@ Ishvara Yoga 7.00am - Hatha/Vinyasa with Martina
POWER POINT PRESENTATION IN MY YOGA CLASS THIS MORNING!!!
I have never seen anything like it in my life! It was so cute and informative and random!
 |
| Recharge here? With Virgin Mobile AND yoga! |
The best thing about Yoga is that every single class really is different! No matter what yoga studio you go to, whether it's the same one at the same time every week or at a different place at a different time every single day, which is what I am embarking on for the next few months. Yoga will always be different. Thus always challenging and bringing you into the moment.
It's weird how so many people gravitate towards familiarity. Your comfort zone is a place of safety. I guess that's why Maccas (McDonalds for you non-Australians), Starbucks and the like are so popular. It's a one stop shop. People know what to expect. They stay in their comfort zone. I've been guilty of such a thing. When I travelled to Paris many years back, I went to Maccas twice in one day. Admittedly, it was mainly because it was the only place I could find clean toilets, but also, beacsue I was hungry, couldn't speak French and knew what I was going to get...enough about McDonalds, let's talk yoga...
THERE WAS A POWER POINT PRESENTATION IN MY YOGA CLASS!!!
The teacher, Martina, was very young and thus, was all over technology. I am a technopobe (hence the simplicity of my blog) so was of course impressed. She had her iPad on her mat, connected to her iPod, connected to the speakers, connected to the hip bone etc etc. When class began, she sat in front of her iPad and turned it around to show us. It had a picture of the chakras (similar to this one) and proceeded to explain that we were going to concentrate on the Crown Chakra today. The previous lessons had focussed on all the other chakras in the lead up to this one, so good timing on my part I guess! She then continued with her explanation of the Chakras and their significance, by flicking through the notes on her iPad. It was actually very informative. Well done Professor Martina!
After this, she explained a bit about oil and the fact she was a Reflexologist, and then she put oil on the top of our heads. Again, a first for me. It smelt nice and also made my hair oily. Oh and then we did a quick Meditation with our hands in a Mudra that I can't for the life of me find the name of, no matter how many times I've Googled it! Basically, we had to interlace all of our fingers into a fist, but leave the two ring fingers pointing upwards. Are you trying it right now? It's actually really difficult! Overall, the first 15 minutes of class was very educational and comprehensive.
 |
| Lisa and Chika, demonstrating partner adjustment perfectly! |
Right, on to the exercisey bit. Isn't that why we do yoga anyway? Kidding! Our first pose was
Vrksasana (Tree pose). Yikes! Straight into it. Evidently, seeing as it was first thing on a bitterly cold morning, I had zero balance whatsoever. Onwards and upwards. We did a lovely Surya Namaskar (Salute to the Sun) to warm our bodies up, then on to a quick succession of poses. Martina was very hands on with her adjustments which was, er, confronting. My issue completely. I have a weird aversion to touching people, or being touched. I absolutely need to overcome this if I intend to teach yoga myself one day. Anyway, she was excellent in her adjustments and it was interesting to experience a different teaching style, especially since the last couple of teachers had been all about verbal rather than physical corrections. The only thing that FREAKED ME OUT, was something we learnt in partner yoga at YTT boot camp. When you are in either Baddha Konasana (Bound angle pose), Upavistha Konasana (Seated wide-angled leg pose) or Janu Sirsasana (Head to knee forward bend), you can have someone kneel behind you, rotate your thighs outwards and then press down on your back with the front of their torso. Like this picture! These are my beautiful friends Lisa and Chika. I am definitely going to visit them when I make it to Japan! Anyways, she did this without warning and all I could think of was: YOUR BOOBS ARE TOUCHING MY BACK! ARGH! Eventually, I overcame this and ended up being stretched even deeper into the pose which was excellent. Nice work boob lady. The class finished with
Salamba Sirsasana (Headstand).
We then did some Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (two nostril breathing) and were then taken into Savasana. Oh yeah, Martina also came around and did some tricky reflexology on our toes and head which was cool. Again, well on the way to overcoming my fear of being touched :-s
It was certainly a traditional Hatha class, covering Meditation, Pranyama and Asanas. It was fairly action-packed for a one hour 7.00am lesson though. I enjoyed it all the same. The room itself was a lovely little carpeted studio that was decked out for Mums and Bubs yoga, with a little creche type of thing filled with toys in one corner. If I ever decide to have children and move to Orange, I will definitely go there.
Quote: "Move with purpose, do everything with purpose."
Coffee: The dotted eight, cafe and studio, McNamara Street. Tucked away in a gorgeous little lanewayand serving Campos coffee! One of my favourite beans!
No comments:
Post a Comment