Su's spiritual name

I've been very excited to receive my spiritual name and today, I learned that my name is Santosh Kaur. (pronounced as sun torsch). It means Princess of Peace and Harmony. hhmmm, time to reflect on my true self.

Yoga Music

www.spiritvoyage.com

... can we add more please to the blog as a ref?

Wahe Guru

Well, the Kundalini module is over and we survived. Although hard on our arms, legs and brains, it was loads of fun. Su looks absolutely beautiful in a turban! We found out that Erin fancy frogs (hehhe!) and Tony couldn't WAIT to use the gong... =) For myself, I'm all into the Kundlini music now!

Su & Erin's turn teaching at GIS

Little Chefs part 2

I'm so proud of our little chefs! All their oatmeal looked yummy.

Yoga for Cats

Tadasana by Hannah Emily ("Hemily") Susannah Elizabeth Mary-Jane Christina Perry as instructed (and adjusted) by Georgina Jean Perry

Yogic Lifestyle Class

Little yogi chefs and their efforts (led by Joanna and Tony)

What Tony did today

IS SOMETHING BURNING, SIR?

Intelligent vinyasa

Was it all fun and games for us to learn how to design a vinyasa today?
YES! It should be and it was.
Thanks Erin, Su and Tony for your creative ways of guiding us all through the stack of cards and put a smile on our faces!!

Also, best of luck to Erin and Su on tomorrow's teaching Healthy Lifestyle. Go give them!

The new Marjaryasana?

Or is this cat only tired? (This is how I feel today.)

But tomorrow something new will be cooking: JK's oats for breakfast!! (I'll try to remember to take a picture of the result... we're practicing for Wednesday's cooking class with the kids)

Light stretches

This time, modelled by Su, instead of our in-house Mr Flexi. (what is the Sanskrit name?)

And for fans of Mr Flexi, here's one of him: (what is the Sanskrit name?)

Bikram yoga

I've been researching on the net for Bikram poses, illustrated with instructions, and haven't had much luck. This link was the best i could find.
Does anyone have anything better?

http://www.yoga-108.net/bikram_postures.htm

TIMETABLE

Is this what the next few days are looking like?

Saturday 20th Sept
Full day, 9.30am to 5.30pm
Sutra and Anatomy! (your favourites!)
We've got to help Erin and Su plan their Monday class at GIS

Sunday 21st Sept
What is happening today? Are you all abandoning me for Gary's Restorative class?

Monday 22nd Sept
Erin and Su teaching at GIS. Tony, Joanna, are you helping out?

OUTSTANDING THINGS
Joanna and Tony - do your 'How am I breathing?' practice
Erin and Su - I need one session with you both to do Pranayama
All - Satsang topics
All - Class critique
All - Teaching the 28 postures

Then we are square.

The Lion breath

Pranayama is wonderful! And it gets my cat Gert to give me the strangest stare whenever I practise the lion breath (my throat is hurting and I though it might help to do this technique - it's acutally relieving the pain anyway!).
Is it the call from the wilderness the cat that makes him run to me every time I do a lion breath?
Is it because he thinks that his mum-cat is choking on herself?
Or is it just because it must be the funniest thing to look at?!!

WHATasana

I must be missing Tony and Joanna, because this is the first time in ages I have not seen them for more than two days! Yes, I see these two almost everyday. So here's one more posting from me.





Anyway, here's how to do the WHATasana, coined by Joanna Kraft (copyrighted asana? as modelled by Georgina Perry):





Sit in Baddha Konasana (because you need to be comfortable for long periods in this pose)


Put your right hand in Gyana mudra (the wisdom hand seal)


Arrange your left antebranchial and branchial parts into a "Dunno" posture, with shoulder hunched up and a goofy expression on your face


The drishti or gazing point is at your other coursemates, in the hope that they can provide you with the answer ....!

Tony & Joanna's Class

Teaching yogic lifestyle through food technology. Good job, you two!

For Su and Erin

In answer to Su's question, my daughter's Jewel Salad might be a good idea for your class

Yogi food

Tony, Joanna, this is what your students have to make next week ;-)

Evaluation for Practicum

Under the USA Yoga Alliance requirements, trainee teachers have to devote 30 hours to Yoga Philosophy, Ethics & Lifestyle and 25 hours to Teaching Methodology. http://www.yogaalliance.com/PDF/untitled/YA_200hrStandards.pdf

Here's Tony Wong and Joanna Kraft's Evaluation based on the class they taught 17 twelve year old students on Yoga Technology/Food Technology (introducing yoga lifestyle through food):

Observations

Very good starter with the ‘under stool’ game, always good to have a different start that focuses the students at the beginning.

