A Teacher Blog Post: Monica Brown

Continuing with the guest blog posts - this one by Tula instructor, Certified Thai Massage Therapist and Artist, Monica Brown. Monica has been with Tula since the beginning and brings joy, calm and inner peace to all those that she encounters. Here's her thoughts on the Breath.......

Don't Forget to Breathe.....

By Monica Brown

It seems that the breath is the first place we become disconnected from the body---in daily life, in stressful situations, in over-concentration. The breath is also a wonderful tool to bring you back to the moment, to bring you back to your body, back to the recognition of what the mind is doing. It reminds you to expand, to fill up the space within you with air, and then… to let go.

As a yoga instructor, I try to remind myself of this often as well as convey it to my yoga students. Yoga is about so much more than physical activity. It can be very athletic; however, it is also about balance and connection to the breath. In the Yoga Sutras it states that yoga is a place of comfort and stability. How do you find that place in a difficult pose (or a difficult situation)? Can you find that balance between strengthening and relaxing, between effort and repose? Can you find places where there is unnecessary holding---in the jaw, in that space between the eyebrows, in the mind, in the breath…?

It is wonderful to challenge oneself, always, but it is also necessary to make sure you maintain room to breathe, to find a space that you can soften into, an effortless effort that is able to create more expansion than a forced effort. Let go of holding that restricts the flow of breath and movement, to release the past and the future, and simply breathe in the moment.

Join me on the mat on Saturdays at 12:15pm for Hatha + Meditation and on Mondays at 10:30am for Hatha Vinyasa.

www.mymyriadmuse.com

A Student's Story: Blanca Hurley

Tula is made up of some absolutely amazing students and teachers. This is the first of many student (and teacher) stories that I will be posting.

Please meet Blanca Hurley. She is a simply a ray of sunshine and it is always a pleasure to see her at the studio each week. Every week she inspires me and after reading her story, I am inspired even more.....

A Plus-size Yogini’s Journey

Written by: Blanca Hurley

My yoga journey began 12 years ago, when Dora Ruffner a choreographer, PhD candidate, yoga and dance teacher took on an enormous endeavor of implementing yoga into the Dance Program at Palo Alto College, which is located in an underprivileged area of San Antonio, TX.  At this time yoga studios and classes were not readily available, and I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

I have to admit that I came to yoga with the vain intention of maintaining my-then thin figure and perhaps shedding even more weight. Of course Dora’s classes contained the physical asana practice I sought, however, she also taught a philosophical component. Needless to say, I was unprepared for the latter, but that is what strengthened me the most. I became her faithful student for four years. 

Then the responsibilities of life piled on and so did the weight as I took on a career that compromised my happiness. Most days I had to force myself to get out of bed; after work I excessively indulged on food. My body no longer resembled a fit twenty-something-year-old. My days of practicing yoga became a distant memory.

Subsequently my husband Steve saw how miserable I was and encouraged me to find my happiness. I quit my job, went back to school as a non-traditional student, and we eventually decided to move to Chicago–a city that as a poet I had romanticized since adolescence. By happenstance, I reconnected with my friend Tim, who was visiting for the holidays. Unfortunately, he delivered the news that Dora had passed away abruptly (5 months after I ran into her at Whole Foods). Cancer made its way into her body undetected until it was too late. 

Although she taught me that impermanence was part of our human condition–that our energy is recycled back into the earth–this was not enough to console me. I found myself searching for something to alleviate my grief. I needed yoga, but I was too embarrassed to walk into a studio at size 18/20. 

Several years passed and within this time Steve and I traveled to Dublin, Paris, London, and eventually made our way to Sydney. While walking around The Royal Botanic Gardens we came across a photo-shoot of women doing various asanas along the quay. I watched as they adjusted themselves into Warrior II, Tree, and Chair, when tears began to roll down my face. It took going all across the world for me to realize that yoga is what makes me happy. I decided right then that as soon as we got back to The States I would begin practicing yoga again–all 250 lbs. of me. 

I found Tula after doing a random search for yoga studios in Logan Square. I will never forget walking in that Saturday and being greeted by Amanda. I was so nervous about not being accepted in my plus-size body, but she was friendly, funny, and most importantly non-judgmental. Still I nervously set-up my mat (of course, at the very back of the room). Michelle walked-in and greeted everyone in the most loving way that is familiar to her students. Prior to this I had never been to a yoga class with other plus-size students let alone a plus-size teacher! I was amazed by her strength and ability to make her students feel at-ease.

Gradually, I worked my way up from practicing yoga once a week to five times weekly. I no longer dread waking-up Monday mornings, because I am able to start my week practicing Hatha with Monica, who reminds me of how strong I have become. By midweek when all the hustle and bustle of the city has exhausted me, I look forward to Thursdays with Jody, who reminds me that although I have dealt with difficult people all week there are some really wonderful people too.  *Fridays with Amanda reminds me to always challenge myself. Saturday mornings when the city is quiet I look forward to practicing with Michelle who reminds me that beauty has nothing to do with a number on a scale. Lastly, *Sundays with Nathan reminds me that the slightest movements are like words in a poem–they mean everything.  

For all these reasons I am thankful for the community at Tula!

Namaste!

