Join us on Sunday mornings from 10:30 AM until 12 PM at Fortnight in Cary, NC for free community yoga practice. Bring your own mat.
Yoga – The Cure for the Summertime Blues
yoga
Sit Down, and Shut Up.
Sometimes, I try to think of something meaningful for my yoga practice. Something for a little dharma talk. Just a little nugget that folks might hold onto, and take with them off the mat and into life. I couldn’t think of a thing this morning for tomorrow’s Sunday Morning Free Community Yoga at Fortnight. Zilch. I just wanted to sit down, and shut up.
Then, it came to me. Sit down, and shut up. That was it. Not in a mean or nasty way. Just do it. Those little voices inside our heads with constant chatter also known as the monkey mind need to sit down, and shut up. It is part of the process to arrive on your mat, and purge thyself of all things that do not serve you. You do it by focusing on breathing because everyone has the ability to breathe, or you would not be here. Focus on the breath, and the monkey mind sits down, and shuts up.
We may use the physical asana to help us become more receptive to the meditative state of bliss where the monkey mind cannot be heard. Advanced yoga is all about the mind, and not just the body bending into some pretzel. It is all about the mind controlling and elongating the breath that regulates the heart rate throughout the asana and seated meditation.
Come breathe. Set yourself free. Kiss the monkey mind bye bye, and arrive.
Join me most any given Sunday morning for yoga at Fortnight in Cary, and go within. Tap into your mind, body, and soul to successfully arrive by letting go of the past, not worrying about the future, and being in the present moment to acknowledge your own divine nature. All you have to do is to bring your own mat, and breathe. It’s a free community practice that is open to all levels. I lean toward the gentle side instead of torture like Chaturanga Dandasana until your arms fall off yet also throw in a little optional spice. We start at 10:30 AM every Sunday at Fortnight in Cary, NC unless there is a holiday, or I am out of town at my additional teacher training at Asheville Yoga Center several times each year. Here’s where I will post any schedule changes, and where you may go for additional details:
Arrive. Be here now.
Regards,
Jim
Jim Ray RYT200 cell: 984-459-0458
Yoga is not about the fancy pose. It is about getting into your head, and your heart. It is about taking what you learn on the mat into your life off the mat. Jim completed RYT200 teacher training at Republic of Yoga in Cary, NC, and is currently enrolled in RYT300 teacher training at Asheville Yoga Center.
Reasons Not to Do Yoga
*** 6/18/2017 Sunday morning yoga has been cancelled. The Fortnight tap room will be closed. ***
Reasons not to do yoga are things we create in our own mind that are obstacles. I hurt my leg. I am too tight. I don’t have time. It is too expensive.
Let’s turn it around: Reasons *To* Do Yoga
It makes me happy. My body feels good afterward. Pretty simple stuff.
Join me most any given Sunday morning for yoga at Fortnight in Cary, and go within. Tap into your mind, body, and soul to successfully arrive by letting go of the past, not worrying about the future, and being in the present moment to acknowledge your own divine nature. All you have to do is to bring your own mat, and breathe. It’s a free community practice that is open to all levels. I lean toward the gentle side instead of torture like Chaturanga Dandasana until your arms fall off yet also throw in a little optional spice. We start at 10:30 AM every Sunday at Fortnight in Cary, NC unless there is a holiday, or I am out of town at my additional teacher training at Asheville Yoga Center several times each year. Here’s where I will post any schedule changes, and where you may go for additional details:
Arrive. Be here now.
Regards,
Jim
Jim Ray RYT200 cell: 984-459-0458
Yoga is not about the fancy pose. It is about getting into your head, and your heart. It is about taking what you learn on the mat into your life off the mat. Jim completed RYT200 teacher training at Republic of Yoga in Cary, NC, and is currently enrolled in RYT300 teacher training at Asheville Yoga Center.
