yoga with fawn: June 2010

Summer Solstice

A new season is upon us!

Here's a collection of all things summer including my summer yoga classes (shameless, I know).

Mondays and Wednesdays I teach Hatha Fusion at Portland Yoga Studio, in the Montavilla Wellness center at SE 78th and Stark. Hatha Fusion is a natural blend of equal parts upbeat vinyasa and soothing restorative poses. Classes start at 7:30 and cost $8. The Montavilla neighborhood is up and coming so make yourself a regular before the fantastic restaurants nearby get super busy.

Saturdays I lead a 9:15am vinyasa class at Belmont Yoga at SE 42nd and Belmont. Rise and shine with Surya Namaskar! In class we mindfully explore classical sun salutations with an emphasis on alignment. Sunnyside is my neighborhood and I'm thrilled to teach so close to home. Class is $7.

Mondays and Wednesdays at 5pm I teach in NW at PNCA. This class is a mixed level vinyasa class with a focus on strength-building. Class is held outdoors weather permitting (check with front desk). Feel free to drop in anytime for $5.

See my schedule page for additional classes, or contact me directly to book a private.

Here's a list from The Environmental Working Group of the safest Sunscreens.

Check out the Willamette Week's Get Out Summer Guide for great trails, bike rides and swimming holes.

Gals, here's a little tutorial on how to make a cute T-Shirt bikini. (Starts at 3 min)

Love,
Fawn

It's Therapeutic Thursday the topic is self-image. I have started and stopped writing this post for weeks, as if avoiding the subject would make it dissolve from my consciousness. Using myself as an example of negative self-talk is as revealing and honest as it gets, so here goes.

The best part about teaching yoga is witnessing students become more confident and comfortable in their bodies. Even though in my classes self-acceptance is paramount, I tend to be much harder on myself as I try to 'perfect' each pose AS IF THAT IS EVEN POSSIBLE. My friend Andy Sprott told me recently to practice what I preach, and though it may sound trite it rings absolutely true.

I finally read Elizabeth Gilbert's book Eat Pray Love and was surprised by how many times I laughed aloud. One of my favorite parts is when she recognizes a friend in the reflection of a building and runs up to herself to say "hi!". The anecdote served as a humorous reminder to temper my own tendency toward negative self-talk with some much needed pats on the back.

Sadie Nardini states that one of the major pitfalls of being obsessed with the aesthetics of one's asana practice is chronic injury. Last year my attempts to find a deeper forward fold left me with a dull aching hamstring muscle which took months to heal. A habit of loving yourself can keep you from overdoing it in your yoga practice.

Try this at home:
The next time you look at yourself in the mirror, look kindly, cause that's a friend looking back at you.

If that doesn't work then invite a bunch of friends over to play a therapeutic round of non-competitive Canadian self-esteem game "Proud To Be Me".

Love and yoga,
Fawn

P.S. Andy, I'm totally working on it!

Therapeutic Thursday-- visualize your desires!

Write down your answers to the following questions:

What does your dream job feel like? sound like? look like? Are there other people around or are you solo? can you hear the buzz of machines or birds? Are you sitting, standing, being active? Are you outdoors? How will you compensated? in trade, gold bullion, or cold hard cash?

What is a healthy lifestyle? What does health feel like in your body? What does a healthy environment look like? and how does it sound? How does a healthy lifestyle smell and taste?

After you've written down your answers, draw pictures or tear images out of a magazine that represent your ideal lifestyle and paste them into a journal or pin them up on the wall. Clear visualization will help you to manifest your desires. You might be surprised by how much easier it is to visually describe your ideal world than it is to articulate it verbally. I write lists like this once or twice a year, and find Sonia Choquette's book Your Heart's Desire a useful guide.

It took me years of trial and error to find a job I love as much as teaching yoga. In the past I have mistreated my body by making unhealthy lifestyle choices, I've moved around and lived in several different cities, I've tried vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free eating, and I have held many diverse job titles. For me experimentation is what it took to find my true heart's desire.

The image of me in Maui above represents a lifestyle I consider ideal: warm saltwater, soft sand, sun, fresh fruit and vegetables, a relaxed pace.

I'd love to see and read about some of your dreams and desires!

Love and yoga,
Fawn

Summer Solstice

Your friend, You

Dreams, desires

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