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JOEY.F
Social climber
sebastopol
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Jul 24, 2010 - 07:09pm PT
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I would have to say that this discussion led me into superior practice today. I just brought a little more to it this week. Fortunately there was a friend who is a stronger climber than I there as well. After practice, we hit a very balancey route, didn't think I had it in me, sent. I just felt more focused. Trying to see if the teacher will do another midweek class too. It seems as though consistancy really pays off. (I hope High Traverse is getting something out of this too!)
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nature
climber
Tucson, AZ
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Jul 24, 2010 - 07:38pm PT
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Yeah, High Traverse has not commented since his OP. I hope we didn't hijack this thread too much.
I taught this morning at Golds. Only had five students and one was new to yoga. I took out handstand and shoulder stand and spent more time working on foundation. We did a bunch of hip opens. Everyone said something positive. One guy said his hips had never been so open. Makes me smile...
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Daphne
Trad climber
Mill Valley, CA
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Jul 24, 2010 - 08:24pm PT
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Hey Joey that is great to hear! I have to say that I've been paying more attention to my pelvis and thigh loops due to this thread and have noticed the increased awareness is really helping.
Nature, how great to get good feedback. It really helps to know you're giving back something that was a gift to you. I can tell you are an awesome teacher.
Maybe the op is off climbing!
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bestill
Trad climber
s. ca.
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Jul 24, 2010 - 08:51pm PT
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Nature, apparently mark has traced some of the extant postures back to some early 20th century English/northern European exercises. i know this sounds Sacreligious but Krishnamacharya who developed Astanga yoga was one of the last people to see the last surviving copy of the yoga Kurunta, which subsequently was eaten by ants. the Siva Sutra,a venerated ancient text does describe a couple of postures for meditation such as the "lotus posture" but does not include the many Asanas that are taught today and that Krisnamacharya made popular in the early 20th century, which are the ones that are suspect. now,i for one could care less when the postures were formulated or by whom and i have personally benefited from them. but like all things as time goes by many of our most cherished ideas and beliefs are challenged,so as rational human beings we must adapt,just as Krisnamacharya did when he adapted those exercises into a system of yoga that has benefited millions.
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Daphne
Trad climber
Mill Valley, CA
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Jul 24, 2010 - 09:16pm PT
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My understanding of the poses is that they were initiated spontaneously from meditation. Somewhere I was taught that the early yogis would be sitting in meditation and just jump up and do a certain pose. Whether this is true or not, it fits with my experience of yoga.
When I am practicing I strive to make my practice a moving meditation. When I am really centered and flowing in a meditative state, the poses and the transitions to other poses seem to flow naturally. I am not thinking, I am simply being and my body tells me exactly what it wants next. This is where I see the benefit of a home practice. When I am in class, sometimes I feel my body wanting something completely different than the teacher has planned. I practice surrender at these times, so I am only commenting, not complaining.
So I intuit that the poses arose from yogis following the intelligence that came from the meditative state. Then, like most things, they got codified. And we continue to codify them further as new teachers explore poses either from their own intelligence or from another teacher.
When I study Iyengar's classic text Light on Yoga and compare what my teachers have presented as the "correct" form, I see some very different interpretations. One example being that some of what Iyengar presents would be corrected as very hard on the knees.
We are always learning and growing-- how about how shoulder stand was taught for years: that one should move the shoulders down and away from the neck. Newer thought is that the shoulders are not moved down and away as this destabilizes the area and leads to possible neck injury. My question is: when and if shoulder stand originated thousands of years ago, was it taught the current way or the older way?
ok, maybe this thread has drifted (a lot) from what yoga is good for climbers. But this thread is inspiring me!
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nature
climber
Tucson, AZ
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Jul 24, 2010 - 09:32pm PT
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We could go big and start taking about why the Yogis are wrong about everything!