*Currently conflicts with yoga teacher training. One of the greatest things I have learned about yoga is knowing that I will eventually make my way back. 

A Beginner's Mind

“If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything, it is open to everything. In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few. ” 
― Shunryu Suzuki

I recently started running. It's really hard. One would think that because I do yoga I could just get up and run a couple of miles, right? No way. I am using this iPhone training app that talks you through a run-walk routine 3 times a week. The idea being that you can eventually build up to longer runs. We will see.

During this first week of running,  I've been thinking a lot about when I was just starting yoga and how hard and daunting it seemed. I was thinking how it's not the yoga that has changed or even that I've progressed really in my practice. A lot of it has to do with how well I know my body and how it responds to certain poses. I know, for example, that my left hip is tighter than my right. So in pigeon pose, I sink into my left more. I know that I have 'weird' knees that sometimes hurt when I shift weight onto them suddenly, so I take it more slowly when I am asked to do that in class. I know all of these things through continuous and consistent practice.

With running, I am now a beginner again and I'm trying to understand how my body responds to running - what pace is right for me, how to move my feet and legs and what do with my arms. How to 'stride' and move comfortably through the streets and sidewalks. It all seems so foreign and difficult. I feel like everyone that I run by is looking at me while I am red-faced and gasping for breath - sound familiar?

I think it's important to always remember what it was like to be a beginner no what level you think you are at in everything that you do in life. I think that continuing to have this 'Beginner's Mind' opens up so many possibilities to what you can do and where you can go.

If you think you've already gotten there, what is there to strive to do?

My Summer Body

I have a secret to share. I hate Summer. Every year about this time I begin to fret over a summer wardrobe, particularly over the SWIMSUIT. I become annoyed and jealous of the women that just casually pick up a cute bikini from Target without a care in the world about hiding dimples, stretch marks, and fat. About this time, every year, I think to myself, why didn't I go on a diet, why didn't I start that running routine, why didn't I do more crunches?

Not this year. This year I have resolved to do away with the body issues. Yes, that's right, simply do away with them and push them aside. I am not spending one more minute of my life trying to live up to some pre-conceived, media-driven ideal about how my body should look. Think of it as a diet for the mind. Every time I begin to think and worry about the first time I wear a swimsuit this season, I decide, that instead I'm going to think about the strength that I feel in downward dog, that sense of lightless-ness in a handstand, that euphoria that comes during savasana. My yoga practice has made me strong and fearless in a way that I haven't ever felt in my 38 years of life.

Long ago, I cancelled my subscriptions to the the women's "health" magazines that don't tell you that you are beautiful the way you are, but convince you that you need 'work'. They tell you that you need 3 weeks to get into a bikini, they tell you that you need a juice cleanse in order to 'restart' your metabolism, they tell you that you are fat and ugly. They tell you that simply by putting an unattainably beautiful, photo-shopped girl on the cover. Stop reading those magazines. Don't let people convince you that you need 'work'. You need to live in your body for the rest of life. It is the vessel in which you get to take you through this life. If your body doesn't feel good, if you are not healthy, you know what to do - eat better and exercise. Educate yourself, but don't be fooled by the fake imagery and barbie doll ideal that our society convinces you is the only way your body should look. It's complete nonsense and you know it, so stop believing it.

I know that I am happy, healthy and lucky to have a strong body. I have a body that has birthed two beautiful children, that has stretch marks, cellulite, hips, a pot belly and my husband thinks I am beautiful. I'll bet that someone in your life thinks you are beautiful the way you are too, so don't let 'body image' bring you down this summer. Wear what you what, be comfortable, practice yoga, truly believe that little voice inside your head that tells you that you are an amazing creature just the way you are.

Oh, and make a bonfire on the beach with those magazines.

The Rarity of Disconnection

I went to lunch the other day with my husband and the guys that share his co-working space in Wicker Park. Most of these guys work in the technology industry and the main point of conversation during lunch was the new Google glass. Being the first time I had really heard about this, I was shocked. Why would anyone want to wear glasses around and constantly be 'connected' to emails, texts, the internet? Are we not connected enough already? Then they started to talk about a contact lens that would go in your eye and also connect you to the internet - literally, a computer connected to your body.

All this started me thinking about how rare 'disconnection' is becoming. The times in our everyday, waking lives where we are not checking emails, texts, surfing Facebook is becoming less and less. I would venture to say that the average person probably doesn't go more than 2 hours a day, if that, without being 'connected' somehow. Looking to the future, I anticipate that the experiences that allow this disconnection will become more and more valuable. Right now, the value is placed on connection - Wi-fi, faster internet speeds, more wires, cell phone towers. I believe that in the future, that value will be placed on disconnection - internet 'dead' zones, retreats, getaways, yoga classes. This disconnection will be become more and more elusive and we are going to crave it in our lives even more.

A Guest Blog: A Lesson in Perfection

Written by Becca Wise about her experience with our 30-day challenge......

