Musings on Kripalu

My recent iRest Yoga Nidra training took place at Kripalu Institute. I had never been there but had been wanting to go since the late 90s. My first yoga teacher was Kripalu trained and I always loved her classes. But until now, I could never muster up the guts or mindset to spend so much money to visit this longed-for school.

Thankfully, I made the mental leap to spend the money and go for a training. And I am so glad! I loved the training as I stated in my previous post but without such a wonderful and supportive back drop, it would not have been the same.

Kripalu provided lovely community, comfortable beds, contemplative trails, relaxing sauna and hot tub, fun yoga classes, noon dance, private sessions of yoga, massage, and more, and to top it all off, all the food was provided and it was delicious. I was able to go wheat-free and dairy-free for the whole week and I have not felt so good in I don't know how long.

In addition to teacher training in Yoga and Ayurveda, Kripalu hosts world-class teachers for specialized trainings and offers R&R breaks where you go to the Institute and participate in as many or as few of their regular classes (and other amenities) as you want. I think they also offer specialized R&R retreats with a theme for the week or weekend.

I am already kicking around the idea of going back for the iRest Level II teacher training.

The labyrinth.

Outdoor dining.

Training hall.

My bunk with a blooming cherry tree out the window.

Trail head.

Trail.

The Lake.

Me and Richard Miller.

What a great week!

iRest Yoga Nidra

Integrative Restoration Institute (IRI) ~ iRest Yoga Nidra ®

Integrative Restoration Institute

In April 2013 I attended the first level of iRest Yoga Nidra training with Richard Miller. The training was held at Kripalu Institute as a one week intensive. We learned the principles and practice of IRI's style of Yoga Nidra.
According to IRI,

iRest Yoga Nidra, one of the principal programs offered by IRI, is a research-based transformative practice of deep relaxation and meditative inquiry that:

• releases negative emotions and thought patterns
• calms the nervous system
• develops a deep capacity to meet any and all circumstances you may encounter in life

Research has shown that iRest Yoga Nidra effectively reduces:

• PTSD
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Chronic pain
• Chemical dependency

As I participated in the training I could feel the effects of the practice on both a subtle level (calm energy, clear headed, compassionate) and on a physical level (less pain, more at ease in my body, relaxed attitude). It was amazing to me how through this practice of guided, meditative self-inquiry, we (the training participants) were able to make connections between our emotions, beliefs, and thought patterns and the felt-sense in the body. By this I mean that with guidance we were able to continually check back in to our bodies and let our bodies, minds, emotions, beliefs and thoughts integrate into one whole being.

I think it is this feeling of integration that leads to such a peaceful feeling and a reduction in pain, stress, depression, etc.

iRest Yoga Nidra can be practiced in groups or dyads (one-on-one practice). My feeling is that the group practice is better for relaxation and general well being, while the one-on-one practice is better for really getting to the root of an issue.

I am working on setting up a space to take private clients, but for now please visit me for my monthly group class at Yoga North. See my schedule for details.

For a more detailed description on how iRest works and for a free iRest practice with Richard Miller please visit the IRI website: www.irest.us.

Looking forward to working with you. Namaste ~ Sara

Does Reclining Suppress Our Body's Sense of Fullness?

So. I've noticed a funny thing. First, some back ground. One of my favorite things to do is read in bed. Bed is one of the warmest places in the house (especially with an electric blanket) and of course, it's super comfy. I generally sit in a semi-seated, semi-reclined position, but I'm fairly well propped up so my arms don't get too tired from holding my book for hours on end.

Now, here's the funny thing: whenever I lay/sit in this position I feel hungry. Not stomach-growling kind of hungry, just not-full. And I think to myself, "Hmmm, I might be a little peckish. Maybe I better get up and get a snack." However, as soon as I get up my hunger disappears. Sometimes I think, "Oh well, I'll just have a snack anyway" and other times I think, "Well, guess I'm not hungry. I"ll just go lay back down." Regardless of which route I choose - snacking or not snacking - as soon as I lay back down in my semi-reclined position my stomach thinks it's empty again.

