Yoga Inspiration ~ Reach Your Heart Forward

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Yoga Teacher Marysia Weiss in Handstand to Planche’!

“Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk”

~ Dalia Lama

“Reach your heart forward!” This is the mantra for getting into Planche’ from Handstand.

In yoga, as in life you will not get much out of something if you don’t put your whole heart into it. You can’t just dip a nervous toe into the ocean of yoga and expect enlightenment, peace and joy to wash over like a tsunami of zen.

Rather, these things are hard won victories paid for by many sweat-soaked hours in Warrior 2 and various other means of yogic torture. (oh did I say torture? I meant bliss…of course..)

Likewise putting your heart out there usually means risking it being hurt or worse metaphorically  speaking when it comes to matters of the heart.

Of all the difficult things you will learn in life and in yoga one of the hardest is letting your heart lead the way, risking it, or being vulnerable. The great conundrum, is how can I give it all, yet still stand in my strength?

This is the work of Handstand to Planche’,…talk about putting your heart into something, and “out there ” while maintaing your strength. It is a wonderful thing when yoga and life mirror each other. Hope this inspires you lovers and yogis to do the same.

Put your whole heart into whatever t is you are seeking. Planche’ your heart out past what feels safe. If you are waiting for the right moment, stop waiting, that perfect moment never arrives.You have to go for it!  All the while maintain your core values, your dignity and your strength.

“You’ve been walking the oceans edge holding up your robes to keep them dry. You must dive deeper under, a thousand times deeper!”

~ Rumi

Yoga Inspiration ~ Never Stop Lifting!

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Crow To Handstand Yoga Transition with Angela Kukhahn in Brock Cahill’s Class at Yogis Anonymous!

“Never Stop Lifting!” is the advice my teacher Krista Cahill gave me what felt like a million times as I attempted (and failed) at this seemingly impossible transition from Crow Pose (Bakasana) to Handstand.

Physically its all about shifting your weight forward by moving your pelvis up and forward and bringing your knees towards your chest.

Mentally it is all about never giving up, even when something looks and feels impossible!

This transition serves as a great reminder to never ever, ever give up! 

What poses inspire you? What have you learned from them?

“Tittibasana and Friends” Full Length Online Yoga class via the Yogis Anonymous Website.

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Krista Cahill in Tittibasana. Ad for Hard Tail clothing. Photo by Jasper JohalHere is another Full length online yoga class via the Yogis Anonymous website.

The inner thigh area is for a lot of us both weak and tight! Todays flow works to open and strengthen this area! We explore variations for Tittibasana for those with tight wrists and shoulders and Visvamistrasana prep and full pose with props! Plenty of flow and inversions throughout!

The playlist for this is Vinyasa Yoga Music Playlist No. 13. (with link to itunes PING playlist so you can easily download the songs) Enjoy Yogis!

Photo Credits: Photo of Krista Cahill in ad for Hard Tail clothing and photo by Jasper Johal

“Sweaty Sunday Flow” Full Length Online Yoga class via the Yogis Anonymous Website.

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Angela Kukhahn on the beach doing yogaHere is another Full length online yoga class via the Yogis Anonymous website.

This class is all about strengthening core and detoxing with twists. Sprinkle in plenty of headstands, dolphin and handstands and you have a class with plenty of movement and sweat!

The playlist for this is Vinyasa Yoga Music Playlist No. 12. (with link to itunes PING playlist so you can easily download the songs) Enjoy Yogis!

Yoga Inspiration: Kristin Olson Presses to Handstand!

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Here is some more handstand press up yoga inspiration!

Ironically, me and my yoga teacher friend Kristin Olson (check her out over at the K.O. Yoga blog and read her post on the Top 10 Reasons that Handstands are Awesome!) both got our press to handstand the very same night at my friends Brock Cahill’s class over at Yogis Anonymous. I have always been told that good things happen in three’s, so I guess that means you are next!

