"There is something so special in the early leaves drifting from the trees–as if we are all to be allowed a chance to peel, to refresh, to start again." – Ruth Ahmed  There's something about the Fall season that feels refreshing and renewing, a time to completely reinvent yourself and create healthier habits. Many use the onset of Fall as a way to buckle down, get organized, and increase productivity in a means to prepare for what can be a hectic holiday season.
Especially with the holidays right around the corner, it becomes much more difficult to maintain the healthy habits you may have set, whether they are related to health, productivity, or organization. Preparing a more balanced schedule as 'we yoga into fall season’ -- the practice is essential than ever before as we try to harmonize our body with the season’s natural rhythm and the physiological effects of the shorter days and longer nights. Sure, it is comforting to huddle under the blanket and grab a cup of tea but surely, we all need some energizing and uplifting postures to help us get out of our sluggishness and fatigue and sustain a productive and healthy lifestyle. YOGA AT OHHHMMM VIRTUAL SCHEDULE: MONDAY: 9/26/2022
*ALL CLASSES EST *SESSIONS 45/60 MINUTES *WAIVER STATEMENT: I understand that I must be in good physical health to participate in these classes, that my participation may cause an injury and that I should consult with my physician before I take a class. I am taking these classes at my own risk. I waive any claim for personal injury and any other damages that I may have against the school, studio and/or the teachers who are offering these classes. RATES:(when submitting payment, in note section state email for delivery of services)
PAYMENT: VENMO -- @Vicyasa Paypal -- Victor@YogawithVictor.com NAMASTE, Victor Cotto www.YogaWithVictor.com Instagram: CottoVic Facebook: Yoga With Victor - Vicyasa™
0 Comments
“I visited many places,  We're back for LIVE classes on Tuesday, 9-20-2022! Early AM sessions... get ready! Giveaways; lululemon gifts, class prizes to monthly and weekly subscribers... I got you! Ready for some empowering yoga? LETS GO!
YOGA AT OHHHMMM VIRTUAL SCHEDULE: MONDAY: 9/19/2022 NO CLASSES TUESDAY: 9/20/2022
*ALL CLASSES EST *SESSIONS 45/60 MINUTES *WAIVER STATEMENT: I understand that I must be in good physical health to participate in these classes, that my participation may cause an injury and that I should consult with my physician before I take a class. I am taking these classes at my own risk. I waive any claim for personal injury and any other damages that I may have against the school, studio and/or the teachers who are offering these classes. RATES:(when submitting payment, in note section state email for delivery of services)
PAYMENT: VENMO -- @Vicyasa Paypal -- Victor@YogawithVictor.com NAMASTE, Victor Cotto www.YogaWithVictor.com Instagram: CottoVic Facebook: Yoga With Victor - Vicyasa™ “A sincere attitude of gratitude is a beatitude for secured altitudes. Appreciate what you have been given and you will be promoted higher.”  From physical, to mental, to emotional well being, the ancient practice of Yoga has contributed to the overall wellness of human life. Every time we feel like we are losing our grip on our physical or emotional health, yoga can come to the rescue and inspire us in different ways. There is no doubt that yoga is one of the finest paths to remain happy and refreshed in life. Another is... visiting new worlds and a time out from the madness that is our world.
