Thursday, October 7, 2010

Workshop at Yoga Yoga SOUTH!

My Detox and Cleanse Workshop is at Yoga Yoga South on Sunday October 24th. There was some confusion about the location, so I want to clarify that the workshop will start at 2pm at Yoga Yoga South. It is also filling up fast, so register soon!! You can call Yoga Yoga at 512-326-3900 to sign up over the phone. Email me with any questions.

Thanks and Love!

SR

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Upcoming Detox and Cleanse Workshop

Mark your calenders for my Detox Workshop at Yoga Yoga South on October 24th! The workshops runs from 2-4:30pm, but do not worry, we will not spend the entire two and half hours sweating and working. The workshop begins with a breif explanantion of why cleansing and detoxing are important practices during this time of year. Following this introduction, we will have a vinyasa practice to build heat and sweat out toxins for about an hour and then cool down for pranayama and meditation. If you have any questions, please let me know. Otherwise, I plan to see you there!

You can sign up for the workshop online http://www.yogayoga.com/workshops/Oct10 or call 512-326-3900.

SR-

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Yoga for the Brain


It has been a couple of months since my last post. I have started taking classes to prepare for Physical Therapy school and my schedule gives me very little time for blogging. I promise to blog soon about Yoga for the Brain, which is the focus of my classes over the next few weeks. I hope to see you all in class!

SR

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Almost there!!!


Just 4 more days of Yoga yoga's 40 Day Challenge and I am feeling good. I did have slight set back with an injury, but I am feeling much better. Here is my journal entry for the week:

This past, week my practice took a turn after an injury on Tuesday evening. Usually, I have a challenging asana practice and a short pranayama session for my daily practice. However, Tuesday evening, after a great practice, I was getting up off of the floor and heard a distinct pop. My pubic symphysis had moved out of alignment. I have had problems in the past with this area of my body and after my chiropractor corrected the misalignment, I felt much better but my hips were very sore. The next morning, I began my practice again with gentle hip and leg stretches and continued to slowly open my hips by modifying postures: Downward Dog with bent knees, short stance Warrior I with hands on hips. I found that by softening my asana practice over the next few days, ease came back into my hips and the joint re-stabilized. I am gradually working more challenging postures back into my practice, using my breath and intuition as a guide to safely return to my usual asana practice.

SR

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Weekly update...this week's challenge

Day 27 of the 40 Day Yoga Challenge, and I have realized how self-critical I can be. I have always held myself to high standards and this motivation has served me well. However, lately I have noticed that my tendency toward perfection can cause unnecessary stress and self-judgment. I have even scorned myself for this self-judgment; clearly the habit runs deep. The origin of yoga is love for the self. Finding yourself and then loving all the components. My current challenge is trying to love even the over-critical part of myself, knowing that this love will soften it.

SR

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

The Halfway Point


Here is my weekly update for the 40 Day Challenge at Yoga Yoga. I am 20 days into the challenge and my daily yoga practice is becoming more of a routine. I am using this challenge to re-establish my daily yoga practice and plan to continue even after the 40 days are over.

Weekly Entry:

My favorite part of the 40 Day Challenge, and really the best part of my day, is just after I finish my daily yoga practice and step back into the current of everyday living. For the first hour I feel like I am floating, and my work, chores, and errands seem effortless. I am reborn, everything seems new and fresh. As the day progresses, the newness starts to wear off but there remains an undertone of clarity and calm. My least favorite part of this challenge is simply trying to find the time everyday to quietly practice for 30 minutes. On some days, it can almost be stressful trying to fit it in. Sometimes the day will just fly by and I will remember just before sleep that I need to practice. On these nights, restorative yoga carries me into sleep.

SR

Monday, April 12, 2010

Two weeks in and still afloat...


I am participating in the 40 Day Challenge at Yoga Yoga and have committed to practing yoga everyday for 40 days! I will be posting my journal blogs that I am writing for Yoga Yoga here on my blog as well. This is my journal blog for this past week:

This was a rough week at sea...or so it felt. I began to make excuses for why I could not practice on certain days and found it almost impossible to practice at home with all of the distractions. So, first, I made myself go to classes in studio where I could rely on a teacher to help guide my practice. It really helps to have someone holding you accountable for the commitment you make when you step on your mat. I would advise everyone participating in this 40 day challenge to find someone that you trust to hold you accountable for your personal commitment. And then just do it!

SR

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

World Theatre Day!!!

This post is not exactly yoga-related, but it is a head's up to a fun and free activity for the weekend. Saturday is World Theatre Day and my friend Rachel is organizing the events in Austin! There will be live theatre all over town, including the prepared food section at Whole Foods. To see a schedule of the day's events visit The Exchange Artists website, and click on SPECT-ACTOR Details and Schedule. I will be managing a performance at Auditorium Shores at 4pm and your presence would be a blessing. Hope to see you there!

