Confession: There may or may not have been a time when I watched Clueless multiple times on a Saturday, practicing saying “As if!” and wishing my hair were long and shiny like Alicia Silverstone’s. Which, yes, I now see as silly/troubling, but I’ve always thought she was adorable… and smart… and now she’s pregnant! And she does yoga! Freida, this is for you 
Hi everyone…
I realize I should probably introduce myself, now that my “Mike” alias is no more and I’m actually publishing under my own name, which is Tristen.
So, nice to meet you! I’m Tristen. I’ve been practicing at Yoga Belly since August, and had my first power yoga experience with Edna at 24 Hour Fitness in Mountain View. After about five seconds on the treadmill I said “Thanks, but no thanks” and then Edna had me standing on my head and I was hooked. I am still very new to yoga, but it is becoming an increasingly important part of my life, and I just like to talk/write, so now we have a blog. And yes, even the posts written by “Mike” are actually me. And, since for some reason I only recognize Yoga Belly people when they’re in their yoga clothes, this is what I look like in mine: 
Now that we’ve “met,” what’s your story? How did you begin your practice?
Cheers,
Tristen
We might be too cool for school, but the nerdy English teacher in me just had to share this anyway. At least she does yoga, so, umm, hopefully this isn’t too random.
“The eyes of the future are looking
back at us and they are praying for us
to see beyond our own time. They
are kneeling with hands clasped that
we might act with restraint, that we
might leave room for the life that is
destined to come. To protect what is
wild is to protect what is gentle.
Perhaps the wilderness we fear is the
pause between our own heartbeats,
the silent space that says we live only
by grace. Wilderness lives by this
same grace. Wild mercy is in our hands.”
—Terry Tempest Williams
from Red: Passion and Patience in the Desert (2001)
TerraFlow Video 10: Krista Cahill’s ABCs of Inversions Part II from YogaEarth on Vimeo.
After Edna told me some yogi's spend 30+ minutes a DAY upside down, I started thinking of inversions as more that just fun party tricks (though, give me a glass of wine, and watch out, handstand's coming). So, with our lymphatic systems in mind, Krista Cahill's back with more inversion wisdom... this time, she focuses on shoulder alignment.
Wishing you all a great practice, and a happy Monday!
Get ready for the Spring Fling!
By popular demand, Yoga Belly will be offering a partner yoga and massage workshop. Led again by Rodney Alika Medeiros, couples get to practice partner yoga and get to learn Thai massage.
Bring your honey and experience date night at Yoga Belly! (And, before you get too excited, everyone will be fully clothed.)
The Quick & Dirty:
What: Date Night at Yoga Belly
When: April 8, 2011
Mark your calendars! Details to follow.
PS: This isn’t just for lovers. Bring whoever you want, or just bring your fabulous self, whatevs. We’re all family here. : )
Image courtesy of shinyyoga.blogspot.com
We’re not the only studio with a lighthearted approach (as evidenced by our disco ball): meet NYC’s “Rebel Yogi” Tara Stiles.
Check out the article in the New York Times: http://goo.gl/7EV5i
And, her thoughts on why she practices yoga: “I do yoga so I can understand myself from the inside out, stay grounded and centered, and connect in a meaningful way in the world. Seeing colors, irredecent dots that connect all things, and other trippy, amazingly real effects of doing yoga are also incredibly enjoyable for me, although I refrain from making them a discussion leader for the most part, except for those days when the class pack has left and a few stragglers/good friends linger around the Strala couch, grandma’s quilt, and E.T. pillow made from my brother remain… My schedule is banana pancakes and will only get more nuts. I figure I could freak out, complain that I never have time to myself, or more sensibly, be crazy grateful for all the opportunities that I am getting to live out because of the effort I have put in. I am ridiculously grateful to be living exactly the life that I would wish for myself. . and I’m happy to understand the effort and attention it takes to cultivate life.”
Image courtesy of tarastiles.com
I don’t know about you guys, but whenever we learn some crazy new inversion in class, I always have to come home and try it about 8,000 times in the privacy of my bedroom and the comfort of wall-to-wall carpet. My neighbors really appreciate all the kicking up against the wall, aka my “handstand practice.”
Matt told me to practice inversions in the morning, when the body is rested (as opposed to the second I get home from class, and my arms are already so tired I can hardly brush my teeth without shaking), and the mind is clear. The only problem is, sometimes I don’t know how to start.
Then I found this video that starts from the basics of neutral spine all the way up into handstand in just ten minutes. Hello, gorgeous!
TerraFlow Video 8: Krista Cahill’s ABCs of Inversions Part I from YogaEarth on Vimeo.
Enjoy : )
Image courtesy of kristacahill.com
Those of us lucky enough to be in one of Will’s classes last week have probably had this phrase knocking around our heads for a few days. The timing was uncanny for me, actually.
One of the reasons I love Yoga Belly is because it’s heavy on the workout, light on the philosophy. But I do appreciate a thoughtful intention, a well-turned phrase, someone else’s thoughts in my head to keep my own from chattering too loudly in my down dog. I like distinguishing between “accepting” the inevitable and “embracing” the inevitable too, even if it’s so counterintuitive sometimes.
Will used the term in a professional sense, as though opening Yoga Belly and doing what he loves was inevitable. This probably applies to all of us, in all of our various stages of career paths or barely-blazed professional trails, but I find myself applying that term much more broadly: to the weather. My family. Health. To Tax Day right around the corner.
“Embracing” is such a more active verb than “accepting.” I think that’s what feels right to me.
How are you embracing the inevitable right now?
And, because yoga’s all about balance… we’ll balance those heavy thoughts with something light. Lady Gaga!
I’m sure a lot of you seasoned yogis already know about this, but I had never heard of it until last week. Apparently there is such a thing as the WANDERLUST FESTIVAL, which is an event that celebrates yoga, life, and good old fashioned rock.
Is anyone planning to go?
For more information, click here: http://fillmore.wanderlustfestival.com/experience/what-is-fillmore
Bonus points: The Fillmore event is on my birthday… I think it’s a sign!
Image courtesy of TinyWater
…and who doesn’t wanna see that. Hey-oh!
I confess: I love this song. I could totally do my sun salutations to this. What songs would you like instructors to bring to class?
Image courtesy of Yogadork.com