I'll be on leave until September 20 to replenish, rejuvenate and reintegrate. While I'm away searching greater heights [literally... I'll be in Peru], on-demand will be available daily for unlimited subscribers - classes will be accessible daily for you to move and get your sweaty practice at any time. YOGA AT OHHHMMM VIRTUAL SCHEDULE: MONDAY: 9/5/2022 (Labor Day)
NO CLASSES SATURDAY: 9/10/2022 NO CLASSES SUNDAY: 9/11/2022 NO CLASSES (We'll be back for LIVE classes on 9/20/2022 [Tuesday] for a 6:30am session. A newsletter will be sent to inform you of the full schedule for 9/19 - 9/25.) *ALL CLASSES EST *SESSIONS 45/60 MINUTES *WAIVER STATEMENT: I understand that I must be in good physical health to participate in these classes, that my participation may cause an injury and that I should consult with my physician before I take a class. I am taking these classes at my own risk. I waive any claim for personal injury and any other damages that I may have against the school, studio and/or the teachers who are offering these classes. RATES:(when submitting payment, in note section state email for delivery of services)
PAYMENT: VENMO -- @Vicyasa Paypal -- Victor@YogawithVictor.com NAMASTE, Victor Cotto www.YogaWithVictor.com Instagram: CottoVic Facebook: Yoga With Victor - Vicyasa™ “She enjoys rain for its wetness, winter for its cold, summer for its heat. She loves rainbows as much for fading as for their brilliance. It is easy for her, she opens her heart and accepts everything.” ― Morgan Llywelyn  If you have a least favorite season -- and the ebbing and flowing of Summer to Fall is a tough one for you -- the practice of non-attachment is often key to finding balance and stability in life.
Whether you have a unfavorable winter outlook, like me, or you can't stand the thought of sweaty, humid beach days in the summer, practicing yoga as the seasons change will help you find your center and establish a peace of mind when it feels like time is slipping too quickly through your fingertips. Your body is tough enough to naturally adapt to any changes in the conditions around you, but a few rooting, centering asanas will make the process easier and allow you to let go of any resistance you may have so you can stay grounded and content through changes. Here are some yoga poses that will help you ground through the inner and outer changes that each season fluctuation presents: MOUNTAIN POSE (TADASANA) Steady, strong, and unshakable. Take time to exhale into this shape, ground securely and allow the growth and rooting at the base to keep you tall and proud. Make sure to pay attention to any shoulder rounding and avoid any lower back collapse. WARRIOR II (VIRABHADRASANA II) Planting both feet firmly into the ground will remind you to stay still and rooted as you breathe through this strengthening and lengthening posture. Keep your body strong, yet soft, finding the balance between power and gentleness, and using this bodily awareness to accept change with open arms. GODDESS POSE (UTKATA KONASANA) This asana will stretch and create room in your pelvis, so try visualizing this part of your body as an anchor, staying stable as change swirls in the air around you. Inhale, and root your feet into the earth. Exhale, and settle more deeply into the pose. EASY POSE (SUKHASANA) Just sitting comfortably might seem like the easiest thing in the world, but sometimes the least intricate poses are the most effective and powerful when it comes to staying grounded and centered. Try placing one hand on your heart, and keep the fingertips of your other hand tented on the ground. This will help stabilize you both physically and emotionally. YOGA AT OHHHMMM VIRTUAL SCHEDULE: MONDAY: 8/29/2022
*ALL CLASSES EST *SESSIONS 45/60 MINUTES *WAIVER STATEMENT: I understand that I must be in good physical health to participate in these classes, that my participation may cause an injury and that I should consult with my physician before I take a class. I am taking these classes at my own risk. I waive any claim for personal injury and any other damages that I may have against the school, studio and/or the teachers who are offering these classes. RATES:(when submitting payment, in note section state email for delivery of services)
PAYMENT: VENMO -- @Vicyasa Paypal -- Victor@YogawithVictor.com NAMASTE, Victor Cotto www.YogaWithVictor.com Instagram: CottoVic Facebook: Yoga With Victor - Vicyasa™ “Awareness is like the sun. When it shines on things, they are transformed.” -- Thich Nhat Hanh  Awareness is one of the hidden gems of yoga. Through hours of stillness and listening we reveal the bad habits in our body (e.g. poor posture, quality/efficiency of movement) and in our mind (e.g. overwhelming and constant flood of thoughts and emotions).
