Ahemmmmm. I whine. Some of the time. The rest of the time, I’m blown away by people and cultural difference and cultural similarity, and the privilege of teaching anything precious enough to warrant such a journey. It began with my now, old friend, Robyn Wexler. The most unpretentious studio owner I have ever met, and bright eyed teacher and student, she invited me to come and teach more of the gait work I had begun in 2009 at Yoga Yard, Beijing, and she wanted me to teach the love of my current career life, yoga therapeutics which is really, everything I’ve ever learned, all intertwined. Then Tru Yoga Singapore’s Teacher Trainer, Jo Phee (who was here training with Annie Carpenter, and found my book at Exhale!) saw that I’d be in Asia and invited me to come and help teach Functional Anatomy at her first Teacher Training! Then, Robyn also invited me to finish my tour by returning to Beijing after Singapore, and teach at The Li Ning Yoga Conference. So suddenly, I was up to a three week tour with very little idea of what any of it would be. I loved it all, every class, every student, every quiet moment.

One quick story: Li Ning is the Nike of China. Their conference, unlike ours’, has 180 spots only, many more than that apply and only 180 get in. The room is set for all to attend, all day, every class. There is one teacher, all of the students, all yoga teachers, all in Li Ning attire. Did I mention that maybe three people in the entire place speak English, and my beautiful translator, Ronan Yang, made it a gift to dance with the words. At first, you (I) judge. And then it takes one session of being in the classroom, watching the learning seep in, watching hearts open, to remember, that yoga is yoga, worldwide. it does what it does, even if the structure seems …a little foreign. I watched groups create required skits, about what it takes to make a great yoga teacher, and what love means. Make no mistake that while the registered theme of the conference was, ‘Inner Shine’, it happened for real, to me and to everyone in the midst of that place. All love!

Yoga Center Santa Cruz
428 C Front Street Santa Cruz, CA 95060
(831)423-6719 www.yogacentersantacruz.com

Mechanics of Gait Friday : April 29 : 5 – 7pm

The way we walk reflects our strengths, weaknesses, and flexibility; it is also a representation of our emotional and spiritual presence in the world. This lecture will address the physical mechanics of gait and common gait patterns and issues, and includes informational handouts and demonstration.

Individual Assessment Saturday : April 30 : 1 – 5pm
This class will build on the information presented in Friday’s lecture and apply it to each student’s particular walking style. We will learn to observe and assess gait, and offer precise adjustments to improve balance, alignment, and integration.

Yoga Integration Sunday : May 1 : 1 – 5pm

Asanas and walking both use subtle, often unconscious movement patterns arising from the center and moving outward. In this class we will incorporate the adjust- ments made to our gait into our yoga practice, looking at various asanas from this new perspective.

Yoga Yard was founded in August, 2002 by Mimi Kuo-Deemer and Robyn Wexler as a center for yoga and healing. At the time, the only yoga taught in Beijing was inside sports centers and gyms — environments not always conducive to quiet or relaxing practices.  By starting Yoga Yard, they sought to build a school based on principles of health, mindfulnenss, safety, dedication to quality teaching, commitment to support our students and teachers, and most importantly, a love of yoga.

Walking Therapeutics: A Clinical Workshop
April 2–3, 2011 (Saturday – Sunday)

Yoga Therapeutics: Healing Your Body within Your Yoga Practice
April 4–6, 2011 (Monday – Wednesday)

Click here for registration info.

• Download Nourish Yoga Flyer
• Download Yoga Santa Cruz Flyer

Our knees are:
• shock-absorbers when we land 
• springboards when we jump 
• transmitters when we are still, and 
• propellers when step forward 

All of these collude as beautiful links in any or all of these ways for balance postures. This class is designed to help you understand why your knees ache, specific diagnoses, and various degrees of each. We’ll discuss ‘high signs’ with knees, and ways to prevent any of further discomforts. We’ll work with ways that ankles and hips contribute to achy knees and modifications inside of postures to prevent these. And finally, we’ll look at how new patterns can be strengthened both on and off the mat.