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Boston 2006 - Conference Blog
April 12, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
Something tells me I was supposed to deepen my understanding of backbends this weekend. I practiced backbends extensively with Shiva Rea, Edward Clark, and now Rodney Yee. One would think that two really uplifting classes on backbends would be enough for a person, (don't get me wrong I was really beginning to understand what a backbend should feel like after the first two classes), but I think I really needed Rodney Yee's class to solidify the intelligence in my body.
Rodney has some magical aura in his voice that made me want to get everything perfect in this backbending class. Perhaps it's the way he's so precise in his instructions. Or maybe it's because I heard him gently correct other students (and his assistants), and I didn't want to be next. More likely, though, it was the chat he had with us about what our yoga practice should be doing for our lives.
"Yoga isn't about stretching," he says. "It's about eveness."
He talked about how he recently worked with the most amazing athletes, but even though they were at this superhuman level of fitness they weren't happy with their bodies. Sure, our practice should challenge us and keep us on our feet, but it should also make us love bodies and ourselves.
"Sometimes you need to take a step back and just ask yourself: Why am I pulling at my leg like this?" says Rodney.
Anyway, I was inspired and I can honestly say that I worked harder than I've ever worked in a yoga class. Even though this was a backbending class, I don't think my Downward-Facing Dog will ever be the same. I found strength and eveness.
When I returned to my room, I tried to do, Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (One-Legged King Pigeon Pose), a backbending pose I've been practicing on my own for weeks upon weeks, and I actually backbend far enough to touch my head to my foot!! And I didn't even collapse in the lower spine! This is what yoga conferences are all about, and I am SO grateful for this opportunity.
April 10, 2006 by Lauren Ladoceour
It's not as easy as it looks. Judith taught that Savasana and restorative yoga is about letting go of the body and breath so that we might disidentify ourselves from our thoughts. It also has more physical health benefits. From her studies with Dean Ornish and a San Francisco university, Judith found that restorative yoga lowers cholestoral and can stabilize glucose levels.
But many yoga classes don't give enough time to Savasana. Judith taught that it takes at least 15 minutes to relax before one can withdraw from external sensations. Here is a recipe for relaxation, as outlined in this all-day restorative yoga intensive:
1. A safe environment
2. Darkness
3. The body positioned in a 30 degree incline
4. Warm hands and feet
5. A lowered core temperature
April 10, 2006 by Andrea Kowalski
 "Yoga is to be lived," says Purna yoga founder Aadil Palkhivala.
Aadil Palkhivala's class on Freeing the Heart in Standing Poses was one of the most inspiring classes of the conference for me. Other than editing his expert questions for My Yoga Mentor, this was my first experience of Aadil. The man is far more heart-centered and inspiring in person than I could have imagined from our email interactions.
A student of B.K.S. Iyengar for 30 years, Aadil started the school of Purna Yoga to address the bigger picture of yoga. Rather than practicing asana for the sake of perfecting asana, Aadil encourages his students to find their dharma, or life's purpose, through the study of asana, spirituality, philosophy, and lifestyle.
While asana is important, it is also insignificant, Aadil says. The purpose of asana is "to help the body be a better vehicle for the spirit's command. Why do we practice? We practice for the exploration, discovery and fulfillment of dharma."
After working on some standing poses, Aadil paused the class. We were all missing the point, trying to be perfect students. "The asana must serve your bigger picture; it's not a performance. What's your intention?," he asked. Rather than practcing to be the best in class, we should considering practicing for the enlightenment of all beings, he suggested. I could feel my classmates relaxing around me.
 Some juicy nuggets and good reminders I took away from Aadil's class:
1. To learn if your practice is serving you, look at your life -- what is the state of your relationships? --That is, your relationship with family, with the earth, with food, etc.
2. To choose your teacher, don't look at the person's practice, look at the person's life.
3. Don't knit the ribs together during practice under any circumstances -- we want to expand the heart center, not contract it.
4. Never practice Uddiyana bandha while actively breathing -- it strains the heart. (During pranayama, it is done while holding the breath out.)
5. The best way to cultivate the rasa, or juice, in standing poses is by using the quadriceps. Bring the earth energy up into your legs using the quads, then into the pelvis, then knead that energy into your heart.
6. Don't send all of your prana, or lifeforce energy, out around you, tilt the pelvis up and send the prana into your heart.
Finally, some food for thought from Aadil: "It's a magnificent cosmic evolution which we are a part of, usually dragged kicking and screaming; but if we choose to participate, the suffering will end."
photos by Susan Slattery
April 10, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
The class I took with Ana Forrest was called "Forrest Yoga Without Struggle," which sounds like an oxymoron to anyone who's taken Forrest Yoga before.
Ana's style of yoga is a struggle for even the most athletic, seasoned yogi. On my third day of strenuous yoga, I knew it would be a struggle, even if the class description said it would help me free myself from "breathlessness, struggle, and panic." Just to make things more interesting, I think Ana "Abs" Forrest pulled out all of her most breathless, panic-inducing tricks to teach us to breath into poses and relax.
