Why Kripalu? by YoGanesh teacher Erica Arce

Erica (handstanding) with fellow Kripalu instructor Jay Karlinski.

• Erica Arce is YoGanesh's official Kripalu instructor, teaching Fridays at 6pm. | Erica Arce Yoga on Facebook
• Train to be a Kripalu Yoga Teacher at YoGanesh! Feb 9 - Jun 24, 2012

To climb deep down into the rabbit hole of your subconscious and feel within your own mind, body and soul what is present and what comes next ... for me, it was the clearing out of ancient samskaras.

Yoga is pregnant with countless benefits: the unification of the mind, body and spirit; the journey into the realm of non-dualistic nature, and the cultivation of harmony, equanimity and wholeness. It inspires awe - not mention the fact that it just makes you feel really good.

I came to Yoganesh through Co-founder Andrew Tanner, who was my instructor in New Jersey following my Kripalu teacher training in 2009. Andrew was pivotal to the maintenance and growth of my personal practice and thus my teaching. By osmosis, my classes are Kripalu with a sprinkle of Andrew inspiration.

I’m an only child to a single mom, and I had a rough time growing up in New Jersey. There were events from my youth that brought me bouts of impenetrable darkness and all the demons that live there. Through high school and art school, and even through another’s unconditional love, I couldn’t ever really shake the darkness. Not to paint a bleak picture - I certainly had joyful and happy moments, but it wasn’t until my Kripalu yoga teacher training in 2009 that something life changing happened.

Providence brought yoga to me over 10 years ago, however, it wasn’t until 2009, when I completed my 200hr teacher training at Kripalu, that my inner landscape began to dramatically shift. No words could adequately describe it. To climb deep down into the rabbit hole of your subconscious and feel within your own mind, body and soul what is present and what comes next ... for me, it was the clearing out of ancient samskaras (scars), profound healing, the creation of inner sanctuary and life skills, and the road to spiritual evolution.

Kripalu yoga is, among many things, a lineage devoted to bhakti (love, devotion and compassion in its supreme and divine form), Shiva energy (the power of transformation), and asana (postures) as a meditation in motion. I believe that this is what separates Kripalu from any other lineage. Everything I’ve shared in this blog is my reason for why I think you should consistently practice Kripalu yoga and why, if you feel the call to teach, take the teacher training at Yoganesh. It is my hope that as your Yoganesh Kripalu instructor, I can create a safe space and guide you to find your yoga.

By Swami Kripalu:

My beloved child, break your heart no longer.

Each time you judge yourself, you break your own heart.

You stop feeding on the love, which is the wellspring of your vitality.

The time has come. Your time. To live. To celebrate,
and to see the goodness that you are…

Do not fight the dark. Just turn on the light.

Let go, and breathe into the goodness that you are.

Feb 9 - Jun 24, 2012:  Train to be a Kripalu Yoga Teacher at YoGanesh

Related posts:

Kripalu at YoGanesh's 1 Year Anniversary

VIDEO: Easy Proper Pigeon - a piriformis workout for the rest of us!

(Re-produced with the blessings of the GalfromdownunderYoga blog)

Easy proper Pigeon pose: make a "box" with your arms to keep the front foot flexed

One of our more "obscure" muscles (in that, you're not really aware of it on a daily basis like your quads and hammies) is the piriformis. This muscle is located deep in your butt, running from the sacrum to the top of the thighbone.  It's one of the the many hip rotator muscles that collectively turn the hips and upper leg outward (called external rotation), and particularly for athletes, provides stability around the knee when twisting and changing direction.

If you sit in a chair, place the right ankle (flex that foot!) just south of the left knee and tip your body forward, you'll feel the piriformis wake up in that very spot. I call this the Piriformis Desk Jockey stretch, because it's an ideal thing to do at your desk. Sitting cross-legged also activates this muscle. 

Piriformis as viewed from behind.

The piriformis skates somewhat close to the infamous sciatic nerve - the one that often gives grief by sending shooting pains down the leg and sometimes numbing the butt.  This Wiki entry eviscerates the area impressively, showing how the nerve actually passes THROUGH this muscle for a certain percentage of the population. Stretching and strengthening this muscle is thought to help alleviate and and avoid sciatic pain.

VIDEO: Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)

VIDEO: YoGanesh teacher Lynette Chiang demonstrates an easy way to get into Pigeon pose. 