Life, by nature, is challenging enough.  Once we button up one problem, another is sure to replace it fairly quickly.  Or sometimes, just as we’re feeling so completely overloaded, another bomb drops and we’re forced into a deep dark place we never even thought existed.  I guess I feel pretty fortunate that striving for balance is a main priority in my life.  And this balance comes in the form of yoga, lots and lots of yoga.  So when I was presented with a challenge to attend one yoga class each day for 30 days at Tula Yoga Studio in Logan Square, I thought, “Sure, why not?”  The reward offered by the studio for completing this challenge was a waived monthly membership fee, but I should’ve known that the lessons would reach far beyond this monetary incentive.  The takeaway helped me better understand the concepts of the spiritual practice, including translating the equanimity I take with me after class and back into the real world, which isn’t always filled with sunshine and rainbows, especially during the brutality of winter in the Windy City…

The best part of the challenge was that each and every day, no matter how strong or absent-minded I felt during class, I felt good simply knowing that I was working toward a goal and that I hadn’t given up.  Even when my mind would wander, exacerbating feelings of negativity, blame and guilt, I still had my practice-one thing to feel good about each and every day. The strength of mind and character that I built during the challenge carried over into my real day-to-day life, offering me courage, insight and wisdom.  I was able to challenge myself to say the hard things, to speak up and be heard.  I also began to feel steady progress physically as well.  All of a sudden, I could touch my head to the floor in a wide-legged forward fold and even push my legs up into a headstand!  The more challenging my personal life got throughout the 30 days, the more I went into my breath during practice, keeping my eyes closed through most of the poses and feeling that I was really “getting” what this whole yoga thing was all about.

It shouldn’t have surprised me that my life would continue to balance itself throughout the 30 days.  All of the warmth and positive energy I created inside the studio was counter-balanced by the difficulties presented outside the studio.   There was no reserve of serenity, my life off the mat had literally soaked up every last drop of yoga bliss, pulling me off-center and taking me to a dark, unfamiliar place.   At the time, I felt like my commitment to the 30-day challenge was almost all I had…my only chance to feel good each day.  And I learned that no matter how much yoga I do, nothing will ever be the exact way I want it.  I remain who I am: perfectly imperfect.  The more I struggle for perfection; the more my life pulls me back into reality, wakes me from the unrealistic notion that I can do it all seamlessly, if only I practice yoga each and every day.

Now, after the dust has settled and I am back in a balanced place, I see the effects of my sustained effort much more clearly.  It was a life lesson.  A deep yoga practice doesn’t prevent us from the natural ebbs and flows of life.  Couples have challenges.  Work can be intense.  The magic of yoga lies in the fresh, clear perspective it offers.  If we can learn to accept challenges in our lives and look at them as opportunities, we start to gain wisdom.  And when we truly understand that the one thing for sure in life is change, we’re golden.  Until the next challenge, that is…then we start fresh and learn it all over again.

Perceptions are Reality

In life, our perceptions color our reality. Everyday and in everything we do. We have an initial reaction to something and pre-conceived notions about it immediately. This is hard-wired into our brains and it's how we look for patterns in the world around us. Without patterns, we would need to relearn things over and over each day. On it's face, to say that everyone has perceptions (that may be entirely false) about things or people, sounds like a bad thing. It sounds like something that we need to work on and transcend somehow. But we are all human and this is how we work. Perceptions shape who we are, how we learn to react to things, how we act. In essence, our perceptions create our reality. The key is to recognize that everything is always seen through the individual, unique colored lenses that we each wear and to respect and honor that THAT is what makes up reality.

 

Gettin' Happy

We recently had a screening of the movie Happy in the studio. Really great movie and I highly recommend it to all! Some of the things that I found most fascinating are these:

- 50% of a person's happiness is genetic! What?? I had always believed that we were solely in charge of our own destinies, but it turns out that some people are pre-disposed to be unhappy. But don't despair, there are plenty of things that you can do to turn it around!

- Only 10% of a person's happiness is determined by external factors such as wealth & social status. In fact, they say that once all basic necessities of life are taken care of such as food, water, shelter, the greater wealth you accumulate has little to no baring on whether or not you will be happy in life. The movie cites a stat that says that the difference in happiness between someone who makes $5000 a year and $50,000 a year is exponential, but there is no difference in happiness between someone that makes $50,000 and $50 Million.

- A full 40% of a person's happiness is determined by what a person intentional does in life, how they decide to spend their days and how they think about things. It other words, is completely determined to you.

- Want to be happier? The happiness researchers in the movie suggest 4 things -

1. Exercise regularly - it increases dopamine in the brain and highly contributes to feeling happy.

2. Invest in your community. Again, when people collaborate with one another (on anything positive) and help each other, dopamine secretions skyrocket in the brain! Just getting out, talking with people and being involved in your community can create a feeling similar to a drug-induced euphoria!

3. Meditation - The simple act of turning inward and training your mind to calm down and reflect can leave you with feelings of contentment and general well-being.

4. Finally, there are small things that you can do everyday to increase your overall life happiness - naming one thing that you are grateful for everyday, committing a 'random act of kindness' - like helping an elderly person across the street, feeding an expired parking meter or picking up your neighbor's mail.

So here's to gettin' HAPPY.

Why Every Mom should do Yoga

Parenthood is hard. It can be overwhelming and is all-consuming. Parents are constantly bombarded with media (and friends and family) giving us advice about every aspect of of children's life from the correct shoes to the right schools to healthy foods. Until I had my children, I had always felt confident in the decisions I made, after I had children, I was consistently doubting myself and confused.

