August was for teaching...
My introduction to the city's premier fitness club came in May with a weekend seminar. As I entered the yoga studio my heart was light, for this was a beautiful space. The warm hardwood floors, the prop room full of equipment, and a stereo system with speakers high above the mirrored walls - these spoke to me about attention to detail and invited me to practice.
I gave my business card to the director and left thinking "well that was fun." Two days later, I was in negotiations to begin teaching at the club! I left thinking "well they must really need teachers!"
On May 22, my first class began at 5:45 p.m. Students strolled in for the next ten minutes. What was billed as a restorative class was going to be a little more than just supported poses on the floor. I had been to class with three of the club's current teachers, and in those classes I realized that this club was a little more fitness oriented than mind/body practice oriented. The students seemed to want a work-out even in the restorative format. I saw someone come out of final relaxation and do ab crunches. I was astounded -but said nothing.
My self-doubt grew as I attempted to teach a Level 1/2 class the next week. During the first month, I questioned whether or not I was "fit" enough to be teaching there. I questioned whether or not the students were getting any yoga. I knew they were getting a work-out, but were they getting any yoga? Doubts, and more doubts....discussed endlessly with myself, my journal, my friends, and most of all -my teachers.
By the second month I had settled in - at one point, I taught seven hours in a single week. I was really enjoying the experience - letting a spontaneous teaching flow from me in the more advanced classes. I was starting to dread the decision I knew I had to make. Here was my dilemma: I was already teaching at a local rec center, but this fitness club maintained a "no compete" policy. I was able to circumvent this rule, but only through August. Once the summer (and the rec center session) was over, I was going to have to choose.
I chose the rec center. I told the directors of both locations what I had decided. One was happy, and one was not. My last class at the fitness club was August 21st. This was 90 days of teaching experience that I will cherish forever.
My last class was a restorative (read gentle), and it turned out so good -smooth, (bitter)sweet, and poignant. We used bolsters and blocks and straps and blankets. I shared yoga, I played well-suited music, and I spoke of the inevitability of change (the change of seasons is a reminder that change comes -even if we do not want it to). Hopefully everyone felt as good as I did when class was over. It is said that sometimes the teaching is as much for the teacher as for the student.
Namaste.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Skydiving in Mt. Vernon, Missouri
In July 2007 the Wimber Family Reunion was at Beaver Lake in North West Arkansas. 14 family members spanning 4 generations, ranging in age from 5 to 86, from Modesto, CA, Hurst, TX, Wichita, Kansas and guests from North Little Rock, AR met at a rental house in Lost Bridge Village.
One highlight of the reunion week was a day trip to Mt. Vernon Missouri, where six of us went skydiving. Our tandem jump professional was Matt. The whole crew, from pilot to packer, was very professional. The plane was a tiny Cessna 210. We jumped from 10,000 feet which took about 15 minutes of air travel. The first 5,000 feet was freefall, one minute's worth. The next 5 minutes was "under canopy". You would not believe how quiet it is under canopy.
Age range of the jumpers: 34 to 57.
Cost: $200 (included video and still pictures too!)
See more at:
http://www.freefallexpress.com/
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
My associates
Here is my office staff. My "work family". The staff of CGF Industries.
I've worked with some of these people since the 80's (back in our banking days). We have a long history. I feel that we compliment each other. Our strengths mesh well. It's a good job, and I'm lucky to have it.
submission to Newsweek's "My Turn"
Finding Yoga
One day I woke up and I was in my 40’s. After eighteen years of professional accounting –in a cubicle, sitting in a chair, staring at a computer screen, I looked in the mirror at what I had become. Those years had taken their toll….on my posture, my flexibility, the shape of my body, and my feeling of health and well-being. Slightly overweight, and with little flexibility or stamina left from my younger days, I wanted to try an activity that would feel good as well as providing health benefits. I wanted an activity without the eventual knee, hip, or foot pain of running around a track or pounding away on treadmills. I needed to avoid the potential injuries of team sports like softball or basketball (been there, done that). Although I had been walking regularly, riding my bike during the nice parts of the year (I live in Kansas), and sometimes swimming indoors (oh, those strong chemicals), it wasn’t enough for me.
