NOW WHAT?

The prospect of a teacher-led school of Anusara Yoga looks bleak/hopeless/at an end. Another letter from the LC (Leadership Committee) tells us that negotiations stalemated, and their efforts to take control of the Anusara trademarks from John will cease. They (the LC) hopes to continue working to develop a new teacher-led school. I'll remain patient, wait and see what the LC comes up with, entertain other options.  I will not align with John again after the shenanigans of the past 6+ months.  (I use the word 'shenanigans' to add some humor to this otherwise debacle of tremendous repercussions throughout the community once known as the Anusara Yoga kula (community).)

So, having said all that -- what do I do with this blog? Change the name? I think, YES. How do I get rid of a quote that I've deleted from the blog template, but keeps appearing in my linking to Facebook; a quote from John, no less. Great quote, just not good timing.  Maybe I start a NEW blog; like a new life! Invite my 40 'followers' to follow me to the new landing site and begin again.  Just might do that.

Today, tho, I'll write in this as I think about next steps.

Yesterday was Gentle Yoga Friday; meaning I taught a Gentle Yoga class. This is a bit more active than my Therapeutic/Gentle class earlier in the week, which also means more people will attend (the word 'therapeutic' stops many from attending, tho I think many could use it).  Friday's Gentle class includes a group of about 5-6 'regulars' - people who come each week, almost without fail, plus whoever else may wander in (last week it was a beautiful woman from England).  Each has a reason for Gentle Yoga, and my teaching is a slower version of a Basic class.  My goal for everyone is to get stronger, do a few things they haven't done before, have fun, learn new 'stuff'.  Yesterday, the focus was on new 'stuff'.

Specifically, what I experienced on Wednesday -- see the previous post -- knitting the ribs, scooping the tailbone, opening.  These movements, I thought, would not come easily to many students. I came up with a kinesthetic demo for us all -- place hands on lower ribcage in front (right where the ribs tend to flare open). Take a breath and, exhaling, press hands into ribcage (use rib/ab muscles also) to create manual rib knitting. Now, maintain thighs back as they scooped tailbone towards ankles. Keeping hands on ribs, helping to maintain the rib knitting, move shoulders up and back (shoulder loop).  I wanted them to see that pulling the ribs in, scooping the tailbone, did not mean sacrificing their posture -- it would, quite simply, make their stance feel more secure, stable, strong.

That worked well (at least they said they understood), so we proceeded.  A few standing poses, then to the wall for wall dog, wall parsvottonasana, tree pose with bent knee pressing into wall, and chair pose (backside into wall) and cross one ankle on top of other knee for a hip stretch. Then back to mats for parsvokonasana and trichonasana, keeping ribs knitted, tailbone scooped and back thigh back (tho I noticed that I didn't have to remind them about the thigh).  Their evaluation?  Their poses felt stronger, and they 'got' it. Finished up with a bit more hip opening, and a long savasana.

I think it was a successful class. The comments afterwards sometimes are misleading -- as in, 'great class', but you never see the student again -- like that. But I think I saw a blossoming of new strength in these students who had chosen to attend my 'Gentle Yoga' class.  Love it!

Today?  Going to a matinee play in LaJolla; then the first social event with Wisdom Warriors.  Looking forward to it.

Hope your Saturday is a good one.