Success with Yoga is an Internal Job
Success with yoga is an internal job that is unique to each of us, and that comes from within. Join me most any given Sunday morning for yoga at Fortnight in Cary, and go within. Tap into your mind, body, and soul to successfully arrive by letting go of the past, not worrying about the future, and being in the present moment to acknowledge your own divine nature. All you have to do is to bring your own mat, and breathe. It’s a free community practice that is open to all levels. I lean toward the gentle side instead of torture like Chaturanga Dandasana until your arms fall off yet also throw in a little optional spice. We start at 10:30 AM every Sunday at Fortnight in Cary, NC unless there is a holiday, or I am out of town at my additional teacher training at Asheville Yoga Center several times each year. Here’s where I will post any schedule changes, and where you may go for additional details:
Arrive. Be here now.
Regards,
Jim
Jim Ray RYT200 cell: 984-459-0458
Yoga is not about the fancy pose. It is about getting into your head, and your heart. It is about taking what you learn on the mat into your life off the mat. Jim completed RYT200 teacher training at Republic of Yoga in Cary, NC, and is currently enrolled in RYT300 teacher training at Asheville Yoga Center.
Class Scheduling, Prices, and Description
Scheduling is daily for each individual with the one true teacher, the one within each and every one of us. Price is free. Description is what you decide. No judgment. Peace.
Sequence and Play List
One of the folks that joined us for our first practice at my new home studio on Thursday had asked about my notes. We did not get to everything. Consequently, I am going to extend the next practice another 15 minutes so we do not feel rushed. My wife was surprised at the decidedly classic rock play list. So, I decided to post both. Click here to reserve your spot for our next practice:
YogaSequence-2015-11-19 Click here to download pdf with graphics: Yoga Sequence 2015-11-19
Opening Practice
Om – Add a spiritual dimension— even chanting aum and many new students put up such defenses that complicate their experience.
Sukhasana – Easy Seated Pose – 1–3 minutes
- Welcome
- set intention
- ujjayi pranayama
- dristi – eyes are focused on a single point in each asana
- harness the mind to the breath and body.
Neck Rolls
Balasana – Child’s Pose
- encourage rest in child’s pose any time it is necessary
- walk hands right, take 3 breathes
- walk hands left, take 3 breathes
Bitilasana – Cow Pose – on the inhale, look up, drop the belly
Bidalasana – Cat Pose – on the exhale, arc the back, scoop out the navel
Teach the relationship between breath and movement even within the relative stillness of a held asana. Start this exploration in a simple seated position, and then explore it with greater movement by doing Cat and Dog Tilts on all fours.
Balasana – Child’s pose – 5 breaths. Caution sensitivity to the knees and lower back.
Adho Mukha Svanasana – Downward-facing Dog Pose – 30 seconds
Standing Practice
Samasthihi – Mountain Pose
- Walk forward from Adho Mukha Svanasana
- slowly roll up to standing
Standing – Grab wrist, Side stretch left and right
Sun breathes – Forward fold, rise half way, fold, arms to sky
Surya Namaskar A – sun salutation A
- inhale – arms up, gaze to the thumbs
- exhale – forward fold – uttanasana
- inhale – rise half way with flat back – ardha uttanasana
- exhale – jump or step back – chatturanga dandasana (alt knees/chest/chin)
- inhale – cobra or updog – urdhva mukha svanasana
- exhale – down dog, hold 5 breathes – adho mukha svanasana
- at bottom of 5th exhale, hop or step forward
- inhale – rise half way with flat back – ardha uttanasana
- exhale – forward fold – uttanasana
- inhale – arms up, gaze to the thumbs
- exhale – hands to heart center – samasthiti
Surya Namaskar B – sun salutation B
- inhale – bend knees, arms up, sit back in your chair – utkatasana
- exhale – forward fold – uttanasana