And one more thing: when I lay all the way down to go to sleep I can sense fullness again. So, standing, sitting all the way upright, or laying down I can sense fullness. But if I am semi-reclined I always feel somewhat empty.

This is too weird! Why is this happening? And it makes me wonder, "Do Lazy Boy recliners (and the like) cause people to overeat by somehow suppressing our ability to feel full?" I have no science to back this up. I'm just noticing this phenomena in my own body. Anyone else?

Teaching the Teachers

I had the honor of teaching at Yoga North's teacher training last weekend. We had a lovely time practicing many restorative yoga poses. Ironically, we had to rush through them a bit because the snowstorm was so bad that we needed to cut our time short. Just the same, restorative is magical whether you are resting for a short or a long time in the pose. Here's a few sample pics of the teachers-in-training. The rest of the album is here.

 

 

My new Yoga Home Away from Home

While visiting our Tucson family over the holidays I was fortunate enough to find a yoga studio within walking distance of my sister-in-law's house. I knew as soon as I saw the studio's name, "Mindful Yoga," that this would probably be a good fit for me.

Sure enough, I picked up a class listing and found 3-4 Yin Yoga classes and 2-3 Restorative Yoga classes a week! Plus other fun stuff like "Aroma Yoga" and "Mindful Morning Stretch." So exciting! I could be a student, not a teacher, and just totally enjoy myself. I bought a 10-punch pass and used it all in the short time we were there. Plus, many of my family members attended a class with me so they were able to enjoy the studio too.

Hilda, owner of Mindful Yoga.

Hilda, the owner, honored me by asking if I would like to teach in her studio the next time I am in Tucson. I would love to.







Here's a few pic's of the studio (click image to enlarge).

Outside of Mindful Yoga

Mindful Yoga logo and entry door.

Mindful Yoga lobby.

Entry to front studio.

Front studio.

Back studio - a bit more cozy and has cool light covers.

Both studios have plenty of awesome bolsters plus blankets, blocks, etc.

Buddha niche.

I am really happy to have found this studio while in Tucson. It's lovely to have the opportunity to be a student.

Myth of Aging Wrap-up

I have been practicing Somatics regularly for about 4 ½ months now and my body is noticeably different. I no longer have the almost overwhelming desire to crack my back and my neck or go to the chiropractor. I have only been to the chiropractor once since September and it is January now. This is amazing to me. I no longer have chronic stiffness in my neck, my ribs are not popping out of alignment constantly, and I rarely have SI joint pain. These three things have been chronic annoyances in my life since about age 20. I cannot say how happy I am to feel so free in my body.

Read more on Somatics.

With an Eye on Nature

This guest post reminds me to be aware of everyday miracles.

Eye on Nature December 2012

On this winter day I find myself transfixed by a tree. Its leaves are gone, cut off by stem, shed by wind to the ground. Its bare branches are stark against the December gray as they reach toward a sun obscured by cloud.

The surface of this tree is rough and furrowed; it presses back against the flesh of my finger--solid. Yet the source of this rigid column, the weight of this tree, its very substance, comes magically out of thin air. Indeed, it is almost entirely made of carbon pulled from the byproducts of animal respiration and the release of gases from ancient plants burned as fuel.

The enormity of this idea stuns me, stops my forward progress, as I contemplate the reality that, through this tree, I can touch the breath of the past. It is alchemy—that this tree, through the process of photosynthesis, has taken something invisible, ethereal, and rearranged its chemistry to make solid form. Lead to Gold.

And this tree, standing silently before me, has done even more. It has gathered light and tied this energy to the molecular matrix of its cells. A branch of this tree sits in my fireplace at home. And when I place match to bark I will witness a miraculous transformation. From this tree I will feel, on a dark December night, the light and heat of a nearby star. Sequestered beneath layers of bark, contained within rings of growth, released as fire in my living room, the sun will shine again.

With an eye on nature,
Wally

Wally Shriner is an MHCC biology instructor and the Natural Resources Technology program faculty adviser. Eye on Nature is his monthly column. http://www.advocate-online.net/columnists/wallyshriner/ 

Happy New Year. May we all bring peace to ourselves and each other. Namaste, Sara