Iyengar
Iyengar
From the Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States: Yoga is for everyone. No one is too old or too stiff, too fat or thin or tired. A Certified Iyengar Yoga teacher can guide students of all ages and physical conditions to an experience of yoga, which is safe, accessible and rewarding.
Certified Iyengar Yoga instructors are held to an unusually rigorous standard. Only after years of training and evaluation do they become certified. Iyengar Yoga teachers modify the classic asanas (yoga postures) for individual students with the use of props -- such as blocks, blankets and belts. Props allow for a deeper penetration into the posture, as well as a longer stay.
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Journal Post
Even though it is almost 90 degrees where I live in central Virginia, we have now officially transitioned into early Fall. If you cannot yet feel it in the temperature, you can see it in the colors of everything around you. What was lush and green a few weeks ago has started to turn yellow. Aptly, this is the color of this time of year, the color of the stomach and spleen meridians, our digestive organs, the Earth Element.
Does this heat make it feel as if the summer could go on forever? As we start the month of August, we are entering into the late summer period, the fifth season, recognized in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine. BUT before we get ahead of ourselves, I wanted to share some final insights from the end of the summer season. As we mentioned last month, the element associated with summer is fire, which shows up in the external environment, but internally as well.
It's Officially Summer! AND the International Day of Yoga! In honor of these two special events, we are offering some sequences for you to enjoy on International Yoga Day, as well as a discount in our download store from today until the end of June!
I made it through another Mother’s Day, but this year was different. I have been inspired by women around the world who are sharing about their struggles with Mother’s Day; mothers who have lost children, women who have lost mothers and women who are not able to be mothers. Mother’s day has always been difficult for me, since I lost my mother, tragically, 28 years ago, just months before my thirteenth birthday. Once I recovered from the shock of the loss, which actually took about 5 years, I finally started to grieve. That grief, for me, has taken the better part of the last two decades. Thankfully, however, for about the last ten years, I have been deeply committed to healing that pain.
Happy Spring!
Dear Friends, It has been an exhausting couple of weeks here in the United States. In addition to everything we normally have going on in our lives, we are being tormented by misinformation, lies and deceit in the executive office of our government. It is hard to keep up with it all and this is leading to frustration, hopelessness and overwhelm. What can we do?
"In his search he discovers the three noble ways of word (jnana), work (karma), and worship (bhakti), which teach him that his inner light is the only guide leading to mastery over his own life.” - BKS Iyengar, Light on Pranayama
"The Three Months of Fall are called the period of tranquility of one's conduct... The mysterious powers of Fall create dryness in Heaven and they create metal upon the Earth."At the end of October and for some of us not until November, we transitioned from the late summer energy of early Fall into the true Fall Energy of Metal or the quality most closely associated with the Ayurvedic element of Air. Air and Metal energies concern mental and spiritual activities, including the workings of the mind, the intellect and communication.
Happy Autumn, Dear One!
Are we finally on the downswing from the peak of a very firey and fiesty summer heat wave? As tensions and frustrations flair, we are truly called upon to utilize our yoga practice to cool us down. Two of the primary ways you choose to counterbalance the heat depend on your personal temperament. You can sit calmly and quietly, practicing slow deep breathing or pranayamas specific to cooling you down, like Sitali (sheet - ah - lee) pranayama or practice a quieting asana practice focused on forward bends and other cooling poses. The alternative is to get active, move and raise your internal heat .
As we enter the much beloved summer season, we are quickly reminded of the quality which dominates it. Summer is evidence of the Fire Element which gives us the capacity for great joy, passion and compassion, but can also ignite irritability and anger.
Welcome, Spring! The days grow longer and everything bursts with New Life! As much as I love to feel the warm sun shine and the longer days, the change of season is just that, CHANGE! After a long, dark, cold winter's nap, everything is waking up and it is easy to feel somewhat overwhelmed by it all. The Spring Season is Liver/Gallbladder season - the Architect/ Planner and the Decision Maker. Now is the time to make our plans for the remainder of the year. What will we attempt to accomplish?
Happy Lunar Fire Monkey New Year! As I have mentioned before, I always feel much more ready for the New Year in tune with the Lunar cycles of the year. And for it to be a Yang Fire Monkey Year, what could be better for iHanuman? It sounds like this is going to be a fire cracker of a year, so get ready! But as we mentioned last month, we are still in the slower, darker, yin winter season, so it's ok to continue to ease your way into your new year.
Happy New Moon and New Year! Mindfully Unplug at Feathered Pipe Ranch, Bubble Bath Wisdom, Backbend Sequence for the Winter Water Element, Choose to Be Grateful, Karma Yoga with Kofi Busia. New Teachers, Studios, Sequences, Downloads and More!