I like to practice Vinyasa yoga as much as possible. So I tend to be really fidgety when teachers invite me to hold poses for any amount of time. I don't enjoy the way it feels to stay in Warrior II, so without really thinking, I brush the hair out of my face or re-adjust my foot placement 16 times. I do whatever I have to to try to make the time that I'm uncomfortable pass so that I can move on to the next pose. I realize this is not one of my better habits so it's good that there are classes like this one to help me realize how important it is to be patient and breath when things get hard.
I got lots of practice being patient in this workshop. I tried to push myself when I felt like giving up, and I realized that when I stopped thinking about the discomfort and focused on the sound of my breath things got a lot easier and I could hold difficult poses for much longer. I really could let go of my struggle, stop fidgeting, and enjoy the sensations.
April 09, 2006 by Andrea Kowalski
photo by Susan Slattery
April 09, 2006 by Andrea Kowalski
photos by Susan Slattery
April 09, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
 Whether you have knobby knees, bowed legs, or hyperextend knees, chances are you've strained or injured a knee joint at some time or another.That's why Mary Dunn's class today on "Saving and Protecting Knees" was an essential for anyone hoping to prevent injuries.
Lesson number one: knees come in different shapes and sizes, and you have to understand the structure of the knee before you can determine how to care for it. "It's like painting with gree paint on green paper," says Mary. "It's not going to look the same as it would on white or grey paper."
Not everyone has the same skeletal structure at one of the body's most delicate joints. For example, I'm pretty sure my legs fall under a category Mary would call knobby kneed. That means my thigh comes in at an angle,then my shin bones extend out slightly. It's kind of an undesirable hour-glass effect, which, of course, is more dynamic in one leg than the other. I also have a bit of an overextension in my joint. So I lock my knees when I'm standing.
Another lady in the class was the perfect example of "bowlegged." Her knees were further away from her midline, making her legs curve outwardly.
As it turns out, the key to protecting the knees may not lie in the knee itself. (I'm assuming most people know about the whole lining-the-knee-over-the-ankle concept in poses like Warrior I and II.) According to Mary, we can train ourselves to take care of our knees through how we work our feet and hips.
"The feet are only the foundation of everything we do!" Marys says as she instructs the class to evenly distribute the weight on the feet.
It's a lot easier on the knee if we let our hips and ankle joints do some of the work, too, in poses like Utkatasana. To demonstrate this, we practiced Utkatasana with our heels up on a folded blanket so we'd have to use our ankles. She had each of us keep our feet three inches apart so bow-legged folks "can't complain that they can't get their feet together." Then we were instructed to press through the balls of our feet and pull our toes up so we weren't collapsing in at the arches of our feet. So that's how you lift your arches--I never knew!
Even though I haven't had a lot of knee issues yet (knock on wood) it really made me think about what I need to do to ensure that I don't develop knee issues in the future, and also gave me some things to look for as I continue on in my yoga teacher training.
photo by Susan Slattery
April 09, 2006 by Lauren Ladoceour
Barbara Benagh is my hero. In the past, teachers have rushed me through backbends, with little-to-no preparation for Wheel. But today's class was completely devoted to warming the spine and preparing it for more advanced backbends. After two hours of gentle Cobras and modified Locust and Bow to strengthen the thoracic spine, I was able to move into a full bridge with an ease I've never experienced. I only wish the photographer had captured my shining moment. After class, I heard one student with a compressed lower back say today was the first time she had tried Cobra and that she now felt ready to move on from her fear of backbends.
April 09, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
The life of a yoga student is one revelation after another. As soon as you think you've mastered one movement, you realize that you've compromised the integrity of another part of pose.
The more teachers you take from, the more frequent these revelations become. I haven't been keeping count, but I've been humbled so many times during this conference. None of these epiphanies have been as dynamic as what I experienced in Edward Clark's class.
After watching Edward Clark in the Tripsichore performance I wasn't really sure what to expect for his class on the Tripsichore technique--but I hoped I wouldn't be expected to stand on my forearms and put my leg behind my head.
Thank goodness he didn't expect us to be that advanced.
We talked about keeping the shoulders down and lenghthing the Uddyana to raise the chest both as we fold forward and as we come up from fold into Tadasana with the arms extended above the head. Not only is this far more beautiful, but it lengthens the back, front, and side body throughout the motion and feels a lot better than allowing the shoulders to rise up toward the ears.
From the top of that reach, we could begin to bend backwards through our height (without crunching the back). Since I've never really had much instruction on how to do a standing backbend, I was thrilled to begin to get a foundation. I have read many times that you have to bend from height, but I wasn't sure how to really achieve that height.
