Moon Day Tomorrow

If you were in Albuquerque, you'd be here:

Ashtanga Yoga [Local]

9am by donation #Ashtanga yoga Q & A today at the Albuquerque Ashtanga Yoga Shala with visiting Authorized teacher Pj Heffernan. All are welcome.

Sunday self practice. Drop-ins with a current Ashtanga practice welcome.

Monday Mysore with new resident Authorized teacher Tonya Ruddick. Here's a video featuring Authorized teacher Nea Ferrier. (Tonya assisted Nea in Dubai.)

PJ Heffernan in Albuquerque

Visiting Teacher: Pj Heffernan
June 11-22, 2014
PJ will be leading the shala's ongoing morning Mysore practice.

View Schedule.
Not a current student? Register now.

Beginners and new students are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Book a private session:
heffernanwellness@hotmail.com

PJ is a KPJAYI Level 2 Authorized ashtanga yoga teacher from Wisconsin.

Summer schedule, how to get back in the game, and a short video intro with David Robson

Q: I haven't been practicing... With the holidays, and work, and life, and the cold weather I just stopped. Now I dread coming back because I think it will be too hard and also I am a little embarrassed and disappointed in myself. Should I come back?

A: Yes, of course you should come back to practice! Practice is effort toward steadiness of mind. Don't worry about completing some acrobatic feat. What is really interesting, really what it is about is just showing up. So okay, you got a little distracted. You can have a fresh start tomorrow. In terms of asanas, just start small and slowly do a little bit more each day, couple of days, weeks, or even months. It depends on how long you took off... No matter. It will probably take some time for things to feel natural again and to get into the daily rhythm and that is okay. While time off is not recommended, the good thing about it is that when you start practicing again you'll quickly realize why you missed it so much and it will probably be more difficult to let it go again when life gets stressful. No fearing, you come!  (Original post here)

Read David's post on "ujjayi".
And learn more about initiating your practice.

Krista Shirley Returns to the 505

Visiting Teacher: Krista Shirley
MYSORE CLASSES
Monday-Friday April 16-25.

PRACTICE+THEORY
Sunday, April 20 from 9-11:30am.
Led primary series followed by a discussion on practice.
New students and beginners are welcome to attend.

About Krista:
Krista Shirley is a KPJAYI Level 2 Authorized Ashtanga yoga teacher and owner/head teacher at The Yoga Shala in Orlando, Florida.

Krista has been a dedicated student and practitioner of Ashtanga yoga for over a decade. She found this practice in college and it touched her so deeply she traveled down a path different than what was originally laid out for her. After graduation she started traveling the world delving deeper into her yoga studies. After meeting Shri K. Pattabhi Jois in a workshop in New York in 2004 Krista knew she had found her Guru – his essence was undeniable, his spirit light and loving, and his vast knowledge of asana, Sanskrit, chanting and philosophy was an endless well to draw from. Krista has made eight trips to Mysore, India to study at the Krishna Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute (KPJAYI) in order to study with Guruji and Sharath, connect to this lineage and feel the essence of this living parampara. In 2009 Krista received Level 2 Authorization by the Krishna Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute to teach both the Primary and Intermediate series. She is currently learning the Advanced A Series.

Krista’s dedication to her personal yoga practice and the Ashtanga lineage shine through in her teaching. Her energy is contagious and inspiring! Krista specializes in meeting each student where they are, helping them not only create a habit of daily practice, learn the sequence of asanas, work towards physical mastery of the postures, but also helping each student go inside themselves to heal old wounds, forgive old hurts, let go of the things in their lives that no longer serve them. Krista is here to help you begin or advance your Ashtanga Yoga journey and looks forward to sharing this transformational and enriching practice with you.

About Mysore:
“Mysore style” is traditionally practiced silently, with individual instruction, and is named after Mysore, India, where Ashtanga yoga originated and was taught by Sri K Pattabhi Jois for many years. Anyone is welcome to come to this class. Students will work at their own pace, according to his or her individual needs, while Krista walks around the room providing hands on adjustments and verbal instruction as needed. If you do not have the primary series memorized, you will spend your first few weeks in class repeating bits of the standing sequence until it is committed to memory. At that point, you will come in daily, do your sun salutations, standing postures, seated postures and finishing postures on your own, under the guidance of your teacher. Mysore style is the absolute best way to learn and practice Yoga. It enables you to create a dedicated, daily practice that will take you infinitely deeper into the peace and calm a quiet mind and strong body can provide.

