Dear Beautiful Yogi,
Over the last few years, my own yoga practice has gone through another revision process. As a result, so has my teaching. One thing that has influenced me quite a bit lately is functional movement practices and anatomy. Quite a few yoga teachers who have practices that span more than 20 years have had to have some major surgeries like hip replacements due to overuse and poor or extreme movement patterns.
It is interesting to realize two things that are very different for the modern practitioner:
- When some of the yoga texts were written, the average lifespan was probably about 45 years old. Needless to say, we are living well into our 80s and beyond.
- Additionally, we have added way more poses, taken those poses to deeper and more demanding levels and we are practicing a lot longer.
I have been practicing for almost 27 years nonstop and I would like to continue through the rest of my life. So the question then becomes, “What does a balanced practice look like?” I know for myself that a balanced practice is one that moves the body regularly and in a healthy way, and it includes pranayama and meditation. I want to be both strong and flexible, in my body and my mind. I want to stay vibrant, energetic and active and be peaceful and joyful.
As a result of seeing so many imbalances and movement patterns that pull people out of optimal alignment and that can literally create injuries, I have put together a weekend workshop where I will skillfully address some of these common issues. In this 4-class series, I address “the core” both in terms of anatomy and energetics. I will also cover the hips, shoulders, inversions (and alternatives to inversions) and restorative yoga. Come for the whole series or any single class! Learn more here.
I hope you will join me in understanding your body and your yoga practice with more sophistication and awareness.
Only Love & Yoga,
