class schedule

Next week's class schedule:

• Wednesday 11/3- 5:45am Murray Scholls 24 & 7:30pm McLoughlin 24
• Friday 11/5- 5:45am Murray Scholls 24 
• Saturday 11/6- 7:00am Hollywood 24

class schedule

• Tuesday- 5:30pm McLoughlin 24
• Wednesday- 5:45am Murray Scholls 24 & 7:30pm McLoughlin 24
• Friday- 5:45am Murray Scholls
• Saturday- 7:00am Hollywood

Come flow with me! I always notice when you aren't there, and I miss you!

tuesday

I think I am ready to talk about what happened today. It just happened about six hours ago, so it's still super fresh in my memory (unfortunately). Here it goes:

I had a really good day. I got up early and went to the gym, came home and had coffee and breakfast, then went to my acupuncture appointment. I recently started teaching for Adidas so from there I needed to go have a badge made so I can have access to the buildings and whatnot. This is a really fantastic opportunity and I am so excited about it. So excited, in fact, that my head must have been in the clouds on my walk home because out of nowhere, and I do mean nowhere, my right ankle turned completely over and I went down. Ass, meet sidewalk. It was like that. It hurt. I immediately had flashbacks to the day I was running on a busy road in Richmond, tripped over an uneven sidewalk and went flying through the air only to land face first on said uneven sidewalk. Okay, I lied. I immediately wondered if anyone saw what just happened, and then I had the flashback. So I sat there on the sidewalk for about a minute, trying to look as natural as possible. Just sat there. I felt my ankle get all hot and it felt a little twitchy. My next thought was that I might not be able get up. And the thought after that had something to do with the fact that my wonderful opportunity with Adidas could be kissed goodbye if I was unable to walk. So eventually (about five minutes later), I got up and walked the two blocks I had to walk to get back to my house. I laid on the couch and iced it for a while, and stayed off it as best I could until I had to teach in two hours.

So why did I just share this with the internet? Because I think perhaps the Universe was trying to tell me that while it is okay to be excited about a new opportunity, I need to also stay grounded. And so this completely random and super public tumble I took was just a very literal message from the Universe, and I did not take it in vain. Do I wish it didn't happen? Sure. But it did, so I have no choice but to accept it.

As for my ankle, six and a half hours after the fall, it still hurts a lot. But it is not swollen or discolored, so I shall assume that it will be fine. And as for my pride? Ehh- worse things have happened.

Namaste,
Tami

class schedule

• Tuesday, 10/12: McLoughlin 5:30pm
• Wednesday, 10/11: Murray Scholls 5:45am & McLoughlin 7:30pm
• Friday, 10/13: Murray Scholls 5:45am
• Saturday, 10/14: Hollywood 7:00am

wednesday

Electrifying energy in class tonight! Responsible are the 30 something yogis who came to flow with me, and this playlist:

• Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: Hand Covers Bruise
• Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: In Motion
• Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: A Familiar Taste
• Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: It Catches Up With You
• Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: Intriguing Possibilities
• Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: Painted Sun In Abstract
• Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: 3:14 Every Night
• Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: Pieces Form The Whole
• Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: Carbon Prevails
• Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: Eventually We Find Our Way
• Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: Penetration
• Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: In The Hall of the Mountain King
• Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: On We March
• Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: Almost Home
• Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: Hand Covers Bruise, Reprise

I love yoga, I love Trent Reznor, and I love you too. Have a good night!

Namaste,
Tami

tuesday

If ever you need to leave a yoga class early, please do so quietly and before savasana. I can not stress this issue enough. I recently taught a class where two thirds of the students left the room during savasana. This is disrespectful and disruptive not only to your teacher (whether it be me or someone else), but most importantly to those around you who came to class, worked hard and have earned the right to a blissed out and peaceful savasana. In said class, one student left, prompting another to leave, followed by another, and then another, and another, until everyone was up and looking around, wondering if they should be leaving as well.

The worst part of this is that I can't imagine that all of these people really had somewhere they needed to be and couldn't spare the five minutes to rest. I believe that many people have a hard time laying on their mats with their thoughts. Either they feel they can't quiet their minds, or maybe they feel guilty about doing nothing for five minutes, I don't know.

So, yogis- first and foremost I ask that you please allow yourself to enjoy savasana. If you are one who feels guilty for relaxing, or have a hard time quieting your mind, then I assure you: You need savasana! And you deserve it! If that's not possible (you have to get your kids on the bus, get to work, etc.), please, please please please times a million, exit the room as quietly as you can before everyone else starts to relax. You owe that to your fellow yogis.

Namaste,
Tami

be grateful

Tonight, I am taking time to be grateful. I am grateful for a healthy family, amazing, supportive and inspiring friends, and for everything my body allows me to do every day. I've struggled with some weird hip issues for a few years now. I'll spare you the details, but when the issue shows its ugly face, things get pretty hard for me. Not only does this hinder my yoga practice, but it makes simple things like walking to the store or sitting on the couch a painful endeavor. I've seen a few doctors about it, and I've been to the chiropractor, and any solution I've gotten so far has ended up being very temporary. Today I found myself a bit down about the problem. I am only in my twenties, why is this happening to me? What am I doing to trigger the pain? Is there anything I could be doing differently? I don't know the answer to any of these questions, but I do know this: I can walk. I can feed, bathe and clothe myself. For those things alone, I should be thankful. Sometimes, it's hard to look at things from that perspective, but in all reality, we have to.

My grandmother died almost three years ago at the age of 71. When she passed, I felt an immediate sense of calm and peace because for nearly ten years before I watched her suffer. It seemed like one day she was healthy, and the next she was having a hard time walking. From there, her steps turned into shuffling and from there, she was no longer able to walk. Her speech began to slur and eventually she wasn't able to eat or drink. She had lost control over every single muscle in her body, but her mind was still perfectly intact. It was excruciatingly difficult to watch. She was a beautiful soul trapped inside of a body that was falling apart, and there was nothing any of us could do for her. I don't talk about her much, but I do think of her a lot, oftentimes when I am practicing yoga.

At the end of almost every class I teach, I remind everyone to be thankful for all of the amazing things their bodies allowed them to do during class. I want to remind you all now that doing "amazing things" doesn't have mean we're balancing on our arms or standing on our heads, but rather being able to do the more simple things. Standing in tadasna while we taking a deep cleansing inhale, or reaching our arms overhead while standing in warrior one are perfect examples of amazing things! There are people in this world of all shapes, sizes, colors and ages who would give anything to be able to throw down a mat and strike a pose, and we should all (myself included!) feel so lucky and blessed to be able to do the things we can do, no matter how big or small.

Namaste,
Tami