Ashtanga Yoga, done daily, will increase flexibility, strength, endurance, and physical and mental balance; it will cleanse the internal systems of the body and provide a healthy source of focus and dedication in ones life – something everyone needs!

About Led:
Ashtanga Primary Series - Yoga Chikitsa (Yoga Therapy):
This traditional sanskrit counted class will explore the fundamentals of the Ashtanga Yoga Method in a led/guided classroom setting.: The Vinyasa system, expanding the breath, and the principles of the bandhas and drishti. Experience continuous movement with breathe learning the harmonious flow of the first series in its traditional form. Primary Series will cover the Sun Salutation, standing postures, seated postures and all finishing postures from the Ashtanga Yoga tradition. This class is recommended for those already exposed to Ashtanga Yoga practice.

Weekend Edition #15 Guru Purnima

Me and Guruji at his birthday celebration on my first trip to India

अज्ञानतिमिरान्धस्य ज्ञानाञ्जनशलाकया ।
चक्षुरुन्मीलितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥
ajñānatimirāndhasya jñānāñjanaśalākayā |
cakṣurunmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ||
I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance, with the torchlight of knowledge.

This year Guruji's birthday is on Monday which is also a moon day and Guru Purnima.  I remember that we were trying to learn to the Gurustotram (below) so we could chant it for him at the celebration but we were too nervous to make mistakes and didn't do it.  Jayashree schooled us after by explaining that we should want and be grateful that our teacher corrects our mistakes because that means he cares and he is teaching us and then we can learn.  The photo above was taken by Elena De Martin of La Yoga Shala, Milano...


   

In honor of Guruji, here is a sweet video by Barry Silver of Ashtanga Yoyogi...

Still from Barry Silver's tribute video http://www.ashtangayoyogi.com/images/guruji.swf

And gratitude to my teacher R. Sharath Jois.  Ashtanga yoga changed my life.

Sharath helping me with back bends.  Photo by Tom Rosenthal lightonashtangayoga.com

My painting/drawing of Ganesh

I recently opened an online shop featuring my artwork in hopes of raising funds for India.  50% goes to the work being done to help the people in Uttarakhand. The other 50% helps fund my trip to India to study with my teacher Sharath in the fall.  Please check it out and support!  http://artbyelise.storenvy.com/

Weekend Edition #8

Been a bit busy planning this:

Here's a bit more about Krista:

Krista Shirley is a level 2 authorized Ashtanga Yoga instructor and founder of The Yoga Shala in Winter Park, Florida. Krista teaches traditional Ashtanga yoga classes in the Mysore method Monday-Thursday mornings 6:30-8:30am and counted led Ashtanga Primary series Friday mornings 6:15-7:45am followed by guided meditation from 8:00-8:30am. She also leads asana, meditation, and self help workshops and retreats at The Yoga Shala and around the globe.

Krista has been a dedicated student and practitioner of Ashtanga yoga for over a decade. She found this practice in college and it touched her so deeply she traveled down a path different than what was originally laid out for her. After graduation she started traveling the world delving deeper into her yoga studies. After meeting Shri K. Pattabhi Jois in a workshop in New York in 2004 Krista knew she had found her Guru – his essence was undeniable, his spirit light and loving, and his vast knowledge of asana, Sanskrit, chanting and philosophy was an endless well to draw from. Krista has made eight trips to Mysore, India to study at the Krishna Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute (KPJAYI) in order to study with Guruji and Sharath, connect to this lineage and feel the essence of this living parampara. Guruji passed away in May of 2009, the same month The Yoga Shala opened its doors. This space is a living, breathing dedication to Guruji, to his life’s work, and his never-ending passion for Ashtanga Yoga.

