7/17/25 Live Session Recording

I really enjoyed this session and have settled into watching the recordings at a pace that allows for yoga practice, counselling practice, and a busy life running after 2 year old Lottie! The teachings on the skeleton, musculature, and the breath have always fascinated me and I appreciate that I enjoy the biology of the body as well as the psychology of the mind. The visual slides of the muscles are stunning and very engaging. I cycle through 27 sun salutations each morning while it's still dark, facing east, and imagining that the sun is still just over the horizon and appearing soon. I don't know why it's '27', it's a lucky number. During a sun salutation (Suri Namaskar) I also always combine the breath sequence: in as I extend and out as I contract (a forward bend is a great example). Because I'm a visual person/learner I imagine my breath as a life force, in through the nose through the fist-size sinus cavity, and out through the mouth. I would suggest the box breathing method of 4x4x4x4 creates a physical movement rhythm, and I have to be mindful that as I oxygenate my blood I avoid getting too light-headed and falling over...

After a while I get lost in the meditative experience and all thinking stops. I just flow. Feeling the relationship with what the bones and joints are doing, in harmony with the muscles, fed by oxygen-cleansing breath and blood, and sometimes pushing to this side of pain invites adrenaline and other neuro-chemicals into the blood stream to induce a full flow state experience. Basic training taught us/me to experience pain as a pleasure and allows the release of tension and physical memory. Six hundred muscles in the body - imagine, and there's only one that isn't dependant on the CNS, the heart. 

To compliment my yoga practice and teaching yoga I always invite my students to belly/Buddha breath to encourage a full inflation of the lungs and maximum expansion of the diaphragm. Each morning I oxygenate my blood with 4 rounds of Wim Hoff breath work, a Ram Dass loving kindness mediation, and 20 minutes of 40 hertz binaural beats for focussed cognition. When I cycle through 27 sun salutations after that I'm guaranteed to have a great day, embracing the yamas and niyamas (or trying!). If I'm on the autistic spectrum and neuro-diverse I think probably that these morning habits and routines are more because of that as well as making 58 feel like it's 24! 

This session has highlighted for me the relationship of parts of the body; skeleton, muscles, tendons, what flexes, what extends, how it feels, and a huge gratitude that not only can I do these things, but that I have a brain or sound mind that thinks about them, and appreciates and feels super grateful for the experiences. As I type this right now, in the chair, my back is straight, my shoulders square, and my hips balanced, and it feels great.

Breath is fascinating. I love Ujjayi and lion's breath. I often think also of bumble bee humming to silence the mind and the theory and practice of pranayama as a real privilege. I taught 5 hours of chair yoga last Friday to 5 individual clients and after a long week I caught myself feeling physically buzzing, but my emotions were raw. Sitting afterwards and meditation helped but I really need a weekend of doing nothing. Watching the session recording on Sunday evening/Monday morning was perfect, thank you. I sometimes think to myself, 'why isn't EVERYONE doing this?' and appreciate that privilege includes being able-bodied and having good mental health. Oh and motivation! 

Have a great week everyone 😎 

I've really enjoyed this session so thank you! It's been really refreshing to breakdown the poses and Jen reiterating 'this is still a chair pose' for example. I think that learning to break down the poses and offering accessible options is so important but also breaking down the mental barriers associated with it. I think I have felt in the past the pressure of a hierarchy in yoga - that the full expression of a pose is the most advanced and therefore what I'm working to attain and I realise this programming has come from the language or demonstration I've been around subtly reinforcing this. It's quite a radical thing to truly be present and fully give yourself to where you are rather than only considering yourself as a work in progress. This is why holding a space is task that requires humility and responsibility - I think to truly offer what is the most healing option is to let go of preconceived notions of what that may be, which starts from within. 

I loved the support from our trainer that there were no expectations to memorize all the body systems when learning about anatomy. It was relieving to see it as knowledge, and it took the pressure that we needed to memorize how each body part worked and made it enjoyable to learn rather that feeling the need to know it all. I was simply able to digest the information and approach the topic with curiosity. This session helped me recognize that we all have different mobility and view postures in ways to make the space safe for others. We need to offer a safe variation of posture sequences taking into account the skeletal system and body structures.  

I really enjoyed this class learning about anatomy and the physiology of the breath. One aspect that particularly resonated for me when reflecting on anatomy was the concept of diversity. When we can appreciate our own range of motion and remove the hierarchy of what modern yoga presents as the ideal or full expression of a posture, we can meet our perceived limitations as potential avenues for growth and transformation; by honoring where we are at any given moment whether we are on our mat or in our everyday lives, we can reorient ourselves to what the body can do and contact an aspect of Santosha or contentment. In doing so we liberate ourselves from the obstacles or samaskaras within our mind and release expectations of where we “should” be or what a pose “should” look like. In this way, we can contact the present moment as it is rather that how we think it ought to be. While none of us will do this work perfectly, we can vow to commit to the ongoing process of deep listening, learning and acting to uphold values of safety, accessibility and inclusion. We can recognize that difference and diversity is what connects us; to unite in our shared humanity and to work for the liberation of all. 

