Alejandra Oyervides de Madrigal

Hello fellow yogins and yoginis,

So happy to have you reading again. As promised another segment of “Meet Your Teacher.”  Alejandra aka “Ale”  is a bright and shining woman with a great passion for yoga and she teaches occasionally at Inner Space Yoga, maybe you’ve been so lucky to have her as your teacher. Let’s carry on to the three part interview for some interesting and fun details about Ale.

1) The strangest place you’ve done yoga?

Ale: In the washroom at my work place…… Sometimes, I just need to move and having a large washroom allows me to do hand Stands in the middle of the day in a complete office environment.

2) Your favorite yoga pose ?

Ale:Full Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana 1 or Full King Pigeon and of course Hand Stands and more Hand Stands!

3) Thing you love most about yoga?

Ale: FREEDOM AND LIGHTNESS:Yoga allows me to feel light and free all the time. Is like a dance where the music never stops and the fluidity of your breath and movement of your body become so consistent that all of the sudden you start to feel light in your body and free in your spirit. You start to feel one. You start to feel at home.

Thanks for sharing Ale! Can’t wipe the smile off my face after reading that you do yoga in the washroom in the office at work. Ale also recently taught at a yoga retreat in Tulum, Mexico just in March: http://vanusara.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/let-love-rule-mexican-retreat-with-christine-price-clark-and-alejandra-oyervides-de-madrigal/.

Our most up to date schedule with subs and all can always be found at: https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ASP/adm/home.asp?studioid=6698

Ale in one of her favourite poses: Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana 1

We know that your health is important to you and we feel good and contributing to a good cause!  Inner Space Yoga is very excited to be participating in Health Here Help There (link: healthforhelp.org). The  website states “A 21-day initiative from April 23 to May 14 inspiring health and wellness in Vancouver, while raising funds for struggling youth in Argentina.”  We are also doing out part in numerous ways. 

As you probably already know, we’ve recently teamed up with Gastown Physio & Pilates to create a new branch called Gastown Wellness to take care of all your wellness needs. Our Naturopath, Dr. Angèle Besner and our Acupunturist, Vivien Hsiung will be doing their part for  Health Here Help There on Monday, April 30th to take place at 7:15pm at Gastown Physio Pilates (#306-560 Beatty Street). If you need to use the elevator when you arrive make sure you call up. Event is based on first come, first serve basis. You do not have to preregister. Please check poster below for details.

Catch a glimpse of our naturopath, Dr. Angéle Besner N.D with this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH_idwRLKlM&feature=youtu.be

Our next contribution to Health Here Help there will be made by our talented Rebekka Walker as she will be teaching a class by donation on Saturday, May 5th at 11:45am to take place at Inner Space Yoga (#100-289 Abbott St), its on a first come first serve basis. You do not have to preregister.

Thanks for reading! Please help spread the word about Health Here Help There: healthforhelp.org.

Often yoga classes begin with what is called “centering.” This usually involves sitting comfortably and relatively still, closing the eyes and observing body and breath. If we take it a little further we are bringing ourselves both into the center of the body and the center of the mind.

Physically we balance ourselves from left to right and from front to back. Life often draws us to one side or the other, we reach for things, leaning to one side, and often collapse through the center. Though simple sitting may not seem like much of a balancing pose there is most definitely a subtle, balancing component to it. Whenever we sit unconsciously there is a tendency to let the weight shift to one side or the other and more noticeably a tendency to lean forward or, more commonly, slouch backward. Bringing ourselves physically to the center allows for movement into the third dimension: extension upward. If you sit comfortably, with a reasonably straight spine you will begin to notice a tendency for the spine to lengthen. This is a natural upward response to the downward pull of gravity. With this upward movement there is also an expansion outward which can activate arms and legs (left and right) and front and back bodies, without losing connection to the center.

Similarly, life is perpetually drawing us mentally off center, out of the present moment. We dream of something in the future or think about something that happened in the past. Or we watch television or read a book and for a while we are completely physically disconnected from our bodies and where we are. So in meditation we are bringing our awareness back into the center. Leaving the distractions aside we feel ourselves consciously center and in the same manner this allows for movement in a third direction. Upward movement in consciousness as well as an expansion in consciousness. Yogic literature abounds with descriptions of “withdrawal of the senses” which connotes a negative tone of life and sense denial. In centering there is an opportunity to simply balance and “elevate the senses.” We are not denying or disconnecting from anything in life but finding balance and harmony within it to allow for greater awareness of the senses, greater awareness of the body and an expansive consciousness.

