Breaking Up With My Towel

Breaking Up With My Towel

Breaking Up With My Towel

By Becca Washer

My hand towel addiction was real. I never entered a class at 502PY without one. Even when we started charging $1 to rent them, I found such joy in asking Kelly to just put another one on my tab (a.k.a card on file). Any time a pose got hard or I wanted to take a break, my towel was there for me, waiting to wipe the sweat from my brow, or nose, or hands, or arms, or well you get where I’m going with this. I had convinced myself that there was no way I could practice without it. You’ll fall. You’ll be so sweaty. What will you do when you need to catch your breath? THE STRUGGLE.

One ambitious afternoon, I decided to see what happened if I didn’t take a towel into class. My water bottle and block looked so lonely at the top of my mat but I powered through that first slippery class like a toddler who has just had their blanket taken away would, with some scowling, regret, and at the end of the day feeling a little bit proud. I found myself looking for it while holding Warrior II as my legs fatigued, when Dancer was called, and before Bridge pose; all of my usual hesitation poses. It wasn’t until that first class without my towel that I realized just how much I used it to cheat myself in class.

Now let me be clear, this is not a post to encourage you to stop using a towel. For me, giving up that 8″x16″ white, cotton crutch was about giving up hesitation, giving up my distraction, and about growing my practice. I had an easily accessible excuse to cheat my way through class and I used it like it was a final exam where the teacher left us in the room with our books. For you, it might be fixing your hair, adjusting your clothes, or getting another drink of water that takes you out of your practice. Believe me, there are many reasons why a towel is helpful during class, and since giving up my hand towel I do occasionally have to use a full mat towel.

The biggest realization for me was how much this applied to my life. I am the queen of procrastination. Seriously, I have been thinking about writing this post for two months. I’m constantly working to catch myself when I start to create distractions when things get hard. There is so much possibility when you can create space by giving up what you must. For me, it was not bringing a towel into class. It opened up being able to hold poses longer, dropping hesitation, and being fully present to the sensations in my body instead of the sweat dripping down my arm. Whatever it is that keeps you from taking yourself to your edge whether in the studio or off the mat, it might be time for that security blanket towel to take a rest. It might be scary, and may take a lot of self-restraint, but you may surprise yourself when you remove hesitation in your life and go for it.

Take yourself to your edge this new year with 108 Sun Salutations in Yoga Mala for Africa.

 

photo by Aubrey Renee Photography

 

Student Highlight: An Interview with Nicole Wiseman

Student Highlight: An Interview with Nicole Wiseman

Student Highlight: An Interview with Nicole Wiseman

by Melody Mayes

 

When my dear friend, Nicole Wiseman, happened upon the Baptiste Power Yoga studio just down the street from her home she was insistent that the 502PY community was different than other yoga studios. She is the reason I ended up here, sweating it out next to her on my mat. Nicole is always a giver of herself to others. I’m elated that I was able to sit down with her and dig a tad deeper into her yoga practice.

502 Power Yoga Baptiste Student HighlightDescribe your first experience with yoga:  My first experience with yoga was nearly 12 years ago at the University of Louisville. I was looking for something that would motivate me to work out and a grade certainly helped. Prior to that class I wasn’t particularly athletic or really even that active. Sure, I walked to class and moved around but I would never say that I “worked out” and definitely wasn’t what you’d call athletic in high school. That yoga class came at a very challenging time when I was thinking about changing majors and career paths and essentially the trajectory of my life. It was a pretty pivotal moment and yoga happened to be a large part of it.

How do you do it all? : There are way too many important and worthwhile things and I can’t do them all. And it’s ok. I prioritize (and reprioitize) every day. I try to keep the most important people and things first and let the rest go.  I schedule my yoga classes using the MindBody app because it keeps me accountable. That 2 hour cancellation window prior to class is coincidentally the same time period when I often would rather take a nap or catch up on Netflix shows. This keeps me honest and helps keep the rest of my life in balance.  So far I’ve never regretted showing up on my mat.

Pose that causes you struggle: Crow pose. Freakin’ crow pose. I once asked Sarah if it was lack of arm strength, lack of core strength, fear of falling on my head or all of the above. She agreed that it was probably a little of all of the above. Every day I’m working at all 3 and getting closer. I’m also learning (trying to learn) that I am where I need to be and it will happen when it needs to happen.

What keeps you going when the going gets tough? I love a challenge. That’s one of the things I love about 502PY. They are forever offering challenges, whether they are single verbal cues in class like to breathe through the discomfort, physical cues from the assistants in class or structured ones like the September Sunrise Challenge.

*(That same attitude is how Nicole completed the September Sunrise Challenge AND was one of the winners.)

