Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Ashtanga yoga practice, sick and you

Should you practice if you are sick?
If you have a fever, rest.
If you feel contagious and/or are really gross or think you'll be disruptive, practice at home.

What is it?
Do you have a cold or the flu?
Q and A at the CDC

Help prevent others from getting sick
How flu spreads at the CDC

What to do if you feel sick

How to help prevent illness
  • Stay regular/eat smart: Everyone says it is hard to stay on point and take care of ourselves over the holidays, but really, there is always stress in our daily lives and there will always be an excuse not to do the right thing. It is way cooler to be healthy and able to hangout than to be sick and full of snot in bed. Eat to fuel your body, your practice, your work, and your digestive system. Poop everyday!
  • Dress properly: Whether on bike, foot, or train, our outerwear is the equivalent of our cars and worth the investment.


Allergies, practice, and you

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Ashtanga Yoga Demonstration

From the 2010 Dasara Festival. KPJAYI students (including Elise) demonstrating Ashtanga yoga asanas.

Primary Series at the Mysore Palace: Bhujapidasana, Kurmasana, Supta Kurmasana





Intermediate Series at the JSS Hospital: Ustrasana, Laghu Vajrasana, Kapotasana, Pincha Mayurasana, Mayurasana

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Ashtanga Yoga Retreat with Elise & Mary


Ashtanga Yoga Retreat
with Elise Espat and Mary Flinn

January 28-30, 2011
Ananda Ashram, Monroe, New York
More information
Register online

Join us for a full weekend immersion filled with yoga practice and more, inspired by the rich experience of studying at the source in Mysore, India. Nestled in the tranquility of nature, the Ananda Ashram is the ideal setting for contemplation and rejuvenation for the year ahead. This weekend is open to all students of yoga from complete beginner to advanced practitioner.

Elise Espat is one of the few teachers worldwide to have received Level 2 Authorization, enabling her to teach both the primary and intermediate series of Ashtanga yoga. She is honored to have practiced with the late Shri K. Pattabhi Jois and is a direct student of R. Sharath Jois at the KPJ Ashtanga Yoga Institute in India. Elise leads the Ashtanga Yoga Brooklyn daily Mysore program in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Mary Flinn has been teaching yoga for over 15 years and has directed several yoga centers in NYC. Her daily practice has been Ashtanga yoga since 1997 and she has been blessed by the late Shri K. Pattabhi Jois and his grandson R. Sharath Jois to teach the first and second series of Ashtanga yoga. She has studied yoga philosophy with the scholars at the Ananda Ashram for many years. Mary teaches in Philadelphia at Mount Airy Yoga.


Sign up now

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Friday, November 19, 2010

Ashtanga from the source: Traditional Method


From the KPJAYI:

All students commence their instruction in the same manner in which on the first day of class they are taught Surya Namaskar A, followed by Padmasana and deep breathing, and a few minutes of rest to conclude their first day of practice. The next day after Surya Namaskar A has been performed, Surya Namaskar B is taught, and one then again concludes in the same method as the previous day, with Padmasana, deep breathing, and rest. After both of the Surya Namaskar have been learned correctly, each of the various asanas are added one by one. When one asana is correct, the next one is taught. Depending on the age and ability of the student, it can take anywhere upwards of 3 months to learn the primary series.

Continue reading at the KPJAYI website by clicking here

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Moon Day + Thanksgiving Weekend

Next Moon Day: Sunday, November 21

Thursday, November 25th: 8-9:30am Led replaces Mysore (sign up here)
Friday, November 26th: No class
Sunday, November 28th: Regular schedule

Thursday, December 2: New led class Tue/Thurs 3:30pm at 112 North 6th.

Led Primary Series at Ashtanga Yoga Brooklyn/ Go Yoga

Ashtanga ~ Led Class
Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:30-5pm starting December 2nd


The primary series of Ashtanga yoga taught in the traditional method of Mysore, India by Shri K. Pattabhi Jois. Students will be led through Yoga Chikitsa (Yoga Therapy) to the rhythm of the vinyasas counted in Sanskrit. There are no classes on new or full moons (moon days).

No class on Dec 21 (Tue), Dec 23 (Thur), Dec 28 (Tue), Jan 4 (Tue), May 3 & 17 (Tue)

Location:
112 North 6th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Sign Up: Unlike the AYB Mysore program, please contact Go Yoga to register online or in person. Drop ins welcome.


Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Mysore Goes 6-Days

Ashtanga Yoga Brooklyn now offers a 6-day per week traditional Mysore program.
Monday - Friday 6:45am - 9:30am
Sundays 8am - 9:30am

Closed Saturdays and full/new moon days.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Sita Sings the Blues


November 5th marks the festival of lights aka Diwali. Jains, Sikhs, and Hindus share the holiday, with Hindus celebrating several important events including those from the Ramayana. Below is an animated retelling of the epic.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Ashtanga Yoga Opening Prayer

वन्दे गुरूणां चरणारविन्दे
सन्दर्शित स्वात्म सुखाव बोधे ।

निःश्रेयसे जङ्गलिकायमाने
संसार हालाहल मोहशांत्यै ॥

आबाहु पुरुषाकारं
शंखचक्रासि धारिणम् ।

सहस्र शिरसं श्वेतं
प्रणमामि पतञ्जलिम् ॥


vande gurūṇāṁ caraṇāravinde
sandarśita svātma sukhāva bodhe |

niḥ śreyase jaṅgalikāyamāne
saṁsāra hālāhala mohaśāṁtyai ||

ābāhu puruṣākāraṁ
śaṁkhacakrāsi dhāriṇam |

sahasra śirasaṁ śvetaṁ
praṇamāmi patañjalim ||


I bow to the lotus feet of the Gurus
The awakening happiness of one's own Self revealed,
Beyond better, acting like the Jungle physician,
Pacifying delusion, the poison of Samsara.

Taking the form of a man to the shoulders,
Holding a conch, a discus, and a sword,
One thousand heads white,
To Patanjali, I salute.


From the KPJAYI website.
Listen to Sri K. Pattabhi Jois chant the opening mantra.
Read the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali online or get a translation.

Where to Buy

Currently AYB offers cotton Mysore rugs, mat bags, and books by request (learn more here). What AYB doesn't supply, I'll definitely will help you find. I'll only recommend what I know works, is of quality, and ethically produced. If I'm not certain of any of these, I'll say so. I try my best to stay current with what is available and what is out there, however, it is impossible to be on it all the time, so, if you have thoughts, suggestions, or updates, your feedback is welcome. Lastly, because we are a Brooklyn-based program, my suggestions are as local as possible. Support small businesses! If you prefer to shop online, check out the AYB Amazon Store.

-Elise


Yoga Mats
How to choose a yoga mat (click here)
Go Yoga: Harmony Mats and Manduka Mats, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Kula Yoga Project Manduka Williamsburg, Brooklyn (more in Manhattan)
Greenhouse Holistic: Harmony Mats Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Lululemon (see below) Manduka
Om Harmony & Prana

Yoga Rugs
Ashtanga Yoga Brooklyn Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Kula Yoga Project Yogitoes Williamsburg, Brooklyn (more in Manhattan)

Yoga Mat Bags
Ashtanga Yoga Brooklyn
Go Yoga

Yoga Clothes
Iyengar Yoga Association of Greater New York (Malaika Padma Pune Chic Yoga Shorts) Chelsea, Manhattan
Yoga Works (Hard Tail leggings, pants, and shorts) Manhattan
Pure (Tanya-B pants) Upper West/East
Online/find a store (Shining Shakti pants)
Kula Yoga Project Hyde pants (men) and tops/pants (women) Williamsburg, Brooklyn (more in Manhattan)
American Apparel (Leggings--though they wear out quick & t-shirts) Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Jivamukti (organic tops and bottoms for women, some items for men, prancing leopard, inner waves) Union Square
Om Union Square (women)
Yoga Sutra Midtown
Laughing Lotus Midtown
Lululemon Union Square and Brooklyn (men/women)



Books
Ashtanga Yoga Brooklyn
Go Yoga
Barnes and Noble
Yoga Sutra
The Strand
Yoga Works
Jivamukti

Monday, October 25, 2010

2011 Ashtanga Yoga Moon Days


A list of full and new moon days for 2011. Ashtanga practitioners take this time off for rest. Find out why by clicking here.

January 4th, Tuesday, New Moon
January 19th, Wednesday, Full Moon

February 2nd, Wednesday, New Moon
February 18th, Friday, Full Moon

March 4th, Friday, New Moon
March 19th,Saturday, Full Moon

April 3rd, Sunday, New Moon
April 18th, Monday, Full Moon

May 3rd, Tuesday , New Moon
May 17th, Tuesday, Full Moon

June 1st, Wednesday, New Moon
June 15th, Wednesday , Full Moon

July 1st, Friday, New Moon
July 15th, Friday, Full Moon
July 30th, Saturday, New Moon

August 13th, Saturday, Full Moon
August 29th, Monday, New Moon

September 13th, Monday, Full Moon
September 27th, Tuesday, New Moon

October 12th , Wednesday,Full Moon
October 26th, Wednesday , New Moon

November 10th, Thursday, Full Moon
November 25th, Friday , New Moon

December 10th, Saturday, Full Moon
December 24th, Saturday New Moon

timeanddate.com

Friday, October 22, 2010

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Moon Day Theory #5 {Dena Kingsberg}

Next Moon Day: Thursday, September 23, 2010.

From Dena Kingsberg:

"Both full and new moon days are observed as yoga holidays in the Ashtanga Yoga tradition.

What is the reasoning behind this?

Like all things of a watery nature (human beings are about 70% water), we are affected by the phases of the moon. The phases of the moon are determined by the moon's relative position to the sun. Full moons occur when they are in opposition and new moons when they are in conjunction. Both sun and moon exert a gravitational pull on the earth." read on

See all 2010 moon days