Also in attendance was Danny Paradise, who taught a special shortened class (he claims he typically teaches 3-4 hour sessions) involving some modified Ashtanga poses. Talking about the spread of yoga from India to California and Hawaii, Paradise had some interesting insight about Woodstock, Egyptians practicing yoga, and other threads.

Neal Arbic also performed, playing guitar and singing.

(More photos after the break)

In a recent Anatomy of Yoga class with Leslie Kaminoff, we watched a video that I’ll never forget. And hopefully, neither will you. And, trust me, this all has a heck of a lot to do with your yoga practice! It features anatomist Gil Hedley explaining The Fuzz. You can watch it yourself, but be aware that it shows him working with a cadaver. Yet it’s such an important piece of knowledge that I’d like to define this incredible concept for you, and you can choose to view it or not and still take it forward into your daily life.

Each night while we sleep, or any time we’re still for long periods, like sitting in a car on a long road trip, our body begins to build collagen fibers. They look a little like cotton candy, and are just as sticky, causing friction between what should be smoothly sliding muscle surfaces. The end result is the stiffness you might feel in the morning getting out of bed or standing up after watching a three-hour movie…(read the rest at Yoga Journal.com)

I was warned to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the class– the 90 spaces fill up extremely fast, as Vinnie is among the most popular teachers at the studio, having had such star students as Robert Downey Jr., Heather Graham, Kate Hudson and Adrien Brody. He was even profiled by The New York Times in 2009.

Vinnie started off with a joke about Nyquil making him sleep for 10 hours straight, which helped break the ice. He handled the room with authority and a no-nonsense work ethic that saw us sweating profusely for the first hour. Every pose was held for just a few seconds longer than I was normally used to doing. The level of difficulty was extremely high, with us going into an unassisted headstand or handstand at one point in the class.

Needless to say, Marino lifted us to new heights and gave me a great experience. He also improved the effect of his instruction with very carefully chosen music tracks, like Neil Young’s ‘Old Man.’ Although I’ve heard a lot of different songs played in class, he had a special sense of what to play like he was composing the soundtrack for a movie.

His classes also consist of a very close group of regulars. The woman next to me was impressed by my ability, telling me after the class “I’ve never seen you here before, I’m surprised you did so well.” That’s what over six years of practice has done for me– although it’s safe to say that Marino taught me a lot of new reasons to stay dedicated and continue to work hard.

Marino himself also took notice of me during the class, gave me a few tips and adjustments, and seemed to recognize that this was a special experience for me. He really warmed up to me, and during one warrior pose, told me “That’s yoga!”

I have to acknowledge that the staff at Yoga Works were also very friendly and helpful, and were a welcome change from the snobby LA vibe that permeates different parts of the city. The facilities are also top-notch, with the studio just a few minutes walk to the beach.

So if you’re ever in LA, you know where to go for yoga!

There was this yoga master meditating by the river, when an unknown approaches him claiming to want to be a disciple, and asked: ‘How to achieve spiritual illumination?’ The master caught him by the head and submerged it on the river for a good time leaving him airless. After reemerging the head of the man from the river, he asked: ‘What did you want the most when I was drowning you?’, the answer was: ‘air, master!’ The master immediately told him: ‘Do you know that oxygen that you needed to survive? The same need that you felt for the air should be the same for the quest for spiritual illumination…’

So what does it mean? I believe the intention has to do with having a single-minded purpose and being driven completely towards your goal by the strongest instinct of all–survival. We think of ourselves as being carefree and relaxed in yoga, but that is not the case at all. At the core of our practice is a kind of intensity, an inner flame.

Are we going to transcend to a higher state? Well it all depends on our goal, and the satisfaction we get from approaching it individually.

Dwelling on a missed opportunity has to be the single biggest pitfall out there. In hockey, if you miss a shot, the best thing to do is to just get the puck and shoot again–instantly, without thinking. If players sat on the ice and started complaining, the other team would just go from 1-0 to 10-0 with no thought whatsoever.

It’s not easy to let go. Whether you’re watching someone else catch breaks or having your own output stifled by the system, it’s hard to detach and just perform. If you’re being singled out or discriminated against, as people often are with workplace politics, it isn’t a good feeling. In fact, it makes people emotional to the point where rational thinking can go out the window.

So in a couple moves, you go from being productive to flicking the switch off and shutting down. And the primary reason is your mental state–being consumed by what other people are doing rather than what you’re going to do. In the great tradition of this blog, you’re wondering, ‘how can yoga help me deal with this?’ Well I believe that it helps a lot by getting you back into a positive rhythm and restoring momentum. And yoga does this the same way meditation works: it occupies part of your mind with one task so the rest of your mind is free.

You’re almost tricking out the thinking part of your brain from burning out with negative thoughts by distracting yourself–from yourself! And frankly, sometimes we all need a break from our own thought process. Yoga is like a mini-vacation from your problems that lets you reconnect with what’s actually important.

Many times I’ve seen talented people become bogged down with minor details that wore them down. Worse still is when we let some external issue consume us whole. But getting out and doing an activity can be liberating in a big way and help us with our original problems.

Something to think about next time you hit a wall.

YTTer Anya and assistant manager Aniela hold down the fort

This weekend was, of course, the Yoga Show and Conference in Toronto. It was in a different building of the Metro Toronto Convention Center than last year, but no less interesting to see all the different facets of the community in force.

Hopefully you made it out and stopped by TYS’s booth. Otherwise, there’s still a great spring/summer season upon us, which is an ideal time to refocus on your practice at the College and Danforth studios!

EDIT: Also note that Cynthia will be teaching at the free yoga garden from 3:00 to 3:30 on Saturday the 27th!

On a chemical level, any physical activity produces endorphins–endogenous opioid polypeptide compounds which are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus–also known as the “feel good” chemicals.

There’s also the renewed focus and direction by eliminating the existential vacuum of doing nothing, or ruminating on negative thoughts that comes with a daily practice. An article on the Mayo Clinic website confirms the benefits that practitioners have known about for years:

Yoga is considered a mind-body type of complementary and alternative medicine practice. Yoga brings together physical and mental disciplines to achieve peacefulness of body and mind, helping you relax and manage stress and anxiety. Traditional yoga philosophy requires that students adhere to this mission through behavior, diet and meditation. But if you’re just looking for better stress management — whether because of life’s daily hassles or a health problem you’re facing — and not an entire lifestyle change or way of life, yoga can still help.

Of course, we all have to face the inevitable headaches as they crop up, regardless of what area challenges come in. However, a regular and consistent practice is a good way to stay on track.