A key principle here is that there is nothing static about this balance: it is dynamic. We rely on the movements of the breath and all the subtle movements of the body to bring us into this expansion. Like a top spinning, it can only maintain its balance with harmonized movement. Try to stop it (or suppress it) and it just falls over.

Thanks for this beautifully written article Chris! Please check for more about Chris:  www.christucker.ca

Anita Seiz, Pilates & Yoga Instructor at Inner Space Yoga

Hello fellow yogis and pilates buffs…. so excited to have you reading. To those that read our posting last week are already familiar but we’re doing a weekly  segment of “Meet Your Teacher”! We want you to get to know your instructors better as they are what makes your yoga/pilates experience so special and unique. We’re pretty excited to be sharing unique and interesting information about our gifted instructors & we hope you feel the same. This week meet the very sweet, bubbly and gifted certified Pilates Instructor & Movement Analyst and yoga instructor Anita Seiz! Read on for a brief 3-question interview.

1) The strangest place you have done yoga?

Anita: Airports are a great place to do yoga, especially during layovers!

2) Your favourite yoga pose?

Anita: Parivrtta (Utthita) Hasta Padangustasana /Standing one leg balance

3) The thing you love most about yoga?

Anita: I love the ongoing practice and discovery making!

We thank Anita for sharing more about herself. You can find out more information about Anita at: http://www.anitaseiz.com/

You can catch Anita at Inner Space Yoga teaching Pilates on Wednesdays and Fridays from 5:45-6:45pm, and also NEW FOR THE APRIL SCHEDULE Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:15am-12:15pm!

Pilates is a great addition to your yoga practice and it’s excellent for strengthening your core. It is often recommended for those who are on the road to recovery after an injury, always check with your Doctor first though!

Thank-you for reading and be ready to meet somebody very special next week. Also, we’d love to hear your feedback so feel free to leave a comment.

Chris Tucker in Plow Pose (Halasana)

Hello to all our yogis and yoginis of Inner Space Yoga! We’re going to be doing a weekly segment on the teachers (both yoga + pilates) that make our classes so much fun, rewarding and relaxing….and also keep you coming back for more!  Let’s face it yoga teachers are people too. We’re going to begin with Chris Tucker, who has been with Inner Space since we opened in 2009. It’s going to be a brief 3-question interview to help you get to know Chris better.

1) The strangest place you’ve done yoga?

In my travels through Asia I typically bring a tiny backpack with very few items. By far the most space goes to a folded up yoga mat. The first time I brought my mat I thought “this is ridiculous” but it was surely the best pre-trip decision I made. A tiny, insect covered floor suddenly seems quite yogable after a gentle sweep and the laying down of a mat. In malarial-rich areas I’ve developed a nice sequence that can be performed underneath a mosquito net.

2) Your favourite yoga pose?

My favourite pose is savasana which is why I have a free class devoted to it on Sundays (2:45-3:45). I was given an energy treatment once in Thailand that brought on an incredibly rich experience. Afterwards I commented on how powerful it was for me and yet a slight flicker in the eye of the practitioner informed me that she was not entirely responsible for this. I thought to myself, which is my favourite way, “when was the last time I spent an hour in savasana?” which is essentially what I had been doing. So the next day instead of my vinyasa practice I rolled out my mat and simply lay in savasana for an hour. The experience came right back, richer if anything. I try to do this every day.

3) Thing you love most about yoga?

That yoga is an innate, celebratory expression of our true nature and that as a practice it is inexhaustible and only continues to deepen and enrich itself over time.
We thank Chris for sharing a bit more about himself. You can attend Chris’ classes various times during the week, please see times below:
Sunday: 1:00-2:30pm Beginner, 2:45-3:45pm Restorative Meditation & 7:00-8:30pm Restorative
Monday: 8:00-9:00pm Candlelight Hatha
Tuesday: 7:00-8:00am Morning Flow
Wednesday: 12:00-1:00pm Beginner & 8:00-9:00pm Candlelight Hatha

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for a new segment next week!

