Archive for the ‘Yoga Blog’ Category
Building a Boundless Mama Community
I taught a kick-butt class to myself two Saturdays ago. No one showed up to my first prenatal yoga class.
There are worse things that could happen to a mom of a one-year-old than to show up to teach a yoga class and find an empty studio and an hour-and-a-half of free time. I don’t remember the last time I had a 90 minute, uninterrupted asana practice. And you know what? I’ve felt guilty about that.
As I find my enthusiasm for asana bubbling to life again, I realize all that guilt was so unnecessary. Motherhood should be its own branch of yoga. We endure physical discomfort, sleep deprivation, hormonal fluctuations, and out-of-our-minds crazy love for our children while striving to maintain some semblance of a balanced life and sense of self. It’s a beautiful, transformative practice that demands utmost commitment and promises invaluable rewards.
My love of motherhood is what gives me optimism and enthusiasm for my prenatal class. The space is there, and I know mamas will come (three showed up last Saturday!). Whether you’ve been practicing yoga for years or have never stepped foot in a studio, I invite you to experience the invaluable support of being in the company of other moms and a practice designed specifically to prepare you and your baby for birth and motherhood.
This Saturday at 1:30 we’ll focus on stretching the sides of the body to make room for our growing babies. We’ll be using Iyengar Yoga for Motherhood as a guide. But fear not—we won’t be striving for perfection. I’m an Iyengar dabbler with a love of flow and whatever works best on any given day. This time is all about what nourishes us—Boundless mamas!
Simon Says
kelly on 9:52 pm August 3rd, 2010 / Be the first to comment! »
Would Simon says be fun in a yoga class?
Simon Says stand on your right leg. Simon Says put your left foot on your right leg, *not on your knee. Simon says Wave your arms over your head! Now Shout I am awesome at this, I am Doing TREE POSE! – Oh, wait Simon didn’t say Shout that! Whoever shouted is now Simon! (Wait, do you win if you shouted . . ) Oh well, I changed the rules.
Let the New Simon begin dominating with the Left Side.
Hi, wow I’m random. How are you? Are you finding space to practice and meditate this summer? I hope so, and if not – please check in with us! Tell us about your body and your needs, and we’ll reply. (Ex: Hey Kelly, I am really really busy. I would love to take a yoga class, but it never happens. Help! -DC Friend)
There is a yoga practice for you and for everyone. If you r interested, we will help you discover what is right for your body.
What have we been up to at Boundless this week?!! (Well, other than being ecstatic about the New Space) we are making tons of To Do Lists. Is it just me – or are Google Spreadsheets and Google Docs the next best thing since Pranayama?!!!
Getting organized is a stellar way to prepare yourself for practice and stay grounded in your life on earth. What do you like to do to get organized? What do you love about your life when it is messy? I love both messy and neat spaces. How about you?
For example, I love organizing my purse for the next day.(SIdebar: I always think Andrea Chew would be great at this.) I also looove the disaster of my makeup area on my dresser; No matter how many times I organize, it becomes a wild mess each week. I LOVE THAT!!! I love being organized and making a beautiful mess. This is the joy of life. Being at peace with both spaces helps keep me gentle and true.
Other things I love are feathers, sunlight, and rocks. How about you? What is the summer showing you to love this year?
Just curious – do you love these colors (below) for Boundless’s new marketing/interior? What colors say Boundless to You?
Do you love the pretty pink roses in a jar and Emily Shaw’s gorgeous art behind it? I do.
I want to know what you are loving right now.
With peace and gratitude – Kelly
Liana’s August 1st sequence
Geeta on 9:00 pm August 2nd, 2010 / Be the first to comment! »
Supported Setu Bandhasana with thighs strapped, block under sacrum, and sandbag on thighs
Liana’s July 25th sequence
Geeta on 1:40 pm July 27th, 2010 / Be the first to comment! »
Seated meditation
Adho Mukha Virasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Uttanasana
Twist in Uttanasana
Tadasana
Padangustasana
Tadasana
Adho Mukha Vrksasana-three times
Pincha Mayurasana-two times
Sirsasana with twist variations
Adho Mukha Virasana
Tadasana
Uttita Trikonasana
Parsva Konasana
Ardha Chandrasana
Parsvottanasana
Parivritta Trikonasana
Parivritta Parsvakonasana
Eka Pada Kundiyanasana II
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Marichyasana I
Marichyasana II
Parsva Bakasana
Janu Sirsasana
Paschimottanasana
Supta Baddhakonasana
Sarvangasana
Halasana
Parivritta Halasana
Halasana
Savasana
this one right here’s my favorite.
kelly on 2:17 pm July 25th, 2010 / Be the first to comment! »
I don’t remember where I was first introduced to the “yogic” concept of “false liking and disliking.” It may have been in this book, recommended by a great teacher, Orly Jalowski.
