Time passes.

I'm still here.   I'm still making sense of my heart surgery and now I'm facing a total hip replacement.   I've talked to some people about my experiences flatlining but have basically kept it as a skeleton in my closet to avoid having my ego think I am too special.   Get this.   We all cast off our bodies at some point and all have some kind of experience when we do that.   There is nothing special about it.  

Now if I'd come back with some kind of super power...

So the inflammation in my body after heart surgery seemed to turn on arthritis in my hip and basically ate away all my cartilage there. Adjusting to the pain, I've distorted my posture and messed up my walk.

I was reluctant to accept the surgery because I believe that given enough time, my body could heal.   Time is the question.   I've elected to get my hip fixed now in order to move forward, straighten out my body, and get mobile again.  

The cool thing is that throughout the deterioration of my hip joint I've had to rethink my yoga, my body image, and who I will become.   Now I get to be a beginner again and start that process all over.   I've been given the gift of the "do over".  

Remember when you first discovered yoga and how damn good it felt?   I get to do that again.


Namaste,


Dean

Losing weight as a practice

"I don't stop eating when I'm full.   The meal isn't over when I'm full.   It's over when I hate myself."

Louis C.K.

  

The Yoga Sutras are full of direct and implied commands that the yoga process is that…it is a process.   The only thing we really do in yoga is practice again and again.   We don't really practice to get it right because we are different every time we get on the mat.  We just keep moving through it. 

Don’t you love it when your kids are gurus?  I have a son who is now a piano professor and a performer.   We never had to make him practice the piano.  He loves to practice.   He sometimes drove us crazy with his practicing.   

He has taught me that practice is its own thing.   It is its own reward.   Surrendering to the process is what works.   Of course he practices to make it perfect---he has a goal in mind but he knows he will never reach perfection and he is cool with that.   He loves the process of moving toward it.  

Think about letting go of the goal.   The practice is the goal.   Just process.  

Using yoga as our vehicle, our metaphor---off the mat, we also practice eating better and less than we can not concerned with the outcome.   We know our bodies will change.   We know that we can trust the process.   If we eat less, move more, breathe and release our stress---we will let go of our excess weight.

Let's surrender to it and love the process we are in.   How fulfilling would that be?

Maybe we can even try on a little gratitude for having weight as an issue in this lifetime.   It is so direct. It is right in front of us.   So in our face!

I trust the process of life and I am safe.

Namaste!

Dean

The Scale

So our group, Yoga and Weight Loss, starts this coming Tuesday!  What do we do about the scale?  Remember that we aren't doing weekly group weigh-ins.

We all know the problems with the scale---good days when you are losing and not-so-good when you aren't.  The worse thing is that you can be losing and the last thing to notice is the scale!   You and your clothes notice it.   Your friends and family notice it.   Yet, the damn scale shows a weight gain of .5 ounces!  Maddening to say the least.

Eventually the scale catches up to what is going on but the time lag can be a killer.

We have the option to just put the scale aside for awhile, focus on our yoga practice, meditation (short),  eating "less than we can", and trusting the process.

We will lose weight.

Namaste,

Dean

Three Day Weekend

No class on Memorial Day at the WRAC. See you Wednesday night!

I am going to be teaching at Wenatchee Valley College, Fall Quarter, Tuesday nights. I'm looking forward to being back.

Feeling Gomukhasana--Cow Faced Pose. It is going to be the focus of my practice this next week. I'm getting in that baby and holding it---but not my breath. Loving what it does for my exterior hip flexors! I'm starting with 1 minute on each side and then working toward longer holds. I'll just be doing the legs so I can concentrate on keeping both hips lowered and let gravity and my breath do its stuff.

I will follow it up with Ardha Matsyandrasana---Half Lord of the Fishes---to get a really good twist. I'm also perpetually working on opening my shoulders in this pose so I can really get around.

Have a great rest of the weekend. Think of something you are grateful for on your next exhale.

Namaste,

Dean

Doing less than you can...quickly!

My classes move quickly. No one can ever accuse me of offering a Power RESTORATIVE Yoga Class. Although that sounds kind of good.

My classes are quick because I've found that is what gets results. There are slow aspects but most of the close is true vinyasa style---one breath/one movement.

Taking responsibility and doing what is appropriate for you is part of surrendering to your inner guru. In my classes or anyone else's, you need to hang on to who you are and what you want out of the class. Now---I'm going to encourage you to push your comfort zone and try to get you to do a little bit more but ultimately it has to be your choice.

We did some crazy moves last week to see if we couldn't connect with the piriformis muscle. The most effective started by getting into Banarasana, Monkey Pose. Start on your hands and knees and lunge your right foot to the outside of your right hand. While bending the back knee, grab your back foot--same side hand as foot. Continue to let the hip move forward. It works! However, it also had a slight tendency to make the hamstring cramp up in a few people. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction! Be careful.

Give it a try. Breathe deep...and see you in class! Remember if you want to try my class at the WRAC, just let the front desk know and they'll give you a free pass.

Namaste,

Dean

Yoga challenge

Here is your yoga challenge for today.

Get in a plank position---Santolanasana---and extend one arm forward palm in and lift the opposite leg. Hold it for as long as you can but keep breathing. Repeat on the other side! Work up to it. The first time could be quick.

Now move into Vashistasana---side plank pose.

Come back to a plank position and walk your hands as far forward as you can and hold the position. Breathe!

You are amazing and don't you forget it!


Namaste,

Dean

Beyond Brawny Power Yoga

Check this article out by Zach Gillmann on the Testosterone Nation website.

It is called, YOGA, YES YOGA, FOR BIG BASTARDS.

