Be as well as you can be
Be as loving as you can be
See as far as you can see
Stretch and breathe and move freely
Yoga works at any age
Releasing limits at every stage
Lubes this machine, the bodily cage
With it our lives can turn a page
The practice keeps our fears at bay
Gives us a calm and serene day
And joy in life in work and play.
Carolyn Relei 2016
I want my students:
To develop and continue a lifelong personal yoga practice that embodies physical, spiritual and ethical precepts of yoga
To develop an awareness of the breath by learning the basic breathing practices (pranayama)
Awareness of the Yamas and Niyamas (observances and avoidances of yogis) and activation of those principles in everyday life
To become familiar with the relevant powerful messages of the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita
To include the simple daily eye exercises which are an integral part of the Sivananda lineage
To develop the ability to relax deeply in Savasana (corpse pose)
To develop the ability to live in the present moment, while savoring the past and preparing for the future
I hope you will:
Give yoga a chance to work - do some aspect of the practice daily for at least a half hour.
Compare yourself to no one. Yoga is a personal journey. Overall you will become more flexible over time while enjoying the immediate benefits in mood and calmness.
Ask questions and alert me if you have some unusual pains or reactions to the postures.
Only do what you can do comfortably. Back off a bit if you get to the point of pain when stretching into a posture. Don't ever go past the point of pain. Consistent practice over time will gently stretch out the most reluctant stiffness.
Wear comfortable clothing that you feel good in.
Avoid eating within 2 hours before class
Avoid scented products when practicing in a group setting
Exit class quietly, before or after, but not during, savasana. The relaxation pose works its magic best in an undisturbed environment.
To develop and continue a lifelong personal yoga practice that embodies physical, spiritual and ethical precepts of yoga
To develop an awareness of the breath by learning the basic breathing practices (pranayama)
Awareness of the Yamas and Niyamas (observances and avoidances of yogis) and activation of those principles in everyday life
To become familiar with the relevant powerful messages of the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita
To include the simple daily eye exercises which are an integral part of the Sivananda lineage
To develop the ability to relax deeply in Savasana (corpse pose)
To develop the ability to live in the present moment, while savoring the past and preparing for the future
I hope you will:
Give yoga a chance to work - do some aspect of the practice daily for at least a half hour.
Compare yourself to no one. Yoga is a personal journey. Overall you will become more flexible over time while enjoying the immediate benefits in mood and calmness.
Ask questions and alert me if you have some unusual pains or reactions to the postures.
Only do what you can do comfortably. Back off a bit if you get to the point of pain when stretching into a posture. Don't ever go past the point of pain. Consistent practice over time will gently stretch out the most reluctant stiffness.
Wear comfortable clothing that you feel good in.
Avoid eating within 2 hours before class
Avoid scented products when practicing in a group setting
Exit class quietly, before or after, but not during, savasana. The relaxation pose works its magic best in an undisturbed environment.
My first yoga teachers were ShivaRam, at the Cultural Integration Fellowship in San Francisco in 1967, who had a delightful way of presenting yoga postures with humor, grace, and unpretentious spirit and Swami Bhaktivedanta, later known as Prabhupada, who taught through lecture and chanting about yoga of devotion, bhakti yoga.
In 1969, I began my attempts to share a bit of what they taught with my own students.
In 1969, I began my attempts to share a bit of what they taught with my own students.
Through Yoga You Will:
Learn to breathe with attention
Move with fluidity and grace
Lessen internal stress, develop calm
Transform your fears into joy
Appreciate your own aliveness
Learn to breathe with attention
Move with fluidity and grace
Lessen internal stress, develop calm
Transform your fears into joy
Appreciate your own aliveness