- inhale – rise half way with flat back – ardha uttanasana
- exhale – jump or step back – chatturanga dandasana (alt knees/chest/chin)
- inhale – cobra or updog – urdhva mukha svanasana
- exhale – down dog – adho mukha svanasana
- inhale – step right foot forward – warrior I – virabhadrasana I
- exhale – chatturanga dandasana (alt knees/chest/chin)
- inhale – cobra or updog – urdhva mukha svanasana
- exhale – down dog – adho mukha svanasana
- inhale – step left foot forward – warrior I – virabhadrasana I
- exhale – chatturanga dandasana (alt knees/chest/chin)
- inhale – cobra or updog – urdhva mukha svanasana
- exhale – down dog, hold 5 breathes – adho mukha svanasana
- at bottom of 5th exhale, hop or step forward
- inhale – rise half way with flat back – ardha uttanasana
- exhale – forward fold – uttanasana
- inhale – inhale – bend knees, arms up, sit back in your chair – utkatasana
- exhale – hands to heart center – samasthiti
Chair/twist right
chair/twist left
warrior I/II/III sequence
Vrksasana – Group Tree Pose – 30 seconds on each side
- give neighbor permission to step on your mat and vice versa
- stand in line
- bring arms to T and put them on the shoulders of your neighbor
- feel supported
- lift your right knee toward chest
- place foot on leg above or below your knee
- rotate knee out to the side and hold 3 breathes
- repeat on other side and thank your neighbor
Grounding Practice
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana – Bridge Pose – 2 times, 5–10 breaths each time. back bends with Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose), again exploring dynamically before holding for up to five breaths. Repeat two to three times.
Apanasana – Knees to Chest Pose – Guide gentle rotation of the knees in circles. Work in stretch on each side.
Supta Parivartanasana – Reclined Twist – 2 times, 5–10 breaths on each side. Offer a gentle release of the spine following back bends, starting with an easy Supta Parivartanasana (Reclined Revolved Pose) with both knees bent and together to take it easier on the lower back.
Eka Pada Raj Kapotasana Prep – Pigeon Prep – 1–2 minutes on each side.
Dandasana – Seated Staff Pose – 1 minute. Explain grounding through the sit bones as the primary action in this and all other seated asanas.
Paschimottanasana – Seated Forward Bend – 1 minute.
Peak Pose
thread the needle sequence
Inversion
legs up the wall, shoulder stand, head stand
Savasana
Final Relaxation – 10 minutes or longer.
Closing
Fetal position – with your eyes closed, slowly roll over to right side, and come back to your intention.
Comfortable seated position – keeping your eyes closed, slowly push up to comfortable seated position.
Bring your hands to heart center.
Touch thumbs to forehead for good thoughts for yourself and for others.
Touch thumbs to lips for kind words for yourself and for others.
Touch thumbs to heart for good intentions for yourself and for others.
Sukhasana
Meditation
Here’s the play list:
Jim Ray, RYT 200 http://yogaray.org/
Jim has background in dance, music, martial arts, and yoga. He enjoys vinyasa slow flow yoga that synchronizes the breath, movement, and music as well as alignment-based yoga with more static poses. Expect open level practices that include inversions, back bends, and balancing peak poses where one always has the option to help spot your neighbor, to observe, and to take a child’s pose at any time. He completed RYT 200 yoga teacher training in Jivamukti yoga at Republic of Yoga, Cary, NC in 2015. “My goal is to bring yoga to others to help them the way my teachers have helped me.” Jim lives in Cary, NC with his wife and two sons.
Jim Ray, President
Neuse Networks – Managed Services Behind the Scenes, After-Hours, and Out of Your Way since 1997
web: www.neuse.net phone: 919-838-1672 x100 email: jim@neuse.net
For service, email ticket@neuse.net and call 919-838-1672 option 1.
Meditation Yoga with Smita Shah
Please join us Sunday mornings for Meditation Yoga with Smita Shah from 9-10 AM.
