Bernie Clark

Take It Easy

Guest Author / Thoughts / , , , , , , , / 0 Comment

Taking it easy when you usually don’t is its own kind of challenge. I am practicing Ashtanga yoga these days. Two days of led primary series and four days of Mysore at 6:00 am. But I worked for nine hours on my feet yesterday and today I was tired… and stiff… and sore. So I took it easy. As easy as you can take it in the Ashtanga primary series.

I felt guilty? Not guilty, but I had to rationalize this decision to myself. I had to continually remind myself that it is my practice and I can (and should) practice in a way that feels good.

Figuring out how much effort is appropriate is a theme in my life. I know that there are some people who do not have this problem, but all so-called “type A” yogis recognize this in themselves. Working hard is a virtue, but working too hard is dangerous. Vancouver’s own master teacher Bernie Clark characterizes it the best when he talks about how you can optimize health and you can optimize performance, but you have to choose.

And you have to examine your goals very closely.

I have found that the Ashtanga practice taps in to my competitiveness and drive to progress. I want to be able to reach the full expression of every pose because I’m goal oriented. But that’s not why I do it. I do it because it opens my heart and allows me to be more compassionate and loving.

I am committed to optimizing health, not performance. But taking it easy can be hard work too, sometimes.

Keep Yourself Open To Something New

Leeann / Deals, Reflections, Studios, Teachers, Tips / , , , , , / 2 Comments

If you are a long practicing yogi or new to the practice, you might have noticed that there are a lot of choices out there.

When I first started practicing yoga, there was one evening class at UBC called yoga. They didn’t even distinguish it by saying Hatha. Now, there are so many studios in the lower mainland, teaching different styles, I am sure you could go to a different class every day and not run out of options.

So with all those choices where do you start?

Price might be your starting point:

Yoga can definitely be pricey. This can be quite daunting when you are not exactly sure which type of yoga would be best for you.

There is the option of getting a two week unlimited pass. This is great for when you want to try out a specific studio. But what if you aren’t sure which studio to try out?

I feel the best option out there is the Passport to Prana card. With this card you have the option of trying out quite a few different studios. Depending on when you buy your Passport to Prana card, you might have a year to try out all the different studios registered with this program. The most current Passport to Prana card expires in July, but that gives you at least three months to figure it out.

Try the smaller studios; they can be a lot cheaper than the bigger chains. Even your local community center can offer a pass card at a reasonable rate.

Ask around:

You’d be surprised at what the universal will provide if you only just ask. Why not ask the girl walking down the street with a yoga mat on her back. I know that asking a stranger in your own town might seem a little intrusive, but hey, give it a go! I am sure she won’t mind too terribly, if you ask politely. Failing that, try the internet. You have already found us here; there are reviews throughout our site & hopefully many more to come. Be brave, search around.

Sometimes you just have to plunge in:

Be courageous! Try something new. I feel the best thing to do is keep your mind open, give yourself permission to be a little awkward. Remember to be kind to yourself and not worry so much about perfection. If you don’t like the specific style you chose, try again. Yoga can sometimes be like trying on a new pair of jeans; they don’t always fit like your old comforts, but you might surprise yourself into converting to something new.

Remember to keep it fun:

One of my favorite yoga teachers at Semperviva, Bernie Clark, reminds me all the time: laugh, have fun, you’re paying for this.

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