I was intimidated by my first yoga class. I certainly didn’t look like a “yogi”. I didn’t feel like I belonged with those “pretzel-like people”, and yet…..the practice felt good! I just kept going back. My teachers were very kind. I tried to pay attention to their instructions – quickly deciding that it didn’t matter what I looked like in that wall-to-wall, and floor-to-ceiling mirror, what I wore, or what other people could do with their bodies that I couldn’t. I resolved to make yoga really count for something. This was an hour to concentrate on myself and forget about what I had to do when class was over. That was the main message – to try and be present to what my body was saying, listen to it and let it tell me what to do, what I needed, where attention and breath should flow.
One of the first things I noticed was that I was a bit sore the day after I didn’t practice. I just loved my teachers at our local YMCA’s, so by halfway through the first year I was going to classes whenever I could squeeze them into my schedule. It seemed like I had more energy than I remember having in years. This new “source” of energy spilled over into the rest of my life.
I noticed that I was more optimistic, calmer, and less stressed. My close friends noticed too, and commented. My relationships improved. After the first year of practice, I found I could concentrate on deliberate breathing, and try to control my physical reactions to external influences (think busy highways at 7:30 a.m. with angry/impatient drivers jockeying for position….or surly clerks at retail stores). I sit up straighter and live more in the moment. I am more patient. I smile more. I sought ways to serve my community and found them. I am more generous with my time. I am happier.
I stopped suffering from low back pain. My body changed. I gained strength, improving both my balance and my flexibility. Some poses came more easily. Some are just as challenging as the first time I tried them. But that’s okay. The real difference came when I changed how I treated myself– when I tried to stop the sometimes constant negative self-talk we inflict on ourselves (and this may take the rest of my life to achieve). The biggest effect was inside. I stopped being at war with myself.
I subscribed to magazines and newsletters. I found pictures of unbelievably beautiful poses, practical advice, and essays on such topics as meditation. A thought-provoking quote from a leading online magazine resonated with me (they were answering a question from a reader who smoked). It said “Smoking will not interfere with your yoga, but yoga will interfere with your smoking.” This is how I started to feel about certain things (caffeine, alcohol, junk food, angry drivers, constant complaining, etc.). My yoga practice was influencing my daily life.
By the end of that first year I was losing weight. When you hear students say that they lose weight by practicing yoga, it’s probably because they are more mindful and aware of what, and when they eat. It’s not just the physical exertion of a moderately active class but the awareness that your practice will bring. It just seemed easier to like, and take care of myself once I started practicing yoga. You might find you develop a respect and appreciation for your body that might have been missing or pushed below the surface.
I was able to e-mail my teachers. They not only had the patience to listen, they were often kind enough to answer - discussing books and articles, recommending music and websites, passing along tips. Without their knowledge, guidance, and personal attention, I would not have a yoga practice today. My teachers each shared their own style of yoga with me. I thank them for showing me so many things and opening so many doors. They have enriched my life in ways that (to my surprise and delight) I am still discovering.
I am happy to conclude by saying that not only do I have a satisfying personal yoga practice today, but a wonderful group of students at a local recreation center that kindly and generously allow me to be their yoga teacher every Thursday night.
One day I woke up and I was in my 40’s. After eighteen years of professional accounting –in a cubicle, sitting in a chair, staring at a computer screen, I looked in the mirror at what I had become. Those years had taken their toll….on my posture, my flexibility, the shape of my body, and my feeling of health and well-being. Slightly overweight, and with little flexibility or stamina left from my younger days, I wanted to try an activity that would feel good as well as providing health benefits. I wanted an activity without the eventual knee, hip, or foot pain of running around a track or pounding away on treadmills. I needed to avoid the potential injuries of team sports like softball or basketball (been there, done that). Although I had been walking regularly, riding my bike during the nice parts of the year (I live in Kansas), and sometimes swimming indoors (oh, those strong chemicals), it wasn’t enough for me.