SR

Monday, March 22, 2010

40 Day Challenge

Yoga Yoga is encouarging their students to commit to a 40 day yoga challenge, starting April 1. I have committed to resume my daily practice, practicing yoga for at least 30 miniutes a day. Whether in a public class or privatly at home, I will meet myself on my mat everyday and practice. Yoga Yoga has asked to follow the progress of my commitment with weekly updates. I will be posting the same weekly updates
here on my blog, so you can learn more about the benefits and challenges of a daily practice.
I hope you all had a great SXSW. There was not an active yoga scene during SXSW, which is why I never posted more classes. Now that it is over, it's time to settle back into the weekly routine. So, I hope to see you guys this week in class. Maybe even at the donation based Moon Salutations class I am teaching at Sacred Streams on Sunday 2:30-4pm:)
SR

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Ohhhhh, SXSW!

It's my favorite time of year! Spring and SXSW! I am currently researching yoga related events aroung town for this weeks festivities. Presently, I only know of this one event with yours truly:

Saturday 3/20 8-9am
FREE Sun Salutations Class with Sandi
Lululemon Athletica(6th & Lamar)

More on the way...

SR


Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Ode to the Moon



Moon Haiku

The moon enlightens
When we find her strength within,
Then compassion drives.

The Moon has long been a mysterious figure. She constantly fluctuates, changing each day to present a new shape each night. She moves throughout the sky and sometimes disappears completely. She embodies the nature of femininity, showing strength in flexibility and re-creation. In Vedic Astrology, the moon represents the feminine powers that drive our world and is believed to exist within all of us. All humans have a balance of feminine and masculine qualities. Some feminine qualities attributed to the moon are beauty, grace, flexibility, creativity, maternity, and compassion. We can find these qualities of the moon within ourselves and strengthen them by centering a practice around the moon.

For tools to access your inner Moon, I am teaching a Moon Salutations workshop on March 28th, in honor of the Full Moon on the 29th. This donation based class is at Sacred Streams from 2:30-4pm, with a donation recommendation of $15. For more info visit Sacred Streams Workshops.

If you cannot attend the workshop, there are other activities to heighten your moon awareness. Barton Springs hosts night swimming. The Austin Astronomical Society hosts Austin Under the Stars for moon and star gazing purposes. There are groups that practice moon bathing for themselves and their mattress beds for better slumber. Simply creating a haiku can access the Moon Goddess within you!

SR

Sunday, February 7, 2010

February: The Month of Looove



This month I am marking February as the month of love by planning every class as a Heart Centered practice. A Heart Centered practice focuses on the back bending series of postures: Locust Pose-Salabhasana, Bridge Pose-Setu Bandhasana, Camel Pose-Ustrasana, and so on. Back bends warm the body and uplift the soul. In the words of Donna Farhi,"With their emphasis on opening the heart, lungs, and chest, back bends exhilarate, bringing a sense of lightness and vitality that wards off even the most tenacious lethargy or depression." A Heart Centered practice during this cold and rainy month, will help keep your spirits lifted and your energy high.

There are also a number of February specials around town:

Sacred Streams is having a Share the Love special, so you can bring a friend to class with you for only $1 and introduce them to yoga!
Also, Lauren is teaching a Valentine's Day workshop for couples including yoga and partner massage:)

Yoga Yoga is offering a sweet spa package for your Valentine which includes a body treatment and facial for a low $149.00!

Bodhi Yoga is having a Thai Massage and Partner Yoga workshop with Gioconda on Saturday, Feb. 13th, if you cannot make Lauren's partner workshop on Sunday.

Links to the studios' websites are in the side bar for more information:)

I hope to see you all this month. Come and warm your heart!-SR

Wednesday, January 20, 2010


The earthquakes in Haiti are a world crisis and I am sure you are already contributing something to their relief, even if it is just your thoughts and intentions. This weekend there will be donation yoga classes around Austin, so you can dedicate your practice and some funds to aid Haiti. Yoga Yoga has an all levels class on Saturday evening from 7-9pm at their Westgate center, visit www.yogayoga.com/ for more information. Kula Yoga has a Yoga by Candlelight class (sounds delightful!!) on Sunday night at 6:30pm, visit www.austinkulayoga.com/ for more information. I hope you can find a way to contribute and help yoga to heal all!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Happy New Year!

I have not blogged in so long that I have embarrassed myself! So, I will do a quick catch up on my holiday adventures:

On December 19th I had an accident and totaled my truck, I was not physically injured but the trauma took a few days to recover from. I left for Florida the following Monday, the 21st, and had a wonderful visit with my family. My brother and I practiced yoga together every morning for about an hour. The practice with his company was truly therapeutic. I returned to Texas on Christmas Day to have dinner with Spencer's family in Weimar, TX. His grandparents have a beautiful, peaceful home that provides a meditative atmosphere. Finally, returned to Austin the day after Christmas and started to detox myself in preparation for the Holiday Detox Workshop...which was such a pleasure to teach. Thank you all who participated last weekend in the detox workshop and for those of you who missed it, it looks like we will have another detox on the spring!

Between vehicular trauma, drama, and travel, I found a quiet ease in allowing my life to unravel. Without resistance, I let things fall apart in good faith that they would reorder in a new formation that would benefit my life. And I have to say that in these first two weeks of the new year, I actually feel refreshed, renewed, and excited for things to come.