Adore Bullock: Yoga Journal Blog

     In my practice space, yoga is used as a form of meditation. Since practicing yoga is how I escape, tuning to the meditative aspect of it is what makes me feel centered and rejuvenated. Although I meditate through yoga and do not meditate alone, I eventually wish to develop this ability. For now, I would like to focus on gaining more yoga experience. Once my yogic abilities are adequate, I can further my education of meditation to add a meditative portion to the end of each yoga session.      However, I currently practice meditation by way of yoga. This consists of obtaining a sense of mindfulness. I try my best to keep my mind from wandering and solely focus on my body and the task it is performing. I keep particular things in mind, like my proprioception and my senses, such as the carpet under my feet while standing in my practice space (bedroom). Additionally, the patterns of breathing that take place during my yoga practices play a role in upkeeping...

     This week we did not practice yoga as a class. Instead I decided to get my session in before our class time. I turned to YouTube for a thorough, yet beginner friendly online session. The video I chose came from the channel Yoga with Adriene and is titled "Yoga to get the juices flowing- Morning Yoga". I have done yoga before bed on multiple occasions. I wanted to try yoga first thing in the morning to judge the potential difference in the quality of my day.      To begin, Adriene guides us through a stretch sequence. The sequence was so much more satisfying than the typical big stretch that I experienced when I first hop out of bed.  From this point, I felt mentally grounded and bodily prepared. My body felt as though it was now awake and ready "to get the juices flowing". Her constant big breaths were followed by ones of my own, as hers were a reminder to me. Although I tend to be forgetful of my breaths, it is the most transformative part of the...

     Today's yoga session was instructed by Jen Kretzer, who held a shivananda practice. I was relieved that she practiced along with us while simultaneously facilitating the class since I am a visual learner and perfectionist. Because of this, I was assured of my pose executions. This has been my first time practicing shivananda. I was introduced to new aspects of yoga such as pranayama techniques I had not known existed like the open/close nostril breathing. Now that I have experienced shivananda, I can confidently say that it is my favorite so far. I'm not sure if it was this form of yoga itself or the instruction of Jen or both, but I was totally engaged in the session. I am interested in taking another shivananda class to further explore my new found preference.        I enjoyed how the sequence in which we practiced was cohesive. Jen began pranayama techniques, followed by a warm up. The feeling of easing into the practice made for a be...

The origin of yoga can no longer be identified in the West because of the non-traditional form of yoga that is now performed. Yoga began with the primary purpose of connecting to a higher power. Channeling that higher power through particular actions or lack thereof (austerities) were combined with mantras and rituals for yogis to serve as a vessel for the deity worshipped. Over time there has been a transition from this traditional culture, to counter culture, and now to pop culture.      Living in America,  I do not have to be apart of a yoga session to make observations on it. Yoga is present on various platforms. Entertainment through movies, commercials and television showcase yoga. When yoga is referenced in the media or used for advertisements, there is no sense of being informed. At this point Americans are expected to know about yoga. The way in which its popularity is displayed as a well known lifestyle, is responsible for this lack of information....

    Yoga is viewed by many as a healing ritual. Whether psychological or physiological or both, practicing yoga speaks to us in a way that relieves disparities in the body. Personally, my practice space contributes to the healing aspect of yoga starting with the sacredness of my bedroom. My room is my sanctuary where I feel safe to do and feel as I please, at any point in time, as long as I am there. To feel calm and comfortable is a good way to begin the process of healing. Here, I can be as quiet or noisy I'd like. While practicing yoga, my space has minimal sound, maybe nothing but a fan and the sound of the instructors voice. This way I am able to concentrate on my body and the instructions being given. Simply having the ability to concentrate is what kickstarts the process of my yogic healing.      During practice, the instructor reminds us of our breath and the way in which particular postures are aiding in the healing process. They refer to this...

     This week we had Iyengar and Ashtanga yoga practices. I enjoyed the opportunity to get moving around more than usual during class time. So far I have taken a liking to Iyengar sequences oppose to Ashtanga. The movements are more in sync with my current bodily ability so I tend to feel comfortable and capable. Our instructors for this week, Amita and David taught Iyengar and ashtanga with their own personal knowledge, experience and style, which set the two practices apart.      While practicing Iyengar with Amita, she demonstrated each and every posture. Every movement was broken down verbally and physically to ensure execution from us, students. This is something I appreciated since I am fairly new to yoga, and she taught the class as such. Her postures made me feel grounded and relaxed, as she remined us to plant our feet on all for corners, whether for balance or reset position. I used that as a basis to stay on track without wobbling or forget...

     In the article by Nevrin, he describes a ritual as something that directs the practioners focus toward the phenomenality of the body. Doing so targets the "sensorium of the participant". A ritual, in this form, changes the natural attitudes of the human body. Through everyday postures, gestures, movements, etc., different modalities of awareness intensifies the "bodily felt sense". These senses are differentiated from the ones experienced everyday.       Moreover, my practice can be analyzed as a ritual, according to Nervin because of the various ways that I move my body and the way that I feel those moves as go through my practice. Personally, I sometimes close my eyes during a posture to solely use muscle memory. This tends to help with the execution of my postures, as newbie. Rearing my focus to my body ensures that my concentration stays within, rather than wonder off, as what takes place when I try to focus my gaze st...