When giving out a handout, such as the questionnaire it is better to explain a little about why, what for, rather than give it out and let them find out by reading it.

The tasting session was a good way to break up the tasks and engaged the students in an enjoyable activity. This is true of the overall plan, which has lots of activity and different tasks/elements, always good for pace.

Board skills are important, particularly the writing, which must be clear and easy to read from the back. Both of you could improve this.

Oratory skills were very good with Joanne, and reasonable with Tony. Projection of the voice could be improved in Tony’s case, which comes with confidence and practice. Slowing down and sounding the words in a more lucid way would help. This is important for any class whether school or an adult audience.

If the layout of a room does not suit then don’t be afraid to change it i.e. the back bench were sometime a bit out of the discussion, so they could be moved to squeeze in a bit at the front during discussions and return for written tasks.

Watch out for students chatting over you-----not normally a problem with adults, but with child audiences they need reminding now and again and if not checked the situation deteriorates.

Pauses between parts of the lesson are noticeable, try for a smooth transition between one section and another.

When we spoke about groups, they immediately started talking (about the subject, which is good), but again you were trying to speak to them and the noise was rising. So, although you do not want to curtail their enthusiasm there is a need to maintain control. So getting them to listen to you and then have time to chat about the work is fine. A noiseless classroom is terribly boring, students should be heard and allowed to communicate with each other about the work, but in a controlled way.

The plate activity was another interesting task, which worked well. Tasks that involve the students doing are the best and keep them engaged and probably learning more than when the teacher talks at the class. The more of this you can put into a lesson the better.

Generally a very good effort and successful lesson, considering this was your first with school children in a formal setting. Please don’t read the above comments as negative, but something to consider and help improve your practice as a teacher in whatever setting. Indeed teaching children is a way of improving technique at all levels, because we cannot rely on the natural tolerance and politeness of adults---------a lesson many University lecturers would do well to learn.

PS from me: It is an independent evaluation from someone who is very experienced in training teachers on a Bachelor of Education course in the UK, so I am very pleased! Erin, Su....you next. You have to do the same group twice (one week theory, the second week practice) so you can either do 2 or 4 sessions at the school. Joanna and Tony, you might want to consider repeating the whole process with another group to perfect your already very good class!

All that sanas and GIS food tech

My 1st entry!

Word of the day : Pascimottanasana :)

We rep up the 9 postures and I have to say that it was totally beneficial and I learnt more about postures recently than I have for all my on and off practise for 3 years. I am still overwhelmed by all the Sanskrit words (except PASCIMOTTANASANA :P) But like JK said, soon it will all come easily for us.

We are assigned to teach Food Tech at Garden International. Joanna and Tony started the class today and they did a good job! The kids were involved in the lessons and interactive. Next week will be Su and my turn.

JK, just wondering if we are to teach 2 groups (meaning 4 lessons) or 1 group (2 lessons) at GIS?

TheWHATasana

Sorry JK for us being so lousy at sanskrit postures!! But from this day on I think we ALL know what paschimottanasana means. (Also thank you Indra for the extra sanskrit class you gave us!)

Here are a few light stretches for the rest of us to practise AND their sanskrit words:
Trikonasana (or at least the set-up for it! Good work class - I think we can do this one by now!)
Garbha Pindasana
Baddha Padmasana
Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana

Ye Gods!

PASCIMOTTANASANA!!!

Ye Gods, I have never seen such collective blank expressions!!! Maybe some Raja Yoga will help......

Raja yoga

"Lady on the phone:
-Who are you?

Me:
- Eh, I'm Joanna from Finland. I live in KL...

Lady (interrupts):
- Is that how you tell people you are?! Who are you?

Me:
- Ehh, now I don't really understand, what do you mean with who am I...

Lady:
- WHO are you?

Me:
- ....(silence)....

Lady:
- You don't know?

Me:
- Well...eh...*feeling stupid*

Lady:
- Who you are, that is what we are finding out here at Brahma Kumaris! So you are welcome to join us for this seven day course. We start every Monday at 7.30pm."

Fellow ttcs! Perhaps it's time for us to go and visit the Brahma Kumaris and get the answers to our questions soon? They want us to do the 7-day course that runs every Monday to Sunday at 7.30pm. We don't have to do the course seven days in a row, but we do have to go to the classes consecutively (If I understood the lady on the phone correctly).

How about coming Monday (22/9)?

