Yoga – Page 3 – Frozen Spaghetti

I am sitting down for the first time today – outside of my soak in the hot tub where I like to study on Wednesday mornings…. Which I would elaborate more about but I do not want anybody feeling sorry for me.

The dining room table in our house is officially retreat central, as I prepare the things from my home making their way into strategic bags & boxes for this weekend’s Restorative Yoga Retreat.

I have hosted and participated in women’s retreats for churches before, but this is my first time curating and programming a yoga retreat. It has been an interesting process, as I excitedly prepare my favorite ways to care for my body, partner with my breath and establish some sense of peace in my mind.

My yoga offering has definitely evolved; taking much time away from writing this year. Inspiration comes in waves of scent combinations for aromatherapy, creative ways to open the hips and use blankets and a desire to just sit and listen to music.

All the while, there is an active project in the work. Days go by without spending direct hands to keyboard time on it, however I do not worry about deadlines or meeting the expectation of what I initially set out to do because – well – I am the boss applesauce and I understand my creative process. lol. <pours a little rose tea out for all former bosses>

Sigh.

Remaining on my to do list today is to make a round of aromatherapy inhalers, type out my script for earth descent, record a vocal toning meditation and design a few illustrations for some stationary.

I am amazed at how, now that we are in the week of the retreat, one of the retreat participants will randomly come to mind – I’ll visualize them in their practice space or in line at the buffet, walking the grounds or reading the signs. It will give me ideas, propel me into my next steps and onward.

Two weeks ago when I thought I would be working on what I am heads down on now, I was daydreaming about a new class I’ll be regularly teaching at Joy of Yoga in Brentwood, MO.

I have wanted to teach a regular class for Joy for awhile now, but nothing ever seems to line up. One night, a few weeks ago, I dreamt I taught a noon Wednesday class. I texted Joy the next morning, asked if she had a Wednesday noon class open and low and behold: she did. I kid you not: I daydreamed and explored that class for four days straight. It was like I had fallen in love with it and could only think about this Dancing Warrior Flow class. More on that in a few weeks as it gets closer to launching.

Though fully aware there was not more than an ounce of creative inspiration happening for the retreat, I was confident. I knew – as last minute as it may seem – that it would all start tumbling into place a week before. It has and it is.

I wish I had time to go into more about how some things are unfolding. (I have a great story of how something came together today!)

I would love to explore in conversation the ways we experience divine timing and unconventional grace.

But – for now, I share with you “OM Appleseed”. Which is one of my favorite ways inspiration hit this week as we get closer to Friday’s Welcome Dinner. If you like it, I made the PDF available on Apple Tree Magic dot com. Here is a link to it!

Will share with you how it went next week! Erin

Growing up, we sang “Johnny Appleseed” before group meals. As gratitude plays such a big role in our greater connectedness, it occurred to me to offer a yogi version of the American folk song.

I am teaching a ton lately. The main studio I teach from has a few teachers traveling or out for personal reasons so I picked up quite a few classes to help out. At 4:30pm yesterday, I was teaching my 3rd class of the day and found my body resisting any and all plans I had for class.

The only thing I made a note of that my body agreed would for sure be a part of class was a traditional flow through the 6 directions of the spine. (Which a human should do daily for optimal health, so not a lot of room for debate there, anyhow..)

When I teach yoga, I am continually relaying invitations to my students’ practices based on what I am noticing in my own body. I call it cueing “acute yoga” – sharing felt sensations – moving awareness around and inviting breath to coordinate with one’s inner gaze.

The yoga I teach is a direct reflection of my personal practice so if I don’t do it? I don’t teach it.

As the class of 5 settled in, I shared with them about how much I have been teaching and – as such – have noticed the increase of dedicated time tuning into my bod has me in more fluid communication with my body. They chuckled when I shared the very true story about how, when eating a caprese salad before meeting my daughter (knowing I would take her out for a burger) my body said, “thank you – I really like this.”

“You’re welcome.” I replied :)

I mentioned earlier I don’t teach what I don’t do so, I thought in this inaugural journal On Teaching Yoga, I would share some foundational parts of my yoga & belief system.

1) I see the body as the first gift given in this life making it miraculous, spiritual, communicative

2) I pay attention to inner voice and inner dialogue and talk back, using breath & inner gaze as buffers between thoughts

3) I notice what I feel in my belly / chest / etc related to the thoughts I have and when images come to mind

4) I practice revolving consciousness and ascending breath as meditation 3 – 5 times weekly

It has been almost a year that I have been back in the studio after a COVID induced hiatus, teaching from my personal practice which has evolved immensely from when I graduated YTT in 2016.

Not only do I LOVE teaching yoga more than I ever have before, but that the way I am teaching these days has me talking more about the practice before and after class with others. AND I LOVE THIS EVEN MORE THAN TEACHING YOGA! :)

I am hearing from students on how the tone of the teacher’s voice and the presence of self displayed by the instructor impacts the practice.

I am learning how invitations to notice felt sensation ushers in a deeper flavor of being human.

I am learning about when they feel connected or disconnected from their bodies.

And in the studio – I am noticing how truly humbling it is to watch bodies move when I teach because they are teaching me. It’s so freaking cool.

In all of this, I am paying attention, big time, to how it all comes together because of that #1 foundational part of my yoga: the body is a miraculous communicative device. The body is so amazing: every cell, every memory.

There is a scripture I love love love love love (1 Corinthians 2:11) that emphasizes how nobody can know us – our body – our experience better than we know it and, likewise, we cannot know our body and our experience better than the Spirit of God.

When you look at what neuroscience tells us about how the left brain only ever registers roughly 4% max of the body’s sensory experience in a given moment, that scripture makes more sense than ever. Think about it. I sure am.

There are at least a half of a dozen other things I could say right now but I think I’ll wrap it up as listening to the body is a big huge wide topic and I am so curious where people are with this.

What do you guys think? What is the last thing your body said to you other than “I’m tired!” or “I’m hungry!” ???

This is totally a favorite thing for me to talk about!! I would love to know :)

PS – anybody have a trustworthy resource on somatic spirituality?