Unfortunately, the attacks on the city of Paris bring to bear an opportunity to reflect upon the emotion of the fall season, Grief. Although often uncomfortable, and in this case, completely unimaginable, Grief is another part of the cycle of the seasons of life. It represents Loss; big or small, loss of things, property, people, even death, are an inevitable part of life. In the Fall Season, we are asked to put down all of our projects and to-do lists and focus on closing out the year. We give thanks for what we did well and let go of the things that did not go well or that we hope to do better in the new year. Fall is the season to Let Go and surrender.
Summertime and the Living is Easy, Right? Or is it?
Summertime is when all of the hard work we put in during the year begins to come to fruition. It is the time of year of growth, maturation and expansion. But it can be a challenging time of year for many who are naturally fiery with a quick temper or who tend to overheat in summer's hot sun. Any one of us can overheat much more easily in the summer, so it is particularly important that we pay attention to the heat in our external and internal environment. Luckily, we can use our diet and yoga practice to help moderate our internal temperature to balance out whatever is going on externally. Enjoy some of our favorite practices in our monthly newsletter.
Summertime is when all of the hard work we put in during the year begins to come to fruition. It is the time of year of growth, maturation and expansion. But it can be a challenging time of year for many who are naturally fiery with a quick temper or who tend to overheat in summer's hot sun. Any one of us can overheat much more easily in the summer, so it is particularly important that we pay attention to the heat in our external and internal environment. Luckily, we can use our diet and yoga practice to help moderate our internal temperature to balance out whatever is going on externally. Enjoy some of our favorite practices in our monthly newsletter.
In the last few days of the Earth Element of late summer, it feels appropriate for me to share with you how I have been grounding myself in the practice and teaching of Yoga. We started this platform 8 year ago, as yoga teachers wanting to create an avenue to share the teachings of yoga. And for the past 3.5 years now, I have been in an intensive training program to teach Iyengar Yoga.
What Do You Remember?
On Memorial Day we commemorate the men and women who have died in the line of duty for our country. While many of my grandparents and elders, who I hold in the highest regard, served our country, I do not have the direct experience of losing someone in the line of duty. Therefore, I broaden the scope of remembrance to the men and women who I have lost in my life.
On Memorial Day we commemorate the men and women who have died in the line of duty for our country. While many of my grandparents and elders, who I hold in the highest regard, served our country, I do not have the direct experience of losing someone in the line of duty. Therefore, I broaden the scope of remembrance to the men and women who I have lost in my life.
Happy Spring!
The spring equinox has landed upon us with a Bang! This spring heralded in A New Super Moon in Pisces and a Total Solar Eclipse! The spring season can be somewhat turbulent with the winds and the rain. Springtime is characterized by the energy of new growth, like the Wood Element of this season. We are asked to be flexible, yet strong as we forge our way back out into the world after the cold winter of hibernation.
The spring equinox has landed upon us with a Bang! This spring heralded in A New Super Moon in Pisces and a Total Solar Eclipse! The spring season can be somewhat turbulent with the winds and the rain. Springtime is characterized by the energy of new growth, like the Wood Element of this season. We are asked to be flexible, yet strong as we forge our way back out into the world after the cold winter of hibernation.
This Winter has been a doozy! Lots of sickness, sniffles, fevers, record-breaking temperatures and snowfall! It has been challenging just to stay afloat. Interestingly enough, the winter season is connected to the water element and all we are really meant to do is float; float along the currents of the oscillating waves around us. It can be challenging, however, to remember to go with the flow in the Winter time when our constantly, on-the-go, 24/7, around-the-clock technologically overcharged universe never stops.
The last month of the year is time to review the work accomplished and congratulate ourselves on our progress and lessons learned. We take inventory and plan for the new year ahead. December is a time of taking stock and being still with what is, positive and not so. When we have done well, we take the time to give back. iHanuman gives back at least 5% of every sale in our store because we BELIEVE in the power of the practice of yoga, which includes selfless service towards others.
Summertime and the Living is Easy, Right? Or is it?
Summertime is when all of the hard work we put in during the year begins to come to fruition. It is the time of year of growth, maturation and expansion. But it can be a challenging time of year for many who are naturally fiery with a quick temper or who tend to overheat in summer's hot sun. Any one of us can overheat much more easily in the summer, so it is particularly important that we pay attention to the heat in our external and internal environment. Luckily, we can use our diet and yoga practice to help moderate our internal temperature to balance out whatever is going on externally. Enjoy some of our favorite practices in our monthly newsletter. Stay cool!