I discovered yoga after the birth of my second child. Yes, I was looking for a tighter butt, BUT I was also looking for an outlet to find and center myself with out the demands of motherhood and everyday life. All day and night I was worrying about my children, wondering about the best diapers to use or whether they were eating enough - I needed to take a time out.

After I started to do yoga, these questions and problems that I felt torn about seemed to just melt away. I was more able to connect with my intuition as a parent and know that whatever decision I made was the right one for my children. Yoga connected me with myself. Yoga quieted the noise and advice from the outside just long enough for me to uncover what was already there - the answers.

I think parents (especially moms) make the mistake all the time of wanting or feeling like they need to be with their children 24/7. They think that their children need to be with them all the time. They say they are too busy to take time to do yoga or anything else that involves a certain level of selfishness. Let me tell you - what your children want is for you to be happy. In relationships, we hear the advice that you need to love yourself before you can begin to love anyone else. I think that the same is true in parenthood. You need to take the time out for yourself to be the best parent you can to your children. You need to back away and reconnect with yourself to be better able to make clear parenting decisions and to be able to juggle the demands of children and family life.

So, my advice, take the time to get to yoga class. Connect with your breath, your body and your mind. Do it for yourself and your children.

My Yoga Journey, Year 1 - The Physical

Everyone tells you that yoga takes time and consistent practice to make progress. I have been practicing off and on for 4 years now, but only since Tula has been open (almost a year) has my practice been what I would say is 'consistent'. I practice about 3-4 times per week. Yes, I have weeks where I don't practice at all, but then weeks where I am going everyday. I feel that I have made significant progress over the last year and here's what physical changes I have seen.

1. First, it was Chaturanga Dandasanas. They used to kill me. I would feel strong for the first 1 or 2, but then my arms would shake and tremble and I would kind of fall to the floor in one uncontrolled movement. Then one day, they were all smooth, strong and controlled! I noticed that my arms were tighter and I even saw some muscle definition! It was an amazing feeling went I went into class confident in my ability to do a chaturanga without alot of strain.

2. Next was increased flexibility. I could do side-angle, triangle, and even warrior 3 without a block! I noticed that when I would go into them, the poses would suddenly open up to me and I started to feel things in these poses that I never had. I could lean back more in triangle, stretch further in side angle, get my legs straight and start to balance in warrior 3. I could actually 'open' my chest more, twist deeper, even breathe!

3. CROW! Previous to this year, crow pose was an anomaly to me. I just didn't get it. Teachers would say to look forward, pull your core up, grip the mat with your fingers, keep your knees to your arm pits..... so much going on and I would end up in an exhausted pile on the floor with sore wrists and bruises on my arms. One day, it clicked and I could hold it - 2 seconds, 10 seconds, 20 seconds.....yes!

4. Finally, the handstand (at the wall). Again, I had tried to kick up into it so many times and it just felt impossible. Where's the friggin' wall? Why can't I do this? My arms are strong, my core is somewhat strong? I would literally fall sideways when I got to a certain point with my hips over my shoulders. Again, with aching wrists and a pounding head. Then, I mustarded the courage and did it. So fun. I'm hooked.

I can't wait to see what happens in year 2......

Where has your yoga journey taken you?

Guest Blog Post by Joan Lee

This is written by guest blogger/yogini Joan Lee. Joan was a Tula staple and moved to NYC a couple of weeks ago.  Tula and all of its people will miss her something fierce.  She is a beautiful spirit.

Yoga happened for me last November, precisely when I probably needed it the most, whether I knew it or not.

Last fall found me a bit of an existential mess.  A couple months prior, I had finished a two-year master’s program that had proven to be demanding and completely soul-crushing.  Upon graduating, however, I wasn’t filled with a sense of fist-pumping joy, but instead was consumed by anxiety at the thought of having to face the unknowable, ever-changing, unstable world.  Despite the fact that I had successfully finished my degree and secured a good job, I realized that after the rat race of grad school, the lack of self-dialogue and alignment with myself was catching up to me to seriously kick my ass.

Amidst all of that inner-chaos I managed to find Tula.  Here I must thank my awesome next-door neighbor/hairdresser who told me that the new yoga studio in the neighborhood was pretty good.  So I decided to check it out at 8:30am one Sunday morning.  And while I don’t believe yoga is something for one to be good or bad at, I can say that I looked and felt a mess that first class.  But I kind of liked it.  Unlike the type-A, crazy person that grad school brought out of me, I loved that practicing yoga on my mat was a release for me to be straight-up silly, to try things that seemed a bit absurd (you want me to balance on my chin?).  I came to embrace all of my shortcomings- every faceplant, tight hamstring, unfulfilled pose- and over time I didn’t consider these things to be shortcomings at all, instead I felt a deeper connection to myself, and, gasp!, even a sense of appreciation for myself.

In retrospect, yoga happened for me at a time when I was consciously attempting to shed the cynicism, to choose happiness and to accept love as guiding principles in my life.  I had adopted the mantras of being kind to myself and keeping an open heart and open mind to the world.  And yoga was a great outlet for me to practice these things until they started sticking.