I was also really pleased when we used the same principle of lengthening the Uddyana to come into a handstand split, which is a pose that Tripsichore performs beautifully. I felt like we were really learning a little of the Tripsichore technique. I mean, I didn't actually get my feet off the ground, but I have something else to work toward now.
But the subject that prompted my major revelation was not part of the class topic.
Throughout my practice, I've noticed teachers make the same few adjustments on me. I tend to jut my rib cage out and collapse in my lower back, and sometimes my shoulders roll forward instead of down my back during Cobra and Upward-Facing Dog. So I'm very conscious of these things, especially if I'm in the first row like I was in this class. But I was surprised when Edward told me I over-extend my elbows. I've never had a teacher adjust my elbows--ever! So now I have a new thing to work on in my body, which is a really good thing.
So I'm not enlightened yet, but at this rate I might be someday!
Photos by Susan Slattery
April 09, 2006 by Andrea Kowalski
photos by Susan Slattery
April 09, 2006 by Andrea Kowalski
photos by Susan Slattery
April 08, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
Anyone who's practice yoga for a while knows that it's not all "butterflies and unicorns" as Seane Corn put it. But just in case you forget, one class with Seane Corn wil quicklyl put things into perspective for you.
"Things come up that you haven't thought about in 20 years--that you haven't wanted to think about," says Seane Corn.
In "The Body and Beyond," we touched on some pretty heavy subjects. Students were challenged phsycially as well as emotionally and spiritually.
Seane said believes that if all people are at peace within themselves, all the bad things that are going would eventually stop--all the wars, terrrorism, and violence would just cease to exist.
Even if you're a skeptic of this optimism, you have to respect Seane for her passion in speaking about yoga. It quickly became clear to me why she is admired so much by the yoga community. She speaks with heart and authority.
That's such a huge, abstract idea it was hard for me to even imagine. So I was grateful when Seane said there are ways I can help facilitate that by working on myself.
All the those bad things happening on a global scale originate in people's individual thoughts and actions, so first we have to let go of all our hurt and negativity and find the joy and love in everything.
Vinyasa yoga, Seane's specialty, is a great way to release some of the tension in our lives so we can transform our bodies, and learn to be present so we can transform our minds. In this class we were invited to move quickly, let out our agressions, and leave behind bad feelings we might've been fostering.
"Those people who may've hurt us are our angels, our guides, our teachers," Seane says. "Use them to learn something and then move on."
I was really touched by how candidly Seane spoke about devoting our practice to God or other people in our lives who we'd like to lift up. She asked us to stop our vinyasa practice a couple of times, and think of someone who we love and devote the next vinyasa to them. It's amazing how much that intention changed my practice in that moment.
If something so small can have such a big effect on our individual thoughts and actions, maybe Seane Corn is right, and our intentions really will change the world someday.
Photo by Susan Slattery
April 08, 2006 by Andrea Kowalski
If Ayurvedic doc John Douillard could give you a basic prescription for health, if might look something like this:
Take three meals a day (no snacking)
And call me in the morning.
Oh, and don't stress.
Everyone knows that stress is not a favorable feeling in the body, but Douillard describes why :
Stress --> toxic hormones --> free radicals --> disease.
And why three meals?
When Douillard was diagnosed with high blood pressure at the age of 27, his Ayurvedic doc prescribed him a hot lunch, every day. It worked. It seems that all Douillard needed what a constant stream of energy reserve -- something he wasn't getting by skipping lunch or eating on the run.
Douillard described how most of us are caught in a rollercoaster pattern with the energy levels and eating patterns in our life. If we tend to snack constantly, rather than eating conscious meals, the body will produce cravings -- whether it be for coffee, sugar, or something else. By stretching the time between meals, you give your body time to digest, rest and use existing energy.
After getting the body to go through the entire day without cravings, we'll leave at the end of the day with the same energy we had at the beginning of the day, Douillard says. Therefore, we no longer live life in an emergency state all the time. Being more relaxed will help the lymphatic system cleanse the body of toxins.
Yoga also helps to move the waste out with subtle energy.
Focusing on depression, Douillard attributed the affliction in part to the cultural isolation in American society. In addition, we allow our state of being to be determined by what happened that day. Drop the drama, says Douillard.
"Live life in the eye of the hurricane, where you're not affected by the storm," he said. When this happens, "you're no longer glued to the rollercoaster ride."
photo by Susan Slattery
April 08, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
We wore a red dot on our shirts representing each our heart centers; we chanted mantras about how the heart is the source of happiness; and we pulsated our bodies to remind us of the physical and spritual heart present within us. If anyone who registered missed the essence of Shiva Rea's "Expanding our Heart's Field Within Yoga" class, it's because he or she overslept.
Shiva is a master at setting the tone for her classes. Everywhere in the room, were reminders of what we were hear to do: expand our heart centers.
When you put your heart and soul into anything you get a lot more enjoyment and fulfillment out of it. Of course, this is one of those things people sometimes say without really thinking about it, but Shiva made some pretty convincing arguments that scientific reasoning backs this up.
