Week Five

Week five of YTT at The Tree Yoga Cooperative got dense with our Anatomy Weekend. Saturday our focus was on the physical body and its systems. Sunday we got into the systems of the emotional (or energetic/subtle) body. Wednesday evening as always was our practice together and discussion on the fourth Yama, brahmacharya - or non-excess. Let’s get into it!

SATURDAY

Yoga is supported by every system of the body in one way or another. And each of the physical systems of the body in turn support each other. For example, in Saturday’s class we reviewed the major action and functional movements of the joints and muscles in the body. It is this interconnected system of muscle and bone that orchestrates the movement of the body through space — a function that is key to the yoga asana practice. The nervous system is another fundamental system that plays a role in the yoga asana practice. It can be thought of as the physical manifestation of the mind-body connection we hear so much about in our yoga classes. Through the nervous system the brain can send a signal to the arms to reach up overhead for upward salute — the arm muscles receive the signal from the brain to move. To give another example, the respiratory system is not only responsible for bringing oxygen into the body through the breath. We can also use a slow, deliberate breath to stimulate the nervous system and bring the body out of the fight-or-flight response and into the more restorative rest-and-digest mode. These systems and many more support our yoga practice and our well-being.

Pictured above, slide from anatomy lecture depicting the different systems of the body.

What this review of anatomy revealed is that the body is not simply a collection of complex systems, it is in fact a cohesive unit made of many parts constantly at work to bring itself back to equilibrium. It is a beautiful technology here for our benefit. And although the lecture got pretty dense, our trainers reminded us that this 200 hour training is just a taste of a variety of subjects a person could study for years!

SUNDAY

Our discussion of anatomy got esoteric as we turned our attention away from the physical (or gross body) and to the subtle body. The subtle body (often called the emotional body or the energetic body) may be an unfamiliar term. When you have a “gut feeling” about something or when you have a “heart-to-heart” conversation with someone you are more acutely experiencing your subtle body at work. 

In Sunday’s lecture, we received an introduction to the koshas, chakras, and nadis — three subtle body systems rooted in the same Eastern Hindu lineage as our yoga practices today. 

Pictured above, illustration of the five koshas. Source aatmyyogashala.com

The five koshas can be seen as five interconnected energy sheaths that surround the body. Starting from the sheath closest to the body and moving out, these layers are: the gross body, the vital body, the mental body, the intellectual body, and the bliss body. We can affect these layers with nutrition, breath control (pranayama), meditation, contemplation, and devotion to the divine.

Pictured above, the seven energetic centers of the chakras along with the three central channels of the nadis. Source yogapedia.com

The chakras are wheels of energy that exist along the spine beginning at the base and extending up to the crown. They are centered at the base of the spine, the sacrum, the solar plexus, the heart, the throat, the third eye, and the crown. Each chakra vibrates and spins at its own rate. They have a physical and emotional domain and can become blocked due to trauma or underdevelopment. Yoga practices can aid in healing these subtle body imbalances.

The nadis are channels or pathways for energy to flow throughout the body. There are three main channels of the nadis — though there are believed to be thousands weaving through the energetic body. These pathways connect the chakras and like the chakras they can become clouded or blocked as we collect energetic static throughout our day. Energetic practices such as pranayama breathing (breath control) can work to clear these pathways and increase pranic flow.

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Following the lecture we discussed the subtle body as it pertains to our yoga practice. Yoga is a practice that can bring us to the present moment, and as our practice deepens yoga can actually attune our attention to the subtle body. This awareness alerts us to our needs and desires. By listening closely to this system we can better hear ourselves, understand ourselves, and ultimately discover ourselves.

WEDNESDAY

During Wednesday evening’s practice Jana skillfully led the class through a yoga sequence that progressively built to our peak posture, crow pose. This was a challenging and fun practice that was greatly appreciated by many in the class.