In addition to increased flexibility and physical strength, the unexpected awesome cherry on top of this whole yoga journey of mine has been meeting all of the amazing yoga friends that I have made over the past ten months, including Cassi!  When I began taking yoga classes, I loved the anonymity I had in class while on my mat, but to my surprise, having a supportive community of big-hearted, compassionate people has been one of the highlights of my Chicago life- and one of the hardest things I have had to say goodbye to this last month!  Believe me, I was seriously having second thoughts about moving after some truly lovely yoga ladies surprised me with bubbly and chocolate pie after my last yoga class!

It’s so ironic that through becoming a part of a community of really supportive and encouraging friends, I felt empowered to make the decision to move to New York, thereby forcing what feels like a premature goodbye from my friends! But I think this is what yoga is about- experiencing and feeling grateful for the present and then letting go when the time comes.  And I can see how I’ve changed through my yoga practice; I am aligned with myself and able to be more at peace with the unknowable, ever-changing, unstable world that I live in.

So I’ve been a New Yorker for about two weeks now, and despite my homesickness, I am trying out a new yoga home in Brooklyn.  It’s good… different, but that’s ok!

Through all of the experiences I’ve had via yoga at Tula and during the past year, I am grateful for everything that transpired before this moment and excited for all that is waiting to be discovered! Miss you Cassi and everyone at Tula!

Paper Airplanes

My kids, who are 4 and 6, just discovered paper airplanes. These airplanes have now entertained them for a whole day and 1/2. As I helped them fold the paper this morning, I realized how strange it is that they never had a paper airplane before. Of the 3 1/2 years that I stayed home with them, I never thought of making a paper airplane, though I searched high and low for ways to entertain them. It reminded me that in a world full of high-tech iPad games, and complicated, expensive toys and crafts, sometimes the best ideas are the simplest and we often forget that.

Are you looking for a good idea? Maybe the answer is as simple as a paper airplane.

Motivation

Motivation is a complicated thing. Marketers, psychologists and parents all would love to know the exact formula for motivating people to do something. As a Psychology major (in college and grad school), there were entire classes and textbooks written about motivation. We do know that there seems to be 2 basic types of motivation - Intrinsic and Extrinsic. Extrinsic motivation is doing something because you think that it will get you an external reward - money, friends, beauty, etc. Most advertisers go after this type of motivation because it is easy to identify and appeal to. Throw a beautiful girl on top of a car and men will want to buy the car because they think it will get them the girl. Simple.

On the other hand, intrinsic motivation is the type of motivation that is very hard to identify and appeal to. It is also much more powerful than extrinsic motivation. Once it takes hold, it is hard to break. This is doing something purely for the joy of it. There are not necessarily any external rewards. This is not easily tapped into by marketing or advertising and for everyone it is different. It is deep within us.

As a yoga studio owner, it is part of my job to sell. I believe, however that I am not trying to sell just yoga. Yoga pretty much speaks for itself. Everyone knows that they should do it and that it is good for them. What I am trying to sell is motivation. The motivation to come to class after a long day at work. The motivation to want a healthy body and mind and be willing to do the work to get it.

I introduced the "motivation membership" based on extrinsic motivation theory - the more you come to class, you get an external reward, money back in your pocket. BUT I know that this type of motivation is not going to work as a long-term strategy for getting you to class - you have to begin to love it. You have to begin to see changes in your body and mind to keep it up for the long haul. After awhile, you will need to begin to become intrinsically motivated by wanting to come to class, mastering different poses and making progress.

I am hoping that the money incentive will work as a sort of 'hook' to get you in, but that ultimately, you will find joy in yoga and want it in your life forever. Simple.

Naivety is an Asset

When someone calls you naive it tends to be taken as an insult. I believe, however, that being naive can be an asset and it has been to me, personally, in business and in yoga.

First, the personal - when I moved to Chicago almost 13 years ago, I knew NOTHING about Chicago. I didn't have friends here nor did I have any connections or insights into the city. I came here for grad school and then planned to move back to San Francisco ASAP! I did what research I could do about where to live. I heard that Lincoln Park was a good neighborhood, so I found an apartment there. Although I had no serious problems, I know now that I overpaid for my tiny apartment, I couldn't park my car anywhere to save my life and I had to take 2 super-slow bus rides to school and work everyday because a train was nowhere in miles. I also got my car broken into twice! After a year, I moved. I moved to Wicker Park. At the time, it was not filled with the designer shops and yuppie condos. People that I met asked me if I lived alone - yes, why? Isn't that neighborhood sketchy? I don't think so. I had the best time in Wicker Park. I hopped on the Blue line everyday, I parked within 5 min of coming home, I walked to new restaurants and bars. I never had a break-in. I was naive about the area in general and it was an advantage. If I had been 'educated' about the area, I may have been too afraid to move there and I wouldn't have discovered this gem of a neighborhood.

In business - If you know me, you know that I am not a yoga instructor and I am far from a yoga expert. I just wanted to open my own business and loved yoga. Therefore, I did not know much (and still don't) about the Chicago yoga scene, politics or industry. I am naive. This has served me to date in so many ways. I am not afraid (because I don't really know what to be afraid of). I make decisions based on how I think things should work, not just because they have always been done that way. I question assumptions. When people ask me sometimes why I do certain things, I often say "why not?" I believe that this has made Tula unique and has contributed much to our success so far.

