A Note From Laura Martin

Faculty Member, Maple Conservatory of Dance

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November 20, 2007

For me, the task of writing a little something about yoga is daunting. Though I’ve been practicing for over ten years, have various yoga teacher certifications, have conducted trainings, and have studied with some of the top yoga teachers of our times, what could I possibly add to a subject that is so vast?

Then I stop, I take a breath, and I wonder — is this how a new student feels about the idea of taking a yoga class for the first time?

I immediately relax and remember something that my teacher Cyndi Lee often said, "It's just yoga." And it's true. One of the things yoga can teach us is that we can only start from where we are right now. But, if we can open up to whatever state we're in without judgment, we might have a smoother ride.

So much of the time, I find that I don't want to be where I am — I want to be more of this or that, or I want certain yoga poses (asanas) to be easier, etc., etc. But what has drawn me to, and kept me practicing yoga, is that usually that once class has started, I forget all about what my agenda was and begin to luxuriate in the sensations that are occurring during class.

It's fascinating to me to walk into a class in one body/mind state and to leave in another. Because the body/mind is different from day-to-day, and even moment-to-moment, really, it can be so interesting to approach the practice of yoga with curiosity. What will I discover today? How will I relate to that discovery? Will today be the day that my forward bends seem deeper? Or is today the day where I'm no longer attached to that particular result?

Of course, I also love how yoga makes my body feel, and quite frankly, (if I’m being honest) how it make my body look. My own unscientific observation is that people who practice yoga look younger. Many of my yoga teachers have been women in their fifties who could easily pass for a decade or two younger. No wonder, all that twisting, going upside down, and back & forward bending massages the organs, delivers fresh blood, and soothes the nervous and endocrine systems. The restorative poses allow for the immune system to be completely supported. All of these benefits allow the body to work more efficiently, creating what Cyndi calls "radiant health." Who wouldn't want that?

My approach to teaching yoga starts first with safety. I like to focus on body alignment, breath and precision as a means to create a safe environment for the student. The breath acts as a mirror for what is happening in the body/mind — if a student is holding his or her breath, or if the breath gets labored or ragged, it's time to back off and try the pose in a different way. The idea is to create balance in the body through mindfulness, and a practice that the student can sustain without injury.

The great thing about yoga is that there are always possibilities in