FAQ's
Q: Dude, What's up with your name?
Good question… I guess there aren't a lot of Eoins around, are there?
One thing I know for sure is that I have to explain it to people at least 3 or 4 times per day. It’s a Celtic name. It’s pronounced like ‘Ian’.
99 people out of 100 spell it E-I-O-N, with the i before the e (as in Lion) because this makes sense somehow phonetically. It is spelled E-O-I-N, with the o before the i. Even when I spell it to people on the phone, I say Eoin and they write Eion...
A simple way to remeber the spelling; it's like Join, Loin or Groin, only with an "E".
Q: I've never done yoga before. What's deal - is this class good for me?
Is your breathing calm and fluid or are your pushing it? If you listen, your body will tell you.
If you want to, follow the next cue, "Level two do this..."If your breath is getting short and choppy and you don't feel comfortable, back up. If any pose feels uncomfortable and you want to rest, rest. Just keep the breath flowing and jump back on the train when you are ready.
It's that simple. There will be people going to this more advanced level, but the real work is to NOT feel like we are in competition with any other people and just do what feels good for each one of us.
Be patient with yourself. You may be surprised how fast the flexibility, strength and calmness comes. Remember in one sense the main goal of a yoga practice is to feel healthier and happier. That being said, the sense of patience that yoga brings to our lives contributes to our overall state of well-being more than any of the poses.
It is hard work to keep oneself at a more moderate level, but that is the beauty of the class. When we can finally free ourselves from that inner critic and approach every pose from a place of love and self acceptance, not of competition, we make room for real freedom and happiness in our lives. It's simple but powerful stuff.
This class is like one of those Waldorf schools where people of all different levels are learning together in the same space. Sure there are lots of people in the class who do yoga almost every single day, but the atmosphere is very noncompetitive and nurturing. Just come, all you need is the clothing you want to wear.
Q: What is the difference between Power Yoga and Ashtanga Yoga?
Power Yoga and Ashtanga Yoga share the same roots. Both rely on the heat created through ujaii breath and a non stop pace. Both forms gracefully flow from posture to posture to create a purifying heat, a fit body and a calm mind. Sometimes the terms Ashtanga and Power Yoga are used interchangeably.
The way I would describe the difference is like this: Ashtanga Yoga follows a set series so Ashtangis do the same exact routine every practice. If the poses are like musical notes, the way they are sequenced together in Ashtanga is like one of those classic Bob Marley songs that no matter how often you hear, you always love it.
Where Asthtanga yoga follows the same routine every day, in these Power Yoga classes we do something different every single class. I think of it this way. There are thousands of yoga poses, why limit yourself to the same thing day in and day out? Why not focus more on Back Bends one day, Forward Bends another day, Strengthening Poses another day, etc... Seems balanced to me.
Variety is fun, exciting and good. Like snowboarding, playing music, or making love mixing it up makes things spicey.
No matter what style of yoga you practice, do it with attention, alignment and lightness of being to make it an ecstatic experience.