We're going through the chakras and the chakra that we focused on was visuddha chakra. Visuddha (purification) chakra is the energy center located in the throat that serves the purpose of communication and self-expression. When I think of the neck, I think of this vulnerable bridge that lies between head and heart. Our purpose becomes then to keep that bridge free from any obstacles, so that we can speak from our hearts. May we be, move, speak and live in and from our hearts!

I focused on grounding the students' energy, because when we feel safe, then we can open- whether it is in a pose or in a relationship. We focused on getting the thigh bones back and rooting the tailbone. Some students had huge breakthroughs in realizing that when they hyperextend their knees, for instance, it prevents their femur bones from rooting into the acetabulum. 

Another student had a huge insight as she thought that in backbends- say Ustrasana- because it looks like the pelvis is forward in terms of how the pose "looks", she thought it meant her thighbones were forward. We spoke about the difference between how something looks as opposed to the actions of the pose. In Anusara we call this  "form versus action." So it might seem like the thigh bones are forward, say when you are dropping from Tadasana to Urdhva Dhanurasana, but in fact the femurs always stay back, rooting back, in every pose.

I love working with such specificity and detail, especially in a venue like a Teacher Training.

We had a two hour practice and I felt that we were just getting started!

We broke for lunch and chatted a bit about the Oscars that were coming up later that day!

Then we had an open book quiz about Sanskrit terms.

Lastly, I asked them if they wanted to practice teaching or if they wanted to work on therapeutics. They all said, or rather screamed: "therapeutics!" We spent the remaining hour practicing adjusting the shoulder in Tadasana; practicing widening the back leg in pigeon; and we practiced sweet shoulder and leg/hip adjustments in savasana. I reminded the students that whenever we touch someone we are entering a sacred space. I encouraged them to think that when they touch someone, they are not just touching skin/muscles/bones but also that person's energy, that person's mind, even that person's spirit. I led them through the koshas and reminded them of how important is to touch other's with reverence. I am so grateful for my Restorative yoga teacher Jillian Pransky for teaching me that when you touch someone you are actually literally feeling all their different "bodies."

At the end of our session I was feeling a bit frustrated because I felt that I didn't get through everything in the syllabi. But then the lovely students became my teachers as they calmed me and told me how much they were learning and how I had to trust that I gave so much and to even let go! I bow to them and look forward to seeing them next Sunday. Namaste!