In our culture, we tend to be brain-oriented, Shiva said. (Perhaps, that's why we had to have a scientific based talk on the heart instead of philosophical.) But our brains are overworked and overwhelmed because we're designed to do some thinking with our hearts, too.
She said our hearts emit an electromagnetic field of energy, which can be measured by scientists. Interestingly enough, the heart's electromagnetic field measures much higher than the brain's. So maybe we really should allow our hearts to guide us more.
Our hearts' energies are constantly reaching out to evaluate people, "like dogs sniffing each other." So anytime we're not really meshing with someone else, it's usually because something doesn't feel right within your heart's energy field.
All of this was amazing and thought-provoking, but when we put it into action through asana I really began to feel my heart's energy radiating out. I think I could feel other people's energy, too, when we got moving. (The room was really warm, and Shiva joked that we'd be able to smell our neighbors' energy, too.)
When I started to get tired from Shiva's strenuous Vinyasa sequence, which obviously consisted of backbend after backbend, the sound of drums beating reminded me to ride my hearts energy wave and I was able to keep going. This was all it took to give me a new appreciation for my body's most vital organ.
Photo by Susan Slattery
April 08, 2006 by Chad Capellman
 After a heartfelt introduction by Baron Baptiste who tells of the time he took a date to see her perform many years ago, Ana Forrest delighted a packed ballroom in the Sheraton in Boston with her balance, flexibility and flair.
Introduction | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
photo by Susan Slattery
April 08, 2006 by Chad Capellman
 Participants received a welcoming message of inner peace from Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, co-founder and director of Golden Bridge in Los Angeles, where she teaches Kundalini yoga and meditation.
She began her class, titled "Live in Peace, Not in Pieces."
Click here to download an mp3 of her opening remarks.
photo by Susan Slattery
April 08, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
You know that saying, "There are no small parts, only small actors?" Well, after seeing the Tripsichore Yoga Theatre proformance, I'm convinced it could be applied to yoga.
One theme during the performance made a big impression on me: If we could only get past the stiff, robotic way of thinking about asana and extend yogic principles into our lives off and on the mat, anyone is capable of having a beautiful and inspiring practice.
Whether you practice yoga on a stage for hundreds or in alone on your own livingroom floor, every practitioner has the potential to do his or her part to inspire, uplift, and make the world a better more beautiful place.
For the first half of the show, I was just thrilled and amazed at the strength, flexibillity, and ease of movement of Edward Clark and the two ladies on stage. The movements were fluid and complex; the choreography was beautiful; the music and the backdrop were lovely. I completely missed what they were expressing because I was so awe-struck by the glory of it all.
Thankfully, it began to make sense when they brought a yoga mat to center stage. The music became choppy and mechanical, and the yogini/actress went through two fast, rigid Sun Salutes, a couple of Triangle Poses (where she counted to five with her hands to demonstrate she was just waiting for it to be over), then she plopped into Savasana. This is when I stopped looking at the stage with my big, impressed saucer eyes and I actually related to what I was seeing.
Who hasn't been in that place in our lives and in yoga class--just go through the motions so we can get to something else? This is like the antithesis of yoga, of course, because in these moments we're anything but present.
When the yogini moved away from the yoga mat, she went back to practicing beautiful, advanced postures, but when she went back to the mat, her movements were robotic once again. It was a subtle reminder to me that yoga should be about personal exploration, not just an exercise.
We hear people preach about extending yoga into our lives all the time, but seeing it take place before me on a stage was so much more powerful. It makes it a lot harder to think, "Oh, that was meant for the person beside me! My practice isn't stiff and robotic!"
It also reminded me that even the most advanced practitioners probably started with the basics: Sun Salutations and Triangle.
I went to the performance expecting to be amazed, entertained, and inspired--and I wasn't disappointed. But I came away with a refreshed perspective on my yoga practice. I am so thankful for that.
Although most of us will never be able to hold a foot behind our head while someone else does a handstand on our back (I was cringing through that because it looked incredibly painful), those of use with tighter hamstrings have a different, but equally important role to play. No matter how small our efforts may seem, they can only contribute to a calmer, more uplifted society.
Photo credit: Susan Slattery
April 08, 2006 by Chad Capellman
 Saul David Raye, co-founder and director of Shanti House and the director of the Thai Yoga Therapy training program at the White Lotus Foundation, demonstrates and teaches rhythmic massage techniques during a morning session.
Click here to see the video clip
photo by Susan Slattery
April 08, 2006 by Chad Capellman
 Renowned instructor Patricia Walden, who has a special interest in yoga for women, coaches several women students on the art of achieving a handstand.
