More on the practicing yoga on a budget....

So here's the deal,  as a teacher, I find it difficult to make my living entirely off of teaching yoga.  It's a common misconception that yoga teachers make an enormous amount of money.  Trust me, I wouldn't be waiting tables if that were the case.  I wouldn't be doing accounting jobs either.  There are times that physically I need a break.  But if I am injured, sometimes I still have to teach.  Which is why I think Jennifer You is a rock star because from seated, she has been teaching with a torn achilles.  Pattabi Jois (founder of Ashtanga Yoga) taught from seated later in his life.  He no longer practiced the vigorous sequences.  Which brings me to my next misconception.  That we have to do a certain style of yoga each time or it's not "right" for us.  That is a big misconception.  When I am venturing into a new class, there may be something that I don't prefer or like about a class.  That doesn't mean that the teacher is bad or that the class or style is bad, it's just different.  It's not wrong.  Some people respond to a teacher that yells at them or hits them.  That may be what they need.  It's definitely not for me.  But it's not my journey.  Which leads me to my last point or misconception.  That somehow if it's donation, or inexpensive that it isn't quite good enough.  That somehow that diminishes the value of the practice.  I have many friends that were not only introduced to yoga at their local YMCA, but practiced for years under a teacher that had DECADES of teaching experience.  So with those things to think about, I give you my latest recommendations for doing yoga all over San Diego on a budget:

Fitness Chains
They have locations everywhere and I teach for them.  Yes, their rooms are not the best for yoga.  No, they don't have mats.  But with so many locations, variety of teachers to choose from, students come because they love the teacher and they practice wherever.  No, you're not going to get the kind of instruction that you would at a studio.  You can get a monthly membership for around $39.  Sometimes cheaper. 

San Diego Yoga Collective Hopper Pass
This is available and the best deal in town for this kind of thing.  OB Namaste Yoga in Ocean Beach, Prana Yoga Center in La Jolla and Little Yoga Studio of San Diego teamed up and created this.  Most of these studios already offer a discount, first week or first class free to new students.  What the hopper pass enables you to do is go to each of these studios.  Three classes for $30 or 15 classes for $175.  So you can hopp around and get some of the best instruction, I've been to all three studios and thoroughly enjoyed each of them.

Stay tuned...

Money isn't the object

Get off your _____ and get on your mat!
Here is a list of places, besides One Love Yoga San Diego, where you can get donation based or discounted prices on your yoga:

San Diego Yoga Loft
Downtown San Diego a lot of offernigs at a Donation.

Red Lotus Society
Downtown San Diego, lots of offerings, meditation, etc.

Poses-Yoga, Eastlake
I work here, one of the best deals is for local, Eastlake or Chula Vista residents, 7 days of yoga for $7.  It's a smaller studio, smaller classes, gives you more of an intimate feeling and more attention than the big "churn and burn" studios.  Local owners, beautiful studio, worth your time to check out. 

Akasha Yoga, La Jolla
Yes, I work here too, but obviously not all of these places I work.  First time students can get a 3 class for $20 pass.  That works out to be a little less than $7 a class and it gives you a month to try out the studio.  They also have different membership levels,offering great discount.  This is a small studio, classes never get too big so you have a more intimate feeling and it's locally owned. 

UCSD Recreation Department
I know a lot of people who work in the La Jolla area by Torrey Pines in the Biotech 'farms' up there.  Rather than get into your car and spend the next hour sitting on Genesse to get to the 5, go take a yoga class up the street.  Most of the classes are in RIMAC, as a part of the FIT LIFE program there.  Yes you have to pay for parking, but sometimes you get lucky and find a spot nearby.  And trust me, everyone is trying to get out of there so you're more likely to not pay.  The cost varies depending on what class you want to take.  But for example, one of the Saturday classes cost $55 for the quarter.  That was 8 classes for $55.  Do you need me to do the math on that?  There are also unlimited class passes available for the quarter.


I'm going to do a little more research and keep posting these things that I find.  Stay tuned....

Rolling with the waves

If change is inevitable, then why do I panic sometimes?
Einstein spent about 7 years struggling with failed attempts and dead-ends. 
Why is it when we "fail" at something that it can become a stuggle to keep our chin up.
Can we learn from our mistakes? 
Or can we view them differently.

Bringing balance

This afternoon I practiced the first in the Ashtanga series with Jennifer.