Apart from sitting cross legged, doing the Piriformis Desk Jockey and a further variation of the latter lying flat on your back (loads of Google images of these moves here) you can kick things up a notch by doing Pigeon Pose.

In its easiest form, it's simply lying face down with one leg tucked under your body, grounding the same side hip down on the mat. 

In its more advanced or "proper" form, the shin is parallel to the end of the mat - rather difficult for all but the most malleably-hipped humans.

I made the video above to illustrate an easy way to get into "proper" pigeon. As you can see I am one of these humans who aren't super open-hipped by design - I'm also one of the child ballerinas who could never really do the splits! None of this genetic stuff need stop you from getting a good approximation to the essence of any yoga move and reaping the benefits.

Yoga Journal describes a more usual way of getting into the pose here. If that's not easy for you, try it my way!

Lynette's Easy Proper Pigeon:

1. Bend the back leg completely
2. Bring front leg shin parallel to mat, flexing foot
3. "Box" that front leg in with the arms as shown below, keeping the front foot flexed to protect the knee
4. Keeping upper body low to the mat, manoeuvre it squarely over your front leg (with flexed foot!)
5. Now - with care - knee-toe the back leg to straighten it, with the entire front of the leg facing the mat. Don't over strain! Drop forehead to mat and exhale to deepen. Stay there a while, all the while "scootching" your back leg to be as straight and long as possible.
6. To come out, the first thing you must do is release the back leg completely, i.e. bend it acutely at the knee. This "unlocks" everything.
7. Stretch out and do the other side.

Just remember 3 things:

1. The FIRST thing you do going INTO the pose is bend the back leg completely.

2. Keep that front foot FLEXED (that's what the boxed arms are for) to protect the knee

3. The FIRST thing you do coming OUT of the pose is bend the back leg completely.

Happy piriforming/pigeoning!

Lynette Chiang aka GalfromdownunderYoga teaches Vinyasa for the rest of us at YoGanesh Manhattan 

Special Christmas Day Class

CHRISTMAS DAY CLASS, 10am-11.15am:

Many yoga studios are offering just one class on Xmas day and so will we, but a little earlier than most - perfect for you to proceed to the inevitable food coma family buffet with a toned tummy! 

To get you in the mood, instructor Lynette will serve some coconut nog and cookies - AFTER the class of course! (this cool Ganesh ornament spotted at http://www.thewholeheartedlife.com/blog/family/christmas-ornament-nostaligia/)

Please RSVP here: http://www.facebook.com/events/265759940151648/ so she knows how many treats to bring. Namaste! 

It is worth remembering that there is only one yoga and can only be one yoga. True, aspirants are of different natures and resort to various doctrines and practices to progress along the path. But one who completes the process of yoga understands its different paths and sees that the systematic practice of various disciplines leads to the same place. In the end, all yogas lead to one great Yoga. —Swami Kripalu (1913–1981)

Turn Your World Upside Down Today!

HEADSTAND

FOREARM BALANCE WORKSHOP

with YOSHIO HAMA

Saturday, Nov.19 4-6pm $30

Don't miss this incredible workshop!

HEADSTAND (SIRSHASANA) Learn how to master one of the most important yoga postures,the Headstand (Sirshasana)

FOREARM BALANCES (PINCHA MAYURASANA) Strengthens the shoulders, arms, and back. Stretches the shoulders and neck, chest, and belly. Improves sense of balance.

A student of famed yoga master Sri Dharma Mittra, Yoshio teaches with the perfect precision of one who has truly experienced all he is guiding others towards. Yoshio is certified in Level I, II, III, and IV Dharma Yoga as well as Level I & II Rocket Yoga.

Hipper than hip!

Video: Phil demonstrates Utthita Hasta Padangustasana (Extended Hand to Big Toe Pose)
More Photos here!



 Thank you to YoGanesh teacher Phil Lynch for a eye-and-hip opening workshop last Saturday, "Hips & Hamstrings." Phil enlightened the group on exactly what goes on behind closed hips and how to free them up!

Here is an example of extension of the thigh bone (femur). From a seated position, the thigh bone is considered fixed or stationary. The stretch is activated when the practitioner lays back on the bolster or floor. It is there that one starts to feel the intensity of stretching the thigh muscles (quadriceps) as well as the flexers, illio-psoas and tensor fasciae latae (TFL).



