ONE LOVE

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Everyone’s yoga experience is different.  Some people come to the practice for the workout, some for relaxation. Some bodies show up flexible, while others appear less so.  To me, the beauty of yoga and the true treasure of its practice, lays within the transition and transformation not only of the bodies’ participating in the discipline, but the minds and hearts of those committed.

Life in many ways is like this. We meet someone and immediately label them with certain characteristics such as friendly, aloof, quiet, loud, and so on. But if you think about it, we really only become privy to a snapshot of someone’s makeup, a mere flash of the whole composition, and more often than not – our idea of who they are is greately influenced by this, altering the experience of them based on our own perceptions.

Its easy to walk into a yoga class with an individual purpose, set your mat down next to a stranger and move through a sequence.  During the class you begin to get to know this stranger based on his or her practice, unconsciously characterising them based on what the body reveals.  Perhaps it may appear they can “do everything” and you may find yourself comparing your abilities to theirs.  Its interesting to observe our tendencies to do that.  To judge ourselves in the reflection of someone else.  But why the consistent practice community is so transformative has little to do with what the bodies’ can do, but rather what  they teach us about compassion, empathy, patience and love.

I had a student tell me today that its amazing to every day see the poses where its easy and challenging for different people, and watching them work through it – the frustration, disappointment, joy, confidence, strength etc..  I am grateful for the courage and dedication of these people, who show up day after day and teach all of us in that room generously and egolessly through their bodies  - offering us not only a snapshot, but the entire film with all its layers and imperfections – the “big picture” if you will.  This is the true teacher of yoga, for in learning to choose to see and embrace the beauty in others limitations, we can  accept them in ourselves and understand that they are not in fact limitations but opportunities to open and fill our hearts with more love than we ever thought possible.

<3, Alana

 

PAUSE FOR PEAKS / A YOGA HEALS FUNDRAISER EVENT

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YOGA HEALS // Join us Saturday, April 21st for a Vinyasa yoga special class, hosted by Sangha Yoga Shala founder Alana Kessler. Alana understands the healing powers of yoga and will be sharing her practice & insight with us. All proceeds benefit the B4BC Survivorship Fund. Space is limited so sign up now! Those who participate in the class will receive a gift bag with retail items valued over $200.

Pause for Peaks is a “Be Healthy, Get Active” fundraiser; a collaborative effort between Sangha Yoga Shala and the B4BC Yoga Heals program. B4BC (Boarding for Breast Cancer) is a 501(c)(3) youth-focused non-profit foundation that advocates early detection + a healthy, active lifestyle as the best means of breast cancer prevention. Since 1996, B4BC has been dedicated to providing education, prevention and support programs including B4BC Yoga Heals, a community-organized yoga events that are organized in support of breast cancer survivors. Participants experience the rewarding preventative health benefits that yoga provides as well as the emotional satisfaction found by giving back. *Funds raised directly support The B4BC Survivorship Fund, which connects breast cancer survivors with nature-based wellness retreats in order to enhance their path of healing and long-term survivorship.

click to register

GO SLOWLY

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In my pre-pregnancy life I was typically running just late enough that rushing would almost always get me where I was going on time. This rushing became fully habitual as I began to plan to leave the house, or schedule time between appointments, based on the amount of time I would need if I rushed from place to place. This pace had taken over so fully that even when I didn’t have a particular place to be at a particular time, I could still be seen walking as fast as my little legs could carry me.

For years I have been telling my students that pregnancy is an important time to take things more slowly and move more mindfully.  There are several reasons for this, but one big one is because of the hormone relaxin. Relaxin is released immediately after conception and rises until about 14 weeks, where it remains constant until labor, when there is another significant increase. Relaxin loosens tendons, muscles and ligaments, necessary to allow the body to stretch to accommodate and birth baby, but also makes sprains and strains more common and slower to heal. Although I’ve been relaying this information for years, it was my husband who reminded me in one of those rushing-for-no-particular-reason-moments. “Where ya goin’ so fast, Rushie?” Oh right, now I’M pregnant and I have to listen to my own advice.

