Quincy Jones

My brother Luis's Blog

Ross's Rayburn Workshop at Yogaworks!

Facebook me!

I'm Back!!!!!!

Hillary Rubin

Mudra Moments

YoGeek Workout (the Bike episode)

Vic Hennegan

Joe Shashaty

Flickr pics of Yoga To Lift Your Spirits

Follow me on Twitter

Mudra Moments

Fitness Rocks

Weight Loss How They Did It! Audio Download or Amazon Link

YoGeek Workout

Mudra Moments

Hillary's Yoga Practice Podcast

Podcast411

My interview for Podcast411 (this one is coming all....not out yet, stay tuned...)

Today in iPhone

Vic Hennegan

Joe Shashaty

Luis Escobar Blog

Follow me on Twitter

Hip openers, and focused work to make you feel better :)

Please come check out www.elsiesyogakula.com to see all the corresponding pics and links!

In this yoga podcast:

Celebrate your sovereignty by stepping places you haven't gone before. Move out of your comfort zone! A pretty uptempo class. Check out the pics on the site www.elsiesyogakula.com

follow me on Twitter

Podcast Awards (this one is for you Mike and Inge, love you guys!) 

Yoga to Lift your spirits with Elsie

Yogeek Workout 

verge of the fringe

lance anderson

PUM (podcast user magazine)

Declaration of Independence 

A good class to take on the road with you. A basic class for students with some knowledge of yoga. We do use a block at the end :)
Check out pics to the episode and links to the theme at www.elsiesyogakula.com
feedback 206-666 4439
eyogaclass@gmail.com

This is a good one for beginners!!!!  Dive into it, there are lots of pics on my website www.elsiesyogakula.com

Plus there's a very yummy deep relaxation towards the end :)

Don't forget to send me feedback ;)
206 666 4439
eyogaclass@gmail.com

Pixelodeon (do check out he vids and you'll see how cool it all was!!!) 

Ars Technica Article: consumers mistake familiarity with superiority

Insight of the Day 

Elsie's Yoga Class LIVE on uStream

YoGeek Practice on uStream 

follow me on Twitter 

Newest YoGeek Workout Episode 

please visit www.yogeekworkout.com 

YoGeek Workout the Intro

Typical Mac User Podcast ( a wanna be geek asking questions)

Rosary Army Podcast ( a wannabe Catholic reporter/correspondent live at the Rosary Bowl!)

The Run Podcast ( a wannabe runner teaching a yoga class, that's me :) )

Follow me on Twitter

Sarah's Link to me

Twitter (sign up! it's free)

Follow me on Twitter

Ustream Elsie's Yoga Class Live and Unplugged on 12:30 PST Fridays

My Ustream Profile Page

 This is the actual class that I taught while there was a camera crew right in class with us!  The camera man was there for 45 min of the class, and then they sweetly left.  Just thought I should post the class so that y'all could be part of the fun :)  

Link to CBS2 video 

uStream Live and Unplugged Friday Class

uStream YoGeek Practice Broadcast 

 The Sequence:

Adho Mukha Svanasana/Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana/Straight Legged Lunge

Uttanasana/Ardha Uttanasana x 3

Surya Namaskar x 2

Crescent Pose

Parsvakonasana

Vira II/Reverse Vira

Vashistasana

wide Uttanasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Squat

L Pose at the Wall

Tree Pose

Deep Lunge on the forearms

Pigeon/Pigeon with slight twist

Deep Lunge with thigh stretch

Pigeon with Thigh stretch

Dhanurasana

Eka Pada Dhanurasana

Upavishta Konasana/Parsva Upavishta Konasana

Paschimottanasana

Savasana 

This was the 1st class that I streamed live!!!!! man that was kinda nutty ;) If you want to take my class, live wherever you are, I'm planning on streaming my class on Fridays, either my 7:30am class or my 12:30pm class, obviously PST. I need feedback about this, what works best for you guys?

Here's the link to my actual LIVE YOGA CLASS

If you look at that link right now, nothing is there, but you will be able to see when the upcoming one is, and when.

Show Links:

John O'Donohue essay

The Sequence:

Hands and Knees

Adho Mukha Svanasana/Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana/High lunge

Uttanasana/Parsva Uttanasana

Wide Legged Uttanasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Tadasana/Urdhva Hastasana shoulder alignment

Surya Namaskar

Crescent Pose

Twisting Downward Facing Dog

Tadasana

Tree Pose/Warrior I/ Humble Warrior/Vashistasana

Child's Pose

Urdhva Prasarita Padasana

Cobra on Fingertips

Parsvakonasana/Trikonasana/Ardha Chandrasana/Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana

Uttanasana

Malasana

Uttanasana/Adho Mukha Svanasana

Deep lunge on Forearms

Pigeon

Pavritta Parvakonasana/ Lunge twist with thigh stretch

Child's pose

Pigeon with thigh stretch

Urdhva Dhanurasana x 3


Sukhasana with arms over head

Sukhasana twist

Baddha Konasana

Easy supine Twist

Savasana

"without courage we can never attain to true simplicity, cowardice keeps us double minded, hesitating between the world and God. In this hesitation there is no true faith. Faith remains an opinion. This hesitation is a death of hope. We never let go of those visible supports which we well know must one day surely fail us, and this hesitation makes true prayer impossible. It never quite dares to ask for anything, or if it asks it is so uncertain of being heard, that in the very act of asking it surreptitiously seeks by human prudence to construct a make shift answer.

What is the use of praying if at the very moment of prayer we have so little confidence in God that we are busy planning our own kind of answer to our prayer?"

Thomas Merton

Check out YoGeek Workout 

The Sequence:

All Fours/Downward Facing Dog/One Legged Downward Facing Dog

Short Down Dog into a Long Downdog (listen and know!)

Surya Namakar x 3 (with small variations)

Tadasana (meditation, focusing on the left side of the body)

THE FOLLOWING SEQUENCE IS ALL DONE ONLY ON THE LEFT SIDE

Urdhva Hastasana, clasping right wrist and opening the body to the right

Crescent Pose 

Lunge Twist

Parsvakonasana

Trikonasana

Vashistasana

Pavritta Parsvakonasana

Downward Facing Dog Twist

Utkatasana Twist

Tadasana (meditation, focusing on the right side of the body)

FOLLOW SAME SEQUENCE ABOVE EXCEPT THIS TIME ALL IS DONE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BODY

Uttanasana

Child's Pose

Deep lunge on Forearms/Hamstring Stretch/Pigeon Prep

Ardha Bhekasana

Janu Sirsasana/Pavritta Janu Sirsasana

Paschimottanasana

Easy Twist

SAVASANA (yoga nidra like meditation, fantastic 7 min relaxation :) )

No theme for this class, a perfect class when you don't have much time :) Please remember this is not the best for a beginner, a bit faster paced than usual and I don't teach as much as usual!

Review me on itunes

Follow me on Twitter

My little niece Elizabeth. She is Truth and Goodness, look at that face! 

NPR Essay "To Thine Own Self Be True"

This I Believe Podcast

Twitter

Jaiku

Time to turn inside...to celebrate

feedback: 210 666 4439

eyogaclass@gmai.com

Pray as You Go

Link to My Post about Healthy Catholic and the Accidental Yogist

This is not a class for beginners. We do bunch of stuff that I haven't done before! Check out the corresponding videos once you do do it! A bit of rock and roll for those of you who are up for it ;)

Lynn's site

Lynn's posting on me :)

go to my website for the Sequence and the links to the videos!!!!

