I had the pleasure to talk to Kath before teacher training started in late 2008.  As a fellow knitter, she found me online before we started studying together and we exchanged a few emails before meeting at the studio.  Over the year, we grew closer and I have the joy to call her my dear friend.  We can talk about yoga, we can talk about knitting and yarn ~ it just flows and it is beautiful. 

One of Kath’s many offerings is that she is also fluent in American Sign Language (ASL), and she just started teaching her first yoga class in ASL at a local studio.  When she asked me to help her with a little photography project for her class, I jumped at the chance for this special project.  She wanted to put together a visual set of poses with the proper alignment for her students.  Since she is teaching the class in ASL, she cannot always demonstrate the pose because her hands will be used in the pose.  That is where the photos come in!

We met up at the studio on a quiet Sunday afternoon;  the air was cold and there were flurries of snow, but inside, the sunlight cascaded in the windows, and set a perfect scene for the yoga photos.  Above (clockwise from the top left), Kath does sukhasana “easy pose” with her hands in Anjali mudra “offering gesture”.  This is the way that we begin and end each class.  In the next photo, she demonstrates a full body pose called eka pada svanasana, or “one legged dog pose”.  This pose is a preparatory pose for hip opening and also works on upper body strength and balance.  The next is the recognizable adho mukha svanasana “downward facing dog pose”.  The final pose is utthita parsvakonasana “extended side angle pose” which also opens the hips, as well as the shoulders and chest.

Just a note on the use of Sanskrit terms: the style of yoga that I practice (Anusara) honors the tradition by using these names while also realizing that not everything can translate word for word.  Additionally, Sanskrit can be the universal language of yoga (similar to how Latin is used for biology in Linnean taxonomy) no matter where you are in the world.  It’s a nice fit.  Plus, the language is phonetic, and if you sound it out, it is pronounced exactly as it looks.  I love learning more Sanskrit as I study yoga.

While this photo project was a true joy to do, Kath must have felt that she wanted to give something back~ and while there was absolutely no need to do so, it was a pleasant surprise when she presented this lovely yarn to me this past weekend:

 She says that this bulky yarn is the perfect tonic for my small needle/fingering weight projects of late.  I look forward to casting on for a bulky cowl or hat on size 15 needles once I finally finish my Olympic sweater

I was going to tell you about my graduation from my yoga teacher training program last weekend!  Eleven months of classes, apprenticeships, weekend seminars, and lots of self examination.  It was quite a journey.

I was so blessed to make 14 new friends a long the way!

So what this means is that I am now certified to teach yoga – I was already teaching a class at my office, but I am now registered (and *legal* for all intents and purposes) by the Yoga Alliance.  It’s a step on the journey!

The interesting this about this journey is that I don’t really know what the destination is… but I am enjoying the ride.  I have no intention of leaving my archival career and teaching yoga full-time (especially in this economic climate) but I have this passionate side-job that I am happy to keep up.  I will continue to teach at my workplace, and perhaps look in to some opportunities in my community… we’ll see where it goes!

For now, it looks like the next step on the journey will involve an extended study with some senior teachers at my studio.  The program is called “Immersion”, and refers specifically to the style of yoga that I practice, Anusara.  Basically, it is a way to delve deeper and to learn more.   That program starts in January 2010 and is just around the corner!

I am planning to develop a side page on this blog (perhaps lollygirl.com/yoga, although it is not there yet!) to discuss my yoga and my teaching possibilities for the future – maybe some workshops, maybe some private sessions… I think it would just be good to have a dedicated space for such things.  So, if you are interested, stay tuned as I piece that together

As a commemoration to the wonderful women in my Yoga Teacher Training class, I recorded our group last Sunday night (right before our graduation ceremony) doing the chant that we did to open each meeting.  The chant is in Sanskrit, so I provided the translation underneath.

