Saturday, August 26, 2017,
I'm writing this on Sunday morning having had attended a class at Big Bend Yoga Center yesterday morning with 3 of my friends.
I do not ordinarily take classes and, rather, wake each morning and go to my mat with the knowledge I have of yoga (however lacking), and move through my practice by myself. However, I believe that taking a class from an instructor every now and then is absolutely essential for adding variety, and keeping your practice dynamic and ever-growing.
Yesterday's class, with the wonderful Michael Shabsin (Attorney by day, Yoga instructor by night), was exactly that; dynamic, different, challenging, fulfilling, and re-energizing.
The style of yoga that I practice is called Ashtanga Yoga, sometimes referred to as "Vinyasa Flow" or "Ashtanga Vinyasa" yoga. It follows a pre-determined sequence/pattern of movement and I typically don't allow for too much variation. Ashtanga Yoga also puts emphasis on the "8 limbs" of yoga (physical postures/Asanas being 1 of the 8 limbs). See below:
Michael began the 1.5 hour class with nearly 10 minutes of a Savasana and introspective meditation (imagining the crown of your head opening with every inhale and then remaining open to flood in white light, etc.). Michael moved through the chakra system (I was pleased as punch to lay there being guided through the steps knowing at least a little bit of the direction he was going to take us as he moved down the chakra system suggesting that we imagine the corresponding colors with each chakra as we moved downward to the root chakra).
We began the Asana sequence and, based on the patterns that we went through, I would say that Michael taught a Hatha-esque type of class.
My 3 friends and I were drenched and exhausted at the end of class but felt remarkable; focused, but calm, strong, but non-aggressive, happy/joyful, but balanced.
I recommend anyone who lives in, or visits the St. Louis area to try Big Bend Yoga Center.
Namaste
I'm writing this on Sunday morning having had attended a class at Big Bend Yoga Center yesterday morning with 3 of my friends.
I do not ordinarily take classes and, rather, wake each morning and go to my mat with the knowledge I have of yoga (however lacking), and move through my practice by myself. However, I believe that taking a class from an instructor every now and then is absolutely essential for adding variety, and keeping your practice dynamic and ever-growing.
Yesterday's class, with the wonderful Michael Shabsin (Attorney by day, Yoga instructor by night), was exactly that; dynamic, different, challenging, fulfilling, and re-energizing.
The style of yoga that I practice is called Ashtanga Yoga, sometimes referred to as "Vinyasa Flow" or "Ashtanga Vinyasa" yoga. It follows a pre-determined sequence/pattern of movement and I typically don't allow for too much variation. Ashtanga Yoga also puts emphasis on the "8 limbs" of yoga (physical postures/Asanas being 1 of the 8 limbs). See below:
| Yama | moral codes |
| Niyama | self-purification and study |
| Asana | posture |
| Pranayama | breath control |
| Pratyahara | withdrawing of the mind from the senses |
| Dharana | concentration |
| Dhyana | deep meditation |
| Samadhi | Union with the object of meditation[39] |
We began the Asana sequence and, based on the patterns that we went through, I would say that Michael taught a Hatha-esque type of class.
My 3 friends and I were drenched and exhausted at the end of class but felt remarkable; focused, but calm, strong, but non-aggressive, happy/joyful, but balanced.
I recommend anyone who lives in, or visits the St. Louis area to try Big Bend Yoga Center.
Namaste
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