Tomorrow is a big day, and I'm not talking about Barrack Obama's inauguration! On Tuesday, January 20, 2009, the Goddess that IS Desiree Rumbaugh turns 50! One of the first yoga teachers to be certified in the Anusara Yoga method, Desirée is a gifted teacher. As John Friend said, she's in that class of people who only need a one name introduction: DEZ!

Desirée spent her birthday weekend here in San Francisco doing what she loves to do, teaching yoga and inspiring her students to realize the potential that lies within them. Whether that's the ability to touch their heads to their toes for the first time, heal their own injuries, or live a resilient and vibrant life -- she not only talks the talk -- she walks the walk.

All of this made her workshop—Late Bloomers: Over 50—all that more poignant! Those who were expecting to be led in a gentle flow were quickly engaged in strength-building asanas. Desirée explained that as we age we lose our flexibility more quickly than our strength. To reestablish our flexibility we MUST build and engage our strength. From push-ups to core work, she put us through our paces with the discipline of a drill sargent. She continued, "You do not have to give up any class of poses simply because you're aging. When you limit yourself, you limit your teaching."

Later that evening, there was a small birthday celebration for Dez which included a Japanese Bath House adventure (another story . . . seriously) followed by some southern Indian food (as if I would know the difference between northern & southern Indian cuisine). Sitting across the table from this strong, spirited woman, it was hard to imagine she was about to turn 50! I'm not sure the AARP is ready for Desirée!

Especially when she was trying to lick that gelato off the end of her nose.

Posted by Pamela Walsh on January 19, 2009 08:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Seane Corn has good hair. As someone whose lived a lifetime with mousy brown baby fine hair, I can attest that it's truly something of trademark proportions. Seriously, it's that good ... which reminds me of a funny story.

I first saw Seane at the Estes Park Yoga Journal Conference last September. The event was held at the beautiful YMCA of the Rockies venue, and while most of the people were there for the conference, there were some "non-yogi" types on the grounds.

One afternoon, a gentleman was walking near the main pavilion when he collapsed to the ground, most likely as a result from the effects of altitude. Seane, who happened to be nearby, quickly went to his aid and knelt down beside him.

As the man came to, he opened his eyes to this angelic vision with long, curly, golden hair and sparkling blue eyes. Taking one look at her, he stammered out his first words of consciousness ... "Wow, you have pretty hair." And though HE probably thought he was seeing an angel, everyone else knew he was gonna be just fine.

On Thursday, I attended an intensive on Spiritual Activism which was led by Seane Corn, Suzanne Sterling and Hala Khouri. These three women are partners in the initiative Off the Mat, Into the World described as "a program that aims to inspire and guide you to find and define your purpose and become active in your local or global community in an effective, sustainable and joyful way."

There is much to share about what these women are doing, and I encourage you to check out their site for more information. Suffice it to say, there's definitely a lot more to Seane Corn than good hair. Perhaps that man at Estes Park really DID see an angel after all.

Posted by Pamela Walsh on January 17, 2009 11:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I love AcroYoga. Today was my second time doing it formally, in a class setting, and my first time practicing with AcroYoga gurus Jenny Sauer-Klein and Jason Nemer. If you've never done AcroYoga, you might think it's all about contortion and Cirque du Soleil-esque feats of gravity defiance. While there is an undeniable element of acrobatics involved (thus the name), AcroYoga is, at its heart, about trust and letting go.

We started in groups of two doing small exercises of leaning on each other in shapes of back and forward bends, eventually moving into groups of three, in which we "flew" each other in the air. (Jenny and Jason above, and Jason and SF AcroYoga teacher Jeremy Simon below.) See the pix here.) Allowing someone you don't know at all to support all of your weight is a huge practice in trust, but when you can let go, it's really liberating.
We ended in configurations of 12, with four people being bases (they were called the Rams), four other people "flying" in extended back bends (the Sitas), and four other people spotting the fliers (the Hanumans). The configuration was beautiful, if not just for the shapes we made together, but for the communal effort involved in making the yoga pyramids work. If you're interested in checking it out, there are free lunchtime sessions with the AcroYogis both today and tomorrow.

Posted by Karen Macklin on January 17, 2009 12:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Michael Franti was not initially on the bill at the YJ Conference, but I'm glad that was changed about two weeks ago when his friends, yoga power couple Nicki Doane and Eddie Modestini, proposed that the three of them helm a class together on opening night. Even with only two weeks notice, the line for the event tonight was out the door and around the ground floor of the building.