Summertime is when all of the hard work we put in during the year begins to come to fruition. It is the time of year of growth, maturation and expansion. But it can be a challenging time of year for many who are naturally fiery with a quick temper or who tend to overheat in summer's hot sun. Any one of us can overheat much more easily in the summer, so it is particularly important that we pay attention to the heat in our external and internal environment. Luckily, we can use our diet and yoga practice to help moderate our internal temperature to balance out whatever is going on externally. Enjoy some of our favorite practices in our monthly newsletter. Stay cool!
”The ultimate renunciation is when one transcends the qualities of nature and perceives the soul. “ – sutra I.16 - bks iyengar, light on the yoga sutras of patanjali As I learn about the Gunas, I cannot help but relate to my studies in Ayurveda and the interplay of the doshas – vata, pitta, kapha, the three constitutions, which are made up of the five elements – earth, air, fire, water and ether. Vata is made up of air and ether, pitta is fire and water, and kapha consists of earth and water. Like the Gunas, all elements and doshas are constantly present, but at times one is more predominant than another.
Sandra Pleasants, E.R.Y.T. 500
Certified Junior Intermediate Iyengar Yoga Instructor
Please contact Sandra directly for more information on her classes and class schedule at 434-361-2262 or sandra.pleasants [a] gmail.com
* Monday All Levels at 9:15AM held at Rockfish Valley Community Center in Nellysford, VA
* Monday Level II/III at 6:00PM held at Rockfish Valley Community Center in Nellysford, VA
* Tuesday Gentle Yoga at 10:00AM held at Rockfish Valley Community Center in Nellysford, VA
* Wednesday Level I/II at 9:30AM held at Allied Yoga in Charlottesville, VA
* Thursday Level I/II at 6:00PM held at The Nelson Center, JABA room in Lovingston, VA
Certified Junior Intermediate Iyengar Yoga Instructor
Please contact Sandra directly for more information on her classes and class schedule at 434-361-2262 or sandra.pleasants [a] gmail.com
* Monday All Levels at 9:15AM held at Rockfish Valley Community Center in Nellysford, VA
* Monday Level II/III at 6:00PM held at Rockfish Valley Community Center in Nellysford, VA
* Tuesday Gentle Yoga at 10:00AM held at Rockfish Valley Community Center in Nellysford, VA
* Wednesday Level I/II at 9:30AM held at Allied Yoga in Charlottesville, VA
* Thursday Level I/II at 6:00PM held at The Nelson Center, JABA room in Lovingston, VA
After many moons developing, building and testing the New iHanuman Yoga Media Platform, we are more than ecstatic to announce that iHanuman has evolved into its third incarnation. We so appreciate your patience and support during this huge renovation.
What's Your Favorite Thing About Summer?
It's Hanuman's Birthday!
Charitable Giving to Focus on the Philippine Islands. Introduction to Asana Series with Lois Steinberg in honor BKS Iyengar's 95th Birthday!
In the southeast, it has been relatively dry and the air just turned cooler this weekend. It is officially Fall, one of the most beautiful seasons of the year. It is the time of year to let go. Interestingly enough, the fall represents the lungs and the large intestine, two of our largest organs of letting go. This season is a perfect time to start or reinvigorate your pranayama practice. And although it does not seem like it with Halloween candy in a big bowl by the front door, a Thanksgiving meal grocery list and sugarplums dancing in your head as you contemplate the next nine weeks, it is a wonderful time to cleanse and give your large intestine a rest.
“Yoga is a science which liberates one's mind from the bondage of the body and leads it towards the soul." – BKS Iyengar, Tree of YogaMany scholars have searched for the date of the first reference to yoga, but BKS Iyengar reminds us in The Tree of Yoga, that Yoga, like Ayurveda, is apauruseya, not given by man. "Brahma is the Founder of Yoga” and also "Lord Siva is the Founder of Yoga, which he first taught to his wife, Parvati." (156). Yoga is one of the six orthodox systems of Indian philosophy, which was organized by Patanjali, in his classical work, the Yoga Sutras.“Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind”
Cool Down, Chill Out and Help Others!
Everything feels as if it bursting at the seems right now. This is appropriate for Summer, the peak season for growth and maturity. Anyone having a hard time sitting still? We are knee-deep in our site upgrade and we are so CLOSE! When things are heating up, turn your thoughts to someone you can help. Show love and compassion for another. Take your attention off of yourself and notice the cooling, calming effect this has on your well-being.