I have seen people in my classes change in various ways. For many, yoga opens the door to other positive lifestyle changes simply through greater awareness. People new to yoga often start off very disconnected from their body. Simple instructions such as “put your left foot on the mat and lift your right foot” may be challenging. In time, the dialogue between mind and body becomes more dynamic. Students begin making observations and connections, figuring things out themselves. Teachers provide a safe space - literal and figurative - and offer dynamic, clear and concise instructions for the integration of body and mind. On some levels, teaching yoga is the easiest thing... We are students first and foremost. I always continue to learn from my students and evolve and develop as a yoga teacher. Our ego gets the best of us, and yoga can become a contest to see who is the most flexible and the strongest. Gaining flexibility beyond what we need for our daily activities does not make us healthier or happier. In fact, through awareness, we realize what is a healthy stretch for our muscles and how not to take our joints to a point of irritation. That safe range and exploration with love and kindness is the yoga kicking in. YOGA AT OHHHMMM VIRTUAL SCHEDULE: MONDAY: 8/22/2022
*ALL CLASSES EST *SESSIONS 45/60 MINUTES *WAIVER STATEMENT: I understand that I must be in good physical health to participate in these classes, that my participation may cause an injury and that I should consult with my physician before I take a class. I am taking these classes at my own risk. I waive any claim for personal injury and any other damages that I may have against the school, studio and/or the teachers who are offering these classes. RATES:(when submitting payment, in note section state email for delivery of services)
PAYMENT: VENMO -- @Vicyasa Paypal -- Victor@YogawithVictor.com NAMASTE, Victor Cotto www.YogaWithVictor.com Instagram: CottoVic Facebook: Yoga With Victor - Vicyasa™ “When bored of sitting, move! When bored of moving, sit! Balance your life or there will remain neither moving nor sitting in your life but only falling!”  Hello Yogi! How are you? No really -- how are you?
It's the Summer, and in August, we tend to start looking at the Summer that. was and the September that is around the corner rather than being in the moment. There is a lot going on in the world right now, it's been oppressively hot in many parts of the world, many of you I have not been in contact with as much lately and many times, we take on so much on our plate; we dig through rubble, broker world peace, find cures and try to repair everything. And yet we are mere humans – each with our own joys, sorrows, celebrations and struggles. Each with our own limitations. So, what do we do in the midst of all of this? Sit with it. Yes, really. Find a quiet place to sit and ask yourself, "how am I?" Allow yourself to observe your answer. Gently resist the urge to react to what you find. Resist the urge to fix, to push away, to judge and to predict. Simply be with what you notice and breathe. Even if only for a few minutes every day. Give yourself a break from its superhuman tendencies. Give your nervous system time to release, reset, relax and recharge. These precious moments of quietude can help us gain clarity on how to best use our time, energy and resources. It is only after we nurture ourselves that we can truly be of service to those in need. YOGA AT OHHHMMM VIRTUAL SCHEDULE: MONDAY: 8/15/2022
*ALL CLASSES EST *SESSIONS 45/60 MINUTES *WAIVER STATEMENT: I understand that I must be in good physical health to participate in these classes, that my participation may cause an injury and that I should consult with my physician before I take a class. I am taking these classes at my own risk. I waive any claim for personal injury and any other damages that I may have against the school, studio and/or the teachers who are offering these classes. RATES:(when submitting payment, in note section state email for delivery of services)
PAYMENT: VENMO -- @Vicyasa Paypal -- Victor@YogawithVictor.com NAMASTE, Victor Cotto www.YogaWithVictor.com Instagram: CottoVic Facebook: Yoga With Victor - Vicyasa™ “When you reach for the stars, you are reaching for the farthest thing out there. When you reach deep into yourself, it is the same thing, but in the opposite direction. If you reach in both directions, you will have spanned the universe.” ― Vera Nazarian  Where our eyes are directed, our attention potentially follows. When we get caught up in the outer appearance of ourselves, our poses, another practitioner or a wavering distraction in class, our prana (ascending life force - vitality) flows out of us. When the eyes wander, it creates distractions that lead us further away from our yoga (union). Control and focus of the attention are fundamental principles of asana yoga practice. When we control and direct the focus, first of the eyes and then of the attention, we are using the yogic technique called Drishti.