Afterwards, we settled into the evening to discuss the fourth Yama. Brahmacharya — or non-excess — can be translated to mean celibacy. A more literal translation of the word would be “to walk with god”. And while brahmacharya can often look like celibacy, the purpose of this Yama is to remind the practitioner to use their vital energy wisely. In our class discussion, we talked about how living in authenticity and understanding your needs can help one to live in moderation. A connection to self is an important aspect of brahmacharya. When we are out of step with who we are, we may be more likely to abuse ourselves or mistreat others. This Yama calls to to live in moderation with respect for the sacredness of life.

LET’S HEAR FROM THE CLASS!

What were you most surprised/excited to learn during this week’s training sessions?

“This week I was most excited to explore the subtle body & many other body systems that work harmoniously together to support the overall well-being of an individual. It's really fascinating to look at the images & discuss the functions of the chakras, nadis, koshas, circulatory system, digestive & respiratory systems, the nervous system, & musculoskeletal system. To see how they all spread throughout different parts of the body and literally communicate with each other in order to keep us whole, alive, & functioning is nothing short of miraculous. It is also a reminder to be in gratitude, everyday, for all that is working for my Good. I also really appreciated the dynamic conversation & insight that was sparked from all this. We got to clarify what true Feminine & Masculine energy can look like, represented through the Ida & Pingala nadis, and how it is expressed for all beings, regardless of what sex they might identify with. Just like each day we see the sun & the moon, they come & go, and work with each other to balance out the day and life on the planet. The same is true within a given individual.”

— Jana (Spring YTT 2021 instructor)

Week Six

At week six we are halfway through our Spring 2021 yoga teacher training. This week there were no sessions Saturday or Sunday — a welcome break after putting in five week’s hard work of self practice, postural analysis, and much philosophical discussion (not to mention homework and reading assignments!) Here is a review of our Wednesday evening class.

WEDNESDAY

After our evening physical practice together we gathered in the virtual classroom to discuss the fifth and final Yama -- aparigraha or “non-attachment”. The significance of this Yama (restriction) lies in cultivating the ability to receive and let go. The concept of non-attachment is perfectly encapsulated in the flow of the breath within our yoga practice as well as in life. We breathe in to receive nourishment and we breathe out to release waste. Breathe in, receive. Breathe out, release. And repeat. 

Pictured above, the white lotus is a sacred symbol of enlightenment, rebirth, and non-attachment in Eastern philosophy.

Some gems from our conversation: the fact that we have the ability to consciously choose our attachments with awareness, how sometimes we must be ruthless in letting go, and how gratitude has the ability to bring us back to the present moment. This practice of non-attachment brought up many different perspectives from the group, each perspective a reminder that there are many ways to practice the philosophy of yoga.

Week Seven

After a weekend off, we jumped back into our Saturday and Sunday sessions with Opening Circle, more asana analyses, and two guest lectures. It was a warm welcome back after a much needed break.

SATURDAY

Pictured above, Jana demonstrates a Bound Side-Angle Pose — one of the asanas we studied this weekend.

After our asana discussion (and following a brief curriculum pop quiz review) we welcomed our second guest lecturer of our YTT sessions. Constance “Connie” Hartwell gave an illuminating presentation for our Prenatal Yoga module. Connie is a seasoned yogi who fell into teaching prenatal yoga after realizing she wanted to better serve the pregnant students who often showed up to her classes. In her lecture, Connie broke down her approach to teaching prenatal yoga. 

Traditionally, yoga is taught from a male perspective of the body - this can often leave out people whose bodies do not conform to those presumptions. In prenatal yoga, teachers must be especially aware of the physical, emotional, and spiritual vulnerabilities of the student. That is because pregnancy can be a physically, emotionally, and spiritually demanding journey. Teachers must be sensitive to and flexible with their student’s needs. A question one of the cohort’s students had for Connie was: “How can you teach prenatal yoga if you have never been pregnant? Do you ever get pushback?” Connie gave a brilliant response saying that there are many male doctors who oversee births and these men have never been pregnant, and that she had not received any pushback from her students. Furthermore, with proper training, experience, and a love for sharing the practice, Connie was able to grow her knowledge and discover techniques to safely lead her pregnant students through a yoga class. Connie’s experience is a testament to how we as yoga teachers can find ways to make our classes accessible to all students.