Please check here for more about Chris Tucker:  www.christucker.ca

If you’ve got stress, you are not alone. The American Psychology Association recently reported that 80% of Americans feel stressed by the economy, 60% feel angry about it, and 52% are having trouble sleeping. Physical and emotional symptoms due to stress appear to be increasing. So, what exactly is stress and how does it affect your life? Defined, stress is a specific response by the body, which disturbs or interferes with one’s normal physiological equilibrium. Sleeplessness, feelings of irritability or anger, lack of interest or motivation, depression, sadness, headaches, muscular tension, and many diseases and disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), cancer, heart disease, asthma, fibromyalgia, chronic pain and chronic fatigue, are all stress-related health concerns.

However, contrary to popular opinion, all stress is not necessarily bad. In fact, it’s normal, and we all experience it. Stress is integral to our growth and to some extent we need stress, just as trees need the stress of wind to build strong trunks and branches. What is important to our overall well-being is how we relate to stress.  It is un-managed stress (or un-processed stress), which causes problems. No matter the cause, the results of unmanaged stress are the same – less peace of mind, serious health concerns, and less enjoyment of life.

One thing is sure; we can’t always eliminate the causes of stress in our lives. However, we can identify the underlying sources of stress and find positive ways to manage it. Many people have found tremendous relief from stress by exploring the relationships between their body, thoughts, feelings and life, within Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy sessions.

Your body has, of course, been with you during each significant event in your life, and is responsible for expressing, filtering and processing your experiences.  Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy is based in the belief that our bodies hold memory and emotion, just like our brains do, and that the source of chronic pain and stress can be the result of blocked or unresolved emotions stored in the body. In a yoga therapy session, clients are physically supported through postures to stimulate the memories and emotions that reside in their bodies, while simultaneous dialogue helps bring the source of those emotions to light. Awareness around behavioural patterns helps one find lessons rather than becoming frustrated, and peace rather than giving into anger or anxiety.

What sets Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy apart from most other therapeutic approaches, and other methods of yoga therapy, psychotherapy, or even physical therapy, is that it is non-diagnostic and non-prescriptive. In other words, the therapist doesn’t give their opinion, interpret the client’s experience or offer advice, on what the problems or solutions might be. Rather, the practitioner facilitates a session by inviting the client to explore whatever is happening in the present moment, and then encouraging the client to open to his or her own inner wisdom to find the life connections between what was experienced in the session and what is true in the clients daily life . This approach is quite empowering, making Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy a profound compliment to both psychotherapy and physical therapy, and an integral part of the process of whole healing.

Candace Pert, PhD;  the pharmacologist who’s contribution to Neuroscience since the 1980’s have brought the idea of “body-mind” into light; said in her book  Molecules of Emotion, “Most psychologists treat the mind as disembodied, a phenomenon with little or no connection the physical body. Conversely, physicians treat the body with no regard to the mind or emotions. But the body and mind are not separate, and we cannot treat one without the other…the body can and must be healed through the mind, and the mind can and must be healed through the body.”

Integral to the process of transformation is noticing how one meets themselves at an “edge”, the physical or emotional place between too much and too little intensity. Michael Lee, founder of Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy, said in this book Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy-A Bridge from Body to Soul, “Unless you find your edge, there is no growth, no learning and no change. Too far back from the edge is boredom and atrophy. Too far out from the edge is self destruction.” Undoubtedly, how one chooses to meet their edges during a Phoenix Rising session, is how they meet the edges in their life. Chronic stress, with both physical and psychological symptoms, can be the result of constantly pushing past an edge, without the know-how to make positive and healthier choices, or even the knowledge that one has the power to do so.  The concept of edge is what inspired the name for this holistic healing art. Going through a metaphysical transformation of death and rebirth, like a phoenix bird rising from its ashes, is a metaphor for the change we can experience in order to create the life we want.

Everyone has the capacity to live from a place of inner wisdom and to heal, simply from a better understanding of our relationship with ourselves. In a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy session, clients are given the opportunity to explore physical and energetic sensations, arising emotions, thoughts and memories, and then to apply what they learned to their everyday life in a practical way.

In addition to private sessions, some Phoenix Rising practitioners, like Shivani Ashley Wells, also offer group programs. In the December 2008 issue of Yoga Journal magazine, the article “Talk to Me” highlighted Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy as a leader in the field of yoga therapy due to research which has been collected over the past four years to support the benefits of yoga therapy. By comparing pre and post medical forms from participants of the Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy Approach to Living with Stress group program, a 55% reduction in stress-related symptoms was found.