Here is Phil describing the neutral or "fixed" position of the hips with the use of the floor to give each student a point of reference to feel neutral. The feet are firmly planted on the floor to create a slight flexion (knee moving up towards the chest) to the thigh bones to better support the pelvis in its neutral or balanced position. If the legs were laid out to ground (straight knees), the pelvis would begin to tip forward (anterior tilt) create a more pronounced lower back arch inward. This is why students often place a bolster beneath their knees during Savasana to lessen the pressure or pain to the low back.



Supta Padagutasana with the use of a belt, pictured from the practitioner's point of view, thanks Lynette! With the hips fixed, the thigh bone has moved into flexion. The standing variation of this pose is much harder to maintain the fixed position of the hips (see video above for more details).



This is a standing variation of flexion with abduction (moving away from the body - think of "abduct" as meaning "taking away") and a slight action of turning the thigh bone outward (external rotation) to offset the lateral tilt of the pelvis (again, see video above).



The above photo is a great example of several actions at once: Thigh bone turning inward (medial rotation) with a slight extension and knee moving into the mid-line of the body (adduction) of the bottom leg and external rotation with some moving the knee away from the mid line (abduction) to the top leg.



It helps to use the top foot to lengthen the outer thigh and hip for the bottom leg's expression of the extension and medial rotation.



Don't think that these students are just laying around for an afternoon nap! No way, these guys and gals are getting a lot done, in a very intense but relaxed way. This particular stretch is helpful in opening the hips by accessing both sides of adductors (pectineus, adductors: brevis, longus, and magnus and gracilis) at the same time. It takes a few minutes to begin to relax but it's worth it and as well, it makes opening the forward knee in Warrior 2 a lot easier.

This is a good example to adduction to the thigh bones while moving the pelvis into a forward bend (anterior tilt). It's a great stretch to feel the rotators of the outer hips while isolating an intense hamstring stretch to the back leg. Whoa, don't forget to breath for this one!

More photos of this workshop on the Yoganesh Facebook page

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Thanks Phil Lynch for a great workshop! Phil teaches Monday nights at 6PM for a Hatha All Levels and 7:30PM Hatha Level 2

Feel free to place a comment below.

See you in class!

We've got a big new heater, but as we head into winter perhaps bring along warm sox and a sweater for a cozy Savasana.

Hips, Hamstrings, Headstands - newbies welcome!

Tripod: one of the easier inversions to learn - keeping your feet on the ground is OK!
Photo by Lynette Chiang 

Hey Ganeshers ...

There's never a dull moment here at YoGanesh!

Apart from our a weekly roster of interesting classes to suit everyone from the spiritual yogi to the power pilates lover to the workaholic, we love to offer special events and workshops you might not find elsewhere.

Coming up next on October 27 is our last-Thursday-of-the-month themed yoga class with Victoria and Nick, this time featuring music from the Rocky Horror Picture Show (horror and yoga? Hey, we're open minded here at YoGanesh!). Come dressed to downdog away any "evil karma," 7:30-8:45pm.

Check out our upcoming workshops:

• Principles of Power Vinyasa with one of NYC's only Baron Baptiste certified teachers, Michael Egan (Sun, Nov 6, 4-6pm, $30)

• Hips & Hamstrings Workshop with Phil (Sat, Nov 12, 4-6pm, $30)

• Headstand/Forearm Balance with Yoshio (Sat Nov 19, 4-6pm, $30)

and of course our exclusive 200-hour Kripalu Teacher Training course (Feb, 2012). Teacher training is not just for those who want to "call the moves" but a great way to unlearn any habits you've gotten into over years of drop-in classes that might be stopping you from getting the most out of your practice. It's sure to get you into the groove if you've "fallen off the wagon!"

Yes, we had to raise our prices (but not by much).

... especially if you compare us to many other studios. The rent went up, we're still very new - 1 year old and committed to making yoga in Manhattan affordable (an oxymoron we know). We believe people benefit most from doing yoga more often, ideally, more than once or twice a week. Hopefully we're making that possible for you, not just with friendly pricing, but with a variety of classes at convenient times.

NEW CLASS PRICES as at October 1, 2011

See them on the web
Single Class - $15 Drop In 

- the price of a fancy arugula salad these days!

5 Class Packs - $65.00 (expires 2 months) 

- that's $12.10 a class, with plenty of time to use them up over 8 weeks, but we hope you come more often!

10 Class Packs  - $120 (expires 3 months)

- what a deal at great bargain at $12 per class! That's a burger without too many trimmings!