SUNDAY

Following our asana analysis, we revisited the writings of the ancient yogi sage, Patanjali. In this discussion of the sutras we explored the nature of the Self. In Book Two of the sutras, Patanjali posits that the nature of the human experience is dual - there is the True Self (also called Purusha, the spirit, or the Seer) and there is Nature (Prakriti, the Seen). The practice of yoga and the settling of the mind can bring clarity as to what is the True Self (what is permanent) and what is not the True Self (what is impermanent). This knowledge can bring peace and greater personal power.

During the last portion of Sunday’s class, we had another guest lecture. Our speaker, Desiree “Dr. Dez” Coleman gave a presentation on Yin Yoga and the Subtle Body. In previous classes we touched on the subtle energy systems of the body. In this lecture, Dr. Dez went into further detail about how to use the knowledge of subtle energy in our own yoga practice — particularly yin yoga. Yin is one half of the duality of energy we see in nature, yang being the other half. Yin energy is reflective, passive, and intuitive while yang energy has vitality, is active, and involves movement. So while a typical yoga class may utilize the more activating and energizing yang energy, yin yoga is meant to take the practitioner inward, to connect to the subtle body. One of the benefits of yin yoga is that it can help to release energy that may be stuck or stored in the body. After the lecture, Dr. Dez led the class in a yin yoga practice. During the practice, our speaker demonstrated a variety of yin yoga postures meant to stimulate the subtle energy of the various chakras. As Dr. Dez put it, you can use the pose to get into the body.

Pictured above, an excerpt from Dr. Desiree Coleman’s presentation on Subtle Energy and Yin Yoga.

WEDNESDAY

This exploration of subtle energy and release fed neatly into Wednesday evenings discussion on our first Niyama (observance), sauca. Sauca, which translates to mean self-purification, is a practice that can help bring clarity and lightness to the practitioner. As a class we discussed how our practice of the yamas (nonviolence, truthfulness, non-stealing, non-excess, and non-attachment) prepare us to practice the observance of self-purification.

In relationship with the self and others, self-purification can look like having pure and honest intentions; meditation can help to purify the mind. In terms of release, purifying practices such as fasting or change in diet can also help the practitioner to find release. These practices can bring clarity to our thoughts, habits, and emotions. In purity and clarity we can create greater space within ourselves which can prepare us to be fully present in the moment. In purity we make space to act with ease and to act in ways that better reflect the eternal soul.

Week Eight

It is week 8 here at the The Tree’s 2021 Spring YTT and we are more than halfway through our sessions together!

SATURDAY

We opened our Saturday class with the now very familiar opening circle. As the weeks have progressed the ritual of the Opening Circle has become a familiar resting place for us students in this cohort — an opportunity to share and be heard in ways that are not often available in our day to day comings and goings. 

Pictured above, excerpts from our Spring 2021 YTT manual featuring the twisting postures we studied on Saturday.

Normally, during our asana breakdown our trainers will walk us through how to get into and out of the asana in question. Because we perform these postures outside the context of a full flow class, several students of the cohort found it difficult to pop up into a Revolved Half Moon without a warmup. This challenge sparked a class conversation on various strategies of where to place certain postures within a sequence. Our trainers noted that for twisting postures in general it’s good to make sure the spine is warmed up with some flexion and extension exercises (bending forward and back). For the past three weeks our homework assignments have grown to include practice-teaching a 30 minute sequence to friends and family. At this point in our training sessions our focus is not only on absorbing information but on flexing our teaching muscles and sharing what we have learned. The YTT classroom has now become a place to experiment with our own approach to teaching yoga. The practice-teach homework has given the class greater perspective on how to design sequences.

We got a chance to practice these skills in Saturday’s session with another practice-teach exercise. This time we took our written homework sequences (prepared ahead of time) and used it to teach a fellow student — with a third student as a neutral observer. Though these exercises continue to be a challenge for us students in the cohort, as one student noted, it has become an opportunity to observe our own strengths and weaknesses… it’s all a learning experience.