Thank you for your reviews in iTunes, keep it up ;)

I'm in the depths of creation, renewal and expansion....stay tuned!!! or subscribed or listening...whatever

This class is perfect for those beginning yoga, enough sweetness, sprinkled with a bit of spice, of course :D

HAPPY SPRING TIME!!!!

you are more than welcome to send me feedback:

206 666 4439

eyogaclass@gmail.com

www.elsiesyogakula.com

come check out all the pics!

there's a video supplement to this class, go the my website to check it out!!!!

St. Patrick's Playlist! I found them all on iTunes!

Morrison's Jig/Dublin Street-Amy Kortuem

Walls of Liscarroll Medley- the Irish Experience

She Moved Through the Fair- Green Man

When Love is Gone- Green Man

Roving Galway Boy- Amy Kortuem

Plaxty McGowan- Amy Kortuem

St. Patrick's Breastplate- Amy Kortuem

Danny Boy- Tommy Flemming

Danny Boy- Amy Kortuem

The Deer's Cry (Breastplate of St. Patrick)- Angelina
(this is the song that I spoke about and played at the beginning of class)

I have ventured in unchartered waters and I'm thrilled!!!!

So this is my 1st attempt at playing with video.  Bad video quality (HD Camara on it's way), iffy editing, but hey, I did it all myself!  Yeay for iMovie.  I kid you not, it's a fantastic little program for newbies like me ;)

Anyway, so the stuff that's in the podcast is some feedback that I sent to a fellow podcaster that I admire very much, Father Roderick of the Daily Breakfast, for he just started his own first video podcast called Healthy Catholic, and it inspired me to get my behind going on this stuff.  I sent this info to him 'cause he's been getting back into running, so this little video is just a couple of ways that you can stretch out tired feet :)

 Please let me know what you think!!!!!!

Hanging out with my niece this weekend! Such a blast, she can certainly cast light!

write me a review in itunes!

my Flickr yoga poses

The Sequence:

Downward Facing Dog

Uttanasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Uttanasana/Ardha Uttanasana x 2

1/2 Sun Salutes x 3

Straight Legged Lunge/Down Dog/Straight Legged Lunge

Plank/Cobra

Surya Namaskar x 2

Wrist Stretch on hands and knees

Downward Facing dog wrist stretch

Parvakonasana

Crescent Pose (with side stretch)

Utkatasana Twist

Parsvakonasana with arms interlaced behind the back into Deep Lunge with shoulder behind the calf

Utkatasana (upper back more arched)

Parsvotanasana (slight variation)

Urdhva Prasarita Ekapadasana

Uttanasana

Demo Pincha Mayurasana with Susan

Pincha Mayurasana

Demo Pincha Mayurasana Palms up with Huck

Pincha Mayurasana with palms up

Demo Pincha Mayurasana hands flat against the wall with Huck

Pincha Mayurasana with palms flat against the wall

Squat on tippy toes, legs together into a twist

Parsva Bakasana

Pigeon Prep

Pigeon Prep with thigh stretch

Setu Banda Sarvangasana and/or Urdhva Dhanurasana x 5!!!

Easy supine twist

Downward Facing Dog

Parva Uttanasana

Savasana

Donate to Corazon de Vida, just until February 27th

Typical Mac User Podcast Live! go to this link on Sunday February 25th at 5pm PST/ 8pm EST chat with me!

Douglas Brooks's article on applied yogis

Hillary's Yoga Practice Podcast

Coconuts and Legwarmers Flickr Pics

Vic Hennegan Workshop

Authentic love is not a vague sentiment or a blind passion. It is an inner attitude that involves the whole human being. It is looking at others not to use them but to serve them. It is the ability to rejoice with those who are rejoicing and to suffer with those that are suffering. It is sharing what one possesses so that no one may continue to be deprived of what he needs. Love, in a word, is the gift of self.

-Pope John Paul II

YOU CAN STILL DONATE TO CORAZON DE VIDA!

Join Victor and I for the Typical Mac User Live show on February 25th! You so don't need to watch the Oscars! The best moments will be replayed over and over and over for the week following

Talkcast information:

• Talkcast Name: Typical Mac User Podcast Live (Talk MAC)
• Host: Victor Cajiao - typicalmacuser@gmail.com
• Phone number: (724) 444-7444
• Talkcast ID: 3097
• PIN: The phone number or 10-digit PIN you signed up with (you gotta sign up with Talkshoe!)

Vic's Healing Through Dance Workshop

THE SEQUENCE

Hands and knees

Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

One legged Downward Facing Dog with hip squared (Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Child's Pose (Balasana)

One legged Downward Facing Dog opening the hip into a high lunge into straightening out the front leg

Uttanasana

Uttanasana into Ardha Uttanasana x 3

Surya Namaskar C x 2

Tadasana with Parvatasana arms (arms interlaced above the head)

Surya Namaskar A

Lunge Twist

Uttanasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Parsvakonasana

Prasarita Padotanasana

Parsvakonasana (yes..AGAIN ;) )

Prasarita Padotanasana

Hasta Padangustasana Prep

some discussion about alignment in this pose

Hasta Padangustasana Prep II (possibly straightening leg into full pose)

Squat (with arms overhead!)

urdhva prasarita padasana

half navasana with feet on the floor

marichyasana III

cobra on fingertips

salabasana with arms and legs up

gomukhasana

down dog with hip opening and leg bent!

deep lunge on forearms

child's pose

salabasana variations

dhanurasana

twisted child's pose

happy baby

Savasana

John Friend founder of Anusara Yoga

John's Rockin' with Shakti Tour

Heart Study

Fantastic Organization which focuses on The Heart!!!

The Dana on Mission Bay Yes...I totally spoiled myself. I figured, why not celebrate my 35th birthday a little more! Mind you, for whatever reason I got a great deal on the rooms and if any of you are ever around San Diego, maybe taking a little trip to Sea World, hey come on over here. They have been incredible. Really.

Donate to Corazon de Vida!

here's a link to my Evite for the Coconuts Legwarmers Charity Birthday Bash

The Sequence:

Downward Facing Dog

High Lunge

Downward Facing Dog Twist

Uttanasana/Tadasana/Parvatasana Arms (arms interlaced above the head)

Surya Namaskar x 3

Parsvakonasana

Vira I

Deep Lunge with Chattarunga Arms or Deep Lunge working head behind the knee

Vashistasana

Uttanasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Handstands

Tadasana into Standing Arch Back

Downward Facing Dog Shoulder Alignment work

Monkey Lunge

Pigeon Prep

Parsvotanasana

Uttanasana

Lunge with thigh stretch (eka pada rajakapotasana II thigh stretch)

Bridge Pose and/or Urdhva Dhanurasana x 4

Upavistha Konasana into Parsva Upavishta Konasana

Paschimottanasana

Supine Easy Twist

Tadasana

Sianna Sherman

Hillary's Yoga Practice Episode 13

Coconuts and Legwarmers: February 18th 9:30am at Lululemon Athletica North Beverly

please please please donate! www.elsiecharity.chipin.com it's for the kids!!!!!