Sight is one of our primary senses. Half of the human brain is directly or indirectly devoted to processing visual information. Images provide the foundation of our worldly understanding. Naturally, sight is a significant part of our physical yoga practice. Today – and in your next classes – we invite you to examine and play with it. In yoga, Drishti is the “focused gaze”. It is a tool used to develop concentration in our practice. Similar to our Ujjayi breath, practicing Drishti helps you reclaim control of the distracted mind through sight. The tip of your nose in poses like upward facing dog (Nasagrai Drishti), your navel in downward facing dog (Nabi Chakra Drishti), your hands in trikonasana (Hastagrai Drishti), your toes in forward folds (Padayoragrai Drishti) are just areas of emphasis to focus to refine your yoga practice. Start noticing where your eyes wander in class. What impact does it have on the structure of the pose and creating habits that prevent you from developing in your shapes? If you bend your neck to watch your feet as you come down into Chaturanga Dandasana (Low Plank), you’re preventing your whole spine from straightening. In seated twist, you might feel as though fixing your gaze on the opposite wall deepens the pose. Try shutting your eyes and imagining the turn of your spine instead. With eyes shut or unfocused, your brain must build its perception of the outside world using other senses. Suddenly, your whole body is required to deliver sensory information. Drishti is a powerful tool to develop your physical practice into a truly mindful experience. It delivers us away from cogitation, creating a true moving meditation. YOGA AT OHHHMMM VIRTUAL SCHEDULE: MONDAY: 8/8/2022
*ALL CLASSES EST *SESSIONS 45/60 MINUTES *WAIVER STATEMENT: I understand that I must be in good physical health to participate in these classes, that my participation may cause an injury and that I should consult with my physician before I take a class. I am taking these classes at my own risk. I waive any claim for personal injury and any other damages that I may have against the school, studio and/or the teachers who are offering these classes. RATES:(when submitting payment, in note section state email for delivery of services)
PAYMENT: VENMO -- @Vicyasa Paypal -- Victor@YogawithVictor.com NAMASTE, Victor Cotto www.YogaWithVictor.com Instagram: CottoVic Facebook: Yoga With Victor - Vicyasa™ “The body benefits from movement, and the mind benefits from stillness.”  Throughout the day, we breathe predominantly through one nostril or the other. This is a natural operation called the “nasal cycle,” wherein our nostrils alternate being more congested. For example, when the left nostril is more congested, we breathe more through the right nostril, i.e., the right nostril is “dominant” during that period.
Scientists have discovered that when your right nostril is dominant, the EEG (recording of brain activity) is greater in the left cerebral hemisphere [each hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body], and when the nostril dominance switches, so does the activity of the brain hemisphere. The cooperation between the right and left brain is essential for us to learn better, function more intelligently, and become proficient in anything. Whatever it is you are engaged in—reading, writing, music, art, yoga—each hemisphere has something important to contribute for you to have access to both technique and inspiration. We balance breathing in yoga and find stability through our pranayama (control of the breath). Therefore moving the body & controlling the breath will facilitate brain integration. So check in with yourself during our practice and either slow down or check in whether the pranayama is working with the asana to create a higher level of operation. In order to live a balanced, creative, integrated life, filled with connected relationships, it’s crucial that our two hemispheres of our brain work together. And facilitating that in yoga can lead to greater level of functioning throughout the day. YOGA IN THE PARK... Make sure to check your inbox for registration emails to our wildly popular outdoor sessions in NYC. Unlimited package subscribers pay only $12 per class. Let's flow under the sun and enjoy the summer weather on our mats. (Location: LONG ISLAND CITY, Hunter's Point Park South & Central Park, NYC) YOGA AT OHHHMMM VIRTUAL SCHEDULE: MONDAY: 8/1/2022
*ALL CLASSES EST *SESSIONS 45/60 MINUTES *WAIVER STATEMENT: I understand that I must be in good physical health to participate in these classes, that my participation may cause an injury and that I should consult with my physician before I take a class. I am taking these classes at my own risk. I waive any claim for personal injury and any other damages that I may have against the school, studio and/or the teachers who are offering these classes. RATES:(when submitting payment, in note section state email for delivery of services)
PAYMENT: VENMO -- @Vicyasa Paypal -- Victor@YogawithVictor.com NAMASTE, Victor Cotto www.YogaWithVictor.com Instagram: CottoVic Facebook: Yoga With Victor - Vicyasa™ "You can't remember your Yamas or Niyamas? It's simple... don't be an asshole!"  It's been a tough last couple of weeks, along with the oppressive heat waves, the turbulence that is life personally and the passing of my teacher Gopal Chandra.