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/yoga_yes_yoga_for_big_bastards

Zach Gillmann gives his 6 essential poses. He includes Prayer Squat or Malasana as one of his poses. Looks good!

Namaste,

Dean

New Yoga Circuit

Yoga Circuit #2

I had to include the picture of Arnold in Utkatasana with a little weight on his back! Take a deep breath and here you go!


1. Warm up gently and then fold over in Uttanasana. Grab your elbows and feel the breath move in and out. Soften the knees a little and go a little lower. Establish your intention to breathe and stay moving through the entire sequence. When you’ve ready come on up and get started.
2. Start with 2 Surya Namaskara A’s or your favorite Sun Salutation.
3. Move right into an Utkatasana, Chair Pose, flow. With hands over head, biceps by ears, move into Utkatasana on the inhale and back up to standing on the exhale. Keep the breath and the movement flowing 10 times. Have your feet shoulder width apart and go deep in the squat. Let your rear go!
4. 2 Surya Namaskara A’s.
5. Chatturanga Dandasana (pushups) in a flow. 10 of them. Inhale up and exhale down.
6. 2 Surya Namaskara A’s
7. Navasana (Boat Pose) flow. Inhale in Navasana exhale Ardha Navasna ---lowering legs halfway and the lower back to the floor 10 times.
8. 2 more Surya Namaskara A’s
9. Banarasana Flow, Monkey Pose. From Adho Mukha Svanasana, Down Dog, lunge with the right foot to the outside of the right hand. Return the foot and lunge with the left foot to the outside of the left hand. Inhale on the lunge and exhale on the return. Do 10 on each side.
10. Repeat the entire sequence.
11. Finish out with Baddha Konasana, Butterfly Pose, Paschimottanasana, Forward Fold, Jathari Parivarttanasana, on your back twist.
12. Savasana!

Namaste!

Dean

Fire Salutation

This one gets your fire going whether the room is heated or not! Concentrate on your breath keeping it smooth, deep and flowing. Do it quick or do it slow, make it your dance!

Agni Namaskara---Fire Salutation

Start standing in Tadasana

On an exhale fold over into Uttanasana

Inhale keep your hands down, look up and flatten your back

Lunge taking your right foot back looking forward

Put your right hand down, lift your left arm up, turn and look toward your left hand---Parivritta Parsvakonasana

Switch arms, right arm up, left arm down---Utthita Parsvakonasana

Both hands come down to the floor as you push through into Down Dog---Adho Mukha Svanasana

Exhale as you drop knees, chest, chin down to the floor, rear in the air moving into into Ashtanga Namaskara

Lower completely down to the floor and place your hands under shoulders, elbows in tight, inhale and come to Cobra Pose---Bhujanghasana

Inhale and push yourself back to Down Dog---Adho Mukha Svanasana----take a big exhale

Keeping your toes kept curled under, flow through to Up Dog on an inhale and on the next exhale move back to Down Dog, keeping the movement going for 5 breaths---Urdhva Mukha Svanasna Kriya 5 X

Lunge again---right leg forward looking forward

As you exhale, bring the left foot up next to the right bending over in Uttanasana

Inhale to look up and flatten your back, exhale back down

Huge inhale to standing---Tadasana

Hands together in front of your heart on an exhale---Samasthiti

Woo Hoo! You've got another side. Repeat the series.

Namaste,

Dean

Is it working?

Maybe it is enough to just remind ourselves that no matter however we perform these 5,000 year-old poses they work.

Sometimes I think I haven't progressed at all. I have a lot of the same old obstacles in my practice and my life. My inner dialog usually runs something like this: "You know nothing. How could you possibly teach? Your hips are tighter than ever. You sweat too much. You aren't breathing correctly. Stop enjoying this. Why aren't you enjoying this? Your life is a mess. Look in the mirror. Stop looking in the mirror."

For me the self-criticizing inner voice is where the struggle really is and thank God for the mat. Right there, on the floor, I'm confronted by my ever present fearful and critical self. That voice is unforgiving, never satisfied, and a task master. It is voice of the ego. I know that no matter what pose I'm in, my task is to be aware of that voice and accept it for what it is. I am not that voice. I can't fight it, I can only breathe into it and allow it to slowly quiet down.

The incredible thing about yoga is that no matter how we approach it, it works. What ever position we are in, we're going to come right up against our egos, who think they are running the show and our bodies. The wonderful thing is that there is something else in us that is loving, accepting, and on our side. As we quiet the ego, there it is, just a breath away.

Namaste,

Dean

Get on your mat

Home Practice 2

1. On your back, feet flat on the floor knees up---breathing in and then pressing the lower back into the floor on the exhale 8x
2. Same position, three part breath 5x (Dirgha Pranayama)
3. Roll over onto all fours coming into Child’s Pose
4. From here come to Down Dog/Adho Mukha Svanasana
5. Uttanasana---standing bent over and grabbing elbows releasing the back
6. Slowly come up into Tadasana.
7. Surya Namaskara A---take it slow for 2x
8. Surya Namaskara B---2x ending in Down Dog
9. Come to standing and Side Bend on both sides
10. Simple Balancing pose---Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana/peace fingers grab your big toe and extend
11. Vinyasa into Warrior I, Warrior II, Reverse Warrior, Triangle and Reverse Triangle,
12. Repeat other side---Warrior I, Warrior II, Triangle, Reverse Triangle
13. Lunge to Prayer Twist and then to Eka Pada Raja Kapotanasana/Pigeon---then repeat on the other side
14. Come to standing and then Vinyasa down to a seated position
15. Paschimottanasana/Seated Forward Fold
16. Navasana/Boat Pose----work those abs
17. Roll onto your back for Lying Twist
18. Savasana
19. NAMASTE!