The Sequence:

Adho Mukha Svanasana into Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana opening the hip

Uttanasana/Ardha Uttanasana

1/2 Sunsalutes x 3

Surya Namaskar x 3

Crescent Pose

Parsvakonasana

Deep Lunge working head behind the knee

Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana opening the hip

Trikonasana

Twisting Downward Facing Dog

Handstand

Handstand Demo with Lucy Bivins

Handstands again (on ridgetops, maybe???)

Tree Pose/Urdhva Prasarita Ekapadasana/Pigeon/Twisting Pigeon

Vashistasana with Backbend

Pigeon with Thigh Stretch

Lunge with Thigh Stretch

Child's pose

Dhanurasana

Ardha Bhekasana

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana and/or Urdhva Dhanurasana x 3

Downward Facing Dog

Parsvotanasana

Uttanasana

Easy Supine Twist

Knees to Chest

Savasana

This is all about my teacher Douglas Brooks, although I don't really speak about him in the class. I only try as best as I can to explain what this incredible philosophy is about. As I say during the class, and as Douglas has said many, many times before, "this is a practice that is learned from ear to ear, not from mouth to ear," so my explanation of it, is what I've 'heard.' I do my best to honor him through my words. As always I only hope to become clearer and more precise in the teachings. If you want to hear him, in his own voice, explain the philosophy check out this link where you can buy his Philosphy CD's:

http://anusara.com/?pagerequested=subcategories&cat=10&page_number=1

and of course Douglas's actual site, so you can go to one of his philosophy workshops, he is not to be missed!

http://rajanaka.com

Hillary's Yoga Practice! subscribe to her podcast through itunes here

The Sequence:

Sukhasana with Parvatasana arms (arms interlaced above the head)

Sukhasana with side stretch

Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Child's Pose (Balasana)

Downward Facing Dog

Straight Legged Lunge into straightening the front leg

Uttanasana

Half Sun Salutation

Sun Salutations x 2

Crescent Pose

Demo of Pincha Mayurasana (me jabbering for a while, then you guys get to go at it for quite a while, try to do the full pose 3x)

Pincha Mayurasana

Tree pose with Eagle arms (Vrksanana with Garundasana arms)

Tadasana into a lateral side stretches (sometimes referred to as Crescent Moon)

Vashistasana Prep (with front leg forward)

Lunge Twist

Child's pose

Twisting Side Angle Pose Prep (Pavrita Parvakonasana Prep)

Deep Lunge with elbows on the ground

Uttanasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Parsvotanasana

Malasana

Uttanasana

Seated Baby Craddle (check out Stage 1 and the Stage 2, choose accordingly) Oh yeah, how bizarre do I look in the stage 1 pic, geez :)

Easy seated twist (Sukhasana Twist)

Krounchasana Variation into a Krounchasana variation Twist

On the back! yeay!!!

Pranayama, Natural Breath

Savasana

Exactly 28 days till the Coconuts and Legwarmers Bash benefiting Corazon de Vida! Mark it on you new calendars! Sunday February 18 from 9:30-11:30am at the Beverly Hills Lululemon Store.

bolsters

blankets

The Sequence

Table Top Pose

Downward Facing Dog/One legged Downward Facing Dog/High Lunge/High lunge with front leg straight

Plank

Downward Facing Dog/Uttanasana

Tadasana

Arm Salutes x 3

1/2 Sun Salutations x 2

Surya Namaskar C x 3

Crescent

Balasana

Table Top Pose/ One Leg, One Arm Table Top

One Leg, One Arm Downward Facing Dog (listen to the podcast and follow what I say! ;) )

Lunge Twist

Uttanasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Deep Lunge with forearms on the ground

Supine Hip Stretch or Figure Four Hip Stretch on the back/ Supine baby craddle

Lunge with thigh stretch at the wall or Eka Pada Rajakapotasana 2 with a thigh stretch at the wall

Supported Legs Up on the Wall or Supported Viparita Karani

Pranayama (3 part breath) dirgha pranayama

Savasana

My Coconut Legwarmer bash is on February 18th from 9:30- 11:30 am!!!!  At the Lululemon Store, come participate!

The Charity that I have chosen is:

You need a blanket, or thick towel for this one

Sequence:

Table Top Pose

Downward Facing Dog/ Plank Pose/ Downward Facing Dog

Uttanasana into Ardha Uttanasana x 3

Tadasana

Surya Namaskar x 2

High Lunge (jump switch sides)

Crescent Pose

Parsvakonasana into Trikonasana

Ardha Chandrasana into Trikonasana

Balasana

Handstands

Hasta Padangustasana Prep

Standing Hip Stretch

Navasana Prep (core work)

Urdha Prasarita Padasana, upward extended feet pose (more core work)

Downward Facing Dog

Pigeon Prep

Vajrasana with blanket behind the knees (knee, hamstring and calf opener)

Virasana, possibly into Supta Virasana

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana x 3 (or Urdhva Dhanurasana)

Baddha Konasana

Ardha Matsyendrasana

Paschimotanasana

Seated Meditation

Savasana

How cute is Ganesh? I totally think this is the cutest picture ever! you can check out how incredible this guy's work is at ghee happy.

I got his book and it's just fantastic. He has a wonderful was of drawing the hindu gods and also giving their individual myths. I believe this is a must have for any yogi who wants to know more and also any yoga teachers! cute as can be!

links:

my intro music 'movin' by Vic Hennegan 

write a review in itunes

digg (now you have to be a member of digg to digg me, so if you are not check out the site. it's a great community site where 'we' digg the stories that we believe are worth looking at, love the concept! you can dig my podcast in the podcast section, which is where you have to be a member of digg to do, as it's a very new addition to the site itself)

the sequence:

Downward Facing Dog

Straight legged lunge

Chattarunga pushups x 3

Downward Facing Dog

Uttanasana/Ardha Uttanasana  x 3

Half Sun Salutes x 3

Surya Namaskar x 3

Crescent Pose (jump switch)

Parsvakonasana

Trikonasana

Vira II

Uttanasana

Urdhva Prasarita Ekapadasana with hips squared (standing splits with hips squared) I use this as a prep for handstand

Wide stance Uttanasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Malasana

Uttanasana

Handstand

Pigeon

Pavrita Parsvotanasana

Salabasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Pigeon with thigh stretch

Lunge with thigh stretch

Cobra on fingertips x 2

Urdhva Dhanurasana x 3

Marychiasana III into Eka Pada Gomukha Paschimottanasana

Baddha Konasana

Ardha Matsyendrasana

Supine twist

savasana! 

Merry Christmas!!!!! Honestly a crazy little class! Please, you will need 2 blocks for this class. If you do not have blocks you can use a thick bath towel or blanket, rolled up.