TT Schedule for the next week

OK, troops, here are the dates (if you all want to be as superflexble as Tony):

FRIDAY 12 SEPT
See you after lunch
We will be finishing off the 9 classical postures (applying the three different parameters for dissection)

SAT 13 SEPT (halfday, am only)
Finishing off 9 classical postures
Starting either pranayama or meditation

SUNDAY 14 SEPT
Sun Salutations
Pranayama or meditation
Sutra
Discussion of yoga lifestyle


WED 17 SEPT
Philosophy/Sutra
Teaching Methodology


TEACHING METHODOLOGY/LIFESTYLE PRACTICE
Weds 17 Sept (1.00pm - 2.20pm)
Weds 24 Sept (1.00pm - 2.20pm)

Mon 22 Sept (9.45am - 11am)
Mon 29 Sept (9.45am - 11am)

Mastermind

Is it magic or did Tony just get superflexible in a minute?

In yesterday's class, JK used this example to show how yoga is about connecting mind, body and soul.

In his first attempt to do a forward bend, JK asked Tony to simply do a forward bend and try to reach his head between his knees. His attempt ended in a halfway down forward bend.

In Tony's second attempt, JK spent roughly a minute with Tony visualizing the forward bend - to ground the head, to lift the pelvis to the sky, breathing, relaxing. And voilá! Look at Tony's beautiful forward bend! It seems so effortless.

Sutra chanting tomorrow!

I caught up with Sam, Lizzie and Nelly from my first ever TTC batch in KL (all these years, and we are still stuck on each other - must be love-hate relationship between teacher and her First, Fun but Frustrating students!). Well, after the pain she gave me when she was training - she tried to duck out of Philosophy, Sutra, Sanskrit and Raja Yoga - Lizzie gave me two lumps of frozen salmon!!!!! Hmmm. Well, I can't be tooo nasty about Lizzie because my daughter thinks she is the best yoga teacher in the world, and several people had said that when she teaches, she is like moi (good or bad, I don't know).

As for Sam and Nelly, I think I should create a special job title for them: Expert Raja Yogis. They both are after all Higher Diploma level students (they are so dedicated!!) when it came to studying Raja Yoga with the Brahma Kumaris. Ahem!

But whatever, what means the most to me is that there is a lot of love between us. That is the most precious thing to me. Big sigh, I think I should drag these three back for refreshers!

Stooges in the Anatomy Dept

OK, you guys did a good job acting as my research assistants in the Anatomy Department - I was most impressed with the Chinese to French translation of Latin names (via Tony and Virginie).

Anyway, here's what we covered today, and your chance to win the coveted Mars Bar if you get the answer at the end right:

PELVIC GIRDLE
Innominate (coxal)/hip bone = ischium, ilium and pubis
Sacrum (+ coccyx – fused)
Also the ligaments binding these structures together and sacral iliac joints (X2) and symphysis pubis (X1)

Know the shape and construction of this “bowl” well, because it is the seat of our stability.

MUSCLE GROUPS OF THE LOWER EXTREMITIES that we looked at today
1. Short rotators
2. Abductors / Adductors
3. Hip flexors

Know the limb/trunk movements related to each group, and the muscles in each group.


QUESTION: The iliotibial tract (and tell me which group it belongs to, and why it is important to yogasana anatomy). Winner wins a Mars bar.

TTC goes UM

This is us outside the Anatomy department. And Tony got a thing for shoes in Erin's car.

We five teacher trainees and JK visited the University of Malaya today for a day of Anatomy. After some confusion and being lost, we finally found the right lab with many body parts to look at and marvel.

It was really useful to look at the muscles and bones hands on (we take no responsibility for any of the fake body parts falling apart) and do the 3D computer images for better understanding of where all the muscles fit into our wonderful bodies. Good class, good day - and veeery exhausting! At least my head is spinning with all the terms and systems. Time to do some pranayama and rest the mind for a bit. More learning awaits tomorrow.

UM Trip on Sept 8

Just a short note in case anyone missed out...

We, there are 5 as far as I know (DR.JK, Joanna, Erin, Virgine and I), will be going to UM on tomorrow (8/9) morning for our 4th class (on Anatomy or anything to do with anatomy or human body, hehe). We will gather at Sun Yoga KL on the day and leave at 9AM. Indra offered to lead the way if none of us are familiar with the actual direction to the distination. (Thanks Indra! Oh yeah, Indra and Erin have been busy these few days for the shala opening, the event just got over. I am touched while seeing them doing their very best living the value of Sun Yoga and spreading the spirit of Yoga. I witnessed it all!)

So guys, see you tomorrow. Cheers! :)

Open House

Today was Open House at SunYoga and all I can say is WOW!!! Biiiiiiiiig thanks to Indra and Erin for fixing up the place so nicely, taking care of us (although the chaos!) and to all the teachers contributing to making the open house day to a real success!