– Begin with Flex & Stretch for comfortable seated position to Meditate
– 10 – 15 minutes Meditation
– Gentle Yoga Poses: sitting down, lying on back, lying on stomach, & standing,
– End with Relaxation
Championship Martial Arts
1408 Village Market Place
Morrisville, NC 27560
community vinyasa slow flow yoga
Thursdays from 5:45 PM to 7:15 PM
Smiling Circle Yoga
312 W. Chatham St. #203, Cary, NC
Reserve Your Spot Here:
Join us for community vinyasa slow flow yoga on most Thursdays from 5:45 PM to 7:15 PM. Show up at 5:45 PM if it is your first visit to Smiling Circle Yoga so you may complete the one-time registration form. We plan to practice from 6-7 PM and have buffer to clear the house for their next event. Class Passes for Smiling Circle Yoga and donations are accepted yet not required.
Namaste,
Jim
Jim Ray, President
Neuse Networks – Managed Services Behind the Scenes, After-Hours, and Out of Your Way since 1997
web: www.neuse.net phone: 919-838-1672 x100 email: jim@neuse.net
For service, email ticket@neuse.net and call 919-838-1672 option 1.
Jim, RYT 200, teaches yoga, practices yoga on a regular basis, and formed Neuse Networks in 1997 that specializes in managed services (MSP) to remotely automate IT maintenance and to take IT labor out of the equation. He focuses on combining conventional client/server technologies with virtualization, mobility, and cloud technologies to implement computer networks for voice, video, and data. His education includes Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from NC State 1985. He has been in IEEE since 1980 (Senior Member, past Chair for Eastern North Carolina Section 2010, past Chair for NC State Student Branch 1981). He lives in Cary, NC with his wife and two sons.
I have been medically advised not to do yoga. Wtf?
“I have been medically advised not to do yoga” said one of my very first yoga students that would come over to my house for free yoga for seniors on Saturday afternoons. She told me she quit in an email yesterday. Wtf?
It really hurt me. I always felt like she got it and could see the smile in her face. I call BS on the adviser. Here’s why.
One thing that one of my teachers told me helped more than anything else. Breathe. Bring pranayama into your daily home yoga practice. It is all about the mind and not so much the physical body. The meditation and introspection is key.
There are also restorative yoga classes that I personally love and that allow me to have practice even after I do something stupid and get hurt. I rarely go to any open level yoga class without substituting a child’s pose for any given pose and have never had anyone yell at me for doing so. I have been yelled at many times for doing stupid stuff above my pay grade. I don’t yell, though. I help others do stupid stuff, too, spot them so it is safe, and laugh when I fall.
I would like to go back to the person that gave the medical advice and get them to qualify their opinion like don’t do twists and back bends as opposed to don’t do yoga if you have something wrong with your back. Anyone that says don’t do yoga does not understand yoga.
I encourage folks to continue on the path even if the physical asana is not possible. The best thing I ever did is start yoga to train my mind after injury. We can’t prevent things from happening to us. We can change the way we feel about it.
Namaste,
Jim
Jim Ray, President
Neuse Networks – Managed Services Behind the Scenes, After-Hours, and Out of Your Way since 1997
web: www.neuse.net phone: 919-838-1672 x100 email: jim@neuse.net
For service, email ticket@neuse.net and call 919-838-1672 option 1.
Jim practices yoga daily and formed Neuse Networks in 1997 that specializes in managed services (MSP) to remotely automate IT maintenance and to take IT labor out of the equation. He focuses on combining conventional client/server technologies with virtualization, mobility, and cloud technologies to implement computer networks for voice, video, and data. His education includes Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from NC State 1985. He has been in IEEE since 1980 (Senior Member, past Chair for Eastern North Carolina Section 2010, past Chair for NC State Student Branch 1981). He lives in Cary, NC with his wife and two sons.
Sex, Nudity, and Yoga – What is Your Intent?
Don’t worry. This blog article is safe for work. I purposely use rhetoric to gain readership and to get attention. Then, I have the punch line. If you take my rhetoric out of context, if you don’t wait for the punch line, if you misunderstand my intent, then we might not make great company together. Your approval is not necessary.
