Elsie's Yoga Class

I’ve been on Twitter since the Spring of 2007, way before it became so CRAZY mainstream. When I first got on Twitter, there were only a handful of people that I had actually met face to face. In fact, the people on twitter that I interacted with were basically all from the podcasting/new media community and 90% of them where out of state or out of the country. There was not one person from my yoga community.

That has now all changed.

I would say in 2009 the yoga community on Twitter has skyrocketed. I’m in awe of the amazing amount of tweets about yoga, from yoga practitioners, teachers and studios. It’s yoga yoga yoga all the time now! I love it because now I can literally feel my yoga kula around me here in Pittsburgh because many of my Anusara yoga friends in LA and from other parts of the country are now on Twitter, including John Friend (the founder of Anusara Yoga)! Needless to say, that’s some serious growth!

In the past 2.5 yrs that I’ve been on Twitter, I have not ONCE had a negative experience with anyone I followed or followed me. In fact I’ve developed some pretty special friendships with some folks on Twitter that I would have never come in contact with otherwise. I’m a bit saddened to say that I’ve had my first ‘negative’ experience on Twitter, and it was with a fellow yogi.

This episode’s artwork is a snapshot of the initial dialogue.

I think all of us have every right to have our own preferences and opinions about yoga and about what yoga system or philosophy we align with. In fact that goes for your spiritual and religious life. One of my fellow Anusara teachers referred to yoga philosophy as ‘resonant energy’.

resonance |ˈrezənəns|

noun

the quality in a sound of being deep, full, and reverberating : the resonance of his voice.

• figurative the ability to evoke or suggest images, memories, and emotions : the concepts lose their emotional resonance.

• Physics the reinforcement or prolongation of sound by reflection from a surface or by the synchronous vibration of a neighboring object.

• Mechanics the condition in which an object or system is subjected to an oscillating force having a frequency close to its own natural frequency.

• Physics the condition in which an electric circuit or device produces the largest possible response to an applied oscillating signal, esp. when its inductive and its capacitative reactances are balanced.

• Physics a short-lived subatomic particle that is an excited state of a more stable particle.

• Astronomy the occurrence of a simple ratio between the periods of revolution of two bodies about a single primary.

• Chemistry the state attributed to certain molecules of having a structure that cannot adequately be represented by a single structural formula but is a composite of two or more structures of higher energy.

ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French, from Latin resonantia ‘echo,’ from resonare ‘resound’ (see resonant ).

If a philosophy resonates with you, you will be more harmonious, more sensitive, more open both with yourself and with others around you. You will in fact be able to add more beauty, goodness, auspiciousness to the world through your thoughts, actions and unique presence. You will embed the philosophy so deeply inside of yourself that you will be able to serve those around you and yourself in ever deepening and refined ways. If whatever you choose opens you to recognize the blessing of your life, your wisdom, your auspiciousness, and in turn shows you that you are part of something much Greater, and of the Intrinsic Goodness of life, than you are in optimal alignment. It’s not about which yoga is the best: Ashtanga, Iyengar, Power, Viniyoga, etc, nor what philosophy, Tantra, Advaita Vedanta, Classical, etc. but how do your actions, your thoughts, your words offer the most auspicious part of yourself AT EVERY MOMENT. How do you feel in your own authentic heart, and how well are you able to serve and uplift those around you?

We always have a choice. If we do disagree with a particular style of yoga’s philosophy, or teacher, or practice, in what way are you going to communicate that with those around you so that you show through your actions, interactions and WORDS the highest integrity, always aligning to the Highest most Auspicious part of ourselves? Bottom line, do the actions you take make you a better person. Are you being authentic? It’s not easy, especially when confronted by someone that happens to get under your skin

Be very mindful of what you put out into the world, especially when it is written down and sent out into the world. It holds power, and it speaks loudly.

Love the Feedback!

• email me- eyogaclass (at) gmail (dot) com

• leave me a message- 310 651 6238 (I’d love to play you guys on the episodes! Plus you can promote your stuff that way!)

• or comment on this blog!

The class can be modified to be more basic or more advanced by choosing to do the full poses instead of the modification.

You are more than welcome to use as many yoga props as necessary to offer you the optimal alignment of your poses. Have your props near you so you can grab them as needed.