The funny thing about feedback is you just never know what you are going to get. When you look out at a class, especially as a sub!, you just wonder what your students are thinking. Bruce has pointed out to me many times that you just don't go there. Still... it happens. And then class ends and all of sudden you are hearing things you just didn't "see" in their faces. It's way cool.
I know now I have a gift. A gift to offer back all that has been gifted to me by my teachers and their teachers and.... Beyond that I'm really lucky. One of the three references on my yoga resume (for teaching employment purposes only) is Darren. To have him in your corner is so huge. He's putting making me pay my dues though.
Technically it seems that Pattabhi Jois is the founder of Ashtanga school but I suppose that's just a technicality. As a disciple of Krisnamacharya I suppose he really is the source of that method. Either way I agree he/they have gifted us something very special (and very young in terms of the life of yoga).
now,i for one could care less when the postures were formulated or by whom and i have personally benefited from them.
I'm with you on that one. It's like with climbing. It's my opinion to be a well rounded climber you understand your heritage. But we've also learned our lessons - gold line just isn't the best equipment for sending El Cap free. We adapt. So I dive deep into the texts, scriptures, history, but come away recognizing that it's not the 10th century any more. We dress in expensive yoga clothes, avoid Saffron, eschew the life of the Brahmin's, and practice on fancy little yoga mats. At the end of the day the benefits are clear and that to me is what matters (nature waits for Werner, the Brahmin, to chime in ;-).
So back on topic - why is the yogi-werner so wrong about everything!
How was the climbing, High T?
dharma-ksetre kuru-ksetre
samaveta yuyutsavah
mamakah pandavas caiva
kim akurvata sanjaya
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BW
climber
Bishop, CA
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Jul 25, 2010 - 01:38am PT
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Here's Mary Devore in action on her own route in the Owens Gorge. Some 12b or something. This is yoga for you.
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sempervirens
Trad climber
Trinity County
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Jul 25, 2010 - 02:14am PT
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my opinion: Yoga improves my whole life. Mostly though, my mental and emotional state. When they're telling me to go deeper, or to widen my "sit bones" (WTF are those and why do they need to widen?)I'm thinking ... that's unnecessary. And misses the point. IMO what makes yoga different than most other stretching and exercise is the breath. Focusing on the breathing all during the asanas provides me with the relaxation and release that I need to help me focus in life. I've tried many different yoga classes and most miss out on that focus. One teacher I had chats about her day and her cats and stuff while we're doing the exercise under flourescent lights. It just doesn't do it for me. I don't really care about the Raja, and the Jnana and the Bhakti or my chakras. I care about how I feel, and that's why I do yoga. My favorite yoga has always been the Kundalina Yoga as taught by the Sikhs. I'm talking the white-turbaned, mostly-western sect of Sikhs; check them out. Whattaya's think
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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Jul 25, 2010 - 03:16am PT
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Nice recap of the Blissfest there Tami, good for a few snickers...
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sempervirens
Trad climber
Trinity County
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Jul 25, 2010 - 03:34am PT
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oh, you Canucks. A half-pint is less than 1/4 of a liter. There's 2 pints in a 32 ounce quart, and 38 ounces to a liter. An imperial gallon is an undetermined quanity. Any questions? How're ectomorphs ever gonna experience bliss with you schlurpin chocolate smoothies during their pranablabla.
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nature
climber
Tucson, AZ
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Jul 25, 2010 - 10:14am PT
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Thanks Tami for the good morning laugh. ectomorphic gumbygirls..... killed me with that finish!
mmm... oars locked and loaded.... sail away sailor sounds like a great cruise.
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Daphne
Trad climber
Mill Valley, CA
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Jul 25, 2010 - 11:26am PT
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Yeah, sempervirens, I also want less talking from the teacher (her cats? really? augh!) and more silence to have my own experience. Kundalini yoga is great.
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nature
climber
Tucson, AZ
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Jul 25, 2010 - 12:27pm PT
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I'd go nuts if the instructor was talking about their cats. It's one thing to set your theme any way you want so long as you tie it into the class. There's probably a way to use cats in your theme but I'm not seeing it. flourescent lights blow.