Yoga Inspiration: Press Handstand to Crow Pose

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In this video I do a press handstand (Adho Mukha Vrksasana) to crow pose (Bakasana). Handstand press is something that I have wanted to get for quite sometime now and I am so stoked! The key to the press is shoulder integration, full external rotation of the arm bones, and core strength. I am extremely fortunate to have amazing teachers like Brock and Krista Cahill who have guided me all the way. Anything is possible with steady practice, determination and a little faith. What are some poses or transitions that you would like to know more about? I would love to know!

“Inversion Heaven” Full length online yoga class via the Yogis Anonymous Website

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yoga students in locust at Operation Shanti fundraiser photo by Hale DavisHere is another Full length online yoga class via the Yogis Anonymous website.

This class focuses building core strength with plank variations,ab work and crow pose. We then explore dolphin, a fun variation on headstand for the beginner or inflexible student and handstands! The playlist for this is Vinyasa Yoga Music Playlist No. 11. (with link to itunes PING playlist so you can easily download the songs) Enjoy Yogis!

“Corelicious” Full Length Online Yoga Class via Yogis Anonymous Class 4/24/2011

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Here is another Full length online yoga class via the Yogis Anonymous website. This class focuses building core strength with plank variations,ab work and crow pose. We then explore dolphin, a fun variation on headstand for the beginner or inflexible student and handstands! The music for this class is Yoga Music Playlist No. 10. Enjoy!

Angela Kukhahn in Upward Facing Dog in the Tuscan sunflower fields (yoga pose) photo by Tara Rice

“Happy Hanuman!” New Full Length Online Yoga Class on Yogis Anonymous Website

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Angela Kukhahn in Fallen Angel yoga arm balance. Photo by Jim Knowles
Hi Yogis,
As most of you already know I am now streaming LIVE every Sunday from the Yogis Anonymous website from 8-9:30am (Pacific Time).
Here is a LINK to the newest full length online Yoga Class via the Yogis Anonymous website!
This class is all about hamstrings, sweat and flow! You will start out in a forward fold, progress through some creative, hip opening B Sun Salutes and finish the flow with a supported Hanumanasana (splits). We then top it all off with inversion playtime, backbend variations and sweet savasana!
I used my new vinyasa yoga Playlist No. 9 for this class. (Click ing the link will take you to my previous post with the names of the songs)  Or click on this link to go directly to my  PING playlist on itunes!
Photo by Jim Knowles

Yoga Inspiration: Advanced Yoga Demo with Heather Seiniger

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Hey yogis! If you are like me  you believe that anything is possible with a little faith, courage and hard work (tapas/practice) First of all though you need to start with some inspiration!

Luckily for me living in Santa Monica I am surrounded by a ton of inspiring yogis, yoginis, teachers and downright gurus!

Here is some yoga inspiration for today! Watch as local Yogaworks teacher trainer Heather Seiniger demonstrates the advanced yoga transition Crow Pose (Bakasana) to Handstand (Adho Mukha Vrksasana) back to Crow Pose (Bakasana) to  low plank (Chaturanga Dandasana) and through the vinyasa.

If you would like to master these transitions here is the most logical way to go about it:

1. Learn Crow Pose

2. Learn to jump back from Crow to low plank (Chaturanga Dandasana)

3. Corework, Corework, Do a boatload of boat pose (Navasana), and half boat Ardha Navasana…everyday!

4. Learn Handstand (Watch my tutorials on handstand to get a good start and start practicing the actions of handstand in every pose!

5. Practice lowering to crow from handstand (use a yoga strap on your upper arms just above the elbows so your arms don’t splay out!) Just mastered this thanks to my teacher Krista Cahill  and I am so stoked!

6. Practice scooping your hips under, squeezing the knees to the midline and pressing into your hands to life back up to handstand. (You will prob need someone to help you with this by spotting you. Use your yoga strap! I am currently working on this myself, so far just a lift off, but not all the way up on my own.

7. Believe in yourself and of course practice, practice, practice! Good Luck!

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