Kurt, thank you for sharing the centering practice at the start of the session. I'm deeply grateful for your willingness to lead us through an embodied breath practice -- I found myself feeling more tuned in to myself and my environment afterwards. Thank you.

As we were diving into the internal systems of the human body, I found myself reflecting on a muscle I had injured recently, and how the different systems work to support my knee as it is recovering and supporting my daily movements in a new way. I am also reflecting on the ways that movement changes throughout life, whether through aging and how our aging bodies develop across time and space, as well as in and around acute and/or chronic levels of bodily ability. I think about how the connected practice of yoga invites participants to stimulate or provide release for the muscle(s), and how this serves as an ongoing opportunity for a conversation with our bodies. The synergistic nature of our body’s movements never ceases to amaze me – inside of us are truly an entire ecosystem, an entire universe that works together in order to produce a movement and an experience inside and outside of our bodies – how neat!

A question that I am reflecting on personally in my journal is: “who is showing up in our space and how can we welcome and support all who enter?” This is a question that I am finding myself coming back to in my own work with young people who are facing mental health challenges, including issues with depression and anxiety, as well as exposure to family violence, neglect, and complex trauma. I am noticing that this question is not easy to answer, and I am humbled by it. I am also opening myself to the understanding that the reflections from this question will be ever-evolving as I dive deeper into this training and my own practices. As Jen stated so beautifully, workshopping options and living in the liminal spaces of non-judgment and confirming informed consent is something I hope to affirm throughout practice. Learning loads from this week’s recording and from you all. Thank you!

I had to leave class aq little early so missed the Pranayama section of class. I appreciate the idea of laughter as a form of breathwork. Such a great reminder!

Thank you for another incredible transmission.🙏🏼

May all sentient beings be safe.

May all sentient beings be happy.

May all sentient beings be healthy.

May all sentient beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering.

some musing from this weeks class… 

This weeks lessons on breath work and movement brought to mind teachings on the four elements. We are all made up of Fire, Earth, Water and Air. These elements can be found throughout both the human body and the human experience. 

For me, viewing yoga and meditation through the lenses of the four elements has been incredibly helpful.

Starting with the breath (I really like the 4-7-8 for 6 rounds) and some initial intentions or reflections. I like to scan from the top of my skull to the soles of my feet labeling which elements feel present along the path. 

Upon feeling into my  feet, I connect with the earth element and send energy into the earth like roots diving into the soil. After rooting I  straighten up like an oak tree extending to the sky.

Mountain pose feels like a great starting place for practice. It connects us to the present and allows us to feel into the embodied experience.

Physically the benefits of standing tall and deeply rooted can be improved posture, enhanced balance and increased strength in feet, legs and core.

The energy that I feel from standing strong in mountain pose  can feel hot like the fire element, stable like the earth element, vast like the Air element and fluid like water. Each moment allows for deeper connection to both breath and posture. 

We are all stardust walking each other home. It is best to walk with one another with non violence and peace in our hearts. 

thank you 🙏🏼. 

This week’s focus on anatomy in yoga was one of my favorite sessions so far. It’s been years since I’ve studied the body in this kind of detail, and seeing the skeletal and muscular systems through the lens of yoga poses gave everything a new depth. I was fascinated by how much muscular activation is required even in poses that seem “simple” like mountain pose. It’s all so interconnected. Learning how one area of injury or tension can ripple through the rest of the body was such a helpful reminder of how complex and adaptive we really are.

I also loved the discussion about the nervous system and its direct connection to our muscular response. It really clicked for me how overstimulation or dysregulation in the nervous system can show up physically in the body. Yoga is often talked about as a practice of presence or calm, but it’s also such a physical mirror of what’s happening internally.

What really stayed with me was the conversation about accessibility and autonomy in yoga. We talked about how powerful it is to give people choices in their practice, and to let them explore movement in ways that feel right for them. That freedom of expression becomes even more meaningful in settings like incarceration, where personal autonomy is so often stripped away. Offering yoga in those spaces becomes not just a movement practice, but a humanizing one. 

Even in my own experience, I feel the pressure to perform poses the “right” way to match those around me. Bow pose has always been a struggle for me, and I often find myself being the only one in my class unable to get into it. And yet, I’m rarely offered alternative options. That reminded me how important it is to honor the full range of bodies, histories, and abilities in every class. We all carry something different. Offering variations is so important. We need to meet people where they are and make sure they feel secure to take what their body needs.

My apologies for taking awhile to reply to this session.  I have been a little swamped with work.  I really enjoyed this session.  I would have loved to have been apart.  My favorite part of the session was in the beginning when you went over the bones in the body as well as the muscles.  I know you said that we do not have to worry about memorizing, however, I was excited because I just learned a lot about the skeleton of the human/hominin body in my Paleoanthropology class last semester.  It was cool that I could still remember all of the bones names etc...

I really enjoy the trauma informed focus of this practice.  It is the whole reason I applied to PYP and not somewhere else to get certified. It is true, mainstream yoga studio yoga is great in its own way, but, yoga in a carcel setting is different because of the amount of trauma the majority of people have suffered, so, language is so important just like you said.  I am really happy that you put great emphasis on this in the session.  

