Self-Study: Svadhyaya

Visualize a bridge with cars wooshing by – many, many cars. Underneath the bridge is a river flowing; how fast or slow is what we need to discover. Our thoughts, like the cars above, are rushing around on the surface of our consciousness keeping us busy and panicked, stressed, vigilant – ready to respond. The water beneath the bridge is our emotions, inner feelings, more deeply rooted states of being.  We rarely take enough time to reflect and connect with the river within us.  Now, ask yourself “What am I feeling RIGHT NOW?” Can you genuinely and honestly answer this question immediately or even within thirty seconds… maybe a minute?

There is so much that we take in on a daily basis, even a daily minute, and we rarely take the time to allow ourselves to process it. So, how are you feeling? What are you feeling?

Imagine the bridge – visualize your thoughts, all of those cars racing by.  Now, begin to take your focus to the river beneath the bridge.  What is the river doing? Is it tumultuous, rocking the banks with waves? Or, is it calm and steady like a warrior before battle? What are you feeling?

Written by Amanda Fiorino

Mindy will be practicing Triangle, Trikonasana, in every class she teaches in the month of August.  Triangle is a great pose for opening the hips and lengthening the hamstrings.  It develops core strength and offers a new way to approach the world.  You know what they say, “Lateral movement leads to lateral thinking.”

Triangle

This month’s meditation, So Hum, holds its power in its simplicity.  So Hum is a practice of listening to the breath.  The inhales sound like so and the exhales make the sound hum.  If you sit quietly and listen you will hear this mantra.  It is always with us.  When translated from Sanskrit, So Hum means “I am that, that I am.”  It is a reminder that we are more than just our body and mind.  We are all connected to the Source and can live in that presence always.  This meditation is very calming and soothing to the body and mind.

July Pose and Meditation of the Month

Join any of Mindy’s classes this month to play with Seated Straddle Splits (Upavista Konasana) and remove obstacles with the Ganesha Mantra “Om Gum Ganapataye Namaha”.


The hips are an area of physical tightness for many and have the ability to hold deep seeded emotions. Moving and stretching the hips offers a chance for both physical release as well as emotional freedom.


The Ganesha Mantra will assist us in this process of release by setting intentions to remove obstacles in our lives. Cleaning out the emotional and energetic bodies with vibration and movement will help you feel like you.

Mindy’s Schedule:
Monday, Wednesday and Fridays: 9:00 am All Levels
Sundays: 9:00 am Bliss and 10:30 am Yoga for Weight Loss and Toning
Schedule a class with Mindy online.

Om Gum Ganapataye Namaha Video from YouTube

Seated Straddle Splits

You Call It Yoga

Join us Friday 4/8 @ 5:30 pm for Happy Hour Yoga.  This week will be “You Call It Yoga.”  Come to class with a pose or two that you enjoy or want to focus on.  West will weave each yoga pose into a lesson plan and focus on proper alignment and energetic principles for each.

Special Happy Hour Series

Join us each Friday 4/22, 4/29, 5/6, for a mini-series during Happy Hour Yoga @ 5:30 pm.  We will focus on 4-6 poses chosen by the class.

In each posture, we will breakdown proper alignment and learn about energetic principles.  Additionally, we will bring awareness to subtle differences in our practice resulting from various transitions into and out of these postures.

Contact West for more details.  Check out our class schedule.

Teacher Spotlight: Jaime Philip

You’ve seen him around the studio, in a class or maybe you have taken his fantastic Yoga Basics class on Saturday mornings. He is recognizable by his warmth and ability to have a great conversation and his trademark bandana worn on his head. Jaime Philip is one of our new instructors at Green Mountain Yoga and Fred, our Office Manager, sat down to ask him a few questions so everyone could know Jaime a little better.

FP: Tell me a little about yourself.
JP: In my life outside of yoga, I’m the owner of a very small remodel, renovation and residential carpentry company. I’m married 24 years and have a great 16 year old son. My wife and I moved to Colorado from Long Island in 1991 and have never looked back. I’m a runner and enjoy my weekend runs near Red Rocks with music glued to my head and simple nights with my wife at home.


FP: What is your favorite item in the GMY Store and why do you like it?
JP: Books, books and did I mention books? Mindy has a great collection of books on the many aspects of yoga that I’m always exploring. If I’m not greeting my students, I’m by the book rack or in the cubby area with something I’ve borrowed from the shelf.

FP: When did you start practicing yoga and what interested you in yoga?
JP: I’ve been practicing since 2003. Yoga was suggested by a friend after my complaints about low back pain. Besides not seeing my chiropractor for 7 years, yoga has also become my home for the spiritual beliefs I’ve had for most of my life.

FP: What inspired you to attend teacher training and become an instructor here at GMY?
JP: To put it simply, it was the community at GMY. Yoga has its own attraction for me but Mindy and Karen and the rest of the teachers and the practitioners that come to the classes made me want to deepen my own practice. As part of the minority of men who practice yoga, GMY has always been so welcoming. The question should be “Why didn’t I attend training sooner?”

FP: What do you hope your students will receive when they take one of your classes?
JP: I teach Yoga Basics on Saturday mornings. I get amazing satisfaction in helping my students through their first steps in their yoga journey. My hopes are that I can spark their interest and desire enough so that they come back, either to my class or to any others that we offer and that they begin a consistent practice. I’m proud to be a part of my students’ quest for better health and a balanced lifestyle.

FP: How would you like to further your yoga practice and career?
JP: At this time, I’m busy absorbing all of the information I can regarding my teaching ability. I want all of my students to come to my class and feel like they’ve deepened their practice after being with me for just 75 minutes. When I’m confident about that, I’d like to consider Advanced Teacher Training at GMY. Eventually I’d like to each to those who are unable to attend the studio (those confined to their homes) or those whose schedules are incompatible with our classes. After all, yoga is for everybody!

No matter how long you have been practicing yoga, attending one of Jaime’s Yoga Basics classes will without a doubt introduce you to more of the true meaning of why we all need to enrich our lives with a strong and consistent practice.

Thank you Jaime for allowing us to get to know you better and for all you do here at GMY!