Yeah, I go a little crazy about one of my most favorite Christmas stories (actually the tv show story, rudolph the red nosed reindeer and the island of the misfit toys). I was kinda surprised at how many people had no idea what I was talking about. You guys have to watch the show!!!! Rent it, buy it. You gotta have it for the holiday season! Plus, according to my wacky self, it has a pretty fun soundtrack ;)

The Sequence:

Hands and knees

Downward Facing Dog

One legged D0wn dog into a straight legged lunge

Plank into Down Dog

Uttanasana/Ardha Uttanasana x 3

Tadasana

Arm Salutes x 3

Half sun salutes x 2

Surya Namaskar x 4

Parsvakonasana

Parsvakonasana prep/variation

Crescent Pose into Twisting high lunge

Child's Pose

Table Top Sequence: involves extending one leg back and opposite arm forward, from there moving into a back bend

Twisted Child Pose

L Pose at the Wall

Deep lunge on the forearms

Pigeon Prep

Eka Pada Bhekasana

Dhanurasana

EXPLANATION AND DEMO: shoulder alignment discussion, plugging in the armbones for urdhva dhanurasana

demo with John

Urdhva Dhanurasana with blocks x 3

Uttanasana

Sukhasana twist

Easy supine twist

Supta Padangustasana

My first attempt at an Enhanced Podcast! For those of you who don't know what that is, it's an podcast that as you listen to it on itunes (sorry those of you who have a different podcatcher! itunes is free though, if you don't have it!) you can see pictures and even access the links that I talk about on the podcast straight from itunes! Check it out! What all this means is that as you listen to this specific podcast, there will be chapter markers within the podcast, kinda like the markers that you have on a CD when you move from song to song. If you don't have time to listen to the whole thing or maybe want to skip a specific charity you can just press the forward button and you will move straight to the next chapter. Kinda nifty! I tried it last night and it totally worked! Another cool thing is that if any of the charities reach out to you and you just have to go find out about the charity the moment that you are listening to me talk about it, there is a link already there for you to link to! You can go to the website as you listen! Oh, technology. I hope it works :) Enjoy

CHARITIES

Breast Cancer Research

American Red Cross

Boys and Girls Club of America

ALS

Corazon de Vida

One World Family Fund

The Youth Leadership Training Program: You can contact Satatma directly, radiantfire@riseup.net

Mother Om Mission

American Lung Association

The Amanda Foundation

other stuff:

Ayurveda, my dear friend and teacher Arun, what is ayurvedic medicine

fun Pink Buys

I turned it up a notch. This specific class on the schedule at the studio says a level 1-2 class, but I went a little bit more ;) The pace of this class is a bit faster than I usually teach. I also didn't do too many alignment principles through the vinyasa sequences, it was much more about moving with the breath and just opening up the body. I was inspired by a class that I had taken earlier in the week taught by one of my yogi friends, William Duprey. Y'all have to check out his website, he's just great!

Still taking requests for charities! So click here, and let me know what you think! or call me at 206 666 4439

down dog
uttanasana/ardha uttanasana x 3
tadasana with parvatasana arms
1/2 sun salutations x 3
sun salutation X 3
Crescent Pose
Parsvakonasana
On right leg only!
Monkey Lunge
Vira I/Vira II
Crescent Pose/Lunge twist
Ardha Chandrasana/Trikonasana
Vashistasana
Uttanasana/Utkatasana into twisting Utkatasana
On the left side!
Monkey Lunge
Vira I/Vira II
Crescent Pose/Lunge twist
Ardha Chandrasana/Trikonasana
Vashistasana
Child's Pose
Twisted Child
fun new pose (crazy twisting down dog variation) Pic is on it's way
pigeon prep
deep lunge with thigh stretch
dhanurasana
cobra on ridgetops x2
sukhasana twist
diamond pose

My fantastic intro music Vic Hennegan 'Movin'

Charity post link, please go there and write down your passions, what do you believe in?  Take action!  Write a post there or you can send me a voice feedback at 206 666 4439

Chris Arcucci's mighty blog
link to the post I spoke about in class

The Sequence:
hands and knees
Downward Facing Dog
Eka Pada Downward Facing Dog
high lunge
Downward Facing Dog
Uttanasana
Tadasana
Arm Salutations x 4
More warm ups!
Sun Salutations x 2
Crescent Pose
L Pose at the wall on forearms x 2

child's pose
Parsvakonasana
Prasarita Padotanasana
Vira II
Prasarita Padotanasana
Tadasana
Tree Pose
Uttanasana
deep lunge
pigeon
Balasana
Ardha Bhekasana
Dhanurasana x 3
Balasana
Supta Padangustasana sequence
Savasana

Happy December! my intro music, 'Movin' by Vic Hennegan.
The link to the charity post so you can post your charity passion: http://elsieyogakula.wordpress.com/2006/11/30/looking-for-a-charity/
Lululemon Athletica
Lululemon Ambassador program

Sequence:

Downward Facing Dog

Eka Pada Downward Facing Dog into high lunge into a hamstring stretch

Uttanasana into Ardha Uttanasana x 3

Surya Namaskar x 3

Parsvakonasana

Trikonasana

Crescent Pose into Lunge Twist

Down Dog Twist

Ardha Chandrasana

Anjane Asana (shoulder alignment work)

Salabasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Uttanasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Pincha Mayurasana Prep (L pose at the wall on the forearms with a block in between the hands)

Pincha Mayurasana

Standing Hip Stretch (shrub pose) x 2

Hasta Padangustasana with both hands

Deep Hip Stretch on Forearms

Vashistasana

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana prep

Lunge with thigh Stretch

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana Prep with thigh stretch (mermaid variation if you want)

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

Urdhva Dhanurasana x 2

Downward Facing Dog

Parsvotanasana

Uttanasana

Downward Facing Dog

Supine Twist

Savasana

Update! I had to rerecord my intro cause of some technical dificulties, so if you happen to have gotten the old file, obviously there are no markers (if you don't know what I'm talking about, no worries, not important)

My intro music: Vic Hennegan

the picture in the file, the dish that I made for Thanksgiving.  I just thought it looked sooooo pretty :)   

This is the first episode that i edited in Garage Band and I was able to put in markers/chapters, so for those of you who have an ipod (honestly, i don't know if it works on other mp3 players) or you play the file on your computer you will be able to see the poses marked on the file!  I'm hoping to insert photos along with the markers also, very very soon!  Let me know how this new format works for you guys :) Now you can skip the intro all together and just go straight to the class!  

The Sequence

warm ups

Crescent Pose vinyasa X 3

Parsvakonasana

Parsvakonasana with arms interlaced behind the back (I've heard this called humble warrior, as your head is bowed forward toward your ankle)

Trikonasana

Downward Facing Dog twist

Upward Facing Dog on Ridgetops 

Parsvakonasana Bound preparation, working shoulders behind the knee

Hanstand Preparation and demo with Melissa

Handstands

Uttanasana into Ardha Chandrasana into Trikonasana with top arm behind the back

Parsvakonasana Bound

Malasana and some yummy variations

Baby Bakasana (on forearms) prep and Bakasana

Bakasana with a block

Pigeon Prep

Pigeon Prep with thigh stretch

Vashistasana variations (hanes commercial)

Setu Bandha or urdhva dhanurasana x3

Easy Supine Twist

Agnistambasana

Marychiasana III

Baddha Konasana

Savasana

I got a new Macbook!  I am so excited!  I didn't edit my podcast on my new Macbook, I'll try to figure it out next week, but I'm certainly so very happy!!!
 
Just to let you all know, especially for those who will be in Los Angeles for the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend, I'm going to be teaching one class on Thanksgiving day, 10:30am- 12pm (all levels)  at Bala Yoga and on Friday, my usual class at 12-1:30pm (all levels) at Bala Yoga and at 2:30-4pm (Level 1) at Yoga Works the Center for Yoga
If you are around I would love to see you!