So after about a month or so filled with lots of emails and texts saying “Aaah, running 15 minutes late…again…sorry…” I think I’ve just about figured out the speed where my pregnant body wants to operate. And, I must say, I didn’t know what I was missing by my habitual rushing–everything from the newly blooming flowers, the faces of my neighbors and so many babies in our neighborhood, the sound of the birds,the list goes on, but the most profound for me was the calm that comes with moving through the world mindfully.

I leave you with the words of Thich Naht Hahn, which have become my mantra: “Smile, breathe, and go slowly.”

Aimee Karr is a DONA trained labor support doula, and yoga teacher specializing in prenatal, postnatal and restorative yoga. For more about Aimee visit www.aimeemccabe.com/yoga

HOT VINYASA YOGA at SANGHA

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WHY HOT VINYASA YOGA?

In our hot vinyasa classes, the room is intentionally heated between 95˚ and 103˚ with controlled humidity and air purification systems to balance oxygen levels and eliminate bacteria, viruses and odors.  Heat encourages the body to adapt to changing environments while softening the collagen around the joints for greater mobility, muscle efficiency, cardiac output and circulation including decreased blood pressure and increased lung capacity.  Additionally, heat aids in the release of endorphins, which act as a natural mood booster helping to relieve stress and decreasing anxiety. The process of sweating also exfoliates and rejuvenates the skin, the largest organ of your body.

Summary of Benefits

Increased flexibility especially for athletes

Efficient toning and fat burning while increasing metabolism

Removal of cellular waste allowing for better circulation

Increased Immunity

TIPS

Don’t ‘push’ yourself too hard for your first few Hot Vinyasa classes and allow time to get used to the postures, breath, and temperature.

Drink at least 10 glasses of water per day

Refrain from eating a full meal 2-3 hours before class, choose fruit or juice instead

Take small sips of water during class to stay hydrated (20oz)

Drink plenty of water after class

Raw Emotion

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As I sit down to write this post, I am struck by the pure humanity that lives in all of us.  The inherent desire and visceral need to be heard, touched, understood, and most of all loved. As my biggest and most influential music hero passed away over the weekend, after years of a very public battle with addiction, which in her later years almost overshadowed the divine gift of her voice, it reaffirmed to me how addiction is a disease whose grip is unforgiving and sometimes life ending.

There were many reasons why I loved Whitney Houston.  Her voice was the soundtrack to my early childhood and adolescence, the vibration to which I connected to my soul. When I was dancing to her songs in my bedroom, hairbrush in hand, performing to the mirror which to me represented thousands of fans, I was home.  I emulated her sound, her interpretation, her lyrical majesty in my performances with only a sliver of a prayer that one day I could gain a mastery over my instrument as she had hers.

As I grew up, I began to understand Whitney on another level.  I was in Highschool when the news of Whitney’s addiction to drugs became public scandal.  Im not sure how many people can truly understand the depths of the disease, in fact I can with all confidence say that unless you have been to the edge, a place so lonely, disparaged, hopeless and helpless, there is no way.  It is a solitary darkness, isolating in its illusion and remarkable resolve to sustain itself while maintaining functionality in society…. but only to a point.  After some time, just like any disease, the cracks start to show, the clarity starts to dim, sharpness begins to dull, and even the most gifted and brightest of stars begin to fall.

…Love gone wrong. When it began, it was the perfect escape, a friend.  A casual relationship numbing out the loud voice of insecurity, judgement, doubt and fear, maybe even offering a healthy dose of self confidence.  The seduction is in its long game, as the disease knows that time will increase our dependency and in turn its power.  If given enough of it, freeing ourselves from its chains will be a war with as many casualties as victors.

After news of Whitney Houston’s untimely death, and tears poured out of my eyes as I watched riveted at the media coverage trying to make sense of it in my mind, I realized she had lost to her demon, whereas I had not.  I saw myself in her till the end. Battling with an eating disorder for the better part of a decade, I know the unexplained subconscious self hatred which finds you staring down the hole of a toilet bowl, the syringe of a needle, the blade of a knife or the timeless abyss of a casino, the worst part being in the knowing that this is emptiness, the addiction no longer protecting us with its charm …making deals with God for the strength to make it through and come out the other side, promising for this to be the last time and if you make it through to ask for help.