Krista’s dedication to her personal yoga practice and the Ashtanga lineage shine through in her teaching. Her energy is contagious and inspiring! Krista specializes in meeting each student where they are, helping them not only create a habit of daily practice, learn the sequence of asanas, work towards physical mastery of the postures, but also helping each student go inside themselves to heal old wounds, forgive old hurts, let go of the things in their lives that no longer serve them. Krista is here to help you begin or advance your Ashtanga Yoga journey and looks forward to sharing this transformational and enriching practice with you.

And there is this super sweet video as well:

Yay. Be sure to sign up early here!

{Local} Led Primary Series

Led primary series of Ashtanga yoga

Sunday, December 9, 2012

8:15am, arrive early

@Albuquerque Ashtanga Yoga Shala

206 Dartmouth Dr NE (Nob Hill)

More info & registration:
www.AshtangaYogaAlbuquerque.com

{Local} Beginner Month

Monday, November 26 - Friday, December 21
TIME: 8:00 - 9:00 am
DAYS: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
(Can add Friday or Sunday for missed classes)

More information and registration

Moon Day Friday

August 17th - Friday - New Moon
No classes, take rest.

About moon days.

A list of all moon days in 2012.

Guy Donahaye in New Mexico

Ashtanga Yoga weekend intensive with certified teacher Guy Donahaye
October 19-21, 2012
Albuquerque Ashtanga Yoga Shala
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Register
This event will fill up. Register now here.

Question?
eliseashtangayoga@gmail.com 

SCHEDULE:

Friday
Fundamentals of Practice
7:00 - 9:00 pm

Bandhas and breathing in asana and Pranayama practice. This introductory session will explore the fundamental building blocks of asana practice, focusing mainly on bandhas, breathing, alignment and vinyasa. Through learning uddiyana, agni sara and eventually nauli, a deeper awareness of the bandhas arises. Through this awareness we will explore the expansion of breath, correct alignment and find balance, "sweetness" and strength in the asanas and pranayamas.

Saturday
Mysore Practice
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Mysore style practice allows you to breathe and move at your own speed. The verbal instruction is minimized to allow you to sink deeper into the internal aspects of the practice. Much of the teaching comes through the application of hands-on adjustments, which is a form of body work that enables the student to understand how to move beyond apparent limitations. The adjustments show the body how to move with selective effort using the appropriate muscles and allows the parts of the body which need to release to do so.

Mind Medicine I & II
1:00 - 3:00 pm
Two talks on Ashtanga Yoga theory, philosophy and practice. Followed by Q&A and Pranayama.

Sunday
Mysore Practice
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Mysore style practice allows you to breathe and move at your own speed. The verbal instruction is minimized to allow you to sink deeper into the internal aspects of the practice. Much of the teaching comes through the application of hands-on adjustments, which is a form of body work that enables the student to understand how to move beyond apparent limitations. The adjustments show the body how to move with selective effort using the appropriate muscles and allows the parts of the body which need to release to do so.

Mind Medicine I & II
1:00 - 3:00 pm
Two talks on Ashtanga Yoga theory, philosophy and practice. Followed by Q&A and Pranayama.

ABOUT

Guy Donahaye met Sri K Pattabhi Jois in 1991 and continued his studies with him, mostly in India, over a period of eighteen years until Jois' death in 2009. He is one of only 40 students worldwide who has been awarded a teaching certification by Jois during his 70 years of teaching, and has been conducting yoga classes in this traditional method since 1993.

Guy's interest in yoga is equally therapeutic, philosophical and spiritual: He came to yoga with the desire to improve his ability to meditate and found in yoga a deeply therapeutic tool, which facilitates spiritual evolution through healing body and mind.

In 2009 he published "Guruji" - a tribute to the teachings and life of Sri K Pattabhi Jois with Eddie Stern - a collection of 30 interviews he had conducted over a twelve year period with Jois' senior students and family.

He has been the director of the Ashtanga Yoga Shala in NYC since 1999 and before that in the UK from 1993-1998. He teaches regular workshops on Yoga Philosophy and Practice in New York and internationally.

More information and registration www.AshtangaYogaAlbuquerque.com

 Related:

Interview with Guy Donahaye by Elise Espat