"Where women are respected, there god dwells. Where women are disregarded, there all deeds go in vain." - Manusmriti
Tomorrow, March 8, is International Women's Day. On this one day we honor the achievements of women around the world. We also recognize the unfathomable violations that women and girls still face to their basic human rights. Please take some time to acknowledge and appreciate the women in your life - mothers, sisters, grandmothers, daughters, yourselves.
Did anyone else feel like they wanted to start this year over? Thank God for the Chinese New Year, the first new moon of the Lunar Year. 2013 is the year of the Water Snake. The moon takes close to 13 months to travel around the Earth. This New Year speaks more to me than the arbitrary day, December 31, marking the Earth's revolution around the sun. Imbolc, the Return of the Light, has just passed and with it the fact that we made it to the halfway point between the first day of Winter and the first day of Spring.
Happy New Year!
It is going to be another fantastic year for Yoga Media and Technology. We have so many new classes to share with you in the coming months. TODAY, Enjoy over 50 new Iyengar Yoga Classes with John Schumacher AND his free quarterly discussion on the question, "Is Yoga A Religion?" Look out for more yoga media coming soon....
Until then, be well.
Sara Miles Pope Agelasto
Love. Service. Devotion. Yoga.
Sara Miles Pope Agelasto
Love. Service. Devotion. Yoga.
We are so grateful for your support!
iHanuman is going through many changes as we work to bring our updated media platform online. We look forward to unveiling our new site and all of the great content you have been waiting for. We just wanted to take a moment to say thank you to all of you who have supported us over the years. We are a small company with BIG ideas and we look forward to sharing some big news withyou over the coming weeks. We have also had many requests for more classes from John Schumacher. His latest classes will be available next month, so stay tuned for an update.
Samhain (pronounced Sow Wen) is the Celtic word for Summer's end. And indeed the shift from any hope for more warm weather has settled upon us. We can all feel the change that swept through the air these past several days, reminding us who is really in charge. Tonight we don our masks and costumes to protect us from evil spirits that might be lurking about as it is said that the veils between worlds are thinnest this time of year. Many traditions choose to honor their ancestors and those that have passed during this vulnerable time.
Om Shanti. Shanti. Shanti. Peace. Peace. Peace.
We have been a little out of touch with our newsletter subscribers this summer. The firey energy of summer called us to create and continue our work on iHanuman 3.0. Now that the summer is winding down and we transition to fall, we turn our energies toward harvesting the fruits of our efforts.
As we put our new website into place, we spent time observing all of YOUR growth and movement during this time. So much has come into being since we launched the first version of iHanuman in the Fall of 2006. We have taken what we have learned and are so excited to offer it up to you all.
Sandra Pleasants, E.R.Y.T. 500
Certified Junior Intermediate Iyengar Yoga Instructor
Please contact Sandra directly for more information on her classes and class schedule at 434-361-2262 or sandra.pleasants [a] gmail.com
* Monday Level I/II at 9:00AM held at Rockfish Valley Community Center in Nellysford, VA
* Monday Level II/III at 6:00PM held at Rockfish Valley Community Center in Nellysford, VA
* Wednesday Seniors at 9:30AM held at Blue Ridge Yoga Center in Charlottesville, VA
* Thursday Level I/II at 9:00AM held at Rockfish Valley Community Center in Nellysford, VA
* Thursday Level I/II at 6:00PM held at Trinity Episcopal Church Parish Hall in Arrington, VA
Certified Junior Intermediate Iyengar Yoga Instructor
Please contact Sandra directly for more information on her classes and class schedule at 434-361-2262 or sandra.pleasants [a] gmail.com
* Monday Level I/II at 9:00AM held at Rockfish Valley Community Center in Nellysford, VA
* Monday Level II/III at 6:00PM held at Rockfish Valley Community Center in Nellysford, VA
* Wednesday Seniors at 9:30AM held at Blue Ridge Yoga Center in Charlottesville, VA
* Thursday Level I/II at 9:00AM held at Rockfish Valley Community Center in Nellysford, VA
* Thursday Level I/II at 6:00PM held at Trinity Episcopal Church Parish Hall in Arrington, VA
Happy Spring!
Daffodils, Crocus, Forsythia and Peach Blossoms are already in bloom in the mountains of central Virginia! After months recharging our yin energy this winter, nature's feminine side is beginning to show its flowery wiles. Between now and Mother's Day is the time to infuse ourselves with the Feminine.
iHanuman started off Women's History month with Women's Yoga Expert, Bobby Clennell. Next week we join Elise Miller for her training on Yoga for Scoliosis at the breathtaking Satchidananda Ashram in Buckingham, Virginia. We will be sharing recordings from both of those inspiring women's workshops very soon!