Always doing SO many things at once.I know for myself it is very rare that I do just ONE thing at a time. Now being a Mom, it becomes even harder. The mind races from one place to the next, things become so cluttered and often times takes us away from our center. Practicing some asana and taking even just a few moments to pause quietly and feel can give us so much access to the vast wealth of steadiness that we all posses. When we see that steadiness, when we find the Center, we can make better and better choices regarding our lives, our health, our relationships and how we choose to step into the world. Let's practice together!Love the Feedback!email me- eyogaclass (at) gmail (dot) comleave me a message- 310 651 6238 (I'd love to play you guys on the episodes! Plus you can promote your stuff that way!)or comment at http://elsiesyogakula.com!Other ways to connect with me:

Other ways to connect with me:

By Free Marketing Directory This week's class is an uptempo Level 1-2 Yoga Class.You are more than welcome to use props, especially blocks for poses like Trikonasana. I also really love to have a blanket by so I can sit on it during the centering at the beginning of class :)

My baby girl has recently started having solid food. She got constipated. One would imagine that the only thing that it would affect, would be her demeanor, as she was pretty uncomfortable. In fact, this constipation made other things come out of alignment. She was unable to process her food properly because nothing was really moving :( She threw up. A lot. This made me very worried, as she had never done that before! This is this week's yoga class theme. Listen to find out what my very wise Randy had to say and how it all turned out :) Oh yeah, the class was recorded on April 22 at the Pittsburgh Athletic Association

Thank you all for your comments!

Just to let you all know. I'm plan on supplementing the live yoga classes with little extra episodes sprinkled here and there. Since the yoga classes themselves are so long, I never want to make my intro more than 6 minutes, as you really need to be getting to practicing! Given this predicament, I've decided to address emails, questions and feedback that I get from you guys in another supplement of the podcast, this is going to be all about Elsie's Yoga Kula, meaning both YOU GUYS (your feedback, your questions, etc) and a little bit of extra sharing on my part, thoughts, focused classes, or practices, or even news about yoga products or any other online yoga tools that I have found helpful.

What do you think about that? Let me know!

To add just a bit more to my plate I have started a new website/business :) YoGeek.Me. I have posted my very first blog post there: Top 10 Ways That Technology Empowers Yoga Professionals. Check it out! I would love for you to leave your comments, especially if you are a yoga teacher or maybe someone that simply feels a bit awkward with technology!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE LOVELY MAMAS OUT THERE!!!!!

You all know how to reach me:

• email me- eyogaclass (at) gmail (dot) com

• leave me a message- 310 651 6238 (I'd love to play you guys on the episodes! Plus you can promote your stuff that way!)

• or comment on this blog!

Other ways to connect with me:

By Free Marketing Directory

I'm going to stop saying that I'm going to post more episodes more often. I absolutely don't know! Agh! Mind you, I'm now all set up technically, finally! I've been recording more consistently, so now it's just a about editing and posting :) I have recorded more than one class, and I'm refining my workflow so that I can TRULY post more episodes. I'm sure you all know by now, I'm a new Mom. My little baby is 7 months as I write this post. She has now settled into herself more, which is allowing me time to step into my own self. The only time that I have to upload, edit, post, etc. is when Hunter is sleeping. Those naps are the sacred time when I can do fun stuff like this podcast, PLUS all of the gazillion things that I have to catch up on: dishes, showers, general clean up, answering emails, paying bills, you get the picture. All I can say is that there aren't enough hours in the day to do ALL that I want to do. My life continues to ebb and flow and my biggest focus is on always remembering to constantly re-align....OH, that's the next episode!

In this week's episode I talk about LISTENING. It was all brought about by my latest venture: teaching other yoga teachers/professionals to podcast. I actually did my first 'virtual' workshop! It was very cool. Anyway, within the workshop I explained why I'm partial to an AUDIO yoga class as opposed to VIDEO. Y'all can listen to my intro to find out why ;)

And my new site! YoGeek.Me

Thank you for continuing to listen. I so appreciate you guys very very much.

Enjoy the yoga class!

Here are all the places that you can find me!

By Free Marketing Directory

In this yoga podcast, we have a level 2 class! Can you believe it? It has been a while ;)

The class was recorded at Yoga Matrika in Pittsburgh!

Props needed: a yoga block

THE SEQUENCE

Hands and Knees

Downward Facing Dog/Eka Pada Downward Facing Dog/Opening the Hip in Down Dog/High Lunge

Plank

chattarunga

Downward Facing Dog

Uttanasana/Ardha Uttanasana x 3

Tadasana

Surya Namaskar x 3

Crescent Pose

Vira II into Reverse Vira

Trikonasana

Uttanasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Tadasana (with eyes closed)

Vira II into Reverse Warrior (with eyes closed)

Trikonasana (with eyes closed)

Tree Pose

Pincha Mayurasana Prep

Pigeon

Pigeon with Block on top of front thigh

Pigeon with Thigh stretch

Setubandha into Urdhva Dhanurasana x 3

Downward Facing Dog with knees bent into Straight legged

Child's Pose

Supine Twist

Knees to Chest

Savasana

Wooo hoooo Finally got a new episode up :)

Please feel free to follow me on Twitter

By Free Marketing Directory

and to add me as a friend on Facebook!