What pose gives you the greatest peace? Child’s pose. It helps me settle in and refocus on being present.

What does yoga provide on a daily basis? It gives me peace. It helps me focus. And Ujjayi breath. Strangely enough, giving blood is a great opportunity to practice ujjayi breathing.  It’s funny because a lot of times they’ll ask me if I’m ok and I assure them that yes, I am and my breath is getting me through. Note: I hate needles so every time I give it can be a struggle.  Another side note: my blood pressure has gone down each time I’ve given blood in the past year since starting at 502py!

Who inspires you? It probably sounds trite but truly everyone inspires me.  The cancer survivors I work with daily inspire and amaze me because they keep showing up to provide support to those that are beginning a very similar journey as theirs and sometimes the person they support doesn’t survive, but they keep showing up and giving. Other yogis inspire me especially when I see someone that’s been struggling with a certain pose totally nail it. When I see anyone give of themselves in any way; that inspires me. Yoga has taught me to find inspiration and beauty in a lot of things that I probably wouldn’t have noticed before.

You won the Sunrise Challenge, now what?! It’s back to 6PM for me. That was a nice experiment but I’m still not a morning person.

Nicole enjoys spending her time with her husband, Mason, her supportive circle of friends and family, and doing awesome work as Assistant Director at Friend for Life Cancer Support Network (www.friend4life.org) and part-time with the Crisis & Information Center hotline. Say hello to Nicole next time you see her!

Where Should I Put My Mat? A Yoga Studio Geography Lesson

Where Should I Put My Mat? A Yoga Studio Geography Lesson

Where Should I Put My Mat? A Yoga Studio Geography Lesson

By Becca Washer

It can seem like a silly question but every time you walk into the studio, mat rolled under your arm, balancing a block, towel, water bottle, and an eagerness to practice, you are faced with the decision, where should I put my mat? I’ve traveled my way around the room of 502PY and can tell you the ins and outs, tips and tricks, air flow pattern, etc of almost every spot. Here is my personal, in no way professional, view of the best spots in the room depending on your needs.

1. Your first class

It may be your first instinct to go in the back row, but I disagree. There will be times when you are facing the back of the room and it is helpful to have people behind you in case something is called you are not familiar with. The transition from Down-Dog to Flip-Dog comes to mind here. The fourth row in a full class is the best (or the second to last row if it is not a full class).

2. When you’re finding your own practice

After a while, you will get the hang of Journey Into Power (the sequence taught in all 502PY classes), and you will start to find what works for you. Breaking out from the back can be a challenge, but I promise, the front row is perfect for this. Take time with no distraction of people in front of you. When you can’t see what other people are doing you start to find things out for yourself. New transitions present themselves, challenging poses stop being a competition, you become very familiar with the Om painting on the front wall, and you find your flow.

3. When you get stuck

When only staring at the wall in front of you becomes stagnant, and you are ready to be inspired by your fellow yogis, place your mat in the center of the room. Connect your breath with everyone around you. Feed off the energy of your neighbors and let it fuel your practice. 502PY has a contagious vitality and the best way to reap its benefits is by immersing yourself in the middle of it. Start by literally being in the middle of the room and then expand that into joining conversations, coffee dates, events, and all the other aspects of the 502PY community.

4. When you’re working on a new pose

The walls offer great support when you are working on a new pose or modification and that goes for so much more than inversions. Try dropping back and walking up the wall for wheel pose. Float your hand while balancing on the wall in half moon. Press your hand into the wall to reach your foot higher in dancer. Yes, over time the wall can become a crutch, but it can also show you what is possible.

5. When you just want to be where it’s the coolest

From only my own perspective, the front row can tend to feel the steamiest especially in fuller classes where there is not much space between the front of your mat and the wall. Also, the corners offer less air flow and can feel a touch hotter. In the morning, avoid the center of the first two rows where the sun glares in through the windows (aka the death ray) or take on the challenge of a little extra heat. Take all this worth a grain of salt though (like the kind you’ll be sweating out) because the room is 90 degrees and that is hot no matter where you are.

The single most important thing I can tell you about where to put your mat is that there is magic inside those studio walls. All you have to do to be a part of this community is show up. Wherever you are in your practice, and wherever you are in the room is going to be just perfect; you can plant yourself in the same spot or move every day. As long as you’re unrolling your mat you are setting yourself up for taking your day to the edge.

 

The Survival Guide for Teacher Training

The Survival Guide for Teacher Training

The Survival Guide for Teacher Training

By Becca Washer

Next week is the start of the 2015-1016 Teacher Training at 502PY and for those who have signed up, there are probably a lot of questions with what to bring. Though you will want to take the usual items for a power yoga class (see some pro-tips here) you will need to add some additional items to your list. Here is the very unofficial, not-all-inclusive, 502PY TT packing list. All of these things are items that I found to be personally useful, have used again in various workshop/program capacities, and would recommend.