Nicki and Eddie taught while Michael played his unique blend of happy yoga soul music. The ballroom was filled to capacity, and Nicki and Eddie walked the classroom moving us through an alignment-based flow class, while Michael and his awesome sidekick, guitarist Jay Bowen, played background tunes on stage.

I would say the room was about 80 percent women (not sure if that's the general makeup of the conference, or if it had more to do with dreamy Mr. Franti being the main act ...). At the end of the practice Michael and Jay gave a short show, jamming out crowd favorites like "I Love You" and "One Step Closer". Oh, and I almost forgot, MC Yogi made a surprise appearance. (Ganesh is fresh, yo!)

Best part (apart from Jay's insane guitar solo, wow) was this: The girl practicing next to me bought the ticket for the event because her regular Friday night class had been canceled. She didn't know who Michael Franti was. Boy, was she in for a treat!

Posted by Karen Macklin on January 16, 2009 10:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The blue pearl is what we are all looking for: at this conference, in our yoga studios, on this planet. We are all diving for that blissful connection with the universe and the unconditional love for ourselves. Gurmukh's all-day intensive focuses on this concept and she teaches it with an illuminated presence and a sense of humor.

The class consists of yoga, meditation, chanting, singing, and dancing. It is my first experience with Kundalini, and I am sore from the two yoga sessions and completely touched by the meditations. Gurmukh reminds to push ourselves past our mental and physical barriers while attempting the challenging yoga exercises, and reminds to have faith in the chants that we repeat. She is nurturing and inspiring and I would highly recommend studying with her, whether it is at a Yoga Journal Conference, or at her Golden Bridge centers in both Los Angeles and New York City.

One meditation is simply moving your hand from heart, to eyes, to head to stomach, repeating "I love you." It is so rare that we say those words to ourselves. At first, the chants were quiet, but as we continued the meditation, the voices in the room heightened, and we were all in a highly loving and positive environment. It was a powerful experience, yet comfortable and light. To love yourself, allows you to love others truly, and brings you closer to the blue pearl.

Strenuous, yet energizing repetitive yoga movements, dancing freely like we are in a Mumbai nightclub, meditating to forgive those we need to forgive and to love ourselves, me and the other thirty or so students follow Gurmukh into not only understanding something that is bigger than all of us, but reaching to live in it and help others to do the same.

Posted by Melissa Gustin on January 16, 2009 09:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I grant myself permission to buy new magazines whenever I go vacation. This is a little indulgence that I enjoy, whether it's a road trip down to the beach or a non-stop flight to destinations far & near. And so as I prepared for my flight to San Francisco yesterday, I decadently perused the newsstand at the airport with reckless abandon.

After browsing the latest issue of People, (okay, that might be just a little too indulgent) my eye caught the cover of a Yoga Journal that I had not yet seen. I've been a subscriber for a few years, but this was one of the "special editions" that are periodically issued separate from the regular subscription: "Yoga at Home: Everything You Need to Practice on Your Own."

Touted as the "2009 Complete Guide" from the editors of Yoga Journal, this magazine sports a price of $8.99, which definitely puts it into the "decadent" category as far as impulse magazine buying goes. As I picked it up, the gate attendant announced my flight. I quickly pulled out a $10 bill, purchased the magazine and hurried onto the plane.

I rationalized the purchase as being "work-related research." Yeah, that's the ticket. And who among us hasn't struggled with establishing a home practice? I found with my purchase that age-old question, "What should I do?" was answered in sequences, photos and languaging that's easy to follow and understand. Several of the sequences are outlined by teachers who are presenting here at the San Francisco conference, and include:

~ Forward bending practice with Yin Yoga's Sarah Powers
~ Restorative practice with Judith Hanson Lasater
~ Standing poses with Anusara Yoga's Desiree Rumbaugh
~ Backbends with Rodney Yee
~ Down Dog in De "Tail" (get it, dog-tail) with Jason Crandell
~ Beginner's Guide to Inversions with Aadil Palkhivala

Additionally, there are practice sequences from other great teachers for inversions, twists, abdominals, block work for strength, and even a beginner's primer "Meditation for Everybody" by Frank Jude Boccio. As I thumbed through the pages, I was inspired and pleased. Inspired to see so many great do-able sequences, and pleased that my indulgence yielded a worthwhile investment.

Do yourself a favor ... go indulge!

Posted by Pamela Walsh on January 16, 2009 05:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)