Click here to see the video
photo by Susan Slattery
April 08, 2006 by Lauren Ladoceour
Gessner Geyer gave a lecture on the neurobiology of insight, emotional well-being, and enlightenment. Using findings from recent scientific studies, Geyer pointed out that physicists and neurologists are now proving was yogis have known for centuries: experiences are what change us. It was once believed that our brains are "hard wired," but Geyer suggested that through meditation and awareness, we can even change the way our brain functions. This did not come as news to the audience, but his message was clear. Yoga helps us grow calmer, clearer, and more compassionate, and how e move and breathe affects how we think and feel.
Geyer ended the lecture with a Buddhist prayer: Be aware and don't squander life.
April 08, 2006 by Chad Capellman
Good morning everyone. I'll be honest. I don't really do Yoga, but I didn't feel so isolated after Edward Clark, Eileen Gauthier and Holly Coles of Tripsichore performed last night at John Hancock Hall. I felt better when the gentleman next to me exclaimed "We don't teach that in my class!"
We shot some video of the event for you to enjoy. You'll probably need a high-speed connection and we apologize in advance for any blurriness, as the lights were relatively low.
(JUST ADDED) Opening Sequence |
Clip 1 | Clip 2 | Clip 3 | Clip 4 | Clip 5 | Clip 6
Cheers,
Chad
April 07, 2006 by Andrea Kowalski
photos by Susan Slattery
April 07, 2006 by Andrea Kowalski
I think I caught something today. I started feeling it in the "Yoga Body, Buddha Mind" workshop.
Now, everyone around the YJ office knows I'm somewhat of a germiphobe -- I avoid highly-trafficked door handles and wash my hands constantly -- so the the bug came as somewhat of a surprise. I should've known that David Nichtern and Cyndi Lee would be contagious.
"Mindfulness is a virus -- it should creep out and infect all areas of your life," David said. I knew he was right.
David and Cyndi combined Samatha meditation practice with asana to create more than six hours of complete (and sometimes painful) mindfulness. The class was broken into a mix of vipassana-like meditations, followed by asana sequences, tied together by the thread of breath and the task of staying present.
The first sitting meditation of the workshop felt a little restless and uncomfortable, as did the first Adho Mukha Svanasana. But by the end of the afternoon session, both the final meditation and down dog felt comfortable, if not therapeutic.
 Cyndi led us through some vinyasa, encouraging us to re-evaluate the way we approach our asana. We paused in our down dog to observe how it felt -- and what it required -- before making the adjustments that had become habit for so many of us. A discussion followed on the origin of action in the body. When we lifted a leg in down dog, Cyndi urged us to reconsider where the movement was coming from. The answer? "Arms and legs are the origins of action -- no movements are initiated by your core," she advised.
photos by Susan Slattery
Continue reading "Catching a Virus" »
April 07, 2006 by Andrea Kowalski
April 07, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
I learned to be a snob today in Richard Freeman's all-day intensive, "Intensive Rhythms of Consciousness: The Internal Forms."
I can't believe I never thought of his approach to Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I) and Utkatasana (Chair Pose) before, but now that I know the secret I think it may save my neck in the future--literally. I'll let you in on it, too:
Freeman advised us to keep our arms at a 45 degree angle below our ears, hold our heads up, and keep our gazes down toward our thumbs like we're noble men and women looking down on the peasants during the poses.
When we try to put our arms outside our ears it puts unneccessary strain on our necks, but keeping our gaze down allieviates much of that tension. Both of these poses are normally agony on my neck, but I felt totally free as I practiced being a snob in the postures.
"Our arms are like nutcrackers," Freedom said, "and our heads are the nuts." I couldn't have said it better myself.
Freeman led my class in an exploration of the postures that make up Sun Salutations and a few other favorites. He focused on pranayama and the direction of the gaze.
During Sun Salutations, Freeman broke each step down and illustrated how the foundation of everything is the breath. Training the breath, he said, is like training a cat--it's very difficult and frustrating, but with a little determination it's possible.
It's always a challenge for me to slow things down and really evaluate the way I hold poses. This class was no exception. Especially since the bulk of the class was about one important detail that so many of us overlook or just don't understand: the pelvic floor and the actions of the coccic bone in relation to the pelvis.
Freeman provided delightful imagery for each pose. We became slithering snakes during Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog), imagined we were swimming during Sun Salutations, and grew tails (and senses of humor) during Trikonasana (Triangle Pose).
As we connected with our imaginations during the asana practice, though, Freeman reminded us that our imaginations can also be an enemy, making it hard to turn our minds off and focus on sleeping, meditation, or asana. I can attest to that. There's nothing like a thought-provoking yoga workshop to keep you awake at night... I'm too excited to sleep! :)
Photo by Susan Slattery
April 07, 2006 by Andrea Kowalski
photos by Susan Slattery
April 07, 2006 by Lauren Ladoceour
What a start to the YJ conference! I arrived in Boston tired and achy after a long, bumpy flight. My mood was sour, and my jaw was tight. But after an all-day intensive with Saul David Raye's partner massage class, I was ready for my mat and beginner's conference sessions. My plan is to take it easy for the first day or two with Thai Yoga Massage and an Anatomy lecture. Sunday I'll start early with an Ashtanga Primer, ease into backbends with Barbara Benaugh, and then finish the conference with Intro to Meditation with the lovely Sharon Gannon and an all-day restorative yoga intensive on Monday.