SUNDAY

The asanas we covered during the first portion of Sunday’s session included a variety of backbends and heart opening postures. Because the spine can be especially vulnerable in these poses, our class conversation focused on how to caretake the spine through these shape changes. Our trainers, Jana and J, reminded the class that it is key to give our own students space to move through these challenging postures at their own pace, in their own way.

Picture above, one of the heart-opening postures we covered during this Sunday’s asana analysis.

During the second half of Sunday’s class, guest lecturer Jasmine Allen — another friend of The Tree, yoga instructor, and educator — gave her presentation on the subject of Trauma-Informed Yoga.

But how does trauma relate to a yoga practice? During her talk, Jasmine broke down the origins of trauma. Trauma can be defined as any experience (physical, emotional, psychological) that overwhelms an individual’s capacity to cope. Our ability to cope is mediated by the parasympathetic nervous system — a system which brings the body out of fight-or-flight mode and into a state of rest-and-digest. If the nervous system is overwhelmed frequently enough (especially during an individual’s developmental years) it can have negative physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual ramifications. This is where yoga can come in to assist the healing process. Yoga, and its emphasis on the mind-body connection, can address these nervous system imbalances by stimulating the rest-and-digest nervous system response. However, Jasmine reminded us that although yoga can be healing, we must bring a trauma informed perspective to our teaching practice.

Language plays an important role in leading a trauma informed practice. This means that cues from the teacher to the student should be invitational rather than imperative — empowering the student to decide how they want to take part in the practice. And this is just one of the many considerations one must take into account in order to be trauma informed. Overall, our presenter, Jasmine, emphasized that the student’s emotional and physical safety is the priority, not necessarily the asana practice itself. As yoga practitioners and teachers we have the opportunity to provide our students with tools to help repair a dysregulated nervous system and a trauma informed approach can deepen this practice.

WEDNESDAY

Santosha, or contentment, is the second niyama we covered during our Wednesday evening class. One trainee raised the question of how we can possibly find contentment in a world full of injustice and traumatizing situations? This opened up a class discussion where folks seemed to have a lot to share. Students brought up their own challenges with contentment. Challenges due to racism, trauma, and adverse life experiences. The conversation got deep.

We discussed how there may be levels to the kinds of contentment we experience, how we may even find contentment in our malcontent — it may prompt us to take action we feel is necessary to change a situation. Each participant brought their own perspective of contentment to the conversation and created a space for passionate, honest group reflection. It was one of many fascinating discussions we’ve had in this YTT training.

NOW LET’S HEAR FROM THE CLASS!

— Dorian, Spring 2021 YTT trainee

Week Nine

The heat is on in the ninth week of our YTT journey. With three guest presenters, more teaching practice, and group discussions it was a fiery weekend and Wednesday evening practice!

SATURDAY

This weekend we kicked off Saturday’s session with another practice-teach exercise. Each student selected two postures to cue another student and we used these postures to string together a sequence of sorts. Each student took a turn giving cues for the selected postures — the rest of the class was simply to observe. It was enlightening, as always, to hear how differently each trainee approached giving cues and to see how differently everyone listened to cues.

Picture above, a still from our virtual conversation with Lauren Ross on her journey to practicing Kemetic yoga.

For the second half of our Saturday session, we welcomed a fellow Tree YTT graduate and Kemetic yoga teacher, Lauren Ross. As a social worker in South Central Los Angeles, Lauren often worked with clients who had experienced complex traumas and yoga had become a way for her to cope with stress. Lauren found her way to The Tree yoga studio after discovering yoga but feeling out of touch with white yoga spaces. Within her yoga practice Lauren began to wonder, “Where are the Black people?” The answer to her question came in the form of Kemetic yoga.

Kemetic yoga as it is practiced today is informed by the philosophy of the ancient people of Kemet (indigenous Africans that once lived in the geographical area now known as Egypt). It is a system of physical practice and breathwork as well as a spiritual, communal, and ancestral practice. At the spiritual center of Kemetic yoga are the seven principles of Ma’at: Truth, Balance, Order, Harmony, Righteousness, Reciprocity, and Justice. These principles inform the moral philosophy developed by the people of ancient Kemet. 

