BEYOND THE MAT by Ani Raya-Flores

Just after new years, I went for a hike with an old friend. We noticed the trails were a little more crowded than usual—an excited conga line of hikers wearing their new grippy trail shoes, hydration vests, and sweat absorbing/UV blocking shirts. “Looks like a lot of folks made resolutions,” she said, and then asked if Namaste, like pilates studios, like crossfit “boxes,” and yes, like the Angeles Crest National Forest, was experiencing a similar influx of resolution-ers.  

The answer, of course, is yes. Each year, the studio gets a new batch of students who’ve come to the mat for the first time or back after some time away. And it’s great— as a teacher, I can sense the enthusiasm and commitment in the room.

Unfortunately in modern culture, committed can start to look more like dogged. Before you know it, “I wanna practice yoga everyday!” becomes, “I have to practice yoga every day!” A rigid or unyielding approach can lead to burn out. If we view our resolution as something to conquer, we only have a few options: 1. achieve mastery and quit because been there stretched that, or 2. die on the hill of crow pose. I don’t know about you, but neither of those sound good to me.

If I could share just one bit of wisdom with my students, it would be that softening the approach to yoga is what gives it longevity. Softening the approach doesn’t have to mean that 2020 is the year of child’s pose. All it means is that each time we come to our mats, we take the time to orient ourselves in the space, to put ourselves in touch with physical sensations, to build awareness of what we need, and then move (or not move) our bodies accordingly.

I’ve found that the work of staying present on the mat is what’s helped me take my practice off the mat. I’m learning to sit with physical sensation, to see a pose as an opportunity—hey, I get to experience burning quads— as opposed to pushing, gritting teeth, bearing the unmitigated agony that is chair pose. And that’s the outlook that I try to bring off my mat, to crowded movie theaters, to long grocery lines, to traffic.

It’s a lot to consider, and the tools for a more present and mindful practice aren’t always covered in your average hour-long practice. Which is why I teamed up with dear friend and Fitzmaurice Voicework teacher Scott Ferrara to bring this workshop to the Namaste community.

Join us the afternoon of February 23^rd and we’ll practice staying present in the safe space of a yoga mat so that we may take that presence into our everyday life. 

For more information and to sign up for workshops go to: https://namastestudios.la/workshops

November is a great time to start meditating

The frenzy of the holidays and the end of the year creep up faster and faster and suddenly we find ourselves overwhelmed and unsure of where our time went. A daily practice of checking in and sitting silently for even just 10 minutes can do wonders to center and ground our energy. When we are grounded and centered, we are more able to take on the multitude of mixed and heightened emotions that come hand in hand with the season.

Regardless of what technique we choose, meditation asks us to actively train our mind to focus on one particular “object,” our breath, a mantra, a sensation or a sound. When we intentionally focus our mind and continually pull it away from the broken-record patterns it is more apt to follow, we begin to calm our central nervous system. The habitual thought patterns are what keep us in states of anxiety and stress – bouncing us back and forth between past experiences and future fantasies.

Meditation has been studied and shown to reduce stress and anxiety, promote emotional health, enhance self awareness and increase one’s ability to focus. Improvement in any one of those areas is exponentially beneficial on a physical, social and emotional level, in all areas of our lives.

It’s true, meditation can feel like a chore, especially with the holiday glitz and drama distracting us with illusory obligations. Perhaps it makes it easier to think of it as a chore, like washing the dishes, it must be done. I like to think if it has a part of my hygiene routine. The breathe and pure awareness are the detergents that keep my mind clean. Clearing my mind on a regular basis keeps me aware of negative thought patterns so I can actively work to shift them; centering my awareness on my breath quiets the unnecessary clutter of thoughts and brings me back to myself.

Truly, it’s always a great time to start meditating, so why not start in November!

Join our upcoming Workshop:November 2nd, 1-2:30pm in Highland Park for a dynamic meditation workshop that will explore a variety of different meditation techniques.

What is Ashtanga Yoga?

What is Ashtanga Yoga?

by Chris Reed

Did you know that most modern vinyasa practices stem from the Ashtanga Yoga method? Developed by K. Pattabhi Jois, Ashtanga is the sanskrit word meaning eight-limbs as mentioned in the yoga sutras of Patanjali. The practice incorporates breath, drishti or focus, and bandha in a fairly rigorous sequence of postures. Students usually practice the memorized sequence at their own pace in what is called "Mysore style" named after the city where Jois taught. Usually an Ashtanga practice begins with five repetitions of Sun Salutations or Surya Namaskara A and five repetitions of Surya Namaskara B, followed by a standing sequence. After this the practitioner begins one of six series and ends with the closing sequence.

Yoga Chikitsa (Yoga Therapy) or the Primary Series is the most common practiced sequence in Ashtanga yoga. Many students will spend up to a few years learning the entire sequence before moving on to second series. Postures are recommended to be held for at least five full deep breaths through the nose or whats also referred to as Ujjayi Pranayama. Where the practitioner focuses the eyes while is the posture is what is referred to as the drishti. There are few different key drishti's in the Ashtanga practice, mainly the nose, navel, between the eyebrows, thumbs hands and feet. The bandhas are energy locks within the body that we often hear teachers talk about in vinyasa classes. Ashtanga focuses on three main bandhas; the mula bandha or root lock at the pelvis floor. Uddiyana bandha is located at the abdomen 2 inches below the navel and the Jalandhara bandha is found by tucking the chin to the chest.

There are many different opinions and beliefs surrounding the "tradition" of Ashtanga Yoga. One school would say that you must "master" a posture before being given permission to move on to receive the benefit from the practice. I personally subscribe to my teacher's teacher Manju Jois (Pattabhi's son) and his more laid back approach of adjusting the practice to the practitioner. Having done a few workshops with Manju, I have experienced how this non-linear approach allows the student to complete a practice while being safe and not leave feeling completely defeated.

Join Chris for a Workshop: Balances, Bhandas, & Binds on Sunday, May 20th from 2pm-4pm at Namaste Highland Park. Sign up at namastestudios.la/workshops 

NEW Class: Alignment School

We've all done it: been in yoga class, taken a peak at a neighbor's mat and wondered why they're using a block, or why they're bending their knees, or why their twists look different than your own.  Why are they doing that? You ask yourself, and should I be doing it, too? The answer to the first question is simple: it helps them tailor their practice to their own needs.  The answer to the second question: maybe!

Saturdays at 11am, join Ani for Alignment School-- a workshop style class dedicated to deepening body awareness, functional strength and an all around stronger yoga practice.  Limited to 8 people, this class will feature one on one direction, personalized modifications, and lots of prop work.  Whether you're new to yoga and looking to prevent injury, or you're a veteran seeking more detailed instruction, this is the class for you.  Expect a challenging, non-judgmental, and playful environment-- all in the service of growing a practice that works best for you and your own body.