In Saul's class, I was lucky enough to partner up with a professional masseuse, who was looking to explore Thai Massage. It could have been awkward to be so intimate with a complete stranger, but Saul created a safe space so that we could all trust each other --- even when we had to massage a partner's posterior. And there was no way of getting around that. It wasn't exactly a formal handshake, but it did the trick and I got (and performed) a two-hour massage out of it.
April 03, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
Chad Capellman is a former sports writer, a Simpsons addict and a huge fan of Maryland Basketball and NBC's The Office. A University of Maryland graduate, he has worked for The Washington Post, SportsLine.com and AltaVista.com. After five years as managing editor at The Media Center at the American Press Institute, he now runs his own Web development business and works as a news producer at Boston.com. He can be reached at www.capellman.com.
April 03, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
Susan Slattery works as a freelance writer, photographer and yoga teacher and she lives in western Massachusetts. She regularly writes features and produces photographs for the daily Berkshire Eagle. In the last few months, Susan has been busy producing several hundred black and white photographs for a teacher training manual being produced at Frog Lotus Yoga, the studio where she also teaches hatha and vinyasa flow style classes. She completed an advanced vinyasa teacher training with Shiva Rea and has studied gravity surfing and backbends with Ana Forrest. Prior to this, Susan worked for news organizations, in public relations, and as a staff writer for the Lycos Network. In her spare time, she enjoys training and showing her black pugs in AKC agility trials. You can see more of Susan's photos on her Web site. Her favorite pose is pincha mayurasana—because it's one of those poses that makes you feel like dreams do come true.
April 03, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
Erica Rodefer is Yoga Journal's Web editorial intern. A recent journalism graduate from Middle Tennessee State University, she decided to leave her job as a reporter at a small newspaper in Maryland to immerse herself in everything yoga. She is a soon-to-be yoga teacher, who aspires to share yoga with low-income seniors and college students.
In her spare time, Erica enjoys exploring her new surroundings and looking for a quiet park bench where she can sit to read on sunny days. Her favorite pose is Dhanurasana.
April 03, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
Lauren Ladoceour is Yoga Journal's assistant editor and media editor. She joined Yoga Journal as the Web intern after graduating from Boston University in 2005. In addition to YJ, Lauren has worked at Sunset Custom Publishing and written for Rolling Stone, Boston Magazine, the Boston Phoenix, and the Spokesman-Review. Lauren is an avid gamer and cook, and enjoys refinishing antiques and competing in small trivia tournaments.
On Sundays, you can usually find her trying to answer NPR's weekly puzzle with her legs up against a wall in Viparita Karani.
April 03, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
Andrea Kowalski is the Yoga Journal Web Content Editor. Andrea came to YJ from Okinawa, Japan, where she taught journalism and music at Kubasaki High School. Prior to living in Japan, Andrea worked on Prevention magazine at Women.com, for Earthlink and as a reporter in Southern California.
Andrea received her Bachelor's degree in music from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and her Master's degree in journalism from Columbia University. She's certified in Living Foods by the Ann Wigmore Institute in Puerto Rico and has studied Thai medicinal massage at Wat Pho in Bangkok.
Offline, Andrea enjoys spending time at Spirit Rock meditation center, teaching Kundalini yoga, surfing Pleasure Point in Santa Cruz and preparing vegan raw/living foods. Her vice is soy chai and her favorite pose is Sarvangasana.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
 Rodney Yee is codirector of the Piedmont Yoga Studio in Oakland, CA. He is featured in 30 yoga videos and DVDs and is coauthor (with Nina Zolotow) of Yoga: The Poetry of the Body and Moving Toward Balance. Rodney conducts workshops, retreats, and teacher trainings worldwide.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
Patricia Walden, renowned for her international retreats, teacher trainings, and workshops is one of the two Americans to hold a senior advanced Iyengar Yoga teaching certificate. She was named one of “25 American Yoga Originals Who Are Shaping Yoga Today� by Yoga Journal and featured in Time for her work with yoga and healing. She has a special interest in yoga for women and yoga for depression.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
Rod Stryker holds the title of Yogiraj and has taught tantra and hatha yoga for more than 25 years. Founder of Para Yoga, he is one of the foremost meditation teachers in the country and leads trainings, workshops, and retreats all over the world.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
Beth Shaw is the founder and president of YogaFit, which has trained more than 30,000 people to teach classes that blend yoga and exercise science. She and her company have produced yoga videos for a variety of audiences, including beginners, seniors, kids, and the prenatal population. She lives in Redondo Beach, CA.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
 Desiree Rumbaugh is co-owner of Arizona Yoga and has been teaching yoga for more than 15 years. A senior certified teacher who studies with John Friend, Desiree is the leader of global workshops and retreats that celebrate the transformational healing power of Anusara Yoga.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
