Weekend Teaching Schedule 9/28+9/29

Saturday 

12pm Yoga Flow Alaska Fitness

4pm Vinyasa Spirit Path Yoga and Wellness

Sunday 

9:30am Heated Vinyasa Zen Urban Yoga Studio (AAC)

Yoga Spirituality?

I have many conversations with people as I travel around teaching classes. Sometimes the topic of spirituality comes up. These are always interesting moments as  people speak about their beliefs and practices. Everybody  has convictions and ideas about the yoga path. Who's to say that what they believe is right or wrong?  I don't know. People often look to a yoga teacher as somebody who may have some spiritual insight and can be rather disappointed when a teacher turns out to be quite a regular kind of person. I can say with honesty to being a person on a deep spiritual path but also a person full of all sorts of idiosyncrasies and inconsistencies, just another trying to figure out the mysteries of life. It does make me wonder what is my spiritual practice in yoga and what are my convictions for such a path. Honestly, I am not religious whatsoever although having had some periods in my younger years when I involved myself in the established means of the spiritual life such as through synagogues and churches. This didn't work for me and turned to something more physical practices eventually ending up in the world of yoga.   Within yoga, there are a lot of ways to access spiritual questions and for my part I tend to remain on the fringes of such inquiries.  Sure, I have my own beliefs which are very few in number believing more in the unique path that every person is on. I tend to make my classes about the physical practice with a dose of mindfulness thrown in to help my students in the now.  If really pressed I would have to say that my yoga spirituality is about the asanas and the suggestions they bring along with them in how to move live and be.  Come and explore a class of mine to find out what this means for yourself.  

Weekend Classes 9/21 and 9/22

Saturday 9/21
Alaska Fitness-12pm-Yoga Flow
Spirit Path Yoga-4pm-Vinyasa

Sunday 9/22
Zen Urban Yoga Studio-9:30am-Hot Vinyasa

Fifth Fitness Component

Often one hears about the four components of fitness (balance, strength, flexibility, and endurance). One can find a great deal about these but there is a fifth essential component often overlooked. I call this mindfulness and think of it as the central point that all others circle around. Mindfulness is the awerness and intention behind physical actions. When involved in an action or exercise mindfulness is what we use to isolate a muscle group, involve the whole body or further align ourselves to reach full potential. This connects all the components together as well as linking physical exercise with the mind aspects of our being. 

September

It is just another month but so more. September is a month of new beginnings. It seems more like the season of New Year than out usual one in January. After activities and the interruption of rhythms that the summer brings, this month begins a time when people get down to the real tasks of another set of seasons. For me, it is a time to rethink my priorities and set the intentions that will carry me through months ahead, through the dark and short ones and into the lighter and longer ones that follow. May it be a time of new beginning for you! Namaste!

How about a little mindfulness in your life?

Why not join me for my 30 Day Meditation/Mindfulness Challenge?  It is simple all you have to do is start meditating and do so for thirty days. Well hold on, this doesn't mean you actually meditate for thirty days straight but for a small moment of time every day for thirty days. It only takes a few moments probably at least five minutes to just sit and be right there without doing anything at all besides breathing. Just try it and see what happens. Namaste!  

U

Teaching Schedule Aug. 26-Sept. 1

Hello Everybody! As requested I am posting my yoga teaching schedule for all to see.  I hope to see you in one of my classes.  Please email me with any questions. westlake.david@gmail.com 

Monday
Eagle River Body Renew 10:30am Morning Flow
Zen Urban Yoga Studio 12pm Power Hour

Tuesday
Zen Urban Yoga Studio 12pm Power Hour
Midtown Body Renew 7pm Evening Flow

Wednesday
Eagle River Body Renew 10:30am Morning Flow
Zen Urban Yoga Studio 12pm Power Hour

Thursday
Motive8 Health Studio 12pm Gentle Flow
Midtown Body Renew 7pm Evening Flow

Friday
Eagle River Body Renew 10:30am Morning Flow
Spirit Path Yoga 5:30pm Fitness Flow

Saturday
Alaska Fitness 12pm Yoga Flow
Spirit Path Yoga 4pm Vinyasa