Om saha na vava tu
Saha nau bhunaktu
Saha vir yam kara va vahai
Tejas vi na va dhitnam astus
Ma vidvi sha va hai
Om shanti shanti shanti

May we, teacher and student, be protected together
May we enjoy the fruits of our actions together
May our knowledge be full of light
May there never be discord between us
Om peace peace peace

~

Taking the pauses as they come – realizing them for the true gifts that they are. Not rushing to end the pause. It is in these pauses when calmness and clarity come. In a world where “multitasking” is revered, and countless hours are spent doing too many things at once, it is all the more meaningful to take the time to really explore the stillness.

Even the most menial tasks can be enjoyed when you simply think about what you are doing at the present moment. One of my favorite tasks for “living in the moment” is washing the dishes. The simple act of turning on the faucet, wetting my hands and a cloth, preparing the soap. I think about the science of it and I think about the art of it. I think about how I am grateful for indoor plumbing and for even having a pot to wash. With these thoughts in mind, you can wash a dozen dishes and also invite the stillness into your mind. It’s a lovely exercise – try it!

Mindfulness is so simple, yet so few people in our society do it. I am doing some research right now on mindfulness in yoga practice for my final project for Teacher Training. I hope to have more to share soon – my mindfulness project goes beyond the physical practice of yoga, and into every day life yoga – on and off the mat. My research paper is due next month, so you will probably hear more about it

Walking and hiking is definitely one of the most enjoyable activities, and a very good way to introduce a mindfulness practice into your life.  I especially like to take the hikes during the little pauses in between seasons – those sort of subtle days when there is a fuzzy line between the two… This weekend provided such an opportunity to explore a new trail in one of our favorite areas.  We took the dogs, and we took our time.

Project Spectrum has been a practice of mindfulness from the very beginning – just noticing the things around you.  Even if you feel that you don’t have the time to actually “craft” something in the specific colors this time around, you can still participate in the way of thinking about it.  Thinking about the ripples on the water, thinking about the blue of the sky, thinking about the shifting seasons…  and finally, taking the pause and just relishing in it.

One of the major draws for people interested in yoga is learning how to balance – both balancing on one foot (or one hand!) but also finding the balance in your own life to avoid stress.  Personally, yoga has helped me greatly in this way:  balancing my emotions (not as quick to anger or  sadness), as well as feeling more stability as I physically walk through the world.

Louise instructs Alecia in natarajasana - "king dancer pose"

The Balance sequences of yoga asanas can be some of the most challenging of any yoga pose.  It is true that some days really are better than others.  One day, it may be quite simple to stand on one foot and raise your arms overhead, but the next day may bring a completely different feeling.  Both internal and external factors play in to your sense of balance:  how much sleep you got the night before, what you eat, your stress level, your hormonal and/or blood sugar levels.   When I was at my lowest point last year with Lyme disease, I struggled very much with balance.  Lyme challenges your balance alone, but when you introduce new medications and chemicals in to the body, there is an even greater chance of imbalance.  It took many months of practice to get back to the point where I felt comfortable doing balance poses.  The real lesson for me was finding an internal balance, and letting that shine through to the outside.  Plus, a good dose of self-understading, and just realizing that it did NOT mean I was doomed to be sick forever if I could not balance on one foot. 

The focus of this month’s Yoga Teacher Training was on balance poses and hip openers – two classes of yoga asanas that are very challenging physically, but that also have emotional and psychological ties.  Like balance poses, hip openers – any pose that internally or externally rotates the hip muscles – can bring up deep seated emotions and feelings.  The hips, being attached to the base of the spine, have a direct connection up to the brain.  Hip openers are some of my favorite poses, personally, because they are the ones that truly make me feel different after finishing them.  

Hannah and I doing a partner variation on Eka Pada Rajakapotasana - "One Legged King Pigeon Pose"

• Standing on one leg while washing dishes, or brushing your teeth.  Make sure to also switch to the other leg so that you do both sides!
  

  Using a drishti - a point of focus and concentration - is key in balance poses

• Finding a drishti, or a point of intense focus, is one of the keys to finding freedom and expansion in balance poses.  In standing balances, your drishti point is often looking out over the horizon at a fixed point.  Do not choose something that moves (like your reflection in a mirror) as this will cause imbalance.
• A high lunge is both a hip opener AND a balance pose.  You can start out with your legs closer and slowly widen your stance.  For more stability, you can also place your back heel on a wall and still get the benefit of the pose. 
• Vrksasana, or tree pose, is probably one of the most recognizable yoga poses.  It also serves as both a balance pose and a small hip opener.  You can also place your foot at your calf, and you can perform this standing next to a wall, in case you feel the least bit wobbly. 

