There are a few schools of thought on whether or not music should be played in a yoga class.  Some say it’s distracting you from your practice, others say it enhances the practice.  I feel many different ways about it.  As a yoga teacher I feel that it’s best to go with the mood and feeling of the students and the group energy.  Some days I feel like a group collective energy and rhythm deserve a fun vibe.  Last Thursday night in class I taught a Yin/Yang class.  First beginning with the Yang or more energizing portion of the practice. Bob Marley was the first thing on the playlist that came up. It worked wonderfully and of course who doesn’t love BOB?  Moving and dancing a little to “Three Little Birds” and transitioning into balancing poses with “Redemption Song”.  As we settled back to the floor moving into the Yin portion or calming, grounding low to the ground postures held for a few minutes at a time I changed the music to a bit classical some gentle kirtan and mantra music.  It was beautiful to watch and experience the energy shift in the room.  Some people are able to lose themselves in the music.

Of course the other side of using music is being distracted.  All day, everyday we are exposed to sounds and sights, enough to bod down the mind and keep a person stressed out even during yoga class.  I happen to take classes with an amazing instructor who does not play music during instruction.  The sounds in the room are many breathing persons having their own experience.  No distractions, just you and your breath.  The breath keeps you present.  When you’re not breathing, where are you?  Come back to the breath.  It’s so simple.  What ever you choose stay in the moment and enjoy the ride.

Having just returned from an amazing adventure in Australia a few things came up.  It’s a country, yes.  It’s a HUGE country with a coast all around it.  North, South, East and West.  Even diagonally there is a coast.  The majority of the population live along the coasts with less living in the desert regions of the country.  So it’s a country that’s also it’s own continent.  It sits out there all by itself in the middle of the ocean like a really big island.  Leading me to my next statement.  Yes, by all definition it also counts as an island.  It’s surrounded completely by water…hmmm.  Well all that aside it’s an amazing place.  The contrasts from the North to the South are not too extreme, but there is also the fact that in the North they are closer to the equator.  So yes, it’s warmer in the north and cooler in the south.  In fact it’s pretty much opposite from America even in the seasons.  As we approach winter they are approaching summer and lots’ of heat.  I ca definitely see the appeal of following the sun around the planet.  If you plan it just right, and stay in southern Cal, you can pretty much spend summer here and then summer there.  It’s tempting as I am a native of southern Cal and love this weather.

I can also see why you meet so many Aussies here, and in Hawaii of course.  They are pretty much like us.  I found Australia to be very Americanized.  The differences are basically the accent, which I was told the difference is the we pronounce our very vowels slowly.  They are in a hurry all the time, speaking fast and the driving thing.  They drive on the other side of the road and of course the other side of the car.  Fun and challenging.

They also like Yoga, yay!!  All along the trip, which was about 2 weeks and very full, I took Yoga classes.  I find that their classes tend to be a bit more traditional.  With Ashtanga and Iyengar being the main styles.  I guess being closer to India can have it’s advantages.  In comparison I guess the “California style” yoga tends to be a bit more free form or free flowing.  In any event, I love Yoga!!!  So I’m happy either way to take a class and learn something new.

I love traveling.  It makes me appreciate all that I have, all that I am able to experience and all that is yet to come.  I can’t wait until the next trip.  Next time…New Zealand!

Pratyahara is one of the 8 limbs of Ashtanga Yoga.  It is the 5th limb coming after the Yamas, Niyamas, Asana and Pranayama.  It is, in my opinion, one of the most challenging limbs of your yoga practice.  As a student of yoga as well as a teacher I find this one of the more difficult to practice, and a challenge to teach.  Living in Los Angeles, something I never thought would happen 10 years ago, I find myself easliy distracted.

There is always something to awaken the mind stuff (chitta vritta) be it sounds of horns honking, trash trucks in the alleys, neighbors “loud talking”, smells of garlic from every single restaurant in the neighborhood, smells of jasmine, freshly cut grass, people everywhere, and of course what yoga class to take, from which teacher, at which studio, today.  So many decisions to make all day everyday it’s easy to forget what your intentions were that morning.