The Sequence:
Downward Facing Dog
high lunge
Plank Vinyasa (moving 3" to the ground) x 3
Uttanasana
Sun Salutations x 3
Crescent Pose
Parsvakonasana
Vira II
Trikonasana/Ardha Chandrasana/Standing Splits with hips squared variation
Uttanasana
L-Pose at the wall or Handstand
Tree Pose/Vira III/Standing Splits with hips squared variation/deep lunge with forearms on the ground
Downward Facing dog
Pigeon
Lunge with thigh stretch
Urdhva Dhanurasana or Setu Bandha Sarvangasana x 3
Ardha Matsyendrasana
Baddha Konasana
Supine Easy Twist
Savasana

Just a short little notice telling y'all that I don't have a computer!  She is in the hospital with a 50/50 chance to live.  I do hope to be able to get a class out by next weekend, with my sweet old computer or maybe a fancy new one, who knows! 

Much gratitude to all of you who are listening out there!

Just to share:  My friend Victor Cajiao, from the typical pc user, typical mac user and immigration tales podcast is truly and angel.  He has been helping me diagnose the problem with my computer.  He talked me through all the steps that I needed to take to make sure that all my info was backed up.  He gave me hints as to what software to buy and also what kind of external hardrive.  After giving him an update of what was going on with me he offered to record me on skype telling you all what's up (which is what you hear on this weeks update).  He added the music and edited it for me!  Tell me that's not the sweetest thing ever!  I have thanked him so much already and I guess I just ask for some of you to check out some of his podcasts.  He does some incredible work.  I'm an avid listener to his Typical PC User Podcast.  I've learned so much from him.   I often write in to comment and to ask questions.  I never feel like a 'dummy'.  He always takes the time to explain things so that they do make sense to me, and to all out there that may be a bit 'typical' in our computer world.  He also has a truly phenomenal podcast called Immigration Tales, which I refer to in my update.  I find it so informative and truly inspirational as I get to hear stories from people migrating.  It's a subject that deserves to be addressed.  The way Victor has addressed the subject makes it so very human and personal.  It really is worth a listen.  Check out some of Victor's stuff, as a thank you to him.  He really is an angel!

It's the first time that I've done a class like this one, especially for Level 1, it's a bit harder, as seated postures tend to be a bit more difficult for beginners, and yet they do give you just another opportunity to experience the depth of this practice.  Please have a bolster, blanket, towel, hard cushion, or meditation bench, close by while you practice to sit on while practicing pranayama and meditation! 

Lots of focusing on the breath and a sweet meditation at the end.  Please guys, let me know what you think!

Links:  to buy Douglas's CD about the yoga sutras! http://www.matrikayoga.com/Results.cfm?category=4

Have fun :) 

THE SEQUENCE:

table top pose

downward facing dog into one legged down dog into a high lunge

plank into baby chattarunga dandasana (only bending the elbows 3") X 3

surya namaskar x 2

Parsavakonasana with vinyasa (plank, chattarunga dandasana, cobra)

Balasana

Downward Facing Dog

Vira 2 with vinyasa

Crescent Pose with vinyasa

Balasana

Sitting to breathe

Downward Facing Dog

Straight legged hamstring stretch into Deep lunge on the elbows

Trikonasana with vinyasa

Pigeon

Sitting to breathe (Ujjayi Pranayama)

Deep lunge on the elbows (again) into runner's hamstring stretch

Uttanasana

Janu Sirsasana

Baddha Konasana

Upavishta Konasana

Parsva Upavishta Konasana

Paschimottanasana

Sukhasana twist

Sitting to breathe (Ujjayi Pranayama)

Savasana

Very excited to hear from some of you guys, and looking forward to more :) The theme is all about the kula, whoooopeeee!

Links:

fitness rocks (y'all must listen to the interview I did with Dr. Monte, it was a blast to do)

Victor's Podcasts: typical pc user, typical mac user, immigration tales

My student Kim's blog

feedback! 206 666 4439

please write me a review in itunes, I would oh so appreciate it!

The Sequence:

Adho Mukha Svanasana into Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana/Downward Facing Dog into one legged Downward Facing Dog

Uttanasana into Ardha Uttanasana x 3

Half Sun Salutations x 2

Sun Salutations x 2

Straight legged lunge then straightening the leg

Sun Salutation

Parsvakonasana

Vira II

Demo of Pincha Mayurasana Prep

Pincha Mayurasana or Pincha Mayurasana Prep

Tree Pose

Trikonasana into Ardha Chandrasana into twisting lunge pose

Vashistasana

Pigeon Prep

Hanumanasana

Pigeon with a thigh stretch

Plank on the fronts of the toes into Chattarunga on the fronts of the toes

High cobra on fingertips

Raja Kapotasana

Downward Facing Dog

Uttanasana

easy twist

savasana

My great intro and outro music, 'Movin' by Vic Hennegan

Links:

Joshua Yuchasz 'This I Believe' Essay

About 'This I Believe'

Asperger Syndrome links (so we can be more educated, i think) http://www.aspergers.com/ , http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/aswhatisit.html

Blocks: http://www.yoga.com/store/Subcategory.asp?Category_ID=246, http://www.yogaaccessories.com/YogaBlock4.asp?gclid=CLLIkOCmjYgCFQvlYAodCDAeBg

My Space Page!

THE SEQUENCE:

Downward facing dog

Straight legged lunge

uttanasana into ardha uttanasana

Parvatasana arms/arms interlaced above the head

1/2 Sun Salutations

Vinyasa working on lunges and plank

Tadasana (inner body bright)

Sun Salutation working on plank shoulder alignment

Tadasana (shoulder alignment discussion)

Sun Salutation working on shoulder principles

Downward facing dog working on shoulder principles

Crescent Pose

Child's pose

Demo: (shoulder alignment work from all fours into downward facing dog)

Uttanasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Deep lunge (forearms to the floor)

Pigeon Prep

Ardha Bhekasana

Dhanurasana

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

Demo: (at the wall, learning how to plug into the heart)

Demo: (using the blocks, and moving into Urdhva Dhanurasana in stages)

PLEASE CLICK ON THE PICS TO SEE THEM MORE FULLY :)

Urdhva Dhanurasana with blocks x 2

Downward facing dog

Uttanasana

Twist

Savasana

I'm back in Los Angeles! Happy to be back and at the same time wanting just as much to be back with my family. I came back to my incredible students whose faces and passion make it all worth it :)

My theme this week had to do with one of my favorite podcasts, "The Bitterest Pill." If you want to hear the whole thing, which I truly suggest you do, you must go to thebitterestpill.com and check out episode #85, it's amazing.

Another podcast that I mention is Fitness Rocks. This podcast is by Dr. Monte, who is sooooo passionate about health and wellness it's really worth listening to. He gives you the facts about physiology, nutrition, studies that are being conducted or have been conducted about fat, food, diseases, you name it. Be informed! Fitness truly rocks.