Whitney sang of love, strength, faith and promise throughout the three decades of her career.  Her music and artistry inspired and provided me with the fortitude in which to apply my gift as a means to forgive myself and find the courage to accept and embrace my imperfections, opening the door for the life, learning and service I am blessed with experiencing today.  I am deeply saddened that my childhood hero has suffered such a tragic fate, and though she was loved by many – loving yourself truly is the greatest love of all.

<3

Alana

 

 

My Mysore Practice

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I recently began a Mysore Ashtanga practice under the guidance of Alana Kessler at Sangha. I have been practicing Ashtanga primary series in the led (or guided) format off and on for about four years now. A dear friend of mine, Emily, shared her love of this ancient and sacred yoga tradition with me and then when I felt I had enough courage I began attending classes at my studio (O2) in Boston. I was immediately drawn to the practice. I always came out feeling lighter in both the mind and the body – like I had sweat out all of my toxins – purifying, stretching, and building strength in my physical body, while simultaneously clearing all the clutter in my mind. There was something about the focus on breath and the pace that captivated me right away. I felt that the rhythmic feeling and sound of my own breath together with the audible breath of all the other practitioners in the room helped me to stay present on my mat – connected, focused, calm, attentive. And there was no doubt I was getting a work-out – I felt like every muscle in my body had been worked and stretched. My heartbeat raced and I was drenched with sweat. I felt whole and complete, strong and rejuvenated after every class.

After awhile, I started to wonder about Mysore – the style of Ashtanga where instead of practicing the full series led by a teacher, poses are given to you one by one as the teacher feels you are ready to accept them and incorporate them into your practice – both physically and energetically. I had always been extremely intimidated by Mysore – and was under the false impression that you needed to be at a certain advanced level to even begin. It is absolutely meant for all levels of practitioners. If you’ve never practiced Ashtanga before your practice might be short to begin – as you also need to be able to memorize the sequence that has been given to you and continue to practice it in the same order before the teacher adds additional postures. The structure is a little different than what you might be used to – you come in, set up your mat, and go. At first, the room seemed too quiet. It was almost distracting and I felt so alone with my experience – without a teacher guiding and counting my breath, cueing, and filling the room with sound and instruction. But very quickly I began to appreciate the silence. I fully let my breath guide my movement – breathing in to lengthen, breathing out to twist or fold more deeply. It was incredible. I had time. So much time to breathe. Time to really begin exploring the shape of the postures within my own body, how they felt to me, that day and in that moment. Time to go further and deeper if I wanted, and to hold back and take extra breaths when I felt I needed them. In essence, you learn to become your own teacher and to guide yourself through the sequence. But you’re never alone. Alana was and is always there – offering expertise and her guidance as needed, providing suggestions and adjustments, answering my questions, helping work through areas of injury and tension, and holding a space where I continue to feel safe and nurtured.

This is only the beginning of my Mysore journey, a practice I hope to persevere for many years to come, and I feel grateful and blessed to have found both a strong, knowledgeable teacher and a beautiful community in which to practice.

Everything Old is New Again

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I love to write.  I especially love to write inspirations and revelations that come to me through my practice and share them with you.  The thing is, sometimes there is just nothing I can think of to say – there are no tidbits of knowledge I can impart without sounding contrived or like Ive just switched on the ‘yoga teacher voice’,  so on occasion I’ll resort to the poem or quote by some anonymous or acclaimed writer to stay connected and impart how the practice is so much greater than shapes on a mat.  I love the way words can sometimes take an emotion and make it relatable to others, and how sometimes a short and sweet sentence or paragraph can be very successful as I patiently wait for a wisdom nugget to shine its light upon my consciousness.