Yay! Pens win!

The certification program I am in requires at elast 200 hours to become a certified yoga teacher.  We start our program on Friday nights – usually the Friday night practice is a bit low-key since it is the end of the week and later in the evening.  This week, we did a sort of round-robin asana practice, each one of us teaching our peers a pose, and then passing it off to the next student.  It was fun and challenging.  We finished that up and moved into our regular Friday night fare of philosophy and discussion.  We are making our way through the Bhagavad Gita* as part of the training, and there are always interesting insights and interpretations to gather. 

Saturdays are usually “asana intensives” and many of the weekends have themes.  Last month, we did a whole series of backbending postures – performing them ourselves, and then practicing the languaging in order to teach them.  We often turn to our neighbors and practice teaching with them.  It is a rich experience.  This month’s theme was twists and forward bends.  We did a number of amazing twists; twists are like a deep massage for the internal organs, they detoxify the body in many ways, and also give your spine and abs a nice workout.  Plus, they just feel really nice

Going along with the theme of twists and detoxifying the body, we also studied some Ayurveda this weekend.  Ayurveda is the ancient Indian science of health.  There are three primary doshas – or elements – that people fall in to, and once you learn what dosha you are, you can do certain things to bring yourself more in to balance, i.e. exercise, diet, etc.  It is quite fascinating and really opens up a whole new research interest for me.  (If you are interested, you can find out more about your Ayurvedic dosha with this free online test).

Sunday’s class often starts with a meditation circle and some more philosophy discussion- yamas and niyamas, which I will most likely write about again soon – and then moves in to more asana practice.  Sunday focused more on forward bending postures – the primary benefits of these postures may be obvious – they stretch and lengthen your back body, from your spine down to your heels.  They also quiet the mind and the central nervous system.   We ended the day with a little bit of partner yoga – Cindy and I are demonstrating the “double dog” pose – I am in a full downward facing dog, while she is balanced in a half-handstand on my hips.  Many thanks to Hannah for snapping the photo!

In two weekends, I will be doing another intensive workshop at another local yoga studio (in Silver Spring for the locals).  It is not part of my teacher training, per se, but the hours that I go can be counted towards another certification, if I decide to go that route.  In July, I will begin working with a wonderful teacher (who also happens to be a first-rate knitter!) and apprenticing in two of her classes.  She teaches a Therapeutics classes – ideal for people coming back after surgery or illness, or who experience chronic pain issues.  I have observed the class a handful of times, and I greatly look forward to working with this group of students and learning more about their unique needs.  It is a great opportunity for education and for enriching my own practice. 

I look back at all that I have learned in the past few months – and I can’t help but think about all of the wonderful things I will learn in the future!

–

*We are doing a readalong of the Gita in the Namaste Knitters Group on Ravelry, if you are interested in joining us!   we just started so there is plenty of time to catch up!

The beauty of it is that yoga is a process just like knitting is.  Somedays it flows so well – your fingers are flying and you are very “present”.  Same with yoga:  some days your balance is right on and you are open to new possibilities.  Other days you drop stitches and have to frog your work.  Or you can’t get into a pose that gave you no trouble the day before… but it is not about perfection.  It is about process.  It is about what you learn along the way – both about yourself and the world around you.  Something that really resonated with me is an oft-repeated quotation in my yoga classes:  “It is called yoga practice, not yoga perfection.”

Two weeks ago, I got a sinus infection that turned into a bit of bronchitis.  I was frustrated because I could not breathe properly – and my yoga asana practice (the actual physical postures) suffered a bit because breath work is so essential to every movement of the body.  When you can’t breathe, you don’t feel well, and that was the case…  yet,  just because I couldn’t breathe well did not mean that my yoga practice stopped there… in fact, it was through this time that I truly learned about patience.