What to Pack

1. Bag – Choose a bag big enough for all your stuff, but that can be squeezed into a lobby cubby. Mine has a zippered part for wet clothes, this was an awesome feature, but if your bag doesn’t have a separate zipper for sweaty clothes, bring some Kroger bags for your post-practice goods.

2. Lunch Bag/Cooler – Nothing huge, just something to keep your cold stuff from getting up to 90 degrees in the steamy studio.

3. Water Bottles – I had two bottles, one for water and one for Powerade. Personal preference here but make sure you always have water with you and something with electrolytes to replenish. Coconut water is another great option in addition to your usual water. #Protip: Hydroflasks keep water cold throughout the day (and they are sold in the studio!)

4. Yoga Clothes – I recommend two full sets of clothes for each full day.

5. Comfort Items – For me this was Glide, deodorant, contact solution, and chapstick. #Protip: Vaseline on the brow can help keep sweat from dripping into the eyes.

6. Liquid BandAid – Lots of yoga means dried feet and hands in the winter months. I had cracks/cuts on my toes and this is the only thing that stayed on during sweaty classes.

7. Baby Wipes – a.k.a “showers”

8. Towels – Mat and hand towels. I also used two mats during teacher training, so I could have one drying and one in use.

9. Pens/Pencils – Bring extra, they get lost and you will loan them out.

10. Hair Bands/Bobby Pins

11. Electrolytes – Personal preference here and there are lots of options, I like Honey Stinger Chews and Powerade.

12. Study Materials – Breaks are for eating, changing, and studying. BONUS: Here are my online Sanskrit flashcards, because I love you all! 

13. Nail Kit

14. Selfie Stick (Optional) – Because it’s fun to act like goobers.

15. Lululemon Vinyasa Scarf (Optional) – the most versatile piece of gear you can have.

Not Pictured: Binder, journal, and books. A watch. Food and snacks (bring a variety – sweet and salty, granola bars, fruit, sandwiches, salads, chips and salsa or guac – whatever you will actually eat and will not make you want to throw up after a few leap frogs). Wallet – I just threw my wallet and phone in my bag.

Fellow TT Grads comment below with your must-have items!

Most importantly, know that all you need is to show up ready and willing! And that CVS is right across the parking lot and Jimmy John’s delivers.

 

Traffic and Joy

Traffic and Joy

Traffic and Joy

by Melody Mayes

Shermaggedon.  That one word can create so many emotions.  Prior to that traffic event several years ago, I had no idea one word could cause so much drama in my daily life.  Once bridge construction was complete, life returned to a semi-normal routine with occasional road delays and traffic jams. Fast forward a few years to the present day and the addition of a new bridge and the three years of construction that has come along with it.

The daily anxiety returned.  Commutes that once took 15 minutes started taking 45.  I did what any good yogi would do.  I left earlier for work; didn’t help.  I came in later; also didn’t help.  I meditated at lunch which while it did help it was immediately negated once I was stuck in traffic on my way home.  I began leaving for work early and not returning until time for bed.  Even still I would leave 502PY to head home and would immediately hit standstill traffic.  My body became disconnected with my home.  And most sad of all my Puggle, Eddie, took up residence with my boyfriend in Middletown.

I would love to tell you this blog ends with a pearl of wisdom on gaining zen when in difficult life situations.  Alas, it does not which is what made it so difficult to write.  Truthfully I was at a loss of what could help my daily anxiety, frustration and downright anger towards my daily commute.  However, I did realize a few things from this painful process.

  •  My commute simply put was making me miserable.  I loved my job and my co-workers, but it had become difficult to enjoy. Through inquiry from within I made a very difficult choice to seek employment elsewhere.  With that search I applied for positions I would have thought out of my realm.  They seemed out of reach for this girl that had not yet broken into Corporate America because nonprofit world was too comfortable.  The search and growth was not easy. Routinely I planned and canceled interviews out of fear.
  • I found courage from my yoga community that I am worthy of a job I want and I am capable of anything (including that tripod headstand I’m working on).
  • I obtained a position once thought out of my reach.  The commute? It is as long as it takes me to get from my bedroom to my home office. My puppy, Eddie? He has moved back home and we are both pretty thrilled.

The process of looking within regardless of how painful it can be in the moment saved me from further frustration.  Faith in myself got me to the position.

The only feel good advice I could give is if you are struggling with hard decisions try on asking some internal questions, have faith in yourself because only you know what is best for you, and if you are failing to find faith in yourself lean on those around you that do believe in your awesomeness!

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