Last week, he took his last breath and moved out his ravaged body. He was 40. Incredibly young, and even though I was older than he was, from the day I met him and throughout our relationship eventually growing into a student/guru bond, he always made me feel like he was the big brother I never had. During our last night of a teacher training he led that I was in, the entire group sat in an intimate circle and on that Sunday evening, I told him how I felt and he shared as well about our tight bond. We looked at each other... cried a lot and we said "I love you," to each other. That wasn't the first time we said those words. Years before, when I wasn't thinking about becoming a yoga teacher and while sitting patiently for a vinyasa class to start - in a room that only had a sprinkling of students - as the session was about to begin, Marko bursted in late and graciously pardoned himself for arriving tardy. With loads of space in the entire room, he made a path to me, placed his mat inches away from mine and said with a smirk, "I'm going to out-chaturanga the shit out of you." I was already mortified that a teacher I admired and enjoyed being around decided to share his space... and invade mine. HAHA. We practiced together. It was fun. Yeah... a lil' ego got into me and it may have become a performance. But at the end, when in legs up the wall pose and about to enter savasana Marko glanced at me and said, "I love you, dude." I reached out to one of Marko's teachers - Raghunath (Ray) Cappo - and let him know about the stories he shared with me about their time, and how our teacher training crew was always schooled on how Marko was always excited to be around "Raghu" as he would call him. In a message after his passing, Raghu said to me, "it was all auspicious when he left this world [it] was in great consciousness." Raghu spent days with Gopal Chandra prior to his departure from his physical form. Marko's classes were always fun. His storytelling was enchanting. The countless hours we spent singing, chanting, meditating and laughing together made me the teacher I am today. His style of teaching, his cadence, how he cued and how navigated all his students was a direct influence on me and many others. He described his class as, "a dynamic blend between a fierce, physical practice and a reverence for spirit, [with the space] infused with energy." Spot on. I honor his teachings by delivering his influence on me with my experiences to all of you. I love you all. Here are a few quotables from Gopal Chandra: > "Consistent practice over a very long period of time will eventually permit the body to bend and fold in all sorts of miraculous ways. If it’s worth it, it’s worth the work. And it won’t come easy. The Gods had to churn the ocean with a mountain to gain immortality! The only thing required of us is commitment to the process. The Nectar lies in the process not the pose. Yoga won’t make us immortal, but the physical and mental benefits of it are undeniable." > "Get on the mat. > Practice every day. > Transform the body, mind, consciousness. > Repeat." > "The most joyful things are so simple, so uncomplicated, so unconditional!" Here's the 'Wisdom of the Sages' podcast where Raghunath (Ray) Cappo interviews Gopal Chandra on June 9th - the topic: "Gopal Chandra discusses being diagnosed with terminal cancer, and the importance of forgiveness, compassion and love as he faces death" : CLICK HERE (YouTube) YOGA IN THE PARK... Make sure to check your inbox for registration emails to our wildly popular outdoor sessions in NYC. Unlimited package subscribers pay only $12 per class. Let's flow under the sun and enjoy the summer weather on our mats. (Location: LONG ISLAND CITY, Hunter's Point Park South & Central Park, NYC) YOGA AT OHHHMMM VIRTUAL SCHEDULE: MONDAY: 7/25/2022
