Posted by ian | Posted in observations | Posted on 04-05-2010
Tags: erica kaufman, lila yoga, penn state yoga, state college yoga, yoga centre county, yoga state college
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I find that Erica’s wording is by far the best part of her classes – (although her vinyasas ain’t bad either). She has fantastic wording, with great imagery, and playfulness, throw in some spirituality, and top it off with a commanding presence – she is an authority of Yoga!
So on the 13th of April I sat about and took notes on her wording. I attempted to combine both what vinyasa/asana Erica put the class in + the wording used to describe the experience.
Much of what I recorded is in quote-style interspersed between the vinyasa flow stick figures. Enjoy!
“changing mental and emotional energy to the physical”
“Exhaling all the air as the Head drops”
“Space between both the ribs and Pelvis opening”
“It’s a cooperation not in mediocrity but into brilliance…Go…”
“Pelvic floor rising”
exhale
“Press back with the abdomen”
“Let all of the body be shaped by the abdomen”
“Drawing the abdomen up through the sky – folding in”
“Qualities, pathways and movement”
“Rather then be sculptors from the outside, the focus is inside”
“Male – clarity, compassion
Female – wisdom, listening, understanding”
“Not seeing opposites as a problem – it is two sides of the something”
“Reach the pubic bone back ~ feel the beautiful arc through the belly”
+ 
“Rise up through your head ~ opposites unite”
+
“What does it feel like to feel the skin opening across the lungs”
+
“Feel the floating up”
“Repeat 3 Times ~ be willing to Drop”
“Don’t be Afraid of the rhythms you create”
“Love that life energy”
“Inhale Commitment / Exhale Listen”
“Inhale Commitment / Exhale Learn”
“It is going to be challenging to practice Balasana while the heart is galloping”
“Shoulder Blades imprinting on the back”
“Energize your fingertips”
“Bring your arms aligned with verticality”
“Ready or Not, Life has put you in a place where Warrior 1 would be helpful”
“Feel the cylinders of your back rolling and opening”
“Standing as a line segment with lineage of space-time, with a sense of energy continuum, stemming from the center of the earth”
“Feel the arc you create ~ Carry the energy up your spine ~ Study yourself in this new territory ~ The hands meet in the distance ~ There is a witness”
“Find the elegance of the union”
+ + ++ 
“Palms open up from a rolling of the center of the chest”
“feel yourself standing actively”
“Draw the Left leg up capturing the Big Toe extending out only as far as you can go”
“Don’t think Shape-oriented rather energy-oriented”
“Natrajasana – balance between the material and the mystical”
“Feeling the relationship of back foot and head”
“Dancing with unity -> Reach extend, exhale, release”
“you are playing, you are challenging yourself ~ you know it to be”
“bring the Ribs toward that leg, elbows toward the earth”
+ 
“See the energy of the expansion going through great strength”
+
“Actively draw your Elbows down and hang”
” Expanding and going and expanding and going and expanding and going
“dropping the weight of the head ~ opening the heart”
+ 
“What do you focus on in the pose called corpse”
“So aware of body and mind ! you can let go of them ~ not to die but to open up to something else”
“Quick wash through of the physical inventory”
“release the weight of the toes into the earth ~ let weight give into the skin ~ it melts”
“fluid release n the knees ~ they relax”
“thighs filled with beauty & fluidity ~ relax”
“pelvic floor filled with energy ~ relax”
“Pelvis carrying energy ~ reservoir of the belly”
“Middle body, Upper Body ~ relax”
“Ribs, lungs, shoulders ~ Relax
“Chest, back ~ Relaxing”
“elbows all the way down to the wrist, hands, fingers ~ Relax”
“everything shaped ~ floor rising into you ~ opposites uniting ~ feeling the shoulders roll with ease”
“shaped by the fall, you release ~ floor rising into you ~ opposites uniting.”
“feeling the shoulders roll with the ease”
“Can you feel gravity on the centers of your eyes nose, mouth”
Singing Bowl Resonates
“Letting it ride right through you ~ no obstacles”
“Point of clarity beyond words ~ a deeper knowing”
- Chime -
“Reverbs beyond the impact of my touch ~ so does the practice reverb and influence beyond this class”
Namaste
“feeling the shoulders roll with the ease”
Oh Ian, I thank you. You are quite marvelous with all of this–a true gift to us all.
I have a small correction with the following quote:
“everything shaped ~ floor rising into you ~ opposites uniting ~ feeling the shoulders roll with ease”
instead:
“shaped by the fall, you release ~ floor rising into you ~ opposites uniting.”
“feeling the shoulders roll with the ease”
Erica is quite right, Ian, as are you about her. It’s so cool the way you capture her physicality in the graceful words she chooses to use. Yet, you bring your own touch via your extensive fun and play with technology. She notices and appreciates it all, as she seems to do with all facets of life. And e’en though her small suggestions do not say or direct you to “DO!,” you appreciate her input enough that you reflect and indeed do alter it. Thanks also for the stick figures. They provide the connection to which all of us more visual folks can relate.
Beautiful work Ian, this is a very quality project. Keep up the creativity. Em