Oh yes, the yoga blankets, check out some of these sites:

http://www.yogaaccessories.com/YogaBlankets.asp

http://www.yogaprops.net/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=yp&Category_Code=1_3_blankets

The Sequence

hands and knees

Adho Mukha Svanasana/Downward Facing Dog

Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana into lunge/one legged down dog into lunge

Uttanasana

Ardha Uttanasana into Uttanasana x 3/ Lengthening forward and bowing back into forward bend

Arm Salutations x 3

Half Sun Salutes x 3

Sun Salutation with lunge

Sun Salutation with Crescent Pose

Child's Pose

Downward Facing Dog exercise with the blanket x 2

Sun Salutation with muscular energy focus

Tree Pose x 2 (the 2nd time is with eyes closed)

Malasana/Squat

Pigeon Prep

Ardha Bhekasana

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana x 2 /Bridge Pose

Eka Pada Setu Bandha Sarvangasana/One legged Bridge Pose

Supta Padangustasana

easy twist

Savasana

I'm still in El Salvador so this is a class that I had recorded on August 25. A basic Level 1-2 class which runs about 50 min, with the theme of Faith, in sanskrit Shraddha :)

Links:

http://www.lululemon.com/beverlyhills/northbeverly

northbeverly-store@lululemon.com (the email address to rsvp to for the Lululemon Opening Party on October 12th from 6-10pm)

Also the living Sun Salutation Project on Santa Monica Blvd: Gather at the North Beverly Store, 334 N. Beverly Dr. Beverly Hills, 90211, at 4:30pm. We will do the Salutations from about 5-6pm. Please wear black clothes, top and bottom!

Sequence:

Warm ups

1/2 sunsalutes x 3

Sun Salutations x 3

Crescent Pose, jump switch

Vira II into Reverse Vira

Vira I

Trikonasana/Ardha Chandrasana/Urdhva Prasarita Ekapadasana with squared hips/Deep lunge on forearms

Pigeon

Ardha Bhekasana

Lunge with thigh stretch

Cobra on fingertips x 2

Child's Pose

Ardha Matsyendrasana

Hasta Padangustasana

easy twist

A bittersweet episode posted to you from San Salvador, El Salvador.  The theme for this week's class is authenticity, in sanskrit, aucitya (I certainly hope that I spelled that correctly.)  I used Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter and his sudden death as a jumping off point for my theme.  What's so strange is that I recorded this class on September 28th and September 29th my grandpa passed away.   I listened to what I said about Steve and thought, I could have used my grandfather instead.     If there is a word to describe my Grandfather it's authentic.  He was all that he could be all the time, and he continued to grow and become more until the very end. 

LINKS:

the Lululemon party: email, northbeverly-store@lululemon.com, all you need to say is that you are rsvping for the party, give your 1st and last name to be put on the list!  yeay!!!  Get there early as the first 300 folks get a free gift bag :)  The party is October 12th from 6-10pm

check out the Lululemon Beverly Hills Store and my ambassador page of course :)

the Sun Salutation Project:   that's on Wednesday, October 11th, meeting at the store at 4:30, to walk up to Santa Monica Blvd.  We will salute the sun from about 5-6pm.  Please email me so we can know how many are showing up!!!!  eyogaclass@gmail.com

THE SEQUENCE:

hands and knees

downward facing dog

Uttanasana, Ardha Uttanasana x 3

Half Sun Salutes x 3

Sun Salutations x 3

Crescent Pose

Vira II

Trikonasana into Ardha Chandrasana

Parsvakonasana

Vashistasana

Wide legged Uttanasana with shoulder stretch

Pincha Mayurasana

Modified Hasta Padangustasana

Pigeon

Lunge with thigh stretch, into a curvy twisting lunge with thigh stretch

Ardha Matsyendrasana

Happy Baby

and finally the translation for the prayer:

O My God, this sick one that is here before You, has come here to ask you what he desires, and that which he thinks is the most important for himself.  You, O God, help to have these words enter his heart: 'It is more important to be of a healthy soul.' Lord, may your blessed will be done in every way!  If you want me to heal, then heal me, but if your will is different than that, may I continue to carry my cross.  We ask you also for all of those that pray. 

Somehow I feel I didn't do the prayer justice, for some of the juice was lost in translation.  Oh well. 

Yeay!  Sorry about last week all.  Got a little overwhelmed with my life ;) Here's some stuff I talk about in this week's episode, please you must check out some of this stuff:

Vic Hennegan (the music behind my intro) 

Rachel Kann- www.inspirachel.com, http://www.myspace.com/rachelkann, itunes page to buy 'I know this'

I Know This
[ poets be slammin ] - 12.03.01 - by: Rachel Kann

I know this,

This, I know:

all that I have, all that is me,

resides inside my poetry,

and every time

I write a rhyme

it might be the line

that sets minds free.

And also I know that I don’t know shit!

And the more I know, the more I realize it.

I know that for all the pain I’ve cried

there is the exact same balance of joy on the other side

of that coin

joined

with

the thinnest slip

of membrane

same goes for

crazy and sane

truth and lie

answer and why

because I know this:

this universe operates with a divine

tug of war teeter-totter,

bringing order and balance like the tide does to water,

like I know that each wave rolls back to the sea

retreating from me into deep green eternity,

and I know that I am free!

(...well, at least in my mind if I wanna be...)

I know that some things sound good to me in theory

but in point of fact, suck ass in actual practice,

like communism and pornography.

I know that its impossible

to really know

where anyone

is coming from

so who are we to judge ‘em?

I know that some

things are so dope they transcend their category

and its important to see the glory

in the ordinary.

Like, I know there’s Nag Champa,

and then there’s all other incense.

I can’t see putting Earl Grey up against any other tea,

Lash Out isn’t even on the same plane as other mascaras comparatively,

and I know there’s R&B,

and then there’s Otis Redding.

I know that most things

are much greater than the sum of their parts,

and that that’s the real definition of art.

Like, brownies are good, and so is whipped cream,

but you put ‘em together

and its this whole other chemical fucking thing,

like John Lennon and Paul McCartney singing harmony,

like masturbating as compared to an orgy...

I know that everything

within this

surface glimpse

of reality

is infinitely

simple and perfectly

complicated,

and I know that being jaded and over it

is way overrated

and I know that the colors of this world only seem faded

in direct relation

to the darkness with which your mind’s eye is shaded,

and you made it

that way.

And you can choose to change your vision’s prismic range. Today.

And I know you got to help a friend who’s down.

And I know that no matter where you end up,

you’re still from your hometown.

And I know you got to know how

to listen to the sound

of your own heartbeat in the dead quiet of night sometimes,

and I know that can be so frightening...

...but I also know that

the deepest darkness is always the most enlightening,

and I know that fresh cold cantaloupe

tastes like the perfect first kiss,

and I know that

Lao-Tzu, and Moses, and Mohammed, and Buddha, and Allah, and Jesus, and all those dudes

knew some deep ass shit,

But I also know that we all hold

the same eternal truths in our hearts deepest pit.

It’s because

I know that we are made of the same stuff

as the sun

and moon

and farthest star

and that all that we are

is manifest energy

and that we already have everything we could ever need

if we could just begin to see clearly,

and I know that the world will continue to spin,

and I know that one day... you will let me in

and we will begin

to love in

a fashion

I couldn’t fathom

existed

and we will laugh at the fact that we ever resisted

this blissful togetherness,

and the sex will be off the charts!

‘Cause we’ll both be super freaky,

but we’ll be fucking from the heart

‘cause our loving

will be a something

where the whole is much greater than the sum of its parts,

(we are artists, after all, so what would fate have as make besides art?)

And I know that outside of this space time frame,

we are one and the same

we’re a part,

not apart,

so I know I can wait patiently for it to start,

and far out,

I may seem to be,

and maybe you so me as wacky,

but baby, the fact be,

that I am a poet,

and as all true poets do,

I’m mainlining the spiraling spherical

truth of the universe

turning it out and into lyrical

wholeness.

