Yoga Teacher Training Weekend #1

The focus of my post is going to about my yoga weekend but first, a few house cleaning things:

1. Continuing on with my fashion pics... This is officially fashion pic #2:

I got this dress from old navy and I love it BUT the best part of my outfit is my bracelet. I bought it at the Market in Charleston. The artist's father was from Africa and she loves her African roots so she travels to Kenya (just another sign I'm supposed to go) and gets the material to make jewelry. You better believe I found something I liked!!!

2. Training for the week: as you will see below, I have to take 2 yoga classes a week which is going to change training a bit. I'm still hitting my 3 running days, but I will only swim once and bike once. Then I'll have my two yoga classes which will include the strength I need so I don't have to worry about doing strength anymore. I should've just thought of that in the first place. 

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Swim - morning, yoga - evening

Wednesday: Morning intervals

Thursday: bike

Friday: Run

Saturday: rest, it's the first football game of the year so I'll be busy ALLLLLLLL day

Sunday: long run and yoga at 3:00

Yesterday, I ran 5 miles. I had to walk some because it was so hot, but overall, I had a good time. My back hurts really badly and I think it's because I haven't been to the chiro, so Dr Rob, here I come. I also made my husband rub my hamstring and my piriformis with the stick so hopefully, that'll help too. 

3. FINALLY - on to what's most important - YOGA WEEKEND NUMERO UNO!!!

First of all, let me say that I was a little bit nervous about being attentive. The hours were friday from 5:30-8:30, saturday from 8:00-6:30 and Sunday from 8:00-5:30. I was like, even though I love yoga so much, that's a long time to be in one place. The time flew by. I couldn't believe it went so quickly. Since I love to make lists, here are some things that I took away from the weekend. 

a. I love everyone in my class. They are all very different but we're all there for one purpose. Everyone is very open and very nice!!! So I'm super excited about spending 9 months with them!!

b. Everything that I have studied and developed over the past 4 years was reconfirmed this weekend. Love is all that is important and that is what we are responsible for. We have lost ourselves in the need to blame others and find the culprit when what we should be doing is loving our fellow brother. Also, I can't change others but I can change myself so if I just focus on being the person I want others to be, maybe I can be a positive influence on everyone around me. Lastly, when someone bothers me, it's because it's a reflection of something in myself I don't like. Through God's grace, I can change those things but I have to remember that the person I encounter is a messenger and to take that judgment and reflect inward. We also have to wear a rubber band on our wrist so if we say anything bad about ourselves, or others, we pop it. I have popped my rubber band a lot, mainly because I say mean things to myself. 

c. We learned a couple of the basic poses such as Tadasana, or Mountain pose

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Utkatasana, standing chair pose

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and Warrior I, Virabhadrasana

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We learned the basics of each pose, how to do them and most importantly, how to teach them. This was fun, although it definitely challenged my shyness when in a small group. I'd rather stand in front of 30 people than 5, I don't know why. 

d. My favorite part: OOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Om is the universal "Amen". It helps with so many different things and is always one of my fav things about class. What we did was break it down into 3 sections. 

First: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

We all chanted it together and felt different parts of our body. We felt our heart, our temple, our forehead and the top of our head to see where it was vibrating. During this part, it vibrated the most around our heart. 

Second: UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

We felt this vibration a little higher in the chest and throat

Third: MMMMMMMMMMMMMM

I felt this higher in the chest, the vibration was faster and I felt it on the top of my head too. 

What was so cool about this was all of us doing it together. I love singing anyways, and when a group gets together and sings, it always feels so good. Like, at Brookwood when everyone is singing together, it just lifts my spirits. This was the same. With our eyes closed, the sound was overwhelming and almost deafening. My ears did hurt a little after we were done but it's one of the most amazing feelings. 

I was very sad that it was over so quickly and can't wait until September 23rd, 24th and 25th for the next one. I do have an even that saturday, so I'll miss part of it :(... 

What's your favorite thing about yoga???