My journey in yoga teacher training is truly an inner discovery as well as training my body.  One of the most influential practices we do as a group involves ethics and codes of conduct – called yamas in Sanskrit.   The most-cited and well-known is ahimsa, meaning non-violence and non-harm.  Ahimsa is a yama that resonates with me on many levels – I became a vegetarian for ethical reasons (specifically non-violence to living creatures).  However, ahimsa can also be a deeply personal matter:  practicing non-harm and non-violence with yourself!  negative self-talk, demeaning yourself, masochistic tendencies… all of these things go against ahimsa.  The little nagging voice that tells you that you look fat or that you are stupid.  Ahimsa is silencing that deep voice.   It is difficult, and it is a lifelong practice.  Sometimes the first thing that comes to mind when you fail at something is “if only I were smarter/more aware/prettier/healthier… this would not have happened to me”.  Ahimsa is realizing that you have the ability to move past that line of thought.  And my my, it is hard.  I think it might be particularly difficult for women who often have these pre-conceived notions of what they should be and how they should act.

Each month, we focus on another yama; if you are interested, I can share some of those thoughts and meditations here in the form of other blog posts.  It has been an amazing practice – very eye-opening.  I thank my teachers for having the forethought to make this part of the yoga teacher training program.

During my last teacher training weekend, we taught a free class for the community.  We had a wonderful turn out on a beautiful day – seven of my peers and I led a class with 25 people.  We each taught three or four poses, and I had the wonderful opportunity to lead the students in several poses:  a restorative pose that calms the central nervous system commonly referred to as “Cannoli”, a gentle seated twist pose for the spine, and a nice hip  and thigh opener.  It was such a wonderful day!

I was hoping to get the opportunity to post this past week over the Earth Day and Arbor Day observances, but things got a bit busy around here… for these two observances that I love so much, I put together a yoga asana sequence that celebrates the life on our planet – I sequenced together poses that are named after animals and natural phenomena using Yoga Journal’s Sequence Builder.  Next to each pose, I wrote a detailed description of the pose and how to transition from one pose to the next.

Earth Day Asanas (PDF download)

If you do this sequence, please let me know what you think.  It is friendly for all levels.  Absolute beginners should not use the photographs as the absolute model, but more of a pose to work toward… these are professional models showing the poses, so please do not be intimidated.  Be safe and practice ahimsa!

–
**The pose above is a recent progression called Pincha Mayurasana, meaning “Feather of the Peacock”. I had to get over a lot of fear and practice ahimsa to get into this pose itself (and more than a few upper body strength exercises)… and I had a lot of support to get to this point!  I was a bit nervous posting it…

(click on photo for identifications of these amazing people!)

There truly is a great power in observation.  First and foremost, it is a great privilege to see the new faces coming into the Yoga I classes at the studio.  They did something – made some sort of commitment or sacrifice – to be there at that particular moment in time.  Some beginners are nervous or scared walking into their first class, tentative to take the first steps into the class, while others are confident and feel at home.  Some automatically head to the very back of the room, while others seek out the spaces up front near the teacher.  Observing these tendencies is so meaningful to me, as a future yoga teacher myself, I feel that this experience of apprenticeship has underscored the fact that the best teachers are actually the best students – truly willing to learn from others.

Inspired by Sculpture: Ustrasana/ Camel Pose**

Another tenant of the certification is simply observing – not as an apprentice and not as a practitioner – a class as it is conducted.  You focus on how the teacher approaches the class;  the clarity of instruction, the poses and the sequences of the poses, and the general feeling in the room.  Observation is key.  When I am doing an observation, I put myself in the place of an absolute beginner and assess from there.  It is an amazing practice,  and very rewarding.  As a future teacher, I learn what makes sense to students and what doesn’t.  For that reason alone, it is invaluable.

My mother and I attended a Therapeutics yoga class this morning, taught by an amazing teacher named Lucy.  The best part of the story?  Lucy and I had talked online before but this was our first time meeting – we first met through Ravelry!   Lucy is a hardcore knitter just like so many of us, and she has done a number of workshops for knitters who are interested in yoga… in fact, we are thinking it might be fun to do another workshop sometime in the future.   Mom and I really enjoyed Lucy’s class – it was the ideal class for people coming back after injury, pregnancy, surgery, or with chronic pain issues.  It was my first time to take a gentle class, and I just marveled at the smart use of props and how yoga can truly be accessible for ALL people.  It was inspirational and made me see my own yoga poses in a different way.  I hope to observe more of these type of classes in the future.