I have so far seen SunYoga as a quiet place to go to, but today: bwoooww! Lots of people - new and old faces, kids and parents, teachers and students. I brought my hubby there for his first yoga class ever and I think that he was quite impressed (not that he would ever say that loud). He's been pranayama-breathing all day (thanks for the exercises Moon!) and was completely excited by Matthew's Ashtanga class. I was proud to say that this is the place where I'm doing my ttc at. (And hey, I got myself the perfect guinea pig on the sofa as a bargain!)

Hope that you Tony enjoyed the rest of the classes today. Your house was pretty packed, wasn't it?! =) Looking forward to Anatomy class tomorrow so see you guys then.

Had a good exercise on my Integumentary System

Hey everyone! I have sent an invitation (on behalf of sunyogakl.blogspot.com) to all YTTs, to join the blog as a writer, so that we can login to the blog with our own Google account (instead of KA's email. Please sign up if you don't have one), and start blogging without the problem that forget to sign our name at the bottom before post.

Ops, I think I missed out Daniela, can someone send me her email?

Joanna, guess what, the advantage of whiteboard marker doesn't seem to apply to human surface. Anyway, I had a good srub, and managed to clean most of the marks on "anterior" surface. ("Posterior"? Well, my hand can only reach that far....)

Ha ha.

class starts tmrw at ....??

hi all those on TTC... i tried calling JK but she didn't answer nor replied my sms. and since i don't have any of your hp nos, i thought of dropping a line on the blog to ask ... what time does the class tmrw? i'm thinking it's 9.30am, but my memory fails me these days so i'm in hope that someone's still up and will reply! danke danke.

Who's Anatomy?

This is what we did today.

Tony, I really hope that you get all my crappy drawings scrubbed off your body!

This is a part of my journal for today:

"I am quite excited about this. Spoke to Tony in class while we were drawing anatomy outlines on his body (yes, we really did.) that I feel sort of nervous that I might somehow fail, being so unused to study after like 10 years of not studying. He said that he felt the same way too. However, it’s actually fun to sit in class, listening, taking notes, talking and discussing the issues and views that come up. JK is a good teacher and she gives good examples.

The morning part we spent talking about anatomy. I am a bit unsure whether or not to learn the Latin names, but am taking no stress about that at the moment. It will come to me. Daniela and Erin joined us for the afternoon session when we talked about different schools of Yoga and the philosophy behind Yoga. It was really interesting and I love the feeling when being able to connect one thing or idea to another; old knowledge to new. For example, it is now much more clear to me why I might have troubles sitting in a lotus position (well, at least the modified version so far)– weak back, wrong diet, stiffness. Once again; this journey is continuous and we all start off from different platforms. And that is good."

Hope you all have a wonderful Friday!

-Jo

Day 1

For a few of us the TTC already started, but today is officially our first day of the TTC with JK. Very exciting (and I am sure challenging) weekend lays ahead of us as we start Foundation 1 & 2.

Looking forward to walk this path with all of you!

-Jo

Here's more homework

Ahem! I got in! (This is JK, by the way). Thanks, KA for setting it up.

Forgot to add on one more piece of homework: Brahma Kumari. Here's where you go to to find out more: http://www.bkwsu.com/my/whereweare/center

Hey, this is useful!

See you all tomorrow (except Su).

New friends....I hope!

Sat Nam. This is Katya Akermann. Because of my legendary German efficiency, I have landed with the unenviable task of co-ordinating the USA Yoga Alliance Registered 200 Hours Teacher Training Program. Trying to bring some semblance of order in JK's life (and get her to teach what she is supposed to) requires superhuman effort (please just call me Superwoman). She has turned away three students at the last minute, and invited someone to join, who is not interested in 200 hours. Don't ask me how her mind works. Something are best left alone.

The fortunate thing is, JK is very very positive about this group. There will be five, and I will get JK to introduce them to you later in her own words - for now, we will refer to the five as YTTs.

It is 8pm, and the group has just finished their first lesson. JK called to ask me to set up the blog, because looks like this mob has a lot to say. They will be working in pairs and threes. The topics covered tonight are:

1. Satsang and Kirtan - starting the preparation now
2. Journaling
3. Philosophy
4. Intro to Sanskrit
5. The Eightfold Path
6. History
7. The ancient yoga books
8. Meaning of the word 'yoga' (translation vs tranliteration)

Assignments
1. Critique
2. Read assigned books
3. You interpretation of the concepts

Esther - you will be starting at 9am on Friday.
YTTs - all 9.30am.

Start blogging, YTTs. The password is in your email.

PS. Tony, who is one of the YTTs, have moved into the shala for the duration of the training, so Tony, have a good night sleep - you're going to need it!!!!