As a student I have been consciously trying to withdraw from all of these distractions.  As I walk to take or teach a class I focus on my breath, inhale…exhale…right foot…left foot…oh look a squirrel, how cute!  I think it is coming over to me, hi squirrel, oh look at those red morning glories, so vibrant and colorful, oh look that car needs a wash, I should wash my car too…hmmm, maybe I’ll do that in between classes today.  Inhale…exhale…right foot…left foot.  I’m back.

As a teacher I try to incorporate pratyahara into the students’ asana practice.  First, unroll the mat, get quiet, pay attention.  Let go of all you see, close your eyes.  Let go of all you hear, just listen to your breath.  This past Sunday morning at Equinox for the Vinyasa class we practiced a withdrawal of the senses.  No music, just the sound of ujjayi, no struggling, no efforting.  If you start to check out the person next to you, notice and come back to your practice, your mat.  What you are doing is perfect for you, as what the other student is doing is perfect for them.  That is what is so perfect about the practice of yoga.  Whether it is physical or mental, just remember it’s all about you.  The room was a bevy of sound even thought there was no music.  It was beautiful to hear!!!

Last night we had an earthquake and I felt alive.  Really alive, or more like awake.  When the earth quakes and rattles, rolling around I feel like it’s adjusting itself as we would in a yoga posture.  Energy freeing- apanasana.  Getting out all the kinks and tightness as it gets ready for resting-savasana.  Or so I like to think.

This morning I skipped yoga for a walk on the beach and came home to find out the Guruji Pattabhi Jois, the man who is responsible for the Astanga movement in the west passed away today.  Myself, like so many other yogis have been influenced immensely by this one person who has passed down generations of knowledge and wisdom for those on the path of yoga.  I feel a sense of sadness for even though I have never studied with or met Guruji, my life has been profoundly impacted by his existence.  I believe people come into our lives for so many reasons.  Some are here on the planet for a short period of time and have such an impact on our lives we are eternally grateful.  Others may be with us a lot longer and we are unable to see the shifts and changes that have occurred because of their influence and their presence in our everyday lives.  And then there are those we never meet but help to bend and shape who we are as people.

We all have a reason to be here.  We all affect someone, or lots of someones whether we know it or not.  We come into this world with an open mind, curiosity and excitement.  The intention is to keep all of these things.  As we grow we are able to take these gifts of openness, curiousness and sheer excitement and apply them into our everyday lives.  Open heart, open mind, open spirit, open eyes.

Walking into Jerome’s class this morning and Buena Vista Social Club is playing on the ipod. I unroll my mat and lay back just listening to the low chatter of people socializing and the backbeat of bongos and funky beats.  There is a nice vibe in the studio.  It’s Funky Friday and of course it sounds cool and when he says it with a French accent you think sounds fun, right?  For me this means it could be very challenging, or very creative.

Today was a lttle bit of both.  One would also assume that with a Funky Friday yoga class there would be some sort of groovy, vibey beat music.  Not so with Jerome’s class.  Did I mention that there is no music?  He plays music before class and then after class.  The only music you hear while you practice is the sing song sound of his voice mixed with your breathing.  It’s quite beautiful, by the way, to hear 30 plus people breathing in rhythm together.  Music, movement, meditation.  There is electricity in the room you can feel as students find their way.  His sequencing as always is different and surprising.

The focus seemed to be on hip openers and arm balances, both my favorite and both my most challenging.  Lucky me.  Let me see if I can describe.  Downward dog splits to plank to chatturanga back to plank (all with the right leg lifted) then to knee on outside of right arm to eka pada koundinyasana (Flying splits) to chatturanga, through vinyasa…switch sides, on and on and on.  I think I tried to rest once in Child’s pose and he said we’ll wait for Athena to continue.  Great.  I was up quick.   And so after you’re drenched and tired and ready for a mellow hip opener we do even more arm balances, bhujapidasana (Shoulder pressing) after lots of backbends of course to release the back.