I had another wonderful weekend at Yoga Teacher Training (YTT).   We have only been together in YTT for 2 months in this program, but I already feel such a bond with all of these women.  We spend 15 hours straight with them over a three-day period once a month (more with my teachers!) so it is no wonder that we have grown close!  We are preparing to teach a FREE community class next month (April 19th!) where each teacher-in-training teaches the class a series of poses.  We are inviting all friends and family members to come to the free class (if you are local and interested, please contact me and I will give you full details!).  I was assigned to teach some of the seated poses, including a twist, a hip-opener, and a restorative pose with blankets.  I am really looking forward to the experience!

If you are on Ravelry, and are interested in learning more about yoga, please check out the Namaste Knitters group.  It is a wonderful and accepting community with several knowledgable teachers and long-time practitioners, as well as lots of beginners.  It would be a pleasure to have you join us!

–

**Inspired by the lovely Alexander Calder sculpture entitled “Eagle” at the Olympic Sculpture Park in downtown Seattle, I did a yoga pose in front while Kris and Jenna took the photo.  I chose to do a deeper backbend version of Ustrasana, or Camel Pose with my right arm extended.

While I started researching yoga in my teens, I did not begin a formal practice until college.  Since I had practiced on my own – and not with a trained teacher – I realized that I had been doing some things incorrectly.  Once I started working with some instructors who knew about alignment and how to thoroughly teach beginners, I got so much more out of my yoga practice.  Now that there are so many wonderful resources on the market, it is much easier to learn more about yoga from your home.  This can be especially comforting if you have any issues with group classes.

When I began my yoga practice, I was nearly 80 lbs overweight and extremely self-conscious about my body.  I was born with good flexibility, and even as I gained weight, my flexibility remained in tact, although I was very weak, specifically in the upper body.  I was not comfortable in my own skin, and the idea of being in a class with people half my size and doing poses that involved sticking my rear in the air was just about the last thing I wanted to do…  but I did love the way that yoga made me feel, so I practiced at home, and I slowly began attending group classes and sitting towards the back, soaking it all in and becoming familiar with the poses.

In 2006, when I decided to fully commit to a more healthy lifestyle – reaffirming my (then) vegetarian diet (now vegan) and beginning a regular exercise routine – I complemented my cardiovascular work with two sessions of yoga per week.  My gym offered classes and although the room was filled with about 40 people, I made a point of going.  I learned about an adjoining studio to the gym where classes were smaller with more teacher-student interaction and solid emphasis on foundational poses, alignment and form.  These classes were probably my first “dip” into the yoga practice that I now enjoy each day.

…and slowly… great emphasis on the slowly… I am becoming more comfortable in my body, and more confident in myself.  My muscles CAN hold me up in poses because they are much stronger now; cardio work, weight lifting, and hours of yoga have made that possible.  Yoga’s mental and emotional benefits have also affected my life – clarity of mind, fewer mood swings, and an increased awareness of myself and of others’ needs.  I set aside time for yoga each day now – some days’ practice is longer and more challenging, others are calming and relaxing.

Last weekend was my second session of Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) at my Local Yoga Studio (LYS, go figure!)  and it was another amazing weekend.  I feel an increasing bond with the other students and our teachers.   This weekend was even more teaching practice than the first week, and we broke in to small groups and led each other through sequences of poses.  We all flubbed our words a little bit, but in the accepting atmosphere of the class, it was fine, and it was educational for all of us.  The weekend is structured over three days – Friday nights, Saturday afternoons and Sunday afternoons.  Each session has a reasonable asana practice led by our teachers.  On Friday nights, we tend to do more administrative work – talking about the certification and getting our  paperwork filled out for our observations and apprenticeships.  We also do a comprehensive review of the previous session, and sometimes introduce some new material.  We end the night with a wonderfully relaxing restorative practice – blankets, and eye pillows and deep breaths.  Saturday is a true focus on asana as we “learn” a pose, and immediately turn to our neighbor and “teach” them what we just did.  We do this throughout the day and then come back for a lecture on  anatomy.  Last session, we learned primarily about the muscles and bones in the feet and legs.  We are quizzed on these muscles, so we definitely have to pay attention and learn the names!  Our next quiz will be on the back muscles and the shoulders – so much to learn!