Psychotherapists refer clients to Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy who have become “stuck”, or need to explore emotions and memories locked in their bodies. Clients who have experienced abuse and disassociate have found yoga therapy especially valuable. Body workers and energy workers, such as massage therapists and Reiki practitioners; refer clients who would benefit from verbalizing what they experience during sessions. Chiropractors and Physical Therapists (Physiotherapists) refer clients who are interested in exploring the connection between their injuries and their emotions. However, you don’t need a referral to experience this empowering work! Anyone with a desire to enhance their health, well-being and enjoyment of life, regardless of their physical condition, can benefit.

Redefining Stress, The Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy Approach to Living with Stress, a 6-week proven program, will run at Inner Space Yoga, from March 10^th-April 14^th, on Wednesday nights from 5:45-8:15pm, as well as an all-day silent retreat on April 4^th.  $300 includes 6 sessions, silent retreat, plus a participant guidebook and audio CDs to support a home practice. This program combines gentle yoga, guided meditation, self-reflection and group dialogue to help you explore and create a more positive relationship with stress. Space is limited. To register, or for more information about Redefining Stress and private sessions, contact Shivani or Inner Space Yoga

Many yogic texts, such as The Vedas, say that the whole universe is evolved through Sankalpa (the yogic version of intention);  that everything we perceive is constantly shifting, changing and moving with the conceptions and ideas created in our minds and hearts.  The Vedas are some of the world’s oldest sacred texts, dated some 1500-1000 BCE; well before new age culture and movies such as “The Secret” popularized the idea that we can shape our own reality.  From the yogic perspective, positive thought patterns have always been paramount to seeing through the illusions of our fleeting emotions and fickle minds.

In practice, setting an effective Sankalpa is relatively easy and can be summarized in the following three steps:

1.  Sit quietly, breathe and perhaps journal your way into one main, realistic and positive  intention.  Focus on the course of action you intend to follow, rather than what you DON’T want (see last week’s post), using wording that is in the present tense; wording that can become your motto or mantra. For example: “I am living a happy, healthy lifestyle”.

2. See yourself in that state you wish to embody and invite.  Sit in it, feel it, write about it and examine what it looks like until you believe it is possible for you, and your sankalpa becomes something tangible.  Do this for a short time each day.

3.  Let go of the outcome, and especially let go of the “how”.  Just by setting a positive intention, and spending a little time with it each day, you are already helping to shift negative thought patterns in the mind.  Remember that you are embarking upon a journey, if you hit some bumps along your  path, accept them for what they are:  challenges to learn from.

Yogis have known for thousands of years that the universe will support us in whatever path we choose, whether positive or negative.  To shift the negative to the positive, all that we need do is consciously choose a direction, and focus on it lightheartedly and with diligence.  Inevitably, our eyes will open to what the world has on offer.

As another year passes us by, for many of us, comes the inclination to set some solid resolutions for the upcoming months.  Looking back at the year preceding, so often what stands out is areas in which we could have been “better” versions of ourselves.  Whether it is in our careers, relationships or just all the excess over the holidays, what we tend to focus on are specific things we “shouldn’t” do.  So when the clock passes midnight on December 31st, and we are rejuvenated with a sense of renewal and fresh starts, resolutions are born.  We resolve to take out all the things that have been creating suffering in our lives.  To do with out, go with out and let go of anything that has made a negative impact on our life.  Whether it’s to stop drinking, cut out sugars, quit smoking, quit over spending, or to diet; we resolve to mold a “better” version of ourselves by letting go of vice.  And it usually works for a time.  But then the negative habits creep back in slowly, and before we know it, we are back where we started.

So why don’t resolutions work?  In the context of yoga, and other reputable disciplines, there are a few fundamental flaws with new year’s resolutions.  First and foremost, resolutions are mostly set in the negative.  We tell ourselves what we WON’T do, eat  or say, and in this way we are actually still subconsciously focusing on the aspects of our lives we wanted to let go of.  We are negating an aspect of our self, and essentially trying to stave it off by sheer will power.  Willfulness may work temporarily, but there is no power in will if you can’t see yourself doing it.  And you can’t conceptualize, visualize or even imagine yourself NOT smoking, NOT drinking, NOT eating cookies.  It is impossible.  Which leads us to another fundamental resolution flaw: we brought all our focus onto a goal, an end result, that we can’t clearly see ourselves achieving.

