Eoin Report
First, you should check out YogaPeeps.com and download Eoin's interview since he discusses his thoughts about the yoga alignment workshop. It gave me a better perspective about it as well. I wished I had found it before the workshop.
Secondly, I know I will forget and miss parts. Here's what I remember off the top of my head. Patricia and Debra, feel free to correct me or add to this.
Friday night's class was only a block away from the hotel at one of the yoga studios. There were about 20 people at this class. Plenty of room to spread out and still be intimate. Eoin asked everyone to come up and gather around him. Of course, class started with everyone giving everyone hugs. Yes, he made me hugg Debra and Patricia and a bunch of strangers!!!
:+
Then we broke off into smaller groups to discuss what is balance and how do you achieve it. Dang! After 3 hours of sleep, flying, walking, and a cosmo, I was in no mood for deep thinking. Or even trying to think biblically!!! Hmmm, come to think of it. Am I ever grounded enough to think?!?!:+ It was interesting to hear everyone's thoughts and answers.
After circle time, we went to our mats to for Downward Dogs. I asked Eoin what if we had shoulder injuries. (I have a hard time doing yoga when my body isn't warm.) He asked for clarification. I mentioned rotator cuff. And, he came over and helped me with my form which totally made a difference!!! First, he told me it wasn't about the butt. LOLOLOLOL
About a minute or two later, he stopped the class and had me come to his mat at the front of the room. He noticed a lot of people with the same form issues as me. So, he was going to use me as an example.
He asked me to show everyone how I typically did downward dog... with my shoulder blades pinching in the back, my shoulders pulling back with my chest, and my butt lifted into the air. Then had me do downward dog pose on my back... Think glass bottom boat. So, I'm on my back, my legs are in the air like in downward dog and my arms extended next to my ears. He had me lift my chest and head up while keeping my arms where they were. Right away, I could feel that pain in my shoulders. It felt just like my typical downward dog!!! He did this to show how my arms were way out of alignment. Next, he had me lay my chest and head back on the mat and bend my knees to touch the floor for the rest of the form pointers. Talk about an ab workout!!!
So, I'm on the floor with my knees bent, feet resting on the ground, and arms extended next to my ears when he directs everyone to look at my ARMPIT!!!! And, I can't remember when I last shaved!!!!!
;( Patricia assures me that my armpits weren't hairy!!!:+ You can tell alot about what's going on in people's bodies simply by looking at their armpit. So, he has me do the wrong pose again with everyone's attention on my armpit. Then he has me do move my hands back down towards the ground and rotate my elbows in. People could see how doing this engaged my chest and lat muscles. It also created a nice arch in my armpit. Who knew!
Next, he has me flip back over into a real downward dog pose. He directs them to my pinched bladed back. Once I round my back for a fuller look by engaging my chest and rotating my elbows inwards, you could see a difference in proper form. Also, it felt soooo much better. The pain in my shoulders vanished!!!!!!!!!!
He talked about yoga as having patterns. Once you learn a few basic patterns (poses), it's all the same pose only in different planes.
First: Tree Hugger Pose
Stand with your toes touching. Line up your Anterior Superior Illiac Spine. Basically it's your pelvic bone (the bony hooked part and top of pelvis). You do this by tilting your sit bones under. Next, is a neutral back. Ribs are centered not lifted. Back is not arched or curved. Then you raise your hands in the air.
You keep this alignment for downward dog, lunges, warrior three, etc... It's all the same pose in a different plane.
Okay, I'll discuss the rest of the workshop later. Feel free to ask Patricia and Debra for clarifications. LOLOL
Ballistic Hugs,
Wendy