Then when I think I just cannot do another thing…it’s time, Savasana.  Yay for savasana.  I don’t think it can ever be long enough for me.  I love this pose for so many reasons.  Today I loved it for finally being able to rest.

Remember when you were a teenager and the most important thing in your life, besides what you were wearing to school, was what music you listened to?  Your music defined who you were and who your friends were and your moods, and your style.  When I was in high school there was reggae/ska, hop-hop, punk, old parents rock that was now cool because you just found it.  Remember the first time you heard The Doors or Jimi Hendrix, or Led Zeppelin?  I found the albums in my parents collection along with Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye.  Apparently at some point my parents were cool.  Who knew.  The reason I bring this up is because now I am in the category of an “older person” who talk about how much I love music.

Once again at Vistamar high school I am reminded of you teen years and the similarity of that which never changes, our love of music.  As a teenager you are being told what to do, how to do it, where to go and when.  For some reason music is an escape.  We can listen to a song that brings up certain feelings or emotions and ride those emotions.  Remember your first concert?  Remember every one after that?  Seeing your favorite band live?  Saving up from your part time job or doing chores to make extra cash so you could go?  Or last resort…begging?  My first concert was in 1982, The US festival.  It was in the Augora Hills in the middle of nowhere.  It was 100 degrees and my best friend and I went.  I was 12 and my step dad brought us.  Yes, I got to see The Cars, The Police, The B-52’s, Oingo Boingo, The Beat, and more.  Funny these bands are mostly still around.  In any event that defined me and paved the way for a life love affair with music.

I still get to use music of all genres today.  I play music while I teach Yoga classes.  I have different themes and sometimes shuffle the IPOD just for fun.  So coming back to the high school Yoga Class we have started sharing our playlists during Yoga.  For the past two weeks they have been making up playlists with their favorite musical selections.  I have to say I am impressed.  One of the kids, Noah is a musician and guitarist and lives for his music.  The quote yesterday, after we listened to his playlist, was “I spend 40% of my life thinking about, listening to, and playing music”. Ben another outspoken student, who happens to like hip-hop, asked him what he did with the other 60% of his time.   Whatever it was it didn’t sounds as cool. It’s like music is an escape from all the stresses of high school.  So in Noah’s playlist was The Beastie Boys, Santana, and Sublime.  Santeria was very interesting for Savasana.

There is a gap that is bridged when music is involved.  No matter the age we all can relate to how we felt the first time we heard Stairway to Heaven or Mirror in the Bathroom.  I never thought I’d be that person who said “When I was your age…”, but I am.  I can’t help it because like these kids music is my life.

I took a class this morning with my favorite teacher.  Jerome at Santa Monica Power Yoga.  It’s very early and very challenging.  I think the hardest part of the class is getting out of my warm bed to walk 6 blocks in the cold, because I feel guilty for driving 6 blocks.  Making that decision to get out of bed and being told to move my body in ways that were not intended so early in the morning is a big one.  Luckily I love this class.  Jerome has a style like no one I’ve ever taken before.  I am of the belief that everything sounds better with an accent.  He’s creative in his sequencing, sometimes blending in Kundalini and pranayama along with asana in his instruction.  Many times he will bring you out of whatever chitta or “mind stuff” talk that’s happening in your head with his humor.  Making light of how serious we are being.  His style is playful, fun and extremely challenging to your 7 am brain.  Sometimes I think to myself, I’m a teacher I should be able to do this, right?  And then I am a bit nicer to myself and decide to practice ahimsa, or nonviolence, and say that I am forever the student.  If I knew how to do everything what would be left?  Looking around the class, of course after because I am so focused on my own practice, I see bright shining faces basking in the post yoga glow and know why I am here.  Sangha, or community, is alive and well as we all share our early morning experience and continue to come back again and again.