And

I know this.

This, I know.

LA Podcasters 

Portable Media Expo 

Sundown Lounge 

Here's the Class sequence:

Warm ups

half sun salutations x 2

sun salutations x 2

Crescent x 2

Deep Lunge with Chattarunga Arms

Twisting Downward Facing Dog

Parsvakonasana/Side Angle Pose

Trikonasana/ Triangle Pose

Ardha Chandrasana (half moon pose) into standing splits variation with hips squared into a twisting lunge into Vashistasana (side plank pose)

Handstand

Standing Hip Stretch

Wide Uttanasana Twist

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana/Pigeon

Pigeon twist variations

Parsva Bakasana

Standing hip stretch with twist (optional arm balance)

Lunge thigh stretch with twist

Dhanurasana/Bow pose

Urdhva Dhanurasana/Upward facing bow x 3

Marichyasana A

Ardha Matsyendrasana

Supta Padangustasana

easy twist 

To remember and honor, that's why I chose to participate. I read another blog, the happy catholic and was intrigued about this project to honor 911 victims. I went onto the website and clicked on the button to take me to the victims that still needed bloggers. What I received was a cry of the heart, names, scrolling down, as if looking up at me, longing for expression. I looked at all the names and travelled down the list, my eyes still, my heart taking in the people behind the names. As I looked upon the names I began to recognize the importance and the deep commitment that it took to give these names a face, a story, a remembrance. I debated whether or not I could be a part of this process. To be honest, I didn't think that I wanted to make the commitment, too much responsibility, too much stepping out of my comfort zone. One name struck at me. It was a woman's name, long, latino in origin, (if I remember the name, I will write it), it struck me because it was such a long name. I clicked on it. She was a mother, and her country of origin was El Salvador. I broke down and cried. I'm from El Salvador. I had no idea that there was someone from my country who had died in this tragedy. I felt at that moment that I needed to do this, I took it as a sign from this name to participate. Everyone needs a voice, and even when we are gone, our hearts still beat in the world. They give us power, desire and a dense need to express love and community. I wanted to get her. This woman who seemed to have reached out to me, she was like me, we already had something in common. I wanted a commonality. I found difference and what a gift that was.

I was blessed with the opportunity to honor Michael Morgan Taylor (Mike or otherwise known as Mouse). He was different than I. I worried, as I felt no commonality. He was a man, number one, a bond trader at Cantor Fitzgerald (please forgive me all bond traders, but I have no idea what that is). He's from Western Pennsylvania. I've never been there. For a moment I thought, what am I going to do? I have no point of reference from which to begin. Then I softened. I allowed myself to see Michael M Taylor. I looked at the picture on the site, letting go of preconceived notions of who, how or why. I let myself open to know him. As I gazed on his face and his huge smile (this was the picture I saw first) I found comfort. I committed myself to knowing. I followed all the links that I could for Mike. I read, quickly, as an overview. I knew that there was much more to Mike than what I read. Would I be able to say enough? And then, the angels began to appear. John Davies, Mike's friend from 2nd grade reached out to me. He was kind enough to share some stories of Mike (Mouse, his nickname), and he began to come alive to me. Then Mike's sister Mary Kaye contacted me. Just the fact that she did helped me settle. I am a sister. I have two brothers. I know. So, from my heart, here goes...

Honoring Mouse

From the get go it seemed to me from what I have read about Mike, he knew his preferences, his values, his loves, his interests and most definitely who he wanted to be, not what he wanted to be, but who he wanted to be.

Little things made him happy, the simplicity of one liners ("One of his golfing buddies asked him 'Mike, where you been all summer?' and he replied 'I�ve been in love.' *), the desire to refine a golf game ("He scored the best round of his life over the Labor Day weekend, shooting a 73." *That was the last weekend his parents got to see their first-born child.), the thrill of computers ("for Mouse, not being technical was a hanging offense" ***), the loyalty to a basketball team ("Boy, did he love Duke basketball. He rarely missed a televised game" *), and ahhh, the exquisite taste of fine wine ("One way to know Michael M. Taylor is to consider the eight-inch stack of index cards he dutifully prepared after deciding to get serious about wine. On the cards he recorded his impression of every bottle he tasted. As his pursuit of fine wines advanced, Mr. Taylor started his own collection. It now numbers more than 600 bottles." **).

Even when he was little there was an inner depth, a desire that sprung out of him like a burst of light, longing to express and to share, in mischievous ways ("The first real memory I have of Mike was in sixth grade. We were sitting in Mrs. Fleck's science class. Mrs. Fleck was a tall skinny older woman a few years from retirement. On the page of the science book that we were looking at, there was a picture of algae through a microscope. Mike pointed at it and said in his high squeaky voice, 'looks like Fleck.' We were both almost thrown out of the class because we were laughing uncontrollably." ***) His mind always moved quickly, from one thing to the next, sharp, often it seemed that as those around him were still on step one, Mouse, was already nearing the end of the journey. He had found his own way of getting there. It wasn't a serious inquiry into things for the sake of things, it was a desire to know more. He recognized that there was always more, from a very young age. When Mouse took on a new 'obsession' whether it be golf, wine, computers, or love, he did it fully, one hundred percent, no more, no less.

As much as he loved mastering these 'obsessions' the part most savored was when things were just a little bit off, the slight bitterness behind a sweet wine, an almost perfect game of golf, lost only in the last putt, due to the unseen angle on the green, getting a Porsche and not knowing how to drive a stick. ("I can still see him at lunch salting his Fritos. I don't know why I remember that, but it always struck me as funny that Fritos weren't salty enough for him. He'd pour in some salt and then shake the bag until they were coated." ***) Yep, these things make life so much more juicy.

Mike strived for perfection, his mind clear and sharp, yet his heart soft and yielding. It seems to me that he took in people, really took them in. He saw what was possible within them and helped them to also be more ("In a highly competitive business, he helped others get established. 'People in the business tend to chase after people who are already good,' said Jerry Bias, a friend. 'I was just getting started and he encouraged me.' " **) From what I have gleaned of what I have read about Mike, he didn't hold back. I may be wrong, but I don't think that on September 11th he had many regrets, if any.

His heart was full. He had found love, his work was fulfilling and he was embarking on tasting more of the world around him. Michael's heart beats each time a young boy cracks his friends up with a smart remark at a teacher, when good friends delve into the subtleties of a glass of wine, when the crowd cheers as the Duke basketball team scores the winning basket. These everyday moments, the simple, hold the most sacred memories of those who love him. Through the love, alive in those still here, Mike shines bright. His life was unexpectedly cut short. I wish Mike would have had the opportunity to continue to delve into the sensations and experiences of this world, to continue to live as brightly as he did, and yet, even though it seems so unfair that he is no longer here, I have to say that his presence is tangible. He lived, and he lived fully, that is perfection.

Here are some links to the full articles that i quote from:

*Duke Magazine: In Memoriam

** New York Times Article

*** "Stories of Mouse" by John Davies, sorry y'all no link to these. (John, if you want to share these stories, maybe we can find a way to put them up)

september11victims.com

Here are more very important links:

the incredible D.C. Roe (the one who started this incredible project)

2996 Tribute to the Victims of September 11 (please come check out the site!)

A direct link to the list of Victims and Bloggers (read about all the other victims and their inspiring lives)

So here's the info about the class: It's a level 1 class, great for beginners. If you have never done yoga it would be so great to just attempt to practice this class, either as a way to honor Mike or maybe someone else that you choose to remember, even if you have no idea what's going on ;) Why not?