While I was resting in savasana (final relaxation) today, I reflected upon how different and challenging many of the “beginner” postures I have been practicing for years have been feeling lately. My personal Ashtanga yoga practice requires I practice the same sequence of poses every day, occasionally adding in new postures guided by the discretion of my teacher, based on an intelligent system and sequence intended to  support each individual’s health, age, stamina and lifestyle.  I choose to teach this same system in my classes, because I believe it to be the most effective and transformative vehicle through which to gain the benefits of yoga on a physical, subtle and emotional level.

In this style of yoga, its easy to get caught up with the “new poses”, as there is a certain level of excitement and confidence gained from the notion of being validated that we are going somewhere or moving forward in some way.  But really, where are we going? Is there really a forward, a stagnant, or a backward?  Are we really ever moving in a linear direction or is that just some idea that our mind has conjured up to make sense out of existing at all?

Today, when I was thinking about how much newer, different and challenging the older poses felt in my body in relation to when I began practicing, and how much they continue to teach me something new every year even though the outline and label remains relatively the same, I realized how circular and vibrational everything is.  How it is a disservice to ourselves and our growth as people to assume that there is anywhere to go or that one experience can offer more gains than another.  The truth is there is newness and inspiration to be had in every experience regardless if it’s repetitive, old, or undefined by language.  Our only job is to use our lives and our practice to cultivate the humility, curiosity and patience to notice.

<3

Alana

 

A Sangha Shabbat

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Please join us!

For questions, updates and to join our mailing list email info@sanghayoganyc.com

A Sangha Shabbat

6:30-745 Traditional Vinyasa Flow* (led by Hanniel Levenson)
8-9:15 Sabbath Practice

Pre-register for class here

Join the mixed multitude in the continuum of the mythical mystical paths of the worlds traditions.
Shabbat is rooted in the sitting practice of distinguishing the sacred from the profane through chanting, teaching, and story.
Find your voice – Share your voice – Find your silence – Share your silence. Prerequisites are an open heart, an open mind, and yoga clothes if you are coming to flow.

Bring a dish of food, a musical instrument, or a libation for the practice.

*The Sabbath Practice is free, see Sangha Yoga Shala for yoga class drop-in costs with the option to pre-pay.
Come to one or both!

Boundless Practice

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Yoga is a journey.

If there is one thing we learn as we embark on this endless road towards unity and nothingness, its that it’s layered.  And not the kind of layers, you can see coming – like a trifle or a cake, but more like a really good consistent hairstyle.  The kind of hairstyle, where the shapes and angles are so skillful and the layers are so perfectly imperceptible that what results is a wonderfully integrated albeit ever evolving masterpiece.

Yoga is the same in its natural state of flux, yet constant refinement.  As a student and teacher, I am motivated by the idea of the boundless practice.  Exploring deeper into the layers of my discipline, a common thread appears throughout many of the classes I’ve attended over the years – this being the intention of transcending boundaries.  As we move through a class, guided by an instructor, we are encouraged to come to the edge of our understanding of ourselves and our perceived limitations and go further – confront fear, judgement, uncertainty, and imperfection head on.  Swim in the supportive waters of surrender and compassion and allow faith to lead us into another hidden layer of the practice – A place where the opportunity to begin and refine the cycle again awaits.

It was during one of these times that I had a thought.  Yoga teaches us to expand our consciousness – be in the world and of the world at the same time.  Perceive the big picture with the same precision as the small picture. I wondered if its possible that after years of transcending boundaries in a space supported and constructed by someone else – had this experience now become the boundary itself?  Was I at my edge and if so, where to go from here?

An introduction to Mysore-style ashtanga yoga gifted me with the endless ‘edge’ I have been seeking by providing a foundation in which there is no ceiling – there is no organized time limit or choreography with a start and an end. The structure of a class is a supervised self – practice to be invested in over a lifetime in which the postures serve as an opportunity to practice a breathing system which only commence when breathing is no longer.  Without a traditional instructor leading the class, a set series of postures are taught sequentially and conscientiously by a trusted teacher over time one on one, while being practiced at an individual pace during the allotted class hours amongst other practitioners practicing the same system. A teacher, present at all times to assist and answer questions if needed, allows for the flexibility and personal accountability to truly experience the expansiveness of boundless practice.

<3

Alana