I was intimidated by my first yoga class. I certainly didn’t look like a “yogi”. I didn’t feel like I belonged with those “pretzel-like people”, and yet…..the practice felt good! I just kept going back. My teachers were very kind. I tried to pay attention to their instructions – quickly deciding that it didn’t matter what I looked like in that wall-to-wall, and floor-to-ceiling mirror, what I wore, or what other people could do with their bodies that I couldn’t. I resolved to make yoga really count for something. This was an hour to concentrate on myself and forget about what I had to do when class was over. That was the main message – to try and be present to what my body was saying, listen to it and let it tell me what to do, what I needed, where attention and breath should flow.
One of the first things I noticed was that I was a bit sore the day after I didn’t practice. I just loved my teachers at our local YMCA’s, so by halfway through the first year I was going to classes whenever I could squeeze them into my schedule. It seemed like I had more energy than I remember having in years. This new “source” of energy spilled over into the rest of my life.
I noticed that I was more optimistic, calmer, and less stressed. My close friends noticed too, and commented. My relationships improved. After the first year of practice, I found I could concentrate on deliberate breathing, and try to control my physical reactions to external influences (think busy highways at 7:30 a.m. with angry/impatient drivers jockeying for position….or surly clerks at retail stores). I sit up straighter and live more in the moment. I am more patient. I smile more. I sought ways to serve my community and found them. I am more generous with my time. I am happier.
I stopped suffering from low back pain. My body changed. I gained strength, improving both my balance and my flexibility. Some poses came more easily. Some are just as challenging as the first time I tried them. But that’s okay. The real difference came when I changed how I treated myself– when I tried to stop the sometimes constant negative self-talk we inflict on ourselves (and this may take the rest of my life to achieve). The biggest effect was inside. I stopped being at war with myself.
I subscribed to magazines and newsletters. I found pictures of unbelievably beautiful poses, practical advice, and essays on such topics as meditation. A thought-provoking quote from a leading online magazine resonated with me (they were answering a question from a reader who smoked). It said “Smoking will not interfere with your yoga, but yoga will interfere with your smoking.” This is how I started to feel about certain things (caffeine, alcohol, junk food, angry drivers, constant complaining, etc.). My yoga practice was influencing my daily life.
By the end of that first year I was losing weight. When you hear students say that they lose weight by practicing yoga, it’s probably because they are more mindful and aware of what, and when they eat. It’s not just the physical exertion of a moderately active class but the awareness that your practice will bring. It just seemed easier to like, and take care of myself once I started practicing yoga. You might find you develop a respect and appreciation for your body that might have been missing or pushed below the surface.
I was able to e-mail my teachers. They not only had the patience to listen, they were often kind enough to answer - discussing books and articles, recommending music and websites, passing along tips. Without their knowledge, guidance, and personal attention, I would not have a yoga practice today. My teachers each shared their own style of yoga with me. I thank them for showing me so many things and opening so many doors. They have enriched my life in ways that (to my surprise and delight) I am still discovering.
I am happy to conclude by saying that not only do I have a satisfying personal yoga practice today, but a wonderful group of students at a local recreation center that kindly and generously allow me to be their yoga teacher every Thursday night.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Meditations from the Mat quote
Students come to me with two types of problems. Lingering or chronic physical issues and/or sports injuries.........and emotional issues (divorce, job-difficulties, relationship problems or just feeling empty and sad). Having reached a point in my life where I've experienced these things for myself, I can only show them compassion and offer the same answer to both problems:
Learn what you can do differently from now on, and believe in the power of the universe to help you heal.
Paraphrased from "Meditations from the Mat"
Learn what you can do differently from now on, and believe in the power of the universe to help you heal.
Paraphrased from "Meditations from the Mat"
Monday, March 26, 2007
March yoga class quiz...
I had a chance to take some yoga classes from various teachers around the city in March 2007.
1) Let's say a student (Sally) was able to sit cross-legged, and completely fold forward onto the floor. Let's say that most of the other students could not go that far into the pose. If you were the teacher, which of the following would you NOT want to say:
a. "Folks that are more flexible like Sally are feeling this pose in their own way, while the rest of us are getting the same benefit to this stretch even if we cannot fold forward as far.....".
b. "Look at Sally, a very flexible student, over there not feeling a thing (she does this all the time because she teaches yoga)."
c. "Yoga is a journey, not a destination. Only go as far as you can today, tomorrow may be different. Search for the sensation of creating length in this stretch and keep breathing! If you don't fold forward very far, it's okay."