1 Month Unlimited Yoga $130 

- now you're talking! Come almost every day and you're looking at less than $5/day

1 Year Unlimited Yoga $1300 

- Come every day and that's just over $3/class. If you come twice a week throughout the year, it works out to around $13/class.

Great value which ever way you spin it! No Contracts!Please Note: Class Packs & Unlimited Packages do not include Pilates or Workshops



NEW STUDENTS SPECIAL: $79.00 - One Month Unlimited

- Come every day and that's $2/class, or twice a week makes it $7.50/class. How can you possibly say no?  Current students, we appreciate your support, but this special is for new students only - otherwise that rent increase will not be paid! 

Thank you all for supporting and enjoying our "little oasis in the maelstrom of 7th Ave" as one Ganesher put it.

Sign up for a class now! and please, please tell your friends and review us here on Yelp.

Namaste!

Kirtan & Kripalu: Celebrating our 1-Year Anniversary!

Ganeshers pull a perfect crescent moon!

Story, photos and video by Lynette Chiang

(Teaching Mondays & Fridays @ YoGanesh)

PHOTO GALLERY of the Workshop and Party

It's been many crescent moons and sun salutations since we first opened our little door on 7th Ave exactly 12 months ago - and we were delighted to celebrate with some of our best friends in true YoGanesh style.

Devarshi Stephen Hartman makes you "love
your butt and back."

First, YoGanesh co-founder and Andrew Tanner took time out from his new role as the Director of Professional Trainings, Kripalu Institute, to host a special 2-hour workshop. We were also honored by the presence of the Dean of the Kripalu School of Yoga, Devarshi Steven Hartman, who taught the first half of the workshop. Devarshi gave us a flavor of the Kripalu style - six spinal exercises to limber up that part of our bodies that chiropractors make a living from.

"People think yoga is all about the limbs, but a healthy spine is key," he said.

He then took us through some chiropractic spinal flexions and extensions, as well as some delightfully grueling moves reminiscent of Pilates. One that cracked us up called "public toilet asana" - a chair pose variation - with your butt well and truly off the seat!

Andrew Tanner taught the Hatha Vinyasa second half, and those who know and love his evocative and meditative teaching style were treated to a really great sequence of advanced poses.

VIDEO:  Andrew teaches Koundinyasana

Signature Andrew Tanner moves include one of his favorites, Koundinyasana, ("technically not that difficult") plus Feathered Peacock, Scorpian and a flat out lizard pose (one day we'll get our chests on the floor...). See above video.

Moves are afoot to create a Kripalu teacher training in NYC at YoGanesh, which is very exciting for all concerned. Please contact us if you are interested in this program.

Three legged down dog.

After the workshop the food came out and the party began, with a Kirtan by YoGanesh front desk gal and yoga teacher, Kristin Mirabelle, John Kazar on percussion and singer Ashni.

L ro R: singers Ashni and Kristin Mirabelle, and John Kazar on percussion 

Later, we were thrilled to have Nahdi Devi and her beau Gabriel grace us with a harmonium and percussion:

Yoga teacher Nahdi Devi and Gabriel

 

Have a listen! 

 Even Jeff of Sacred Spaces NYC who built the studio, was present. His company has a lot of experience building yoga studios, retreats and other "sacred spaces." Did you know that the walls of YoGanesh are especially clad in non-toxic clay to give you the healthiest environment possible, considering we're in the middle of Manhattan!  Read about clay walls here.

Thank you to everyone who came along, sang, danced, taught, did asana, moved furniture, brought food and ate it - we hope to see you in class soon! Most of all, thank you Norma Kerner for providing such a generous and beautiful studio.

Remember, we're still very small, and we really need and appreciate your word of mouth recommendation to your friends, co-workers and and family (if you have any in Manhattan!) to keep yoga affordable.

Please make sure you pick up some of our vibrant new class cards when you next visit, to give to everyone you know.

Namaste!

More photos on the YoGanesh Facebook page

Masterful instruction includes knowing how to do asanas safely - including protecting the knees! 

Welcome to The YoGanesh Blog

We've been so busy getting our studio humming along in its first year we're just getting around to our blog. Thanks for your patience and check back soon! Meanwhile, please join our Facebook page and see you in class!
Namaste, the YoGanesh team.

PS: Saturday Sep 24th, 4-6pm - come to our Kripalu workshop ($20 donation appreciated) and then stay on for our 1 year Anniversary Party Potluck, 6-10pm!