Sundays open with a long meditation practice, sometimes guided by our teachers, and sometimes in silence.  It is one of my favorite times all weekend and I look forward to it.  We return to teaching practice for a few more hours and then end with discussion on our readings, specifically the philosophical subjects.  We take Sanskrit breaks through the day, reviewing the names of many of the poses that we have learned in the original language of yoga.  I have always enjoyed learning languages, so this is another favorite time for me.

This training experience is definitely affecting me in ways on and off the yoga mat.   I think that yoga has the unique ability to do that – because it is so much more than a way to stretch your hamstrings or open your shoulders.  It continues to be an amazing journey.

Because there are hundreds of books and DVDs on yoga – so many different styles and traditions! – I feel unqualified to truly recommend the *best* one out there… I haven’t seen them all, and I probably never will. Plus, my needs may be very different than yours.   If you are a brand new beginner, I would suggest DVDs so you can easily see how the instructors and models move in and out of the poses.   There are many resources available – so many free ones too! – that can introduce you to yoga.  Due to the fact that their website is so robust and filled with information, I often suggest Yoga Journal.  They have a great “Beginner” section with lots of videos of classes, as well as videos of certain poses.  Yoga Today is another website that offers free online classes.   If you feel uncomfortable practicing in front of others at this time, these videos will tell you about key alignment points and avoiding injury.  If you have the resources near you, I would definitely suggest trying a class at a yoga studio with a trained instructor.  Many studios give first-timers a free class or a discount, so it is worth trying!  I think you will like it! 

–

**For details of poses above, click on links:

1. Virabhadrasana I,  2. Adho Mukha Svanasana, 3. Urdhva Dhanurasana

That was the weekend yoga teacher training for me.  A group of fifteen women (supposedly the first year that there have not been any males in the group) of different ages and backgrounds coming together to study yoga.  After three meetings over the weekend, we were so comfortable with each other!  Our instructors led us through a wonderful introduction, and really set the stage for what will happen over the next 11 months of training.  Since it is a formal certification process, there is a lot of documentation involved:  paperwork, checklists, forms.  We teased that we may as well move in to the studio considering how much time we will be spending there in the next year!  …and so far, that has been exactly the case!  The weekend was not all asana practice (although there was a lot of that!  I actually lost 3 lbs in one weekend with all of the yoga we were doing!) but also included a lot of information about teaching philosophy, anatomy, and yoga philosophies – we focused on ahimsa this month – the practice of non-harm.  This is a concept very close to my heart, and I plan to talk about it in a future post.

One of the big requirements for the Registered Yoga Teacher is doing an apprenticeship with the instructors.  We have a year (basically) to do the apprenticeship over an 11-week span, but I decided to jump right in and start apprenticing now.  Last night, I attended my first Yoga I class.  I was surprised to see the class so full – Maryland was hit with some nasty snow and ice storms and the schools have been canceled – but 20+ people still showed up for the 6:15pm class!  (I like to think that Yoga is 100% Recession-proof, and possibly weather proof too!)  My role in this week’s class was simple – since it was the first class, I assisted with some props, but primarily observed the class.  One of the main rules of apprenticing is that I do not practice along with the class – and that was the first time I have been in that situation.  Being in a class but not being IN the class.  However, I found it quite enlightening; when I am not focusing on my own form and poses, I can truly gauge the others in the room.  In the future, I will assist the instructor with adjustments, demonstrations, and possibly leading a sequence of poses later in the session.  This will be an invaluable experience!

