VIDEO: Learn to Float with Phil Lynch

Saturday, January 28^th 
4pm - 6pm - $30
(Sign up now at YoGanesh.com)

Expand your practice by adding “flight” to your transitions! This workshop will connect upper body strength and alignments to your lower body control. Strengthening the core will be the focus to take you to a new level of development and understanding. 

Through metaphors, demonstrations and a lot of practice, you will learn principles of lightening the hips and legs while tapping into your upper body power. Various Arm Balances will be explored to break down the practice of jumping back and through; which is especially geared to those that practice Ashtanga Yoga. Lighten your load and your practice and Learn to Float! Level 2/3 regular practitioners recommended. 


VIDEO: Phil Lynch Flow (from Phil's Website)

Ah, the float ...
We're not talking root beer or the giant "Hello Kitty" float at Macy's parades or even the float we all had in our weekly budgets before the recession hit ... we're talking about that oh-so-cool move you see some apparently super human beings doing, mostly on YouTube. Wait, can I learn to do that too?

Yes you can, says Phil Lynch, who is teaching Yoganesh's first ever Learn to Float workshop on Jan 28, 2012.

Stills from the Phil Lynch Flow. 

Floating (or "flying") is a technique taught at more advanced levels of Ashtanga-Vinyasa yoga. It refers to the ability to "hover" the feet - and even the entire body - momentarily in the air when jumping backward or forward from downward facing dog. There are many videos on YouTube illustrating this technique, but check out the terrific "Phil Lynch Flow" which we have reproduced from Phil's website (see above).

We caught up with Phil (floating mid-way between a Crow to a Chaturanga pose) and asked for the inside scoop:

Phil, what exactly is "floating"? 

Landing lightly or silently when jumping to or from the hands. jumping though the hands/arms either back or forth, hovering the feet off the floor while standing on one's hands

What are the key areas of the body involved in making it happen? 

Every part of your body except the facial muscles.

Do you have to be able to do a handstand first, for example? 

No, but it helps.

Do we need wrists of steel? 

I hope not!

What are intermediate milestones we can aim for in getting there? 

Jumping back out of BAKASANA (Crow pose) in to CHATTARUNGA (low push up).

Are there some things to mindful about, who shouldn't do it? 

You shouldn't hold the breath unconsciously or hurt yourself.

How long did it take you to learn, what was your path? 

It just seemed like a natural progression as my body/breath opened and I became strong and flexible. I didn't really "learn it" from any one so I had to break it down or deconstruct it, in order to translate it and attempt to teach it to others. Any description or instruction can help but just like maps, they don't take you any where, you have take action or travel to get it.

And where can we take action? 

My Learn to Float workshop is on Saturday, January 28th 2012 from 4-6 PM at YoGanesh! 

Phil was interviewed by fellow YoGanesh teacher Lynette Chiang

Zentle Yoga: a restorative class taught by founder Norma Kerner (every Wed 4pm)

Zentle yoga is a melding of Asian/Indian influences - Yoga, Qi Gong, Restorative, vibrational and blissful. Come check it out, Wednesdays at 4pm - Norma

Norma, you teach a special and personal class called "Zentle yoga." What exactly is it? 

It's a combination of simple Hatha Vinyasa asanas and qi-gong (energy training) along with vibration and body tapping.  It sounds a bit New Age but Qi-gong and these other things have been practiced for hundreds of years in Asian countries.  

What kinds of modalities do you incorporate? 

Qi Gong is an energy training modality used in many Asian countries. They are gentle movements that move the stagnant energy in our bodies. Medical Qi-Gong is used in hospitals in China as a way to heal energy channels (meridians) in our bodies. The universe is made of energy so it makes sense to use that energy as a healing and restorative tool.  I completed a 200-hour Teacher Training Program in Taoist Energy/Healing at Tao Yoga and I also completed a 200-hour Teacher Training Program in Hatha Yoga at BambooMoves. My diverse teaching style is a melding of these two practices, Indian Hatha Vinyasa yoga and Asian Qi Gong (or Chi Kung). 

Who do you think would benefit most from your class? 

Anyone who wants a more restorative practice and want to give their bodies a little lovin'.  We are constantly abusing our bodies by rushing around and not taking a moment to breath and connect to our bodies. I believe that we have to love ourselves before we can  love others.

How can we expect to feel after it? 

Hopefully, blissed out and renewed!

Anything else to add?

A neuro surgeon, Jill Bolte-Taylor, was on Oprah a couple of years ago.  She had had a stroke and she wrote a book about her experience with feeling people's energy during her coma. She said she could feel the energy of the nurses as they came into the room and whether they had good feelings towards her or not. It was fascinating!  That is what qi gong is all about - feeling one's energy.