Extra Yoga Class-11/22/08

I did an extra yoga class today. My Yoga Zone DVD's are very important in understanding the poses that are done during the classes at Yoga West. While I was only able to attend to sessions at Yoga West I still feel that I learned a great deal about yoga while there. While I am not able to take a 75 minute class I can still practice yoga with my twenty minute DVD. This is a perfect way to practice yoga when on a time crunch. Today I practiced the evening stress release. This has to be my favorite Yoga Zone DVD. It provides the perfect amount of salutations in which to warm and loosen the body. Also, it incorporates the philosophical ideals seen in other classes by practicing meditation. Below I have posted a clip of a Yoga Zone session. Enjoy!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQQXRw2zW4o

Forth Yoga Class-11/19/08

Today is my fourth and final yoga class that is required for this class. I still am not able to go to the classes at Yoga West. My doctor does not want to me to be in an exercise class for more than 45 minutes. I wanted to see about going to observe but I feel that I would take away from the other students. I decided that instead of doing the evening stress release I would do the ab video. The ab video is set up the same way the previous DVD was. It is in two twenty minute segments that focus on a particular part of the body. Today's session was to focus on the abdominal muscles. This class was a lot more physical than the evening stress release. It did have a few philosophical ideals but nothing like that of the class at Yoga West. The instructor stated that the abs were an important part of the body. When the abdominal muscles are strong they create a healthy support system for the rest of the body. Like every yoga class I attended or did at home the instructor ended with meditation. I believe that the meditation is an integral part of the yoga class. It helps clear the mind while also forcing the student to be consicous of their body. The four classes that I have taken have helped me better understand the health benefits that are associated with yoga. Also, I feel that philosophic ideals play and important part in the practice of yoga.

Third Yoga Class-11/17/08

Due to may recent surgery I have not been able to return to my yoga classes due to the intensity of the class. However, several years ago my husband purchased a set of yoga classes on DVD. The collection is from Yoga Zone. Yoga Zone is a yoga studio that is located in New York. The DVD's are in two twenty minute segments. The segment in which I practiced today was on evening stress release. The class began in standard pose and moved into a series of sun salutations. The poses that were done were like the ones that I had done during my classes at Yoga West. One of the hardest poses to accomplish was that of the chair pose. My body tends to shake while doing this. The instructors were very informative of how to do each posture. The class was a lot more educational of poses than the classes that I had attended previously. However, I did notice that the philosophical aspects of yoga were missing during the class. Only during the last ten minutes did the instructor focus on clearing the mind and not to stress. If I had not just had surgery I would have preferred to attend the class at Yoga West. I will have to continue to do the tapes until I am able to withstand a workout for more than 45 minutes.

Practice Kundalini Yoga-3

On 11-15-2008 I completed my last session of Kundalini Yoga. I am going to miss this relaxing but accomplishing sessions in which I have done this week. While I do not like the chanting I feel that I am really getting something out of these sessions. They are very fast but I still feel like I have accomplished something. In the article that I read concerning Kundalini Yoga it stated that anybody can do yoga. After completing these three sessions I feel that anybody can. I love how this particular session makes you sit of tall while elongating the spine. After I finish my stomach feels so flat. I am going to try and find a Kundalini Yoga tape so that I can start doing it at home. I definitely like it more than the Hatha Yoga classes I have been attending.

Practice Kundalini Yoga-2

On 11-13-08 I practiced my second session of Kundalini Yoga. Like the time before the session was based on the Kriya of the Month, Gyan Chakra Kriya. I really enjoyed the previous session since it was low impact and did not interfere with my previous medical procedure. However, I did not like the chanting of the mantra. The mantra in which we were asked to do was Sat Naam, sat naam, wha-hay guroo, wha-hay guroo for 11 minutes. In the first session I felt very uncomfortable in stating the mantra. So this time I decided to say the mantra in my head. I feel that I can better concentrate at the task at hand when I do this. I do enjoy practicing Kundalini Yoga and it reminds me of the Yoga Zone videos in which I love so much.

Practice Kundalini Yoga-1

On 11-10-2008 I practiced my first session of Kundalini Yoga. Dr. Stansell indicated that we needed to practice the Kriya of the Month three times this week. On 11-07-2008 I had surgery on my bladder and have not been able to go to yoga class. Luckily I saw that the Kriya of the Month was Gyan Chakra Kriya. After reading the article concerning the history behind Kundalini Yoga I was very interested. The article stated that this particular practice would help relieve stress as well as expand a persons awareness of their body. It is prescribed a lot by doctors to relieve pain in the back and neck. When I read that the Gyan Chakra Kriya "exercise works on the electromagnetic frequency of the brain" I was hoping that it was something that I would be able to do. When I read that the posture would be taking place in "easy pose" I knew I was going to like it. The session reminded me of a warmup that was done in my first yoga class. It was nice and relacing but also was a real arm workout. I did not like the chanting. Next time I may chant in my head.

Second Yoga Class-11/04/08

Today was my second yoga class to take at Yoga West in Katy, Texas. I decided to take a class that was labeled for everyone. The 75 minute class was taught by a seasoned yoga teacher named Jeanne Wheat. The class began with with a fifteen minute reading and discussion from the sutras. Jeanne discussed the need to have a mantra and how it can be used to get through difficult poses. Like the basic class the everyone class had blocks and a strap available in order to work through the poses. I had brought my own mat this time and did not feel as uncomfortable. Jeanne let the class decide if they wanted to do sun salutations for the remainder of the time or split it between the salutations and meditation. The class decided to split it between salutations and meditation. For 30 minutes the class completed a series of sun salutations which were intended to create a more flexible body. The last 30 minutes of class were a meditation series done by tape in which mantras were discussed. The elements of yoga philosophy that were used in the class were abundant. From the reading of the sutras to the 30 minutes of meditation the class really immersed the student in the philosophy behind yoga practices. I felt that I got more out of this class than the basic class I took the first time. The discussion really helped the student identify with the sun salutations and the meditation that was completed during the rest of the class. I will definitely return and take this class from Jeanne.

First Yoga Class-10/25/08

Today was my first yoga class to take in a studio setting. I chose to take my classes at Yoga West in Katy, Texas. I signed up for a month of unlimited classes and hope to get a lot out of them. When I arrived I learned that it was a beginner class that teaches the basic poses of Hatha Yoga. It was taught by a first time instructor whose name was Deanna Kurnek. At first I was very uncomfortable because I have not practiced yoga in over a year and felt out of shape. Everyone was very nice and even offered to let me borrow a mat. They had blocks and a strap in order to help ease into the poses. Deanna began the 75 minute class with a discussion of what we were going to accomplish within the time frame. Deanna stated that the goal of the basic class was to introduce a student to Hatha Yoga with basic poses and to learn the breathing techniques used in such practice. Deanna spoke of the poses and also showed how to do each one. While doing the techniques she would then go around the room to make sure that each student was doing the pose correctly. The only element of philosophy that was evident in the class was the meditation that was done at the end of the class. For 15 minutes students were asked to meditate and reflect on the class that was taken. I felt that this to me was an intrigual part of the philosophy that has been discussed in class. By using meditation I felt that it did enhance the class by relaxing the students and helping students reflect on the class time. I did enjoy my first yoga class and cannot wait to take another one.