After the apprenticeship class, I did have the chance to actually get on my own mat too when I stayed for the next class slot.  It is a more advanced class and definitely provided the challenge that I was looking for.  While I do practice at home very frequently, I usually do not challenge myself with more advanced poses because I am afraid of injury… but in class, when we have properly prepared for these pinnacle poses (Vasisthasana III and Visvamistrasana) with a series of other poses, it seems so right to just go for it.  Small steps and then a big finish!  and of course so many of us in the class fell out the pose, or lost balance, or had to come out.  But it was the process of getting there – and maybe getting a little further than last time! – that provided the reward and satisfaction.  It is finding that split second of stability and calm when you can think “YES!” before promptly falling to the floor

~~~

With all of the activities, I was surprised that I was able to start a finish another hat last week.  I started the beret on Inauguration Day and finished it up during the NHL All-Star weekend.  A great way to finish up this fun January Hat Trick knitalong!  I got 4 goals over the month – nothing compared to some of the über-knitters over on Ravelry! – but I am happy with the results.  Knitting hats is just so much fun! and as silly as it sounds, I love that I don’t have to knit another one – like socks, mittens, and sleeves! -because we only have one head! 

Tweedy Beret
Patten: Tweed Beret, Jo Sharp Knit Issue 3
Yarn: Jo Sharp Silk Road Aran Tweed in “Imagine” colorway
Source: All About Yarn – Columbia, MD
Needles: Size US8 circs

With one knitalong concluding, I can’t help but think about the next one starting up!  (Rav link) I am “chomping at the bit” to cast on for the DROPS vest in this delicious Tess yarn… the yarn that has been cast on several times and frequently ripped out.  I have a great feeling about this project – I think it is going to work out splendidly!  Sunday is the cast on day!  I will have plenty of opportunity on Sunday as we are headed to see the Washington Capitals play for the Sticks n’ Stitches event AND then off to a Superbowl party that evening.  Another fun and busy weekend ahead!

We will always remember this time.  We will look back and tell future generations about it.  Where we were when…

…and I will also remember this week as the starting point of my yoga teacher training.  After many years of practice, it was last year that I began to seriously research the instructor certification process and to investigate the studios in my area that offered teacher training.  It didn’t take long to find a good fit:  I am lucky to have a wonderful studio in my town that offers many classes and has wonderful teachers.  Even before that, however….

…We took a few classes together in college.  Our small Ancient Studies department only had a handful of student majors, so we knew each other casually.  We had mutual friends and passed each other often in the dormitories.  Years passed and both of us graduated from college, got married (to people who also went to college with us!) and went to graduate school… and we both took up knitting as a hobby in that meantime.  We both delved deeper into yoga individually.  And come 2008, we were both on Ravelry – both in the Namaste Knitter yoga group - and here she is talking about how she is working through her yoga teacher training certification at the same studio that I was looking at… and *boom*.

I private messaged her just to make sure that it was really her.  “Flissy?  from college?” It was just too funny that it all happened that way.  We met up for tea one night and we were just amazed that through Ravelry and yoga, we reconnected after several years!    I heard about her experiences with teacher training, she heard about my plans, and we signed up for a yoga class together last fall.  It just seemed like there was a reason that things were falling in to line so well…

It was last September that I started to take the classes at the studio.  I signed up for two classes a week and I knew right away that it was a wonderful place.  The styles, the words, the spirit of the place just really felt right for me.  I told my instructor about my intentions to do the training and her reaction was an instant hug!

So, after many months of deciding and waiting, the time has finally come!  For the next eleven months, I will be working towards my 200-hour Registed Yoga Teacher certification.  I am really taking this program as it comes… I feel that this is an important time in my life to take up such a challenge.  After the many health issues that I had in 2008, and continue to work through (though a lesser extent now, thankfully) I know that the time is right to work towards this goal.  I want to do this program for so many reasons – some deeply personal, others as simple and silly as toning up my arms and abdominals…

I will blog about yoga a little more than I have before on account of it becoming such a large part of my life.  I want to document this time for my own reasons – to be able to look back later and to see what I thought about this or that… and to see how I have grown, changed, etc.

All I know is that it is going to be an amazing journey.

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**Photos from the Atlanta Botanical Gardens orchid exhibit, November 2008