Pictured above, the Positive 42 Confessions of Ma’at (sometimes called the 42 Ideals or Precepts)

In her practice, Lauren sees Kemetic yoga as a tool of inspiration and self-empowerment for Black people and Black culture. It can be used to combat the racist blocks caused by racist traumas as well as a way to cultivate the self in community. Lauren closed her presentation with a profound Kemetic yoga sequence; she poured libations as we called the names of our ancestors, we then moved the body with the breath, and closed the practice with a chant of peace. Namaste and Asé!

SUNDAY

Sunday's session had not one but two guest presentations!

For the first half of the class, yogi and co-owner of The Tree Co-op, Rita Ortiz, joined the session to talk about “Mayan Yoga.” This “Mayan Yoga” was really a look into the Meso-American yogic-like indigenous philosophy more accurately known as Toltekayotl. Similar to Lauren’s experience with Kemetic yoga, Rita came to Toltekayotl with a desire to connect to her Mexican roots and to decolonize her own practice of yoga. In the presentation, Rita gave us an overview of her research into the ancient practice and philosophy of Toltekayotl — a practice which she intends to eventually share with the community at The Tree.

Pictured above, our presenter Rita Ortiz discusses the cosmological significance of the Aztec deity, Quetzalcoatl, and its connections to the practice of Toltekayotl.

According to Rita’s research, the Tolteks were the practitioners of the philosophy of Toltekayotl in Cemanahuac (the region now known as Mexico). Toltek can be translated to mean “artist”, and these artists were interested in practicing the art of good living. To aid in this art, the ancient Tolteks observed the 13 Principles (somewhat similar to the yamas and niyamas), practiced several forms of breath control, and had a postural practice that connected specific movements to particular calendar days.

These practices and beliefs live on in the cultural memory and oral tradition of present day Mexican seekers and neo-shamans, despite the destruction perpetrated by the Spanish invasion. Rita’s studies and presentation on the Totelkayotl philosophy painted a picture of the power and ubiquity of indigenous knowledge around the world.

Picture above, April “Thee WyldChyld” D’Aguilar — with our trainer, J — introduces the class to the practice of yoga nidra.

After a short break we got into our second guest lecture of the day with April “Thee WyldChyld” D’Aguilar — a teacher and practitioner of yoga nidra as well as a longtime friend of The Tree for many years. So what is yoga nidra? At its core the practice of yoga nidra is about withdrawing the senses and entering a state of deep rest. Yoga nidra has its roots in the yoga sutras and was originally developed in the early 1900s by a young yogi prodigy who sought a less robust and more restorative yoga practice. 

During her presentation, April outlined the process involved in this practice. First, one must prepare the body with a pre-practice that releases tension. Once that tension is released the practitioner comes to a resting pose, usually a comfortable and well supported savasana. Then, breathwork is used to clear the energetic channels of the subtle body. And finally, the practitioner must go inward, focusing on the sensations of the body. It is a reflective practice that often involves journaling and the creation of a sankalpa, or a resolution informed by the heart that requires positive action. As April put it, this practice is about going deep and gaining awareness that may be just outside our waking perceptions. She led the class in a beautiful practice to close the day, leaving us in a state of peace and restful repose.

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday evening got heated with our discussion of the third niyama, tapas. Tapas is the heat we create when we choose to pursue discipline in our lives. Through the practice of the preceding yamas and niyamas, the yogi can gain greater awareness of the self. This awareness naturally gives way to a clarity and focus that makes the practice of self discipline possible. 

In our class discussion, we covered a range of topics. We discussed how the dominant culture either offers blind comfort and no discipline or offers an inflexible, punishing discipline that makes self knowledge difficult. Other points of interest in our discussion were: how discipline requires purpose, the tension between discipline and non-excess, and how discipline can look different on different kinds of people in different areas of life. We even discussed how we can use self-discipline to enhance our practice of rest, pleasure, and joy. This was an expansive conversation that definitely is going to be a slow burn.