less is more!

This March I spent an incredible 10 days workshopping the fascinating world of therapeutic yoga with Susi Hately. Saying that my world has changed would be exaggerating but in many ways it has. My biggest "a-ha" moment was the realization that slow, subtle movements will lead to faster progress i.e. pure movement. The subtlety and pace we (I) move through in life has a profound impact on the everyday and more momentous aspects of our (my) life. For those of you who know me, this is especially relevant. I move through life in a whirl, feet barely touching the ground. I'm always losing things, making silly mistakes and at the end of the day not feeling like I'm getting anywhere. The answer is simple. Slow down and move slower than what you think slow is.

This simple adage is integral to therapeutic yoga as it allows for greater ease in our classic asanas. By slowing down our practice, we are able to identify signals our body sends telling us that something is wrong e.g. pain, strain, twinge, popping, grinding etc. These signals or yellow lights tell us that we aren't moving in an optimal, pain-free range of motion.  From a therapeutic perspective, we don't want to blow through these lights because we increase the probability of blowing past our

 red lights which could potentially cause serious injuries. (Think back to the NY Times article questioning the safety of yoga.) Think of your optimal, pain-free range of motion as moving between your green and yellow lights. This analogy differentiates the therapeutic from the fitness based model of yoga. Neither is necessarily better than the other, rather they are dependent on a yogi's personal and fitness goals. Slowing down and listening to your body is also reflective of the yogic concept of ahimsa or non-harming stands reminds us to practice more mindfully and avoid hurting ourselves.

To demonstrate this new perspective on yoga, let's use Virabhadrasana 1  as an example. Please excuse the cluttered apartment and lack of photographic quality. I won't bore you with my excuses <cough> Mojo <cough>.  From a fitness, intermediate yogi perspective, my Virabhadrasana 1 is fine. There aren't any visible alignment issues, and I'm (relatively) mobile. Admittedly, there was always a tweak or crackle here and there, and often an ache in my right sacroiliac joint (SI). Without too many details, my chest is a little tight which is why my elbows are near hyper-extension. If they were any tighter my

Pre-Susi Virabhadrasana I

shoulders would be up by my ears. A shaky, unstable pelvis contributes to my SI ache, and my sore knees are in part attributable to years of hard work compensating for my Elvis pelvis.

My post-Susi Virabhadrasana 1 looks very different, and some may argue that it's no longer the same asana. And maybe they're right, but my goals and perspective have changed, and after a few customized exercises to address these issues my Warrior 1 one will be even better.

Post-Susi Virabhadrasana I

My teaching style will definitely evolve with this new information.  I found myself cringing in some yoga classes before...

I think the real challenge will be breaking old habits and by slowing down I can already feel a difference and catch my self (almost) before a yellow light. If anything, I more excited about yoga and have found new inspiration to share with my students. Stay tuned and thanks for reading.









Breathing in I calm the body and mind
Breathing out I smile
Dwelling in the present moment
I know that this is the only moment
-Thich Nhat Hanh