Me and Danielle Cox, Danielle teaches at Grace Tree Yoga:
Yoga Playtime
Reply
When have you last danced?
Stomped your feet to the beat of the drum, lifted your voice in glee, and shared smiles across a room with someone whose name you didn’t know but you knew their soul in the second.
Yoga Aid World Challenge
This year, many yogis around Cincinnati are excited to be participating in the Yoga Aid World Challenge. The goal is to raise as much money as possible for several charities by September 9th, 2012. I have decided to donate any money I raise to Africa Yoga Project. There are many ways you can join in the fun and 100% of all the money raised is going directly to the charities.
First, if you don’t have a lot of free time right now, please help me by donating here:
http://www.yogaaid.com/griffithjo
.
Second, I am working to see if my yoga class at Pyramid Hill Sculpture park can be a donation class until September 5th. This has not been finalized. Stay tuned for details.
Third, participate in the fun by creating your own fundraising page through Yoga Aid. If you are a student at Shine Yoga Center, please be part of our team: Shiney Yogis. Many other studios around town have their own teams – so ask around for what names various studios are using. If you create a page and fund raise for Yoga Aid, no matter how much money you raise, you are invited to participate at least two free events. One, hosted by Simply Power Yoga in Loveland, OH, is doing 108 Sun Salutations on Sunday, September 9th at 9:30 AM. It is being held at the Receptions Banquet Hall (10681 Loveland-Maderia Rd., 45140). More information on this event is available by clicking here:
http://simplypoweryoga.com/pages/Studio/default/11/
. If Sunday morning doesn’t work for you, a second event for participants in the Yoga Aid Challenge will be held on September 9th in Ault Park at 2 PM at the Pavilion. More information on the Ault Park free event is available at
https://www.facebook.com/YogaAidWorldChallengeCincinnati
. I am excited to be co-teaching with many fabulous teachers at both events and hope to see all of you there! Let’s spread the wealth of our practice!
Below are some pictures from an early event to raise money for Yoga Aid at Move Your Hyde:
Variation on Ardha Chandrasana
Nice variation for new students or if balance is hard:
What’s Old is New
One of the opportunities I have had this year is catching up with some of my original yoga teachers and people who were fellow students in my early days. Many of my fellow students from those days have also become wonderful teachers in their own right. The acroyoga pictures with Joe Barnett a couple of blog posts below are an example of this; I initially met Joe taking Indu’s classes at It’s Yoga Cincinnati.
This Friday I got to have a time warp moment and take It’s Yoga Cincinnati’s Friday night class. This is an advanced class that has been on the schedule in one manifestation or another for at least 10 years. At one point, it was taught by one of the owners of It’s Yoga Cincinnati, Indu. Indu, I believe, has been teaching yoga for longer than I have been alive (and I am getting close to the age that in the past women would start lying about their age). She is very knowledgeable in several styles of asana (postural) practice, meditation, as well as classical yoga philosophy. Largely because of this, students would flock to the Friday night class. It became tradition to go to class and then dinner afterwards at one of the restaurants within walking distance. Discussions flowed freely, often, but not exclusively, focused on the many dimensions of yoga.
The class is no longer taught by Indu (you can catch her at other times on the schedule). Now, the very dedicated yogi and long term student of Indu, Kurt Matthys, has been teaches it. Many of the faces have changed. However, upon entering the class you still see students simply dedicated to their practice. Moving through the poses, connecting intimately to the flow of their breath. It’s Yoga Cincinnati is not the fanciest studio in town. However, it has always been a home for dedicated yoga practitioners to connect to the art of yoga. You can feel a weightiness that comes from wonderful teachers (I am honored to be able to teach here) and students who have been consistently engaged in the practices for many years.
Some old pictures from or near to the original It’s Yoga Location (it is now upstairs in the same building).
Doug Swenson workshop with April White Plank and Dion Savage demoing handstand
Paolo A Modern Jeweler in the next spot over. The walls dividing spaces did not reach to the ceiling, perfect for traveling cats.
Shalini’s Adjustment Workshop
I just finished taking a workshop from a wonderful yoga teacher named Shalini Latour, a local Cincinnati teacher whose been teaching all around town for 20 plus years. The topic of the workshop was adjustments, touching (pun intended) on both verbal and physical. (It occurred to me that adding demoing to these two items covers the three main ways people learn: aurally, through touch, and visually). I have been insomniac girl the last few days, so I wasn’t sure about how I would feel about attending a workshop. My body isn’t quite ready to crash yet, but it can hard to pay attention when you haven’t had a lot of sleep. Luckily, the class was very hands on, which means I could stay focused. Even in the best of situations, I am not an auditory learner in the traditional since. I like sounds, but it is hard for me to pick out words. Anyway, attending Shalini’s workshop reminded me no matter how long you have been doing something, seize the opportunity to continue learning and exploring that which interest you. It’s especially nice when you can turn around and use that information to help others.
Some things I learned in adjustments that I have been doing.
Using your arm to keep your students elbow straight while rooting the arm bone in the shoulder socket.
Stabilizing the hip while extending your student back in Warrior II.
Holding the angle of the hip as you root the thigh bone back in Warrior II.
And finally, a nice triangle adjustment for those who hyper-extend their knees.
Also always nice to get together with other teachers and discuss things.
(Shalini’s website which focuses on her work as a chocolatier is at Chocolats Latour.)
Fifth Times the Charm
I believe this is my fifth time being an acroyoga flyer. These pictures are from a workshop offered by Joe Barnett. Acroyoga is a movement art I would like to play with more often:
Yoga Class
I am feeling really good right now. I just got done taking yoga class taught by my friend, Pascal, who is a fabulous yoga teacher. And, I have managed for the last few weeks to take a yoga class a week. WooHoo! Many of the classes have been taught by my dear friend Melanie, who also rocks out in the yoga teaching arena. I wanted to write this to say, as a yoga teacher, we understand when life gets busy, and it’s hard to get to class.This is probably the first time since January that I have managed a class a week (practicing at home is what saves me). Most likely, at some point, something is going to come up that prevents you from making it to class. My plea is that when whatever happens has cleared up, come back to class. Maybe it is just your schedule has changed? Find another class that fits into your new schedule (which is what I had to do). Don’t get me wrong, I love it if you can make it to a class of mine. However, if you cannot make it to a class of mine, I would rather you find another class rather than not going to class. I have no doubt of the transformative power of yoga. A change in your schedule can be a wonderful opportunity to try new teachers and/or styles. Just, if it’s possible, spend some time on your mat.
Yoga at Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park
This summer I will be teaching an eight week series of yoga classes at Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park in Hamilton, OH near Miami University’s Hamilton branch.
We will explore ways to align, move, breathe and connect in this lovely outdoor museum which shows how creative, seem-less connections can make great beauty. In this environment it will be a joy to come into a deeper integration of body, mind and spirit.
Wednesdays, 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM, from June 6th to August 1st (taking the Fourth of July off for fireworks!!!).
$64 for all eight sessions, $10 to drop-in
Contact Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park to preregister.
Guest Blogging
Hi all, I am the guest blogger for YIOM this month. Check out my post there, here:
http://yiomsite.com/
