Having taught once already at the Canebrake was a huge plus. Despite being particularly nervous during my first class, I really felt in my element, in no small part due to the gracious support and hosting I received from Lisa and her husband Sam, the owners of the establishment. I was especially mindful of monitoring […]
Still, I noticed that I gradually became worn down over the weekend and came home with less energy than when I left. I think some of this is to be expected. Two suggestions come to mind as to how to address waning energy. The first is practice – I could teach longer venues/workshops more often […]
All of the preparatory work I had done was fundamental to the success of the weekend. While having a rehearsed sequence was invaluable, at times it drew me away from the immediate needs and skill levels of the students. As the workshop progressed I felt more confident peeling away from the game plan and being […]
Another change I would make would be to increase the volume of my own voice. I found myself dipping into a low auditory range more than once and have gotten similar feedback from students in the past. Do you have any suggestions as to how to cultivate this skill? On another auditory note: the music […]
Dear Yoga Students, This is Derik from Axis Yoga Trainings. I want to announce and invite you to our ongoing, donation only, classes. These classes are held once a month and are an ideal opportunity to deepen your practice and view yoga from a totally new perspective! Each class will focus on a specific theme […]
One could easily make a case for or against the roll of music in yoga practice. On the one hand music/sound has played an intimate roll in the history of yoga (particularly in the nada and bhakti yoga traditions). On the other hand the power of sound can unduly influence the environment and mind of […]
The challenge with music is that it is highly personal. What may be one woman’s bliss may be another man’s hell. From a contemplative perspective, music distorts one’s ability to be present to the immediate sensations and movements of the breath and body –yoga asana as meditation. I have a strong contemplative streak, and rarely […]
Yoga and many other spiritual traditions have recognized the inborn power of sound in transforming consciousness. Nada Yoga, the yoga of sound, has developed a wide variety of techniques to expand consciousness through the medium of sound. Mantras, chanting and deep-listening help to create a ritualistic container to evoke the sacred. According to Nada Yoga […]
In many traditions throughout the world, sound is considered one of the first evolute of creation. In other words, certain vibrational frequencies precede and inform the manifest realm that most of us inhabit. As such, sound holds the potential to influence our being on multiple layers. Sound is unique to our sensory experience in that […]
How long could you survive without eating? What about drinking? How long could you go without breathing? Respiration is probably the most important source of nourishment we receive and one of the most under recognized or utilized. Is it possible that, by modifying our breathing pattern, we can dramatically increase or health in the same […]