We use a block, for a supported backbend (supported bridge pose) If you don't have a block, you can either just do bridge or even just chill out on your back.

the Sequence

cat/cow

warm ups

Arm Salutations x 5

Surya Namaskar x 3

Crescent Pose

Salabasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Tree Pose

L Pose at the wall (inversion)

Warrior 2

Wide Legged Forward Fold/Prasarita Padotanasana

Squat/Malasana

Deep Lunge

Pigeon

Ardha Bhekasana/Half Frog pose

Dhanurasana/bow pose

Salabasana Variation

Supported Bridge Pose with block

Easy twist on the back

Happy Baby

Savasana

Hope you enjoy celebrating Life!

Micheal, I hope you smile at all of us doing these crazy things ;) Hope you get a kick out of it! I wish that I could have met you.

My love goes out to all those who loved and cared for him, may his light always shine within your hearts. As we remember Mike, we remember all those who perished.

2,996 is a tribute to the victims of 9/11.

On September 11, 2006,
2,996 volunteer bloggers
are joined together in a tribute to the victims of 9/11.
Each person is paying tribute to a single victim.

We honor them by remembering their lives,
and not by remembering their murderers.

I'm part of an amazing project called:

2,996: A Tribute to the Victims of 9/11

Bloggers honor the innocent victims of that awful day...

Each participant (blogger) clicks on a little button and recieves the name of the person which we are to honor. It's incredibly challenging as we really have no prior knowledge of this person.

My tributee is Michael M. Taylor.

I decided, since I have a podcast to use it as another way to honor and remember Mike. Today I post my usual weekly class, with my theme dedicated to Michael. It's a level 2-3 class, a bit on the challenging side for those who are beginners, but remember, you can always listen to the 1st 10 min of the podcast to hear that which pertains to Mike. I will post another class tomorrow, a special class, on September 11th, also dedicated to Michael. Tomorrow's class will be a level 1 class, perfect for most everyone, so we can all honor Mike together, in a new way :)

Tomorrow's post will include more about Michael, so please, stay tuned!

Also, if y'all want to read about the rest of the amazing people that we lost on September 11th, here's a link to the other bloggers: http://www.dcroe.com/2996/?page_id=2

The Sequence:

warm up poses,

Surya Namaskar x3/Sun Salutations x 3

Parsvakonasana/Side Angle Pose

Virabhidrasana II into Reverse Warrior/ Warrior 2 into Reverse Warrior

Trikonasana to Ardha Chandrasana to Trikonasana/Triangle to Half Moon to Triangle

Uttanasana/ Forward Bend

Handstand/Adho Mukha Vrksasana

Vrksasana to Vira III to Crescent Pose, to Pavrita Parsvakonasana, to Urdhva Prasarita Ekapadasana to Uttanasana/ Tree Pose to Warrior 3 to Crescent Pose to Twisting Lunge, to Standing Splits to forward bend

Malasana/Squat

Parsva Bakasana/Twisting Crane

eka pada rajakapotasana prep/Pigeon prep

Monkey Lunge

Ardha Ustrasana/Half Ustrasana

Urdhva Dhanurasana/Upward Facing Bow x3

Agni Stambasana/Fire log pose

Ardha Matsyendrasana/Lord of the fishes twist

Supta Padangustasana/Hamstrings stretch on back

Happy Baby

Savasana

Stayed Tuned for tomorrow everyone, more about Michael Morgan Taylor :)

We use a couple of yoga props in this class!  a block and a blanket! 

St. Anthony

Yoga blocks

Yoga blankets

Douglas Brooks

Anusara Yoga

Immigration Tales Podcast

The class is a level 1 class (good for beginners) an hour and 15 min, you can skip the first 11 min to get straight to the class itself. The first 11min are my intro, setting the theme and meditation, so those of you who only want that, go ahead and listen!

The sequence:

Table Top Pose/Hands and knees

Adho Mukha Svanasana/Downward Facing Dog

High Lunge/Straight Legged Lunge

Uttanasana/straight legged forward bend
Uttanasana into Ardha Uttanasana x3

Tadasana

Half Sun Salutations x 3

Surya Namaskar C variation x 2

Downward Facing Dog

Balasana/Child's Pose

AT THE WALL

Pincha Mayurasana Prep/Forearm Balance Prep

TO THE SIDE

Parsvakonasana/side angle pose

Prasarita Padotanasana/Wide legged standing forward bend

Vira II/Warrior 2

Uttanasana/Straight legged Forward bend

TOP OF THE MAT

Tadasana

Standing Knee to chest

Modified Hasta Padangustasana sequence (with leg bent)/ standing knee to chest sequence

Squat

Deep Lunge

Agni Stambasana/firelog pose or double pigeon

Downward facing dog

Ardha Bhekasana/half frog pose thigh stretch

Balasana/Child's pose

Restorative backbend, with rolled up towel underneath shoulderblades

Sukhasana Twist/Easy seated twist

Nadi shodhana/alternate nostril breathing

Savasana

Whopeee!  a level 2-3 class!  Alright, it's  a bit more challenging!  If you want to only listen to my intro, theme and meditation, listen for the first 10 min.  If you want to get to the class straight away, skip the first 10 min. 

The yoga journal that I refer to: matrika yoga
My beloved teacher: Douglas Brooks

The Sequence:
Warm Up
1/2 Sun Salutations
Surya Namaskar x 2
Parsvakonasana
Trikonasana
Crescent Pose into Urdhva Prasarita Ekapadasana with hips squared into Lunge twist
Twisting Adho Mukha Svanasana
Vira II into Reverse Vira
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana prep
(at the wall)
L pose at the wall/ One handed L pose at the wall
Standing hip stretch
Standing Baby Craddle
Squat
Bakasana on forearms
Bakasana
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana with thigh stretch
Ardha Bhekasana
Lunge with thigh stretch
Ardha Ustrasana
Ustrasana x 2
Urdhva Dhanurasana x 3
Supta Padangustasana
Jathara Parivartanasana
easy twist
Apanasana
Savasana

Have fun!

The class runs about 1:15. Basic level 1 class, warm ups, sun salutations, standing poses, hip openers and thigh stretch, backbends and cool down.  After my intro, if you only want to hear my opening and the mediation, it's the 1st 7 min,  if you only want to do the class itself, skip the first 7 min!

The class itself runs about 1:15.  2 new things are introduced, an inversion (L pose at the wall) and Urdhva Dhanurasana (a deep backbend with arms and legs straight). 

The class includes, a warm up, sun salutes, standing poses, inversion, hip openers, backbends, cool down and savasana.

The 2nd Episode!!!!  This time just an hour class.  It's a level 1-2.  It includes sun salutes, standing poses, hip openers, twists and a backbend.

Welcome to Elsie's Yoga Class: Live and Unplugged. Just a few minutes of your time to give you a bit of an introduction about what you can expect from the podcast!

Please send me feedback!

eyogaclass@gmail.com

www.elsiesyogakula.com

310 651 6238

thanks for downloading!