The basic concept is that we think we understand reality, and in fact, we don’t. Part of this “misunderstanding” is evidently what we “think we like” and especially what we “think we don’t like.” I like this concept. 
There is a school of thought around “things we don’t like” that says you should “push through that” and challenge yourself. This is a little masochistic for sensitive me, so let me be clear that this is not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about a subtler thing.
I’m talking about when you push your food around on your plate, for example, and go, I like these pieces, I don’t like the crunchy parts, or whatever. Very simple preferences. I like the breeze, I don’t like the heat. I like my grey pants. I cannot stand my white sweater. – - It is quite possible that all of this is generated from a delusion you/we/I aren’t even aware of.
You have no idea why you don’t like the white sweater. Given the right conditions, it could be your favorite.
Try loving everything for a day.
I love this cup, it is my favorite.
I am so glad we’re going to that restaurant, it is my favorite.
I like it when it’s a thousand degrees outside, it is my absolutely favorite weather. (Okay, I took it a little far.)
Seriously though. Even if thought in total experiment, with full awareness that you “don’t like” that restaurant. I have found that this greatly alters my daily life. I expect things to be better. I accept more. I am happier. It is meditation, even if I’m fibbing. My body feels the good vibrations.
What if your dislikes are really a weird vibration in your kidney, or a memory of your childhood? Let them go. See what happens if you love what comes!!!
Now – to simplify matters – I want to add that it is very helpful as human being to develop an awareness of your preferences n order to keep being a human being. So, do both.
“Love everything” and “notice your preferences” . .
So, like. I love Sundays. They’re my favorite day.
I love that I have to go the grocery store later.
I love my cheap shampoo.
- – - just keep noticing – xo -
Kelly
i sing you sing we all sing for – the new space?
kelly on 6:20 pm July 23rd, 2010 / 6 Comments »
we heart music. what songs inspire you? do you like music in your practice?
what are your favorite bands?
we want to know as we make plans for the new space design.
xo
kelly
Lori’s july 18th sequence
Geeta on 10:25 pm July 19th, 2010 / Be the first to comment! »
virasana
adho mukha svanasana (from tadasana, heels on the floor, walk hand forward to adho mukha svanasana)
ardha uttanasana
baddha hasta uttanasana
vinyasa: utthita trikonasana – parsvakonasana – ardha chandrasana – virabhadrasana II – trikonasana (change sides)
vinyasa: virabhadrasana I – parsvottanasana, hands to floor – parivrtta trikonasana – parivrtta ardha chandrasana – parivrtta trikonasana (change sides)
adho mukha vrksasana, 2x
pincha mayurasana, 2x
sirsasana (5 minutes)
urdhva dandasana in sirsasana
dandasana
bharadvajasana I, twist and catch
marichyasana I, full pose
marichyasana III, full pose
urdhva danurasana, 2x
sarvangasana
eka pada sarvangasana
halasana – eka pada sarvangasana
eka pada setu bhanda sarvangasana
savasana
what is the deal?
kelly on 3:04 pm July 16th, 2010 / Be the first to comment! »
oh my gosh! how fun – we are moments away from making a video shoot at our new space! i am meeting brian jarcho, from so what’s the deal, today, to create a video to share with you all!
boundless is running an ad on their site: here, next week.
first off, there will be some amazing discounts available, so please check it out and tell everyone you know.
secondly, we’ll have this adorable video of us, the new space, and who knows what else . . ! ! ! !
exciting !!!
*kelly
Tough Love
Leahm on 6:18 pm July 15th, 2010 / Be the first to comment! »
The wise teacher with whom I took a yoga class this morning said something during class that was, well, wise. She asked us, as we started into the first of a handful of down dogs, to notice our habits in these “simple” poses. She said that these habits could teach us things, and that instead of fighting our habits, we should learn from them. I mumbled something snarky about how these were some pretty tough-love teachers. Am I right?! For me, a couple of things, or habits if you will, plague me. My mid-back is one of them. Oooh, that mid-back. It just wants to creep up and out like some kind of inchworm in mid-move instead of lying smooth and integrated like, um, butter? You get the point. And I know that what my mid-back habit is teaching me is not that my mid-back is the problem. I”m working on sourcing that habit’s origins. So in the (long) meantime, thanks to my wise, external teacher, perhaps I will try harder not to battle and struggle with my didactic habits, but will instead cast a curious ear towards what they have to say to me.
