First Class Free

  By Laura Mills

  With Halloween just past I’ve been thinking about disguises.  Like most kids I loved October 31. Over the course of my younger years I disguised myself as, among other things, Pebbles Flintstone, Raggedy Ann, a princess, a witch, a hippie (several times!), and a cat. But Halloween, of course, isn’t just for kids; for plenty of adults, dressing up as someone or something else is just...FUN.  

  Putting the festiveness of Halloween aside, I’m wondering why we love disguises so much. Not only on Halloween—after all, a disguise doesn’t require a mask, whiskers and a tail, or even unfamiliar clothes. However we go about it, we find comfort in fooling others about our identity, in others’ not knowing whom we really are. Think about it…as children, who among us didn’t at one time or another want to be invisible? Then, with time dawned the knowledge that we couldn’t make ourselves disappear, but we could do anything but. Now, short of donning fake fangs or a wig, we devise countless ways of hiding the person we are on the inside. Maybe it’s the tremendous relief from self-consciousness….

  Years ago, when I taught high school science, every October at least one student would ask me about my upcoming Halloween costume. I would always joke, “I’m going to be a chemistry teacher.” Today, I see the actual seriousness of that statement. The most difficult disguise to wear is no disguise at all. Appearing as the real you—heart, soul, and everything in between, within and without—is more frightening than dressing up in even the scariest Halloween costume. But I have no doubt it’s also the most worthwhile way to let the world see you. 

INTERMEDIATE VINYASA - PEAK POSE VISMAMISTRASANA - NOVEMBER 14, 2010

One wave taught and practiced from my video. Philosophical theme is not judging, letting go of self-consciousness

http://totalbodyyoga.smugmug.com/Other/Yoga-Video/14626334_ctxSf#1088205682_EJPLo-A-LB

WAVE 1

Childs pose

Wrist Stretches: Finger tip table floss shoulders, turn one hand around face knee, switch, turn back of hand around to face knee, switch

Half Thread the Needle

Thread the Needle:  Hold then dynamic keeping shoulder quiet-  all core action obliques

Half Thread the Needle dynamic

Thread the Needle side 2: hold then dynamic

Downward Dog

WAVE 2

Half Spinal balance to child's pose dynamic alternating each side

Full Spinal balance hold, 

Kneeling Side Plank

Gate Pose

Half Warrior B

Half Triangle then unsupported niralamba

Kneeling Side Plank

Flow 3 x's

Hold Kneeling Side Plank to Full Side Plank

Plank - basic vinyasa

Side 2

WAVE 3

Reverse Half Vinyasa: Upward facing plank to Dog pose repeat and flow (add optional chatarunga, plank)

Walk the dog to Uttanasana (forward fold)

Lift right leg - standing splits, lower

Stand up - lift left knee to crane

Warrior 3

Crane to Standing Pigeon Chair arms open, twist arms wide

Step forward Pyramid

Side 2: stand on left leg crane, warrior 3, crane to Standing Pigeon chair, twist, step back Pyramid

Standing splits left leg is up

WAVE 4 - Sun Salutation C with variation

Step back Half Lunge knee down circle arms up, lower

Step forward half way Pyramid inhale/exhale

Lift chest prepare jump or step back basic vinyasa

Step Left foot forward Half Lunge, pyramid, basic vinyasa

Flow and repeat 5-7 times

WAVE 5

Last time from Pyramid hold

Revolved Triangle

Revolved Half Moon B

Standing Splits

Warrior A with yoga mudra

Humble Warrior

Side Angle 

Warrior B

Dynamic Reverse Warrior to Side Angle Pose - a few times

Basic vinyasa

Side 2 repeat above

WAVE 6

Step to Low Lunge - Quad stretch

Half Warrior 2 prep

Half Splits

Half Vismamitrasana

Koundinyasana 

Basic Vinyasa

Side 2

WAVE 7 - LIKE MY VIDEO

Malasana front of mat

Cobbler (optional Supine Vismamitrasana)

Seated Forward Fold

Marychasana C twist

Janu Sirsasana twist

Kneeling Side Plank

Parsva Vasistasana 1 (variation of side plank legs split)

Sit to Upavista Konasana twist away then towards other leg

Wear leg on shoulder Seated Sundial pose (Seated Vismamistrasana)

Elephant arm balance - thread leg under

Half Vismamistrasana or Full Vismamistrasana

Koundinyasana 

Basic Vinyasa

Side 2

CLOSING WAVE

Malasana

Cobbler

Supine Cobbler

Finishing poses

The Heart is the Sun of the Soul - Shine out!

 November 14, 2010 

 The definition of self-conscious is "to be Conscious of one's self as an object of the observation of others."  There are good things and interesting things about this in that every day the way we live our lives we either serve as a positive example or a warning to other people.  We are under some scrutiny whether we like it or not. As Sally Field says,  "It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes." It is only when we allow the good opinion of other people to be more important than our own, that this self-consciousness becomes deeply detrimental to our happiness.  

 As a result of coming to the yoga mat I have grown both more aware of others judgments and less self-conscious all at the same time.  We step into the poses and we are alert to the presence of others but instead choose to focus on ourselves. We do the practice to be more conscious of our innate happiness and go beyond self-limiting belief.  We move and breath with the freedom that only comes from the light within: our hearts dancing with joy, long-held inhibitions vanishing until all self-doubt is erased!

To be honest this process may take more than just one class.

"We live in the most self-conscious society in the history of mankind.  There are good things in that, but there are also terrible things.  The worst of it is, that we find it hard to give ourselves to the process." - Larry Harvey says.  I agree.  The day I knew this enemy of love, self consciousness was no longer driving my life was when I felt the FLOW of the yoga poses and let the breath move me.  I gave myself to the process.  And everything changed.  I started to drop self-criticism along with being critical of others.  The judgment I feared from others no longer had power over me.  And in this video you can see how this translates into movement. 

http://totalbodyyoga.smugmug.com/Other/Yoga-Video/14626334_ctxSf#1088205682_EJPLo-A-LB

The choices I make I now honor as my own. And with every day I get more expert at doing the hardest yoga pose of all....Being Myself.  This is the pose I want you to learn more than any other too.  Love yourself, love your day, love your life, Silvia