In yoga - As with the personal and the business aspects, I believe that a certain amount of naivety can also serve you in your yoga practice. There are so many stereotypes of people who do yoga. If you had done much research about yoga and the yoga world before starting a practice - you may not have started. There are books about how it can 'wreck your body', there are articles about how yoga is just a big sex-cult, there are on-going debates and drama around the 'right' types of yoga. If you google YOGA, you usually end up with images of either old, Indian men in white cloths doing yoga on a mountain top or the Lululemon-clad skinny-minnies who can put their feet behind their heads. Most people do not fit into either of these 2 categories. I believe that people should come to yoga with a clear head. These images and preconceived notions often do little more than to frighten people and keep people from trying it out themselves and making yoga their own.

So the next time someone calls you naive, take it as a compliment and know that being naive can potentially open up the world of endless, fearless possibilities to you.

The Perfect Yoga Class

You arrive a bit early to settle in. You enter the warm room, lay down and close your eyes. You hear music and people begin to file in. Laughter and friends surround you with the swoosh of mats hitting the floor. The Guide comes in, turns off the music and begins. Your Guide instructs you to leave the world outside behind, to concentrate on your breath, to escape, to center and set your intention. You begin to move slowly until your hips are a bit open, your back is warm and your core is awakened. You begin to flow- a dreamy, wavy flow. You don't have to think, your Guide cues you, but you move with your breath. The music gets louder, you are challenged, strengthened, stretched and twisted. You begin to come alive. You hear your breath and the beat of the music in your head as your body moves. You take every pose in, truly feel it. Dynamic energy flows from the top of your head to your fingertips and toes and back again. Your Guide softly touches you, moves you one step closer to the edge and your body responds with a sigh. Just when you think that you cannot take another breath, that you cannot take another second of holding, you are released. Your cheeks blush red, your heart beats faster, you feel charged, strong and powerful. The music and lights lower. Your muscles relax, you feel emotions release, the head chatter is gone. Your Guide invites you to rest. You loosen your jaw, your shoulders, as your head sinks into the mat. You exhale the day, inhale a new beginning. You slowly let the ohm resonate through your chest, rise up and connect with the others echoing through the room. You bow in absolute gratitude. You have found peace, if only for an hour.

Survey Results

We received 122 responses to our Student Survey! Thank you so much for being such an awesome, engaged community of people!

I wanted to take this opportunity to respond to some of the reoccurring questions, comments, etc.

• Music - Most instructors use music and some instructors do not. I leave it up to the instructors themselves to make their own playlists (although the studio has some available to use as well). They are in charge of the studio environment once their class begins. Also, I know that our music system sometimes cuts in and out and we are working to rectify this. Because our system is wireless it relies on our internet connection and as you know, this is not always perfect - we are working to find a reliable back-up.
• Bike racks - I put in a request with the City to install bike racks on October 11, 2011. I heard it can take up to a year for them actually to be installed.....
• Pricing/Student Discounts - My pricing at $15 for a drop-in, one hour, HEATED Vinyasa class is competitive with other studios and the Chicago market. As many people know and have taken advantage of, I have purposely made ways in which those on a fixed budget can fit yoga into their lives (not just students) - once a week free classes, once a month donation classes, you can share memberships and class packages and they never expire! I have also run 3 specials so far for discounts on packages and will be running another in April. Finally, I will be offering a new class package for those of you that want to make a year's commitment to yoga at a deeper discount - One Year, Unlimited at $1200.
• Unheated classes- I know it feels like summer now, but it's really not :) We will be turning the heat off for many of our classes starting in June. Stay tuned!
• Beginners/Advanced classes- I am a big believer in Mixed level classes. I think that beginners can learn so much more and see what is possible when they see more advanced students in the room and the advanced students benefit by consistently being reminded of alignment and the general basics of yoga that they can continue to build upon. That being said, I will be adding one Advanced class for seasoned practitioners to work more on advanced poses that may not be possible in a Mixed Level class - 2:00pm on Saturdays with Diana AND we will be working on a Beginner's Workshop series that we will hold a few times a year that will serve as a good starting point for a yoga practice.
• Retail- We will be getting in some more Tanya-B and Be Love clothes in the coming weeks. I am also looking into FOAT Design as another potential unique yoga clothing offering at Tula.
• Online Calendar - We are aware of the 'cutting off' of the names of classes on the calendar and we are diligently working on a fix for this. In the meantime, I will be modifying the schedule so that the number of minutes of the class is easier to see and if you have any questions, please call the studio at 773.620.9945.

One comment on the survey that actually made my heart sink a bit was that we were not a Beginner's Studio because of the 30-day "brag board" hanging in the front. The 30-day challenge was one of the most inspiring, fun things that I feel that Tula has done (so far). I know that a number of people that took part in this challenge were very new to yoga and doing this has inspired them to keep up a regular practice! One of them even went to Yoga Teacher Training because of it! So it was not meant to be a 'brag board' - it was an inspiring and motivational way to track people's attendance (that wanted to, of course). I hope that whoever wrote this comment is willing to see this other side. It will definitely be an annual tradition at Tula.

Overall, the comments and ratings were overwhelmingly high and positive and I feel we are on the right track with what you as the community wants in your local yoga studio. If you have any other thoughts, please do not hesitate to email me at maile@tulayoga.net or you can give us a review on YELP and let others know about our amazing community.