*ALL CLASSES EST *SESSIONS 45/60 MINUTES *WAIVER STATEMENT: I understand that I must be in good physical health to participate in these classes, that my participation may cause an injury and that I should consult with my physician before I take a class. I am taking these classes at my own risk. I waive any claim for personal injury and any other damages that I may have against the school, studio and/or the teachers who are offering these classes. RATES:(when submitting payment, in note section state email for delivery of services)
PAYMENT: VENMO -- @Vicyasa Paypal -- Victor@YogawithVictor.com NAMASTE, Victor Cotto www.YogaWithVictor.com Instagram: CottoVic Facebook: Yoga With Victor - Vicyasa™ “What we choose to focus on and what we choose to ignore—plays in defining the quality of our life.” – Cal Newport  A lot of our unhappiness is not solely from the occurrences of our life, but from the story the mind tells you about those circumstances.
There are two parts to this cycle where negative thoughts can hinder us. The first is the actual event or happening; pain we experience here is due to external situations that we are unable to control [or avoid]. Getting sick, loss of loved ones, getting into conflicts, losing our job, experiencing grief etc. The second has to do with our reaction to the event; our thoughts. When we react negatively, blaming, shaming, aversion, getting angry and upset, we set off the suffering of the second part. It is our thoughts that make us re-live (and keep reliving) an experience that only ever happened once. Reduction of suffering (emotional and physical) and the increase in vitality and full life potential is inherent in the yoga philosophy. A yoga routine that incorporates meditation works on increasing one’s awareness of the present as opposed to resisting or attempting to avoid uncomfortable and negative thoughts. So even though we can’t control the circumstances, we can control how we respond to them. We can choose not to get stuck in a frenzy of unnecessary negative thoughts that have a detrimental effect on our mental and physical health, and direct that energy instead into growing our awareness. When we grow the power of awareness within ourselves, the mind begins to lose its ability to make us unhappy. Realize that certain thoughts are bad for you. Become still and start observing your thoughts. Direct your attention elsewhere. Withdraw consciousness away from worry and unnecessary mindsets. Thoughts cannot survive if you take attention and consciousness (their life stream) away from them. Create space for you to breathe and feel your aliveness. Remember that you are not the narrative of your mind. You are consciousness itself, the intelligence that pervades your body and holds it together. YOGA IN THE PARK... Make sure to check your inbox for registration emails to our wildly popular outdoor sessions in NYC. Unlimited package subscribers pay only $12 per class. Let's flow under the sun and enjoy the summer weather on our mats. (Location: LONG ISLAND CITY, Hunter's Point Park South & Central Park, NYC) YOGA AT OHHHMMM VIRTUAL SCHEDULE: MONDAY: 7/18/2022
*ALL CLASSES EST *SESSIONS 45/60 MINUTES *WAIVER STATEMENT: I understand that I must be in good physical health to participate in these classes, that my participation may cause an injury and that I should consult with my physician before I take a class. I am taking these classes at my own risk. I waive any claim for personal injury and any other damages that I may have against the school, studio and/or the teachers who are offering these classes. RATES:(when submitting payment, in note section state email for delivery of services)
PAYMENT: VENMO -- @Vicyasa Paypal -- Victor@YogawithVictor.com NAMASTE, Victor Cotto www.YogaWithVictor.com Instagram: CottoVic Facebook: Yoga With Victor - Vicyasa™ |
AuthorIf I'm doing it, I'll be talking about it. Yoga chatter & more. Archives
September 2022
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed