COURTNEY ROHAN YOGA

When I sit for meditation, I take the time to move first. Even if the movement is just rolling through the vertebra in the neck and movement through the stuck places with the breath; I get the chitta vritti (mind chatter) out of the way through the breath and movement. I find compassion for my body as it prepares for the work that is to come next. I create a clear channel for reception. I open my muscles and flesh. Historically, Yoga in India was not just asana (poses). Yoga was meditation, prayer and chanting as well. The compartmentalization of Yoga and the creation of brands have, without a doubt, forced many a beginner to tell their teacher they are not flexible enough; they can not get into the “pretzel pose,” Yoga Nidrasana, which makes Yoga look like circus fun. The segregation of Yoga in studios is definitely one of the many ways practitioners have come to teach one type of asana over another, chant or focus. It is one of the reasons that prayer is left out of the studio and

I don’t know enough about Reflexology, to tell you firmly about the feet, the way I would like to. I think that the feet are fascinating. They aid the body in knowledge that surpasses the mind. They connect to grounding energy like no other part of the body and remind us that we are human beings, while subtly offering us a chance to remember our divinity. I have recently noticed in myself some holding in my right big toe. I noticed it in deep squats (Malasana and its straight-leg variations); the muscles surrounding the joint felt inflexible. This inaction was keeping me from connecting fully. I got to thinking about reflexology and the relationships from muscle to vital organ; the idea of this tightness in my toe being indication of a weakness in a particular organ. This is something that I will begin to address for myself with yoga. I will locate asana for myself addressing the stretching of my toes (on both sides of my body) and will see the difference. I will breathe through th

Addiction-- Yoga Helps I want to start by acknowledging that everyone has addictions. They are the holding of energy, about a specific topic, in the body. They are the repetition of repeated thinking about the same issue, as in volume, not problem. They are the constant seeing of the same color; the effect of disconnection from the whole picture. In recent, the death of some fabulous artists has startled me to the rampant work of addictive energies. What has been the factor in keeping us in this roundabout? Amy Winehouse, Etta James, Whitney Houston, (in death order)…I am certain that I am forgetting someone. We have recently lost some greats!! I think it most important now to look at the pattern. I suppose, in a sense, it is like an equation that is not solvable but is worth recognizing. It is recognizing that drugs are affecting lives, whole lives, but that the chemical is not really the true focus. The real work has to happen internally. It happens in the cells. It is through

I’ve recently been around many pregnant Yoginis. It is wonderful to see us birthing life. However, kind that notion, I know for a fact that I did yoga differently when I was carrying life other than my own. What an honor. What can you do about this transition for both of the lives involved? Well, the first thing you should not do is stop doing yoga. Let your practice evolve into what you need now more than ever, calm and relaxation. Let your body become the motion that will lull you both into a restful orbit. (Go forward with ease and recognize that every pose is not for everyone. If you have complications within your pregnancy, you should seek a doctor to be certain this series of poses will not put either you or your baby in jeopardy.) Poses to include in your time on the mat: To Malasana—begin standing in Tadasana—Mountain pose—Shoulders rolled back and down; neck extended to assist energy movement out through the crown of the head; lift your toes and plant them one by one

Coworkers and Friends in this glorious journey, I do not want to bother you with my story; however, I do want you to know of my battle with cancer if you are interested. Feel free to keep reading, or know that you can read this when you have time. I think it important to share who we are. That is how we help each other. In July, I was diagnosed with CLL (Chronic Lymphomatic Luekemia). Through a chain of events in June, my fatigue and growing lymphnodes were explained. Six months ago, I was told that I should go through six rounds of chemotherapy. I told everyone that I spoke with and that I thought needed to know. Beyond that I was not uncomfortable, nor am I uncomfortable now talking more about how this all came about. Please ask if you are interested. This blog is to share my gratitude with those of you who prayed, danced around camp fires(figuratively, maybe?), and did yoga with and for me. I had one bout of neasuea, and I felt tired sometimes. I did not lose my hair. I did no

I always thought that I would do asana. Regardless of my meditation or pranayam practices, I always felt that asana was the yoga for me. My asana practice, always fiery, left me rung out and aligned. I still feel most adamantly connected to Hatha yoga specifically, Vinyasa Flow. And, I will continue to provide this for myself as well as for my client base. Recently, I was finding that the fire I was so used to in my practice was harder and harder for me to accomplish. In order to do an hour practice, I would have to employ many of the pranayam techniques I know, and make use of dristhis (focal points) more often and find Adho Mukah Svanasana (Downdog) as a resting posture verses the transition it was most often. All of these pieces should be made use of during a practice, it is true. I was not concerned by that, I felt my practice taking on a new flare. It was good. No, it was great. I was able to do things I could not do before. I just had to be gentle with myself and find relaxatio

Once leaving Philadephia, almost two years now, getting back to the city has been what I would have once called a struggle. Now, I call this life. I call it happenstance. The playground. It's wonderful to be headed downstream, where everything I want is waiting for me. Let me paraphrase: Relaxing in the current stream that I have created sends me downstream, and as I float downstream, everything I've asked for appears. I will be traveling from June 18th to June 26th. If you would like some Thai Massage or Yoga, be in touch (609 417-3217) to schedule some playtime. Sat Ra Courtney.