Namaste.

How Yoga has Shaped my Music: A Guest Blog Post

Greetings Tula! My name is Neil Dixon Smith, I’m a classical guitarist based here in Logan Square. I’ll be performing live music for the special Earth Hour Restorative class being taught by Kristen Folkes on March 31 at 8:30pm at Tula. Being Earth Hour, this means no electricity, so expect some beautiful candlelight to go with the soothing nylon strings and calm Latin rhythms. This is going to be a really beautiful experience for all who come out.

I am especially excited for this opportunity as yoga has had a huge impact on my development as a classical guitarist. I thought I would take this opportunity to write a little something for the Yoga Community to share a couple ways of how my yoga practice has shaped my music.

Although I have been playing guitar since I was twelve, I didn’t get into learning classical guitar technique until I was in my 30’s (I’m 43 now). Fortunately for me, I had years of yoga under my belt (with a warm shout to Ema Stefanova, a truly excellent yoga teacher based in Ann Arbor, MI, to whom I owe so much).

As I began my transition in essentially re-learning how to play from scratch, I drew considerably from the processes and wisdom I had gained from yoga. Simply put, I would not have progressed on the instrument as I did without yoga, and it greatly informs my playing each time I pick up a guitar.

So whether or not you play a musical instrument, I hope you find this interesting and perhaps inspiring some thoughts about how yoga has shaped your life outside the studio.

As I reflect on the impact of yoga on my continuing development as a guitarist, most significant, of course, is the awareness of breath. When you’re a yoga beginner, doing your first sun salutation sequences, you struggle to match the proper inhales and exhales with the appropriate movement, but over time and practice, it all becomes a flow. Over more time, on your best days, your practice will feel like it is all breath, in that magical mix of concentration and relaxation.

As a classical guitarist, I perform in all sorts of different contexts. Sometimes I’m in very public spaces, full of distraction (such as a restaurant or farmer’s market) and sometimes I’m in very intense and nerve-wracking situations (such as playing in a concert setting, or a very formal wedding ceremony). I might be asked to play for 3-4 hours, which may end up being 50-60 pieces of pretty sophisticated compositions, performed from (muscle) memory. In order to do them justice, without fatigue, and with a sincere emotional investment, I must be in top condition, unfazed by my surroundings while being aware of and playing to the moment.

What is the first thing any of us do when we become flustered, frustrated or freaked out while performing a task? We lose control of our breath. Unwittingly holding it in for long stretches, or just breathing erratically, furthering a downward spiral that can lead to out of control movements, negative self-talk and just plain wearing yourself out.

Whether I’m learning a particularly difficult passage in a composition, or warming up for a performance, I start with my focusing on my breath. Before I begin to a play set in front of any audience, I have a few set pieces of music that I always begin with, which like a sun salutation I know how to breathe through though years of conditioning. This practiced, ritualistic awareness helps center my attention, quiet any internal dialog, as well channel the resources to my hand muscles to maximize the effectiveness of my technique. That is, I play a whole lot better. And when I do begin to feel as though I’ve momentarily lost control, or have become distracted, my first thought is always to get back to prana, and soon enough I’m back on my best.

The second sphere of influence I’ll mention is in the process of improvement itself. Learning classical guitar technique is a marvelous course in the engineering of the human body. To be able to play the most amount of notes possible (ie, all the notes the composer wants you to play), with the greatest range of dynamics, at the greatest level of comfort, there exists a centuries-honed method of playing. It involves the striving for perfect posturing to maximize efficiency, engaging only the muscles necessary to get the job done, while relaxing all muscles not engaged in the task…sound familiar?

And like a 2 minute hand stand, it’s there for you to do, too – with the right effort, of course. Slow, daily, incremental, maddening, magnificent progress. Over months, and over years. There are simple exercises you begin with, which then evolve to become the foundations towards longer sequences of musical events (hand and finger postures and motions), and ultimately to elaborate physical routines known as “songs”. The process of reaching this stage automatically opens the doors to new paths and new possibilities.

Because of yoga, I knew that the rewards of practice are sometimes slow to the point of imperceptibility. But it is the power of teaching, and the knowledge that these are indeed time-tested traditions, that keep you ever going forward. There is that moment that comes when after months of trying to play a particularly tough passage, suddenly I’m doing it. It is its own reward, and a guarantee that that next difficult passage will be slightly easier to get.

When it comes down to it, I love yoga because it always about improving. When I would visit my guitar mentor every other week, he would always ask in his broken English, “what progress do you have for me today?”. And to me, yoga is forever a lesson in how to keep getting better at the things we do.

You can learn more about me on my website:

http://neildixonsmith.com

Create your Own Path

Lately, I have been considering going through yoga teacher training. The dilemma here is the fact that I already own a studio, so I don't want to give my money to another studio to train me. I've gotten many suggestions from going on a out of town retreat to bringing in some master instructors, not associated with a specific studio, to train me.