Oh, and on the nude selfie featured image, that’s me. I’m 54 and proud of my physique especially after skiing accident in 2010 prevented me from using my left leg to walk without equipment for 2 years due to broken leg and two knee surgeries. Yoga has been good to me and allowed me to lose 23 pounds plus move in ways I never dreamed when in the wheelchair. I have had to listen to my smart wad friend tell me I have a side boob (see next picture) when I had put on the weight and had shot selfie in lounge chair at swimming pool a couple of years ago. So, if you are offended by the photo, then get over it. Really. Just get over it.
For what it is worth, here’s a photo from last ski season 2015 where we enforced the rules whereby others are not allowed to pass including ski patrol and, as usual, had altercation with ski patrol. It may be in my best interest to retire from the type of skiing I used to do that won me a silver NASTAR medal in competition with NC State and ECU three decades ago. My knees can’t take the bending over into crouched position to reduce wind resistance for extended periods of time.
Sex, Nudity, and Yoga
Here’s the deal. When your yoga practice progresses into the advanced domain that I define not as some fancy pose but rather as what you are able to do with a given pose, you will be close together and touching other students and teachers. Your bodies will be exposed to varying degrees. You will be moving and breathing together. Combining it all with elements of music and dance have produced some of the most meaningful experiences I have had in life to date. The advanced assists take it to a whole new realm of intensity. When you are breathing together for several breathes, assisting another or getting an assist, moving deeper into the given pose on the exhale, and having your bodies touch very closely whether male or female, you must be professional and have clear intent.
I do not dance with everyone. Why? Because we might not know the same steps. Clear intent may be misunderstood in yoga with beginners. So, I do not dance the same way with beginners that I like to do with the advanced yoga practitioners. It is not a matter of prejudice. It is a matter of training. To me, hardly anything is more beautiful than working with others that have mastered the art of the assist. It does not happen on the first trip to the mat. It took me over a year to gain a deeper appreciation for the assist. For a beginner or anyone I do not know fairly well, I ask before I touch and then only do minimal assists such as a little shoulder pressure during savasana. For a more advanced yoga practitioner, I may also ask before I touch yet will move deeper into poses with firm touch as opposed to soft touch that might indicate a different intent. Nonetheless, our bodies will be close together. Close enough to hear the breathe. Close enough to see and to synchronize that breathe. Close enough where parts might accidentally bump. You have to be mature and advanced enough to laugh it off and move on or to not do it. There must be trust, clear intent, and professional delivery.
Personally, I like bringing home techniques learned in yoga regarding breathing and movement with my spouse of 17 years where I am in monogamous marriage even though no marriage is always a smooth ride. It is a choice. Choose what it right for you. I keep my pants on at yoga.
So, here’s the punch line. Whether a teacher or student in yoga, have clear intent. Be professional with assists. Communicate very clearly. If something doesn’t feel right, say so. If the teacher does something wrong, the student needs to say so in private and nicely. If the student does something wrong, the teacher needs to say so in private and nicely.
That is all.
Namaste,
Jim
Jim Ray, President
Neuse Networks – Managed Services Behind the Scenes, After-Hours, and Out of Your Way since 1997
web: www.neuse.net phone: 919-838-1672 x100 email: jim@neuse.net
For service, email ticket@neuse.net and call 919-838-1672 option 1.
Jim practices yoga daily and formed Neuse Networks in 1997 that specializes in managed services (MSP) to remotely automate IT maintenance and to take IT labor out of the equation. He focuses on combining conventional client/server technologies with virtualization, mobility, and cloud technologies to implement computer networks for voice, video, and data. His education includes Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from NC State 1985. He has been in IEEE since 1980 (Senior Member, past Chair for Eastern North Carolina Section 2010, past Chair for NC State Student Branch 1981). He lives in Cary, NC with his wife and two sons.