Also, you can leave me voice feedback at 310 651 6238 I would so love it :)

This is my personal blog, little teeny bits and pieces of me. No long posts ;)

This is a leve 1 (Basics) Yoga Class. This is a great class for yoga newbies.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST TO FIND OUT WHO WON THE MIGHTY JADE YOGA MAT!!!!!

The winner must email me with their snail mail address, and color choice so that they can get the mat delivered straight to them :D

New Contest! This time win an iPod Touch!

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In this Level 1 Free Yoga Class:

Seated Side Arm Stretches

Hands and Knees

Cat/Cow Stretches

Downward Facing Dog

Hands and Knees Alternate Limb Core work

Downward Facing Dog

Lunge into Straightening Front Leg into Lunge Twist

Uttanasana

Tadasana

Arm Salutations x3

Half Sunsalutations x 2

Lunge with Arms over head

Plank

Cobra

Lunge with Arms over head

Uttanasana

Tadasana

TO THE SIDE

Warrior II

Prasarita Padotanasana

Parsvakonasana

Tree Pose

Deep Lunge with Forearms on the Floor and back knee down

Child's Pose

Setubandha x 3

Outer Hip Stretch on the Back

Easy Twist

Supta Padangustasana

Savasana

A Beginner's 1 hour Yoga Class. It's a whole new batch of students, and a whole new state I'm teaching in. Not my usual 'type' of class, but happy to be teaching again so much!!! I love it. Check out the full sequence, with new pictures (in the pics I'm 21 weeks pregnant) and follow along at www.elsiesyogakula.comAlso I'm giving a way a Jade Yoga Mat, just fill out a survey on my site :)Feedback 310 651 6238eyogaclass (at) gmail (dot) com

Finally I posted a new episode!!

This is a nice hip opener class so get to it!

Episode 39: Spotlight Integrity

You will need a yoga block for this or yoga blocks (towards the last quarter of the class)

Wizzard.tv

Jade Yoga Mat contest! There's a Jade Yoga mat just waiting for you! All you have to do is fill out the survey that you can access from my side bar or right below :)

For all of you that happened to have filled out the survey before I announced the contest, please email me at eyogaclass (at) gmail (dot) com and give it to me so I can add you to the list of hopeful winners :D

I will announce the email at the beginning of July

Of course I gave the wrong contact number *sigh* it's 310 651 6238, call me!

In this yoga class podcast:

Hands and Knees

Down dog

high lunge right an left

plank

uttanasana

ardha uttanasana

tadasana

half sun salutes x 2

Surya Namaskar C x 2

lunge with back knee on the earth and arms up

arms interlaced behind the back with legs bent behind you and flat back

straighten legs with arms behind x2

Deep lunge with knee on the floor and arms inside leg R

down dog

Deep lunge with knee on the floor, etc L

down dog

Crescent Pose

plank/chattarunga/cobra

down dog

twisting downward facing dog

uttanasana/ardha uttanasana/tadasana

surya namaskar x 2

Parsvakonasana

Downdog

Vira 2

downdog

parsvokonasana

child's pose

downdog

lunge twist (parvakonasana twisting)

runner's lunge twist

downdog with open hip leg up

child's pose

get a block or two!!!!

pavrita trikonasana

hanumanasana prep x 2 with a block

happy baby

chill on the back

on the belly, ardha bhekasana

dhanurasana x 3

easy supine twist

supta padangustasana twist

twist with legs crossed

knees to chest

savasana

Hmmmmm

Where has Elsie gone to you ask? Well, getting swallowed up by the Pittsburgh winter, if you must know :(

I have been unable to even have an opportunity to practice regularly let alone find somewhere to teach. It's been a very challenging for me now that I have a full time 9-5 job. I now spend all of that time infront of a computer! And it's been so cold and dreary that I have not wanted to step into anything other than my yummy home and sleep.

I have become a bear that happens to work on the internet for a living ;)

I will be back, fully at some point. I just cannot, in all honesty and integrity tell you when this will happen, and when I do I guarantee that it will be a much different Elsie! That's all I gotta say...

I created this video to a fellow internet buddy, Nick Schmidt. We met randomly through online community and he asked me to teach him a little bit of yoga, and I did...with this little video.

Simple, short and precise. A great way to get your yoga practice in even if you only have 5 minutes :) I usually add music and all that jazz, and I may in the future, but I just quickly edited this puppy and decided to publish. To get something out for y'all!!!

Would love to hear your feedback! I would love to hear from you guys all the way around. You guys have now become my only connection to the Kula. How very ironic that Elsie's Yoga Kula is now fueled by you guys. I love it! This is what it's all about!

Please leave me a review in iTunes! or tell a friend about this podcast :D