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Episode 70: Does Your Yoga Help You Be A Better Person? A Level 1-2 75 min Yoga Class

1 Jun

A Yogic Conversation?

A Yogic Conversation?

The Path of the Yogi Within Social Networks

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 ).

Which Yoga Philosophy Is Right? Which Yoga Philosophy is the Best?

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?

If you lock your fulfillment into how other people receive it you will never be fulfilled.

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!

Other ways to connect with me:

Elsie Escobar's Facebook profile

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This week’s class is a grounding Level 1-2 Yoga Class.

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.

Or you can click onto the player and listen straight from this post 🙂


The Asana Sequence:

Seated with Arms Overhead

Easy forward bend in Siddhasana

sukhasana

Hands and Knees

Downward Facing Dog/High Lunge/Lunge Twist

straight legged lungelunge twist backbend 2lunge twist backbend

Plank/Chattarunga

chattarunga dandasana

Salabhasana

Downward Facing Dog

Uttanasana with Arms Interlaced behind the back

1/2 Sun Salutes x 2

Surya Namaskar C x 3

urdhva hastasana transition into uttanasana uttanasana ardha uttanasanaLunge with bent leg plank pose chattarunga dandasana cobradownward facing dogLunge with bent leg uttanasana ardha uttanasanatransition into uttanasanaurdhva hastasanatadasana

Crescent Pose (jump switch)

Parsvakonasana

Parvakonasana with forearm on thighparsvakonasana prep

Vira II/Humble Warrior/Deep Lunge with forearms on the ground

warrior IIParsvakonasana with arms interlaced behind the backDeep Lunge with back knee on the floor deep lunge with forearms on the floor

Vashistasana Prep

vashistasana prepvashistasana

Balasana

Downward Facing Dog

Uttanasana/Ardha Chandrasana

ardha chandrasana

Standing Hip Stretch

Standing Hip Stretch Front (shrub)Standing Hip Stretch (shrub)

Pigeon

Pigeon Prep

Deep Funky Pigeon

Uttanasana

Supine Twist

Savasana

Episode 69: Take a Moment To Stay Steady Level 1-2 70 min Yoga Class

18 May
Steady....Im trying!

Steady....I'm trying!

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!

The ‘I Forgot To Teach My Yoga Class’ post.

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!

Other ways to connect with me:

Elsie Escobar's Facebook profile

View Elsie Escobar's profile on LinkedIn


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 🙂

Try out this fancy little player and listen and practice 😀

http://cdn3.libsyn.com/scy/69_Episode_69__Take_a_Moment_To_Stay_Steady_Level_1-2_70_min_yoga_class.mp3?nvb=20090518031042&nva=20090519031042&t=0dd4ed18151656abc5e93

The Asana Sequence:

Hands and Knees

Downward Facing Dog/Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana

downward facing dogone legged downward facing dog with hips squared

Twisting Lunge

lunge twist backbend 2lunge twist backbend

Plank

Cobra

cobra

Uttanasana

Uttanasana/Ardha Uttanasana x 2

uttanasanaardha uttanasana

Tadasana/Urdhva Hastasana

Surya Namaskar x 2

tadasanaurdhva hastasanauttanasana ardha uttanasana plank pose chattarunga dandasana cobradownward facing doguttanasana ardha uttanasanaurdhva hastasanatadasana

Crescent Pose (jump switch)

Parsvakonasana

Parvakonasana with forearm on thighparsvakonasana prep

Parsvotanasana

Trikonasana

trikonasana

Tree Pose

Malasana
Malasana
Ardha Chandrasana
ardha chandrasana

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana

Pigeon Prep

Ardha Bhekasana

Lunge Twisting Thigh Stretch
Deep Lunge Thigh stretch Backbend 2Deep Lunge Thigh stretch Backbend 1

Dhanurasana x 3

dhanurasana

Knees to Chest

apanasana

Supine Twist with Legs Crossed

Savasana

Episode 68: Align and Re-Align with Sensitivity- Level 1-2 75 min Yoga Class

10 May
Looking up

Be Open to Uncertainty

Aligning and Re-Aligning

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:

Elsie Escobar's Facebook profile

View Elsie Escobar's profile on LinkedIn


By Free Marketing Directory

All right, so here we go.

Or you can use this nifty little player!

This week’s online yoga class podcast is a 75 min Level 1-2 Class

The Asana Sequence

Seated side stretch

Hands and knees

Downward Facing Dog

Child’s pose

Hands and knees

Downward Facing Dog

Downward Facing Dog with knees bent

dd_bent_legs

Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana

one legged downward facing dog with hips squaredstraight legged lunge

Uttanasana

Uttanasana/Ardha Uttanasana x 2

uttanasanaardha uttanasana

Straight Legged Lunge

straight legged lunge

Plank

Chattarunga

chattarunga dandasana

Cobra

cobra

Downward Facing Dog

Uttanasana/Ardha Uttanasana x 2

uttanasanaardha uttanasana

Tadasana

Arm Salutations

Half Sun Salutation

Surya Namaskar

tadasanaurdhva hastasanauttanasana ardha uttanasana plank pose chattarunga dandasana cobradownward facing doguttanasana ardha uttanasanaurdhva hastasanatadasana

Crescent Pose

Parvakonasana

Parvakonasana with forearm on thighparsvakonasana prep

(Random TMI- sorry about that!)

Downward Facing Dog Opening the hip

One legged Downward Facing Dog opening the hip

Pavrita Parsvakonasana Prep or full

PICTURES FOR THE FOLLOWING POSES ARE COMING!

Uttanasana Twist (slide)

Utkatasana Twist

Utthita Hasta Padangustasana Prep

Modified Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana Sequence

Eka Pada Gomukhapaschimotanasana

Baddha Konasana

setubandha stage 1setubandha robot armssetubandha

Supine Twist

Savasana

Episode 67: Why Listen? Level 2 75 Minute Yoga Class

5 May
Hunter Listens

Hunter Listens

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!

Elsie Escobar's Facebook profile

View Elsie Escobar's profile on LinkedIn


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

DOWNLOAD MP3 DIRECTLY

THE SEQUENCE

Hands and Knees

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

downward facing dogone legged downward facing dog with hips squaredOne legged Downward Facing Dog opening the hipOne legged Downward Facing Dog with crazy open hip
straight legged lunge

Plank

chattarunga

chattarunga dandasana

Downward Facing Dog

Uttanasana/Ardha Uttanasana x 3

uttanasanaardha uttanasana

Tadasana

Surya Namaskar x 3

tadasanaurdhva hastasanauttanasana ardha uttanasana plank pose chattarunga dandasana cobradownward facing doguttanasana ardha uttanasanaurdhva hastasanatadasana

Crescent Pose

Vira II into Reverse Vira

warrior IIreverse warrior

Trikonasana

trikonasana

Uttanasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Tadasana (with eyes closed)

Vira II into Reverse Warrior (with eyes closed)

warrior IIreverse warrior

Trikonasana (with eyes closed)

trikonasana

Tree Pose

Pincha Mayurasana Prep

pincha mayurasana arm alignmentpincha mayurasana prep 1pincha mayurasana prep 2

Pigeon

Pigeon Prep

Pigeon with Block on top of front thigh

Pigeon with Thigh stretch

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana with a thigh stretch

Setubandha into Urdhva Dhanurasana x 3

setubandha stage 1setubandha robot armssetubandha
urdhva dhanurasana

Downward Facing Dog with knees bent into Straight legged

dd_bent_legs

Child’s Pose

Supine Twist

Knees to Chest

apanasana

Savasana