 Natasha Rizopoulos, who is the featured teacher in the video series Yoga Journal's Yoga Step-by-Step, has been teaching at Yoga Works in Santa Monica, CA since 1997. Her primary practice is Ashtanga, which she studied in Mysore, India, with K. Pattabhi Jois. Natasha has also appeared in magazines, on TV and in the photography book Yoga: A Yoga Journal Book.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
 Shiva Rea explores the art of yoga in practical, creative and life transforming ways. She is known for bringing the roots of yoga alive for modern practitioners through the integration of movement meditation, yogic philosophy and art, nature's vitality, and spontaneous humor and joy. She is a leading teacher of vinyasa flow yoga worldwide, writes for Yoga Journal, and is the author of home practice CD's, videos, and DVD's.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
 Saul David Raye has been a student of yoga, healing, and meditation for more than 15 years. He is cofounder and director of Shanti House, a non-profit foundation for yoga, Ayurveda, and seva, and the director of the Thai Yoga Therapy training program at the White Lotus Foundation.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
Aadil Palkhivala began studying yoga formally with B.K.S. Iyengar at the age of seven. He holds one of the few advanced Iyengar Yoga teacher certificates. A certified Ayurvedic health science practitioner, naturopath, and bodywork therapist, he is the founder-director of Yoga Centers in Bellevue, WA.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
David Nichtern, a senior teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist tradition, is director of Buddhist Studies and Practice at OM Yoga Center and leads retreats with his wife, Cyndi Lee, around the world. An award-winning musician, composer, and producer, he is the founder of Dharma Mood and 5 Points Records; and cofounder of the world-fusion band Drala.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
 Tias Little's training is steeped in the classical yoga tradition, while his clear and insightful appraoch offers a contemporary perspective. His teaching reflects his expertise in yoga and anatomy, as well as his training in Buddhism, Iyengar, and Ashtanga. He teaches workships nationally and internationally and lives in Santa Fe, NM, where he codirects the studion Yogasource with his wife Surya.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
 David Life is cofounder of the Jivamukti Yoga method, which integrates asana practice with an ethical lifestyle focused on attaining enlightenment through compassion for all beings. Coauthor of Jivamukti Yoga and The Art of Yoga, David also codirects the Jivamukti Yoga Center in New York with Sharon Gannon and is a renowned teacher of yoga around the world.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
 Cyndi Lee, director of OM Yoga Center, practices both hatha yoga and Tibetan Buddhism. A yoga teacher for more than 20 years, Cyndi is the author and artist of the best-selling OM Yoga in a Box series as well as Yoga: A Guide to Daily Practice and Yoga Body, Buddha Mind.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
 Judith Hanson Lasater holds a Ph.D. in East-West psychology and is a physical therapist who has taught yoga since 1971. One of the founders of Yoga Journal, Judith is also president of the California Yoga Teachers Association and the author of Living Your Yoga: Finding the Spiritual in Everyday Life. She lives in San Francisco.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
 Gary Kraftsow is the founder and director of the American Viniyoga Institute on Maui. He began his study of yoga with T.K.V. Desikachar in 1974, and two years later, he started teaching yoga and practicing yoga therapy. Since 1980, Gary has been a teacher trainer in the Viniyoga lineage. His second book, Yoga for Transformation, was published in 2002.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
 Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa is cofounder and director of Golden Bridge in Los Angeles, where she teaches Kundalini yoga and meditation. A yoga teacher for 32 years, she is the author of The Eight Human Talents: The Yogic Way to Restore the Natural Balance and Serenity Within You and the video Kundalini Yoga with Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
Julie Gudmestad, a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher and a physical therapist, integrates the healing powers of yoga with Western medical knowledge. She is director of the Gudmestad Yoga Studio in Portland, OR, and writes Yoga Journal's "Anatomy of a Yogi" column.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
Paul Grilley has taught yoga since 1980. His teaching has been greatly influenced by Paulie Zink and Dr. Hiroshi Moroyama, a yogi and scientist from Tokyo whose philosophy integrates the Taoist meridian and acupuncture theories of China with the yogic and tantric theories of India. Paul lives in Ashland, OR, with his wife, Suzee.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
Gessner Geyer has been teachin how brain biology affects human behavior for over a decade. He is Executive Director of Brainergy, Inc. and has presented research on the neurobiology of spirituality, innate wisdom, and emotional well-being to educators, ehath care providers, and other groups. He holds two Master’s degrees from Harvard University. He is a certified teacher of Kundalini Yoga and co-founder of Consciousness Rising.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