2) Let's say another teacher is demonstrating a seated forward bend with legs extended. Which of the following verbal cues would be better?:
a) Fold forward, reach out, grab your toes and pull your chest through your upper arms.
b) Reach out for your toes. If you can't reach your toes, use a strap.
c) As we gently fold forward, hinging from our hips, we can reach out to take hold of our toes. Lengthen the spine, without forcing or pulling ourselves forward. Think about lifting our hearts as we extend through the crown of our heads.
3) Let's say that you are in a class working on a challenging pose. What would you like to hear the teacher say?
a) "This is a hard pose. Don't worry if you can't do it. Try it anyway".
b) "Find the place where you feel challenged yet successful in this pose. There is a part of it that you can do if you focus and concentrate on your breath.
c) "Level 3, raise one leg and then one arm."
All three situations actually happened this month - in classes with teachers of various levels of experience. As the student, I was reminded to follow my instincts, listen to my body, and remember my training.
Namaste, Cindy
(b) (c) (b)
1) Let's say a student (Sally) was able to sit cross-legged, and completely fold forward onto the floor. Let's say that most of the other students could not go that far into the pose. If you were the teacher, which of the following would you NOT want to say:
a. "Folks that are more flexible like Sally are feeling this pose in their own way, while the rest of us are getting the same benefit to this stretch even if we cannot fold forward as far.....".
b. "Look at Sally, a very flexible student, over there not feeling a thing (she does this all the time because she teaches yoga)."
c. "Yoga is a journey, not a destination. Only go as far as you can today, tomorrow may be different. Search for the sensation of creating length in this stretch and keep breathing! If you don't fold forward very far, it's okay."
2) Let's say another teacher is demonstrating a seated forward bend with legs extended. Which of the following verbal cues would be better?:
a) Fold forward, reach out, grab your toes and pull your chest through your upper arms.
b) Reach out for your toes. If you can't reach your toes, use a strap.
c) As we gently fold forward, hinging from our hips, we can reach out to take hold of our toes. Lengthen the spine, without forcing or pulling ourselves forward. Think about lifting our hearts as we extend through the crown of our heads.
3) Let's say that you are in a class working on a challenging pose. What would you like to hear the teacher say?
a) "This is a hard pose. Don't worry if you can't do it. Try it anyway".
b) "Find the place where you feel challenged yet successful in this pose. There is a part of it that you can do if you focus and concentrate on your breath.
c) "Level 3, raise one leg and then one arm."
All three situations actually happened this month - in classes with teachers of various levels of experience. As the student, I was reminded to follow my instincts, listen to my body, and remember my training.
Namaste, Cindy
(b) (c) (b)
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Viva Las Vegas....
Had one of those once in a lifetime weekends in Las Vegas this year. When we left Kansas, it was overcast, windy and 6 degrees. When we landed in Vegas it was sunny, calm and 74!
President's Day weekend, with the NBA All Star Game in town, the Strip was so busy that it took an hour to go a mile in a cab-assuming you could even get one (so we walked everywhere).
Hit a progressive jackpot on a .25 slot machine for $6,788. Rooms and meals comped, saw a fantastic show, played roulette - Beth and I both boxed # 29 - it hit. I split three 8's - won the hand, then got three blackjacks in a row. Bethie played $ 10 on 0/00 (a $170 payout) four different times.....and on and on. Dream weekend. Who-da' thunk?
Viva Las Vegas................
President's Day weekend, with the NBA All Star Game in town, the Strip was so busy that it took an hour to go a mile in a cab-assuming you could even get one (so we walked everywhere).
Hit a progressive jackpot on a .25 slot machine for $6,788. Rooms and meals comped, saw a fantastic show, played roulette - Beth and I both boxed # 29 - it hit. I split three 8's - won the hand, then got three blackjacks in a row. Bethie played $ 10 on 0/00 (a $170 payout) four different times.....and on and on. Dream weekend. Who-da' thunk?
Viva Las Vegas................
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