I thought I broke my tailbone. Yep, in the wee hours of the morning a couple of weeks ago, tired from travel and children thrown off schedule from it, my foot slipped out from under me while I was headed downstairs (with the babe in my arms, no less), and I slammed, butt first, down on the stairs. I think I might have bounced down them a couple of times, but was more worried about my three-month-old than anything. Luckily, we were both just severely startled.

After my breath returned and my husband and I both did a thorough check of our youngest one, I realized that my booty was SORE. After a week or so of mostly standing and only sitting when absolutely necessary, I went to the chiropractor. God love her, I’m on the mend, with a bruised backside and coccyx, but no broken tailbone.

As always, I ponder at this at the learning opportunity it is. As I sit here on my boppy typing away, I’m reminded of how many times students have asked me what exactly I mean by “scoop your tailbone.” How often in my own practice I’ve worked at tucking that little sucker in downward-facing dog. The times I’ve tried to send it back in Utkatasana (chair pose). Its purpose in mulabhanda, which by the way, means “root lock”. I even asked my chiropractor what on Earth the tailbone is for anyway, for instance, is it the appendix of the butt? No, she answered incredulously. Evidently, it’s a muscle attachment. I’m embarrassed that I didn’t know that.

An “aha” moment startled to bubble up as I read an article referencing the word “radical”, so I looked up its definition. Did you know that to be radical, you arise from or go to the root of the source? How rad is that?!

So go to your root of the source this week. Maybe its contemplating how you’re connected to something from which you find inspiration. Perhaps its an examination of something in order to get closer to it. Or, it might be as simple as walking barefoot through the cool grass of springtime and wriggling your toes in the dirt.

Whatever it is, get radical!

Most of us in this neck of the woods might think, Utah?

Um, no.

Ogden, The Inappropriate Yoga Guy.

Three major things come up for me with Ogden. One, I was truly mortified when I first saw his YouTube video a few weeks ago. I thought that while a true depiction of some “yoga guys” I’ve seen in yoga classes, he was just awful. And I felt he was mocking yoga. (Might I add that while teaching yoga class a few years ago, one of my male students actually drawled, “Oh…talk slower.” WHAT?!)

Two, due to my background in advertising I applaud Yoga Journal for having the savvy to hire this guy, based on his popularity on YouTube, to do a web series for yogajournal.com. Very good marketing value, that one.

Three, the yogi in me is worried, once again, that Yoga Journal is not just dipping their toes in, but jumping full monty into the waters of yoga over-commercialization. A few years ago, in fact, I dropped my subscription to YJ because I craved the roots of yoga, not just the western take of it. (Now I just sneak copies into my grocery basket.)

I have to admit, however, that I do have a wicked sense of humor, and he is funny! But I’m left feeling guilty. Am I betraying my inner yogini and doing the full monty thing? Or am I missing the point: to reach an audience out there who doesn’t connect with those who take their yogic selves too seriously?

What do you think?

P.S. To really “get” the ending of Episode #2, you have to read this article from Elephant Journal and peruse the accompanying pics. Now THAT’S funny.

Check out Elephant Journal’s website article of the top 20 YouTube videos of all things yoga. Seems like I’ll have to comment back to them that they’ve forgotten the “Making the Anusara Syllabus Poster” video I posted below.

Check out this groovy new mat. May not do the trick in a packed studio, but I’m thinking I could totally learn to press up into a handstand on one of these…

It is AMAZING how your personal practice can change throughout your life. Six years ago, I practiced about four hours a day, probably six days per week. Three years ago, I practiced maybe once a month. This time last year, depending on the weather, an hour and a half per day either inside or on the back deck, rocking to some good tunes.

Today, I think I began my practice at about noon and just finished around 3:15 p.m.

While it might not have been the longest practice in actual time, it was only supposed to be a 30 minute practice. Today was the first time I’ve been back on my mat since the week before Ewan was born. It felt SO good and I felt SO stiff, but minute by minute those aches and pains began to fall away and I could feel my muscles remembering how to give a little more, and a little more.

My mind wandered to those crumbs I could see on the kitchen floor (didn’t I just sweep those up yesterday?!), Ewan beginning to stretch and wake up in his swing, Holden (my preschooler) yelling at me from his room to see if he could get up from rest time. And there’s the cat at the front door, meowing loudly to come in for a snack, and our yellow lab at the patio door with a soggy tennis ball in his mouth, staring me down.

This was all in the first 10 minutes of practice.

I stopped to nurse Ewan. I let the cat in and fed him (vile thing that he is - he sneezed all over me, yuk). I stared back at the dog. I told Holden that rest time was NOT over. I put Ewan down on my mat so that I could practice over him and and he could play. Didn’t work; had to nurse him some more. Told Holden he could get up. Let the cat out to play with the dog. Ten more minutes of practice had gone by.

Looked at Holden, who had bags under his eyes from NOT sleeping. Still nursing Ewan. Put Holden to sleep in our room repeating, “Keep your eyes closed, keep your eyes closed.” He was snoring in five minutes. Ewan’s eyes were swimming, so I put him down for his fourth nap of the day. Dog and cat are playing outside. Back to my practice.

Doorbell rings. Solicitor. No thanks. Back to my practice.

Maybe this IS my yoga practice. Breathe.

I’ll be returning from maternity leave beginning Monday, March 30, 2009, at 6:30 p.m. Many, many thanks to Tiffany for teaching this class during my leave.

Also, beginning in June, I’ll be teaching a Pre/Postnatal Yoga class as a six-week series. This class will meet on Wednesday mornings at 11:00, start date TBA. A note to postnatal moms: You are so very welcome to bring your wee one to class with you. Just be sure to bring your infant carrier so baby can be comfortable during class.

::Introducing Thomas Ewan Pantier::

Ewan, 12 days old

Ewan was born on February 16th at 7:59 p.m., weighing in at 7 lb 15 oz and stretching out to 20 3/4″ long. He’s just as content as he can be, as long as his Buddha belly is full. We all swear that he’s smiling already!

Each day, I receive a “yoga inspiration” in my email box from the Yoga Journal editors. This one I share with you because completely resonates with me on so many levels. From a physical practice level, I find that many of us are searching for those hidden parts of ourselves that can teach us more - those parts “less evolved.” From my background as a counselor (previous career), I find that Bo Forbes is right on in his quick assessment of the following:

“A committed yoga practice can absolutely transform our relationships. ‘Through our yoga practice, we learn to look at ourselves, including the parts of us that are less evolved. Learning how to do this physically, with discomfort in an asana, helps us to do this emotionally,’ says Bo Forbes, who is a yoga teacher, Integrative Yoga Therapist, and clinical psychologist in Boston. ‘If we can’t sit with our emotions, we are more likely to act them out on ourselves or others.’ ”

While this article is in the context of relationships with others, specifically a “soul mate”, I find that in our self relationships the same skills discussed can be very transforming. Read more here: Yoga Journal Article.

Interesting read in the Boulder Daily Camera today. Off season’s about to end, eh? Have fun training!

Hi everyone!

It’s time for me to bid farewell until mid-March due to some persistent contractions here lately! It seems that I need to settle down a bit and have an event-free next few weeks until this little boy is in a healthier place for delivery. Keep checking back for posts, and have a very happy New Year. See you soon!