 Sharon Gannon is cofounder of the Jivamukti Yoga method, which integrates asana practice with an ethical lifestyle focused on attaining enlightenment through compassion for all beings, and codirects the Jivamukti Yoga Center in New York with David Life. She is also the author of Cats and Dogs Are People Too, Jivamukti Yoga, and The Art of Yoga.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
Richard Freeman has practiced yoga and meditation since 1968 and has extensively studied the Ashtanga vinyasa yoga of K. Pattabhi Jois. He is founding director of the Yoga Workshop in Boulder, CO.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
 Ana Forrest has been teaching yoga since 1974 and is the creator of Forrest Yoga®, a powerful and intensely mindful yoga practice that teaches students to awaken, heal, and strengthen both body and spirit. She is recognized worldwide as a pioneer in yoga & emotional healing and founder of Forrest Yoga Circle in Santa Monica, CA.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
Mary Dunn has practiced yoga under the guidance for B.K.S. Iyenger since 1974. Her passion for the subject, teaching skill, and care for her students have made her a pivotal force in the establishment of Iyengar Yoga in the United States. She teaches at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of New York and leads teacher trainings and workshops worldwide.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
John Douillard is an Ayurvedic and chiropractic physician who has taught Ayurvedic medicine, natural health, fitness, and nutrition internationally for 17 years. He is also author of The 3-Season Diet; Body, Mind, and Sport; and Perfect Health for Kids, and currently directs the Lifespa Clinic in Boulder, CO, where he lives with his wife and six children.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
 Seane Corn has devoted more than 16 years to various healing modalities, including yoga, meditation, psychospiritual therapies, and sacred ritual. In 2000, she created the yoga program for Children of the Night, a shelter for adolescent prostitutes. Seane is the resident yoga expert for www.myss.com, Dr. Caroline Myss's Web site, and has recently released her first video, Vinyasa Flow Yoga: Uniting Movement and Breath.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
Edward Clark is the artistic director and choreographer of Tripischore Yoga Theatre, London’s acclaimed dance-theater troupe known for fusing traditional yoga asanas with inventive choreography. He has been practicing yoga since 1978.
March 16, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
Barbara Benagh has been under yoga’s spell since the early ‘70s. She taught the Iyengar method until 1986, when she began studying with Angela Farmer; directed the Yoga Studio in Boston for more than 23 years; and is a founding director of Yoga 301, a multidisciplinary center in Cambridge, MA. She loves gardening and is an avid fan of cycling and the Boston Red Sox.
March 13, 2006 by Elana Maggal, Conference Director
We're delighted to welcome you to our second Boston Conference.
More than a decade ago, we assembled a team of the world's top teachers and most dedicated students for a total yoga immersion unlike any other. Today, we're proud to continue hosting the most esteemed, diverse, and memorable yoga conferences in the country.
If you are attending the conference physically, we hope you enjoy celebrating your practice in this vibrant city of tradition. If you are attending virtually, please take advantage of all the blog has to offer, including teacher interviews, class highlights, and community discussion. Thanks for being a part of the Yoga Journal community.
Namaste,
Elana Maggal
Conference Director
March 10, 2006 by Alan Zucker
Instructor: Baron Baptiste
Saturday, April 8
Session 3: 3:00pm - 5:00pm
All Levels Track
Code: M3BAPT
Even though "getting" something from our practice seems so important, only giving ultimately brings us real fulfillment. In each asana we'll seek a balance of stability and surrender, focusing on properly preparing an asana and then setting it free. Please note: room will be heated.
March 10, 2006 by Alan Zucker
Instructor: Baron Baptiste
Saturday, April 8
Session 2: 10:30am - 12:30pm
Advanced Track
Code: M2BAPT
Ignite an inner purifying fire and healing vinyasa heat to dissolve energy blocks, holding patterns, and limiting perceptions. We'll emphasize a seamless and frictionless flow, with a specific focus on backbends. Please note: room will be heated.
March 10, 2006 by Andrea Ferretti
Instructor: Baron Baptiste
Saturday, April 8
Session 1: 8:00am - 10:00am
Advanced Beginner Track
Code: M1BAPT
Come discover a renewed personal force within as you weave your beginner's mind into a flow of foundational asanas. We'll learn basic biomechanics and how to open our hearts to faith. And then we'll explore how to adapt, modify, and refine your personal practice for optimal results.
Please note: room will be heated.
March 10, 2006 by Alan Zucker
Instructor: Baron Baptiste
Friday, April 7
8:30am - 4:00pm
All Levels
Code: P1BAPT
Free your True Self with this immersion into the strength and simplicity of Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga. We'll dissolve limitations, have fun, and discover how to personalize your practice while learning the foundations of standing and seated poses, forward bends and backbends, and arm
balances and twists. Please note: room will be heated.
March 10, 2006 by Erica Rodefer
 Baron Baptiste has studied yoga and meditation since childhood—his parents opened San Francisco's first yoga center 60 years ago. The author of Journey into Power, 40 Days to Personal Revolution, and My Daddy Is A Pretzel, Baron is also the owner—director of two Baptiste Power Yoga Institutes in Massachusetts.
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