In my yoga classes this Winter, we have been practicing poses to restore our Kidney Energy. The Kidneys govern the Winter Water Element and when water is out of balance, it can become stagnant. This leads energetically to feelings of depression. Interestingly, the poses we practice for the kidneys are backbends, which also lift and open the heart. This lifting of the heart, energetically, has the same effect. It places the Heart in its true energetic seat, as the Emperor. The Emperor rules what is in the best and highest good for the Kingdom as a whole. When we act from what is our truest and highest good, we are benefiting ourselves, our families, our communities and our entire world. Imagine that!
People who have never practiced yoga before often ask me to teach them a yoga pose. The Iyengar student in me cannot help but start by teaching Tadasana. People are often astounded by how much integrity and poise there is when conscious attention is brought to the simple act standing. They are amazed at how much attention can be brought to the four corners of the feet, the inner line of the legs, the lift of the knee caps and the release of the tailbone. Once we build the foundation. we move to the upper body and take a deep inhale to engage the abdomen, lift the sternum and lift and roll the shoulders back.
Supta Virasana, or Reclining Hero's Pose, is practiced by first situating yourself into Virasana, Hero's Pose. This pose can be very difficult on the knees, so take it easy. If you are unable to sit completely between your heels, as in the picture to the left, then sit on a yoga block or a blanket. You want to be sure that there is NO pain in the inner or outer knees. Take a few breaths here to settle into the pose and add props as needed.
For any yogi who has a favorite friend of the canine variety, you cannot help but smile when they practice upward or downward dog. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, or upward facing dog, is another in our series of backward bending poses which is also clearly an arm and wrist strengthening pose. Poses such as Bhujangasana, Cobra Pose or Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, Bridge Pose, are excellent preparatory poses for Upward Facing Dog pose.
My thanks to our conference co-coordinators and my dear friends, Patricia Walden and Linda DiCarlo, for their tireless efforts and their deep devotion that made this conference possible. Thanks also to all you workers and volunteers, in front of and behind the scenes for your invaluable and essential assistance. And, of course, thanks to all of you attendees for being here. Without you there wouldn't be any conference.
Enjoy the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in their autumn glory with Shaaron Honeycutt
Give yourself the gift of this weekend yoga retreat that will emphasize twists and restorative poses and includes a massage at the award winning Wintergarden Spa.
The weekend's schedule is as follows:
Friday November 7th
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Restorative Yoga: "Reflection on inner quiet and peace"
Saturday November 8th
9:00am -11:00am
Twists part 1: "Your core and spine - the axis of self"
12:45pm - 4:30pm
Break & Massage Appointments
5:00pm - 7:00pm
Restorative Yoga : "Expedition Inward"
Sunday November 9th
9:00am -11:00am
Give yourself the gift of this weekend yoga retreat that will emphasize twists and restorative poses and includes a massage at the award winning Wintergarden Spa.
The weekend's schedule is as follows:
Friday November 7th
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Restorative Yoga: "Reflection on inner quiet and peace"
Saturday November 8th
9:00am -11:00am
Twists part 1: "Your core and spine - the axis of self"
12:45pm - 4:30pm
Break & Massage Appointments
5:00pm - 7:00pm
Restorative Yoga : "Expedition Inward"
Sunday November 9th
9:00am -11:00am
Sept. 19-21, 2008
Please join me for my annual fall retreat held at the Acorn Inn in Nellysford, Virginia. Our schedule will be the same as in past years. There will be a total of 10 hours of instruction. We will begin Friday night at 6PM and end 1PM on Sunday after lunch. A complete schedule will be sent later.
This weekend is limited to 20 students. Please sign up early to guarantee your space.
Please join me for my annual fall retreat held at the Acorn Inn in Nellysford, Virginia. Our schedule will be the same as in past years. There will be a total of 10 hours of instruction. We will begin Friday night at 6PM and end 1PM on Sunday after lunch. A complete schedule will be sent later.
This weekend is limited to 20 students. Please sign up early to guarantee your space.
By now, given yoga's broad popularity, many people know that the word yoga means to unite or yoke together. When one moves past the common notion that yoga is mostly about exercise, flexibility, and relaxation and begins to delve into the underlying philosophy of yoga, one begins to encounter conceptually and experientially what this business of unity is really about. From the moment you stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) and ground through your feet, you become aware that the actions of your feet have a direct and palpable effect on your ankles, your legs, your spine, indeed, your entire body. In other words, all the parts of your body are connected to one another. Well, duh!
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