I'm sitting in the airport in Denver reflecting on my trip to the magical Estes Park for the Yoga Journal Conference. I had an amazing time! It's impossible to sum up the experience in a series of short blogs, but I'd like to share with you the highlights of the trip for me.

1. I learned SO much from the presenters! My most notable ah-ha moment came in Rod Stryker's class when he explained the importance of pranayama and bandhas. I'd never really felt like I understood it, but now I'm inspired to start a more regular practice.

2. Mountains, sunshine, fresh air, grazing elk, starry nights ... Even though I didn't have much time to get out and enjoy it, being surrounded by nature is an amazing feeling. It really puts things into perspective.

3. The shuttle ride from the airport to the Estes Park YMCA where the conference was held. I met several sweet yogis who were absolutely glowing they were so thrilled to be spending their weekend immersed in yoga. I felt postive vibes from all the yoga students I met in every workshop I took. Warm fuzzies.

4. Amy Ippoliti shared her secret to a fabulous yoga butt--thighs back, inner spiral, and "inner thigh tone-age is your best friend!" I'll keep working on it.

5. Seane Corn, Shiva Rea, Judith Lasater inspired me to embrace the goddess within during the Women in Yoga panel. We are so lucky to strong, confident, caring, compassionate women like them in the yoga community. I'd say I want to be like them when I grow up, but I know they'd say to embrace who I am instead.

6. The fabulous yoga marketplace. Usually I avoid this place like the plague because I have too much yoga stuff as it is, and I need to watch my spending. But this time things were super affordable (even free) and the atmosphere was fun and friendly. I got a free headband from Alo, a free vegan cupcake from Lucy, and even found a steal on a top from Zobha for only $15. What a treat! 

7. I learned that Gary Kraftsow is my neighbor. Really. The bus I ride to work passes his house every since day (twice!).

8. There was a real effort this year to tread lightly on the earth. The Green Yoga Association was very prominent all week giving out re-usable water bottles and reminding people to recycle. Plus, they took away my boss's old PVC mat and put it on display in the marketplace! (They gave her a replacement Eco mat.)

9. Yogis are becoming more and more technologically advanced these days. I loved sharing Tweets with other conference attendees and getting a glimpse into their experiences. (Search for #YJEstes and #YJEstes to see the Tweets and read other conference attendee blogs at ElephantJournal.com and Desertisland.com.

10. In my last class there was a lady in her 80s who didn't look a day over 60. She has been doing Anusara yoga for more than 10 years and she had a firm grasp on the asana and seemed to be enjoying herself. Many people her age have a hard time even walking. I was SO impressed, and I hope when I'm in my 80s I'll still be practicing. What an inspiration!

Posted by Erica Rodefer on September 27, 2009 3:08 PM Permalink Comments (0) |

There's bound to be a great conversation when four of the most influential women in yoga today sit down at a table together. And that's exactly what happened today when Seane Corn, Shiva Rea, Judith Lasater, and YJ's Editor-in-Chief Kaitlin Quistgaard came together to talk about the power of women in yoga. It's a vast topic and the discussion touched on many different things so I'll give you a taste of a few of the topics that I found most interesting.

Note: The following are memorable paraphrases, not direct quotes from the panelists.

Q: If yoga is all about embracing your true self, why do women in the yoga community still wear make up and color their hair?

Shiva Rea: For me it's about adornment. It's something I do as an expression for myself, not for anyone else. I was born as a pixie blonde. I feel like the blond hair is an expression of who I am. 

Judith Lasater: There's kind of a spectrum. Plastic surgery might be on one end and brushing your teeth on the other.  

Q: Why do the pictures we see in YJ and other media outlets portray yoginis as thin and flexible when we come in all different shapes and sizes?

Kaitlin Quistgaard: I can't speak for other outlets, but for Yoga Journal we're always looking for diversity in models, keeping in mind the integrity of alignment. It takes a lot of stamina and hard work to be a model, so we have to find people who can hold poses all day long. For our covers, we're trying to appeal to people who have never picked up the magazine before.

Seane Corn: I hear people place blame so much, and it's like nails on a chalkboard for me. Instead of villifying others and talking about what they should be doing differently, we need to think about what WE can do in our communities to shape the perception for our daughters.

Q: What can we, as women yoga students, do to get more men interested in yoga?

Seane Corn: I don't think we should be doing anything. Do your own practice and trust that they'll come to it when they're supposed to if it's their karma. Plus, there's nothing more annoying than a woman nagging, telling others what they should do to make changes in their lives. 

Posted by Erica Rodefer on September 25, 2009 2:45 PM Permalink Comments (0) |

I've always liked pranayama. I like the high feeling you get after I do it for a while. I like how it seems to clear my nostrils and sinuses and makes it easier to breathe. But I have to admit, all the talk about how it moves energy ... I never really understood all of that. Until now.

After a morning class with Deskichar on how the breath affects your whole being and another class with Rod Stryker about how the bandhas relate to all of it, I think I'm finally starting to get it.

Stryker explained that you could think of the body as a container of energy. In meditation, the mind goes where the energy, or prana, is. If you haven't prepared properly your energy is all over the place--moving out of your container. (This is why when you sit down to meditate your mind wanders.) According to Stryker, the purpose of asana is to remove blockages so your energy inside can move more freely. Then, pranayama collects more energy from around you and brings in inside of you so you have MORE prana in that container. Bhandas focus that prana and hold it in. It all works together to help your meditation practice--which is the whole point of yoga in the first place! Ah ha! There's my light bulb moment!


 

Posted by Erica Rodefer on September 25, 2009 2:17 PM Permalink Comments (1) |

The last time I came to the Estes Park Yoga Journal conference two years ago, I was NOT prepared. Other YJ Conferences I had been to were in hotels. You roll out of bed, walk downstairs, and take class... but Estes Park is different. You have to go outside and walk around a campus to find your classes. And sometimes it SNOWS in September. Let's just say my yoga clothes, sweatshirt, and flip flops were not sufficient. This year, I brought warm clothes (and socks!) and I can't WAIT to get outside and do some exploring tomorrow.

Tomorrow's itinerary:
--Desikachar: The Yoga of Breath and Mind
--Rod Styker: ParaYoga: Theory and Application of Bandha
--Twitter Yogis Spontaneous Yoga 1pm (outside the admin building)
--Panel Discussion "The Power of Women in Yoga"
--Podcasting 101: Expanding Your Message Beyond Studio Walls
--Seane Corn: Anahata Flow: Love, Compassion, and Forgiveness

Posted by Erica Rodefer on September 24, 2009 1:14 PM Permalink Comments (0) |

Yoga Journal invites you to unfurl your mat, open your heart, and infuse your spirit in the splendor of the Rocky Mountains. We have a tradition of bringing today's yoga luminaries together in this stunning place-and this year is no different. We are thrilled to host yoga legend T.K.V. Desikachar, where he will teach an intensive, deliver the closing keynote, and more. But that's just the beginning: We feature 30 presenters from around the world in our signature Main Conference, offering insight and expertise in every style of yoga--and beyond. And don't miss our special events, expert panels, intensives, and special conference just for beginners.

So whether you are a new yogi or a seasoned teacher, whether this is your first visit or your tenth, be prepared for deep transformation, education, and rejuvenation.

Join us!

And watch for some inspirational blogging directly from the conference all next week.

Posted by Hannah O'Reilly on September 17, 2009 11:57 AM Permalink Comments (0) |