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nature
climber
Tucson, AZ
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Jul 25, 2010 - 01:33pm PT
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oh... and... BW... thanks for the shot of Mary on the 12. Back in the Humboldt Daze she was barely climbing if at all. It's nice to see she cranking and cranking hard. No doubt the core strength she's developed doing Iyengar helped with that.
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tinker b
climber
the commonwealth
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Jul 25, 2010 - 09:32pm PT
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mary was a gymnast bitd...although the yoga doesn't hurt i think she was bad ass since birth...
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nature
climber
Tucson, AZ
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Jul 25, 2010 - 09:39pm PT
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oh yeah... don't get me wrong.
I'm trying to recall what classes we had together. I think we did the Winter Mountaineering and Cross Country Skiing course (rough times those). She certainly had the physical ability she just wasn't getting out there from what I recall. I'm stoked the bug bit her!
But I'll be honest.... it was Humboldt. I smoked way too much pot and it took its toll. I'm having a tough time remembering some of this stuff. not that it bugs me.... it was fun. Clarity is a new thing for me ;-)
Next time I'm in Bishop it'll be fun to drop-in on one of her classes. She'll remember me I know that. It'll be really fun for both of us I'm sure.
Edit: well dam there goes my chance at POTUS.
Nature/PMB 2012
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BrianH
Trad climber
santa fe
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Jul 26, 2010 - 01:31pm PT
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Funny, I came across that "Yoga Body" book this weekend and thumbed through it. Its thesis makes sense. Given how sedentary we've become in the past three generations, its not hard to see how "hatha" yoga might expand to address that. Also, since yoga means "union", thinking about East meeting West in this explosion of yoga is kind of neat-o.
I started the practice because of yoga babes, but I stuck around because it felt so good. It does improve everything.
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nature
climber
Tucson, AZ
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Jul 26, 2010 - 01:45pm PT
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Brian, what studio in Santa Fe do you go to?
there's babes in yoga classes?
And here all along the only reason I went was to smell the nag champa and chant om namah shivaya.
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 26, 2010 - 09:37pm PT
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Hey there nature, Oliv3er, Daphne, JOEY (and of course Tami for making me laugh)
Was away for 3 days in Tuolumne climbing and dodging thunderstorms.
Saturday the Hobbit Book was a long lark for me after 30+ years and the first time for my partner. Got gear sorted back at the car just as it started to rain on Saturday.
Sucked a couple of beers on the TPR bench, watched the storm, before eating too much for dinner and listening to it rain off and on all night in Warren Fork.
Yesterday we did Slasher and Dastardly Rascal at Razor Back while dodging rain showers. Watched a friend persevere on Metalhead in the rain. He got to the last bolt when it started raining seriously. Slipped off the last move a couple of times. Then he lassoed the tree trunk and pulled himself up. Talk about persistence!
Sucked a couple of beers on the TPR bench, watched the storm, before eating too much for dinner and then driving home.
Thanks for all the yoga tips. Sounds like Anusara is what I'm looking for. Those left toe in right ear stretches will come in handy next time I'm high-stepping on edgy glacier polish. The shoulder flexibility and strength will help when I'm doing the 3rd rounded mantle on Dastardly Rascal. The centering and alignment will keep me alive on the approaches (gotta love the Hobbit Book approach) and descents.
My Y offers Hatha, Raja, Vinyasa and Kriya (among others).
I'm guessing Vinyasa is closest to Anusara.
Kalen: I'm all about party tricks!
Will give it a go.
Namaste
Fred
Edit: yoga babes?
I'm DOWN.
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Daphne
Trad climber
Mill Valley, CA
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Jul 26, 2010 - 10:10pm PT
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Aha! I thought you were climbing!
Have fun trying out all those teachers-- look forward to your yoga trip report and thanks for the climbing report!
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