It's the first time this class is offered.

It's not my first time doing Ashtanga.  

I practiced for a bit in 2006.   I went to classes and tried to practice at home.   My monkey-mind would not take it.  I didn't understand the dedication to the same postures, same sequence, etc.  I thought "this is going to be boring."  I moved on to Vinyasa.  We move.  We move a lot.  Breath and movement.   I thought "yeah, this is what I want.  I can't be bored here."

As I practiced today and I had to modify a lot because of a knee issue.  As I went into one side, modified, I then went to do the other side and realized that if I didn't modify as well on the other side that I might be overdeveloping one side, going deeper in to one side and therefore bringing further imbalance to my body.

Hmmmm.....

I then thought of what I was doing and the point of the practice that I was doing.  To bring balance.  The description of the class is Yoga Chikitsa, which means yoga therapy, realigns the spine, detoxifies the body, and builds strength, flexibility and stamina.  So if I'm this class, I'm here to heal.  

Still boring???  I don't think so.  There's the intention.  There's the reason.  That's the practice.  

So I'll be modifying...and practicing. 

Repost of Blog, check Susan's blog out

This is Craig's sister-in-law, Susan Foxley, and a great article on Self-care.
Change your thoughts and you change your life

http://www.susanfoxleyyoga.com/Contact_/Blog/Entries/2010/5/9_%E2%80%9CSupreme_Self_Care%2C_Part_2%E2%80%9D.html

Article from the NY Times

Got this forwarded to me, interesting article, Yoga To the People was one of our inspirations...

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/25/fashion/25yoga.html?emc=eta1

To "hot" or not

There is a lot of discussion around hot yoga and it's benefits and drawbacks. I can only draw from my own experiences of it and what works for me. As always, the opinion of your personal doctor and your experience and knowledge is what counts.

Not all yoga is good for all people.
Oh...let's repeat that.
Not all yoga is good for all people.

We all come from various backgrounds and experiences. Some of us have had health issues that prevent us from doing certain types of postures. That doesn't mean that yoga is bad or that we may not overcome some of these issues. But what it does invite us to do is be very in-tune with our bodies and what's going on with them.

Some of hot yoga benefits are detoxification, improving joint mobility, flexibility, increased circulation. There's even studies going on that tout the benefits for diseases such as Hepatitis C. (Squires, http://www.yogajournal.com/health/585)

Some of the downside are potential for dehydration, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and overstretching muscles.

My experience with hot or heated yoga came through my own teacher training. Learning vinyasa in a heated room was at first a really aggravating experience. My first experience with heat was overwhelming, the river of sweat that ran off me in down dog was embarrassing. Over time, I got used to it, and even "enjoyed" it for a while. I enjoyed the flexibility that I got when I was in a heated room versus not being in a heated room. I went to an early morning class once that wasn't heated and I could barely go into some postures, I just wasn't warmed up enough. When in heated rooms, my muscles were already warm and it enabled me to go into postures and hold them longer. I went into the hot style classes a few times but really became overwhelmed and experienced dehydration and heat exhaustion.

In reading more about it, and learning more about myself, this type of yoga isn't recommended for someone like me with my dosha type, nor is it recommended for people who have experienced heat exhaustion. Hot yoga is also not recommended for people with the following conditions: Pregnancy, high or low blood pressure issues, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, eating disorders, sleep deprivation, a history of heat-related illness, and being overweight. (Waxman, http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/1186)

Would I do "hot" yoga again? Yes. Under what conditions? I have found that on a very cold day, if I start the day with a heated vinyasa class, it warms me from the inside out. I actually do enjoy it. But I have to take precautions. I make sure that I am properly hydrated, not just that morning, but the entire day before. I make sure that when I'm in postures experiencing that extra stretching capability, that I am firming the other muscles to make sure I don't go too far. And I since I don't attend heated room classes on a regular basis, I lessen my risk for heat related conditions. And how hot is too hot for me? Anything over 80 degrees. Most heated vinyasa classes go from 93-100 and 40-60% humidity, hot style 105 with 40-60% humidity. Too hot for me. I have to stay in tune with what works for me. Not "if it's hotter I'll go farther" but what is the benefit of this type of yoga for me? Does this really work for me? Why do I need to do this today? Is this my ego talking or is it that I really would enjoy the warmth? Am I experiencing any muscle strain that might be aggravated if I go too deep?