As I mentioned before I teach yoga as P.E. at a private school in El Segundo.  The kids found out I blog about my experiences once in a while so they requested that I write about our experiences in class.  First of all let me warn you they are teenagers and not very censored in their comments.  Most of the time there is not a lot of thought on the words that leave their mouths.  Last week Ben, one of the more colorful students, told me how much he hated me.  Honestly the look on his face made me burst into a fit of giggles.  Granted it was while he was holding Warrior 3… for 5 whole breaths.  I had to laugh out loud because I though back to when I first began taking classes I thought a couple times how much I “hated” the teacher while I held chair…forever.  Actually even now sometimes in the middle of arm balance sequencing with Jerome at Santa Monica Power Yoga I think to myself…what am I doing here?

So today I decided to try a little Kundalini Yoga with them.  Not usually a style that we practice it was educational to say the least.  I tried to explain about the “serpent” that lives in the base of our spine and is awakened as we practice breath and repetitive movement.  We’ll if you’ve ever practiced Kundalini you know that the feeling that happens can be very energizing.  You may feel lightheaded or even dizzy if you are not able to stay grounded in your practice.  I mentioned it was like a natural high, and they took that comment and ran with it.  So now everything that we did was an alternative to “the other high”.  One of the kids, Jason, went so far to demonstrate the scenario of his mother walking in on him practicing Kundalini in his room.  She asks concerned, “what are you doing?”.  His answer, “Don’t worry mom, it’s legal..it’s kundalini”.

Stay tuned…tomorrow we are doing Partner Yoga.

Yesterday morning I decided to skip yoga for a run on the beach.  The weather was amazing even though it was about 7 o’clock in the morning and January.  What a treat!  I ran along the bike path towards Temescal and even got some encouragement from a fellow early morning reveler bike riding…”lookin’ good”.  Well that works for me.  On the way back I decided to run on the soft sand to see the itty bitty waves crashing along the shore.  As I approached where I would usually go back up the hill I decided to sit and do a little yoga on the beach.  I received the best present ever.  About 100 feet, maybe closer, from shore there was a whale popping his head out and playing around in the water.  At first I thought maybe it was something else but the whale decided he or she was going to give me a few more peeks.  No one else was around and I started hooting and clapping, laughing.  Was I really the only one that was seeing this??? Unbelievable.  I spoke to a guy stand up paddling this morning and he said the whales come in close sometimes to scratch their backs on the bottom of the ocean.  Are you kidding me?

Lucky me…I guess it’s ok that I missed yoga.

Last night was the first full moon of the new year.  In honor of this spectacular occasion I attended Kirtan, or a form of Bhakti Yoga (devtional yoga) at Exhale Yoga Studio on Venice.  The event was hosted by Shiva Rae and Jai Uttal and special guest David Stringer.  Kirtan is a form of Bhakti Yoga that involves call and response with it being a group effort.  There is Mantra, live music and lots of divine energy.  The vibe last night was amazing with an invocation meditation led by Shiva Rae for the new year.  I was beside myself with adulation.  I have been listening to Jai’s music as well as playing his music in my yoga classes and in my car for a number of years.  We began with easy mantra and then as the drum beat started the energy in the room was electric.  I only lasted a little while sitting on the floor.  Before I knew it the dance began.  I found my friend and fellow yogini Kamala dancing in the back of the room and joined her.  Before long Sammy, Marla and Simone were up and dancing.  Pretty soon the entire room was full of celebration, dance and sweat.  I like to call it “Nataranj” (The dancer).  You just can’t help but move.  Live music does something to you and you just can’t stop moving when the drum beat begins.  After each mantra/dance there was a calm that washed over the room.  Still with the energy, calm in the movement.  I cannot think of a better way to begin the new year.  Singing, dancing, playing…it’s good to be here.