The other obvious option here is to start up my own training program at Tula. I am in the unique position where I don't have to interview/audition for a job when I'm done with training, therefore I can more easily seek my own path in learning how to teach yoga. This is liberating and at the same time, a bit scary. Why am I so scared to do something different? Because in America, it is ingrained in us from an early age that we should attend 'prestigious' schools, learn from master teachers, hold certifications, obtain the right credentials, build beautiful resumes and look good on paper. In addition to this, in the yoga industry, there is a big emphasis placed on lineage. If there are no formal standards or checklist of things that I need to learn, how can I effectively learn to teach? If I learn to teach yoga from my favorite teachers/friends, am I then destined to not be a very good teacher? If I don't seek certifications, credentials or a stamp of approval from the Yoga Alliance or other governing yoga association, will I ever be taken seriously?

I would argue that I am just as able to become a great teacher. Some of the world's greatest teachers, and other professionals (chefs, artists, musicians, athletes, etc) were self-taught, dropped out of formal schools and created their own path to their life's purpose, paved purely with passion, hard-work, drive and talent. I would even go so far as to say that they may be better at what they do than their more formally trained counterparts because they created their own path - they had to seek out their own inspiration, draw upon their own experiences, answer their own questions. They may be better at keeping an open mind to differing viewpoints and theories. They may be better at blending different techniques to come up with their own unique ideas. In the book, Yoga Beyond Belief, Ganga White writes "We cannot learn to fly by following the tracks left by birds in the sand. We must find our own wings and soar."

Even strongly believing all of these things, I am still scared. I am scared of people asking "who are you?" or "what do you know?". But I know this is just my lizard brain talking and it's slowly getting quieter......

Please share with me how you have created your own path to something you wanted. What were the pros/cons of doing this?

30 Days of Yoga

Thirty days ago today, we gave people a challenge. Do yoga for everyday for 30 consecutive days at Tula and you will receive your next 30 days for free. Quite a few of our monthly members signed up. We also had a few new people sign up and some instructors. We started with 25 challengers.

The first few weeks, I heard things like "30 days is so long" and "how will ever do this". We sent them a few motivational emails and had a few drawings for prizes along the way - just to keep their spirits up! What I found amazing, was the passion and commitment people came into class with everyday. They were genuinely excited about placing their star sticker for the day on the chart. People integrated a trip to the studio into their everyday routines - really powerful stuff. These people saw each other everyday, they connected, made friends on the mat. There were a few days along the way that were tough for people - soreness, sickness, snowstorms and life got in the way of their daily trek to the studio, but even the people that missed a day or so picked right up where they left off - determined to see it through. I think that we still are not sure what can motivate people, but when everything falls into place in just the right way and you see with your own eyes that determination and force of that inner drive, it is truly phenomenal. In the greater scheme of things, this was just 30 days of yoga, but in a small way it shows me that anything is possible.

Thirty days ago, I wasn't sure if anyone would complete the challenge. Today I am so proud to say that 12 people have. Tomorrow, I will be putting up a new attendance chart with hopes that this is only the first leg of their life-long journey with yoga.

Challengers- please comment on this post and let me know how this experience was for you!

Heat

I've been getting a lot of comments and questions about the 'heated' Vinyasa classes that we offer at Tula lately. I am discovering that their are a lot of people that are afraid of the heat. I've heard "I hate getting hot/sweaty", "the heat makes me sick", "what's with the heat?", etc. On the other hand, I also get people that make comments about our studio not being hot enough. They want to come out of class soaked by sweat and are disappointed when they are not. I want this post to explain why I chose for my studio to offer heated classes and also explain what kind of 'heat' you will experience at Tula, so that you are not afraid to check it out.

Why did I chose to do mostly 'Heated' Vinyasa?

It's pretty simple - it's what I prefer. I started doing yoga in a hot room and when I would take classes in a 'cold' room, they just were not the same to me. I love the warmth and the way that the heat warms and loosens your muscles. I love the feeling of being just a bit sweaty so that you feel like you are detoxifying. In the winter, it is wonderful reprieve from the cold outside!

The Heat at Tula

I have taken Bikram yoga classes and can tell you the heat at Tula is nowhere near this. Bikram yoga studios are set at 105 degrees, but with many bodies crowded into a room, is is not uncommon for the temperature to push 110. This makes me feel sick. In my opinion, you are not suppose to feel sick after yoga.

I have taken many other Hot yoga classes around town as well. Some were still too hot for me. I don't like it when I am so hot and sweaty that I am concentrating more on trying not to slip on my mat than on the actual pose. It makes me tense, stressed and distracted. Again, not what I think yoga should do to you. I don't want there to be pools of sweat around my mat and sweat being flung in my direction by the person next to me. Yuck.

At Tula, I try to have a good, moderate heat. The temp is usually set to 92 degrees in our heated classes. Depending on the number of people in the room, the temperature may rise by a few degrees, but because of the large size of our studio (about 1500 sq. ft. with 17' ceilings), it may also feel slightly cooler than this. We also always have our ceiling fans on low because it helps to blow the heat down to the floor. So you may feel a bit of a breeze from time to time. I believe that this is just the right amount of heat. It's not suffocating and it's only 'sweaty' if you are vigorously moving and/or enjoying an especially challenging yoga class. It does what I want it to do, warm your muscles, relax you and allows you to enjoy your practice. I purposely chose to label the classes at Tula as 'heated' rather than 'hot' because I believe this more accurately describes the temperature in our studio.

The bottom line is, try the heated classes at Tula because it may be different than what you think!