What struck me most during this session was Jen's point that we should "empower participants to embody what works best for them." That idea really hit home for me. It is often hard to listen to your own body, especially when compounded by stress, trauma, chronic pain, and mental health issues, and it can be even more difficult to exercise radical self-acceptance and agency in relation to both our physical and inner self. The practice of yoga can empower us to do that, and lead us toward feeling more at home in our bodies. It reminds me of the idea from last session: revolution begins in the body. I also found the quick rundown of the breaths at the end super interesting, and am excited to delve more into that. Side note - the facilitation guide looks wonderful!

@dschattgmail-com Oh, I like the idea of viewing yoga alongside the four elements. That is nice little spiritual amalgamation that I appreciate!

Hello. Just catching up as I celebrated my birthday last week, and in general can't attend sessions due to them being held during my therapy sessions. But I really appreciated the point about the count for breath work being a suggestion rather than an expectation. As someone who has always struggled with this aspect of yoga and meditation practice, I appreciate that these norms and expectations around yoga and breathwork are being broken down to make way for greater accessibility and inclusion. Something as simple as adding the word "suggestion" really makes a world of difference. I also really liked seeing the connection between the squatting pose, frog pose, and happy baby. It was interesting to see how gravity can help navigate these poses and how being aware and observant of people's physical and anatomical limitations can inform how an instructor demonstrates and modify the postures. As someone who has hip flexor issues the suggestion of doing butterfly on the wall with a block is something I never considered but definitely will utilize and share with others moving forward. 

Everything about this class was so revolutionary to me.
I typically think, as ridiculous as this sounds, that I get bored with topics involving anatomy and breath work—especially the science behind it. I’m like, how can this be so transformative? And it really is.

Jen, I am always so amazed at how you weave language together to make it so healing-centered. I aspire to be as steadfast with compassionate and invitational language as you.

I really can’t compile everything I learned into words.

I think the most groundbreaking things for me are a couple of things:

1. It is imperative that the facilitator has their own practice to excavate their own gunk, so as not to become egocentric and fall wayside to the kleshas.

2. Start with a chair class (if those sorts of props are given in your facility) to assess where the participants are in their range of motion and energetic awareness.

3. I love, love the idea of bringing focus down to scale for someone to recognize the movements and sensations in their body, but only focusing on their hands at first.

4. I really enjoyed the respiratory video. It was so cute and easy to digest.

5. I have been doing bee breath with my daughter, and she thinks it’s the funniest thing—which is great because she has many tantrums, as she is only 19 months.

6. For alternate breathing practice, I love the idea of using hands. I too used to sniff drugs and don’t particularly have a comfortable relationship with my nose. Lol.

On a more personal note, I really feel revitalized by this training. I deeply feel it is altering so many things in my life. I even noticed that I am sitting and breathing better, even when I am mindlessly doing these things. Which then, of course, makes me become mindful—and isn’t that the gift of yoga? To be where our feet are at? My whole life I was at war with the present moment, and I feel such relief these past few weeks.

I do wish I could join live with everyone so I could be in these breakout rooms! They seem so fun. I was in the last cohort, and they had made a group chat on WhatsApp. If anyone is interested, perhaps we can engage with each other in that capacity too? I wouldn’t mind making a chat on that platform or Signal if people are more comfortable with that app.

The darkness in me honors and sees the darkness in you; the light in me honors and sees the lightness in you.

I really liked this class and was sad that I missed it live 🙁 The thing that really resonated with me is how very little I know about the human anatomy! While I feel that this awareness is part of any good learning experience, it was particularly humbling here (not a bad thing). I thoroughly enjoyed the skeleton doing yoga video as well as the intros to breathing. Breathing is such a cool thing, and so often is subconscious. When I bring my attention to something like the breath, I find that the awareness has the power to change it, and it is rather challenging to allow it to return to a natural rhythm. 

Another thing that I thought was interesting was the discussion about touching people in the context of yoga. I have only ever done yoga in studios and I am very familiar with instructors putting hands on me. At first, I found this be annoying and somewhat condescending, but my opinion has changed over the years. I am now rather fond of when an instructor helps me to achieve a deeper stretch or brings awareness to how I can improve in my poses. Something was said about how taking power away from folks never results in their empowerment (can't remember exactly what was said), and I do agree with that for the most part. It is actually something I think about almost daily in the context of juvenile incarceration. At this moment, there are 14 youths detained in the program I work at in Colorado. Many of these kids are charged with serious crimes while others are experiencing the failings of foster care and society generally to treat their mental health needs. All of them are in therapy while incarcerated, and as their therapist I get to hear about their lifestyles in great detail. My education and license are in social work, and I view the empowerment of my clients as the primary goal of therapy, but how can I help to empower these young people while they are jail? I don't have a great answer to that, but I try to help them become aware of the various things in their control that they can change to become happier, have more agency, and ultimately not come back to jail. I see this work as somewhat analogous to the idea of an instructor in yoga putting hands on me which I now welcome. That said, there will be absolutely no touching these kids while they are practicing yoga at all.