This is where intention comes in.  An intention is a course of action that we intend to follow.  It is about the journey towards a more positive version of ourselves, reflected in our actions.  In yoga, the practice and power of intention, has been around for thousands of years.  It is known as sankalpa.  To set sankalpa means to invite and embody a more positive aspect of ourselves into our lives.  Specifically.  If you want to stop over eating, set an intention to eat smaller meals.  Invite in healthy eating habits, and see yourself eating that way.  If you want to stop over spending, set an intention to save money.  Invite in savings, and see yourself living in abundance.  When we focus on the positive, we can conceptualize ourselves there.  We can see it, feel it and believe it. When an intention is properly set, it becomes not about the end product, but about THE PATH towards bringing out more of what is already there for us.  And that is the beauty of sankalpa, we invite something in clearly and definitively, and here is the key: we let go of the outcome. Because on the path towards a more positive you, there is no ultimate destination, each small step forward along the way is an opportunity and a blessing.

The stories, symbolism, attributes and legends surrounding Lord Ganesha are so numerous and varied, that this humble blogger can only hope to lift the curtain and shine a little light.  I will share some of my favourite attributes and symbolism in this first part.  After that, i leave the door open for you to share and comment on whatever experience and knowledge you may have regarding Sir Ganesh, The lord of the hosts, Ganapati, the destroyer of obstacles..

Where to start but at the beginning…..He is the first born son of Shiva and Parvati and within his name Ganesh, ‘Ga’ symbolizes Buddhi (intellect) and ‘Na’ symbolizes Vijnana (wisdom). Ganesha is thus considered the master of intellect and wisdom.  His big belly symbolises the prosperity of nature, and is thought to contain infinite universes.  With equanimity, Ganesha swallows the sorrows of the universe, to protect the world.  His wide ears denote wisdom, an ability to listen to people who seek help and to reflect on spiritual truths. They signify the importance of listening in order to assimilate ideas. In this way Ganesh’s ears are used to gain knowledge. In Hindu belief, the large ears indicate that when God is known, all knowledge is known.  The broken tusk of Ganapataya stands primarily for his ability to overcome or “break through” the illusions of duality, to see that we are one.  Ganesh is escorted, attended to and occasionally carried by a mouse.  According to one interpretation, Ganesha’s divine vehicle, the mouse or mooshikam represents wisdom, talent and intelligence. It symbolizes minute investigation of a cryptic subject. A mouse leads a clandestine life below the ground. Thus it is also a symbol of ignorance that is dominant in darkness and fears light and knowledge. As the vehicle of Lord Ganesha, a mouse teaches us to remain always on alert and illuminate our inner-self with the light of knowledge.

Philosophically, Ganesha, is the symbol of one who has discovered the Divine within himself. Ganesha’s is the first sound, OM, from which all songs were brought forth. When Shakti (Energy) and Shiva (Matter) meet, both Sound (Ganesha) and Light (Skanda) were born. Ganesha represents the perfect equilibrium between force and kindness and between power and beauty, in this way he provides a representation of the ability to perceive distinctions between truth and illusion, the real and the unreal.

In general terms, Ganesha is a much beloved and frequently invoked divinity, since he is the Lord of Good Fortune who provides prosperity and is also the Destroyer of Obstacles.  To bring prosperity and release blockage in households and businesses, it is a tradition to place Ganesha in the first left hand corner, as you enter.  At Inner Space Yoga, we built the alcove for Ganesh, before we even had the beautiful muerte (statue)….

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Join us every Saturday at Inner Space Yoga for poetic themes and Anusara Inspired yoga with Rebekka

Another year gone, leaving everywhere
its rich spiced residues: vines, leaves,
the uneaten fruits crumbling damply
in the shadows, unmattering back
from the particular island
of this summer, this NOW, that now is nowhere
except underfoot, moldering
in that black subterranean castle
of unobservable mysteries – roots and sealed seeds
and the wanderings of water. This
I try to remember when time’s measure
painfully chafes, for instance when autumn
flares out at the last, boisterous and like us longing
to stay – how everything lives, shifting
from one bright vision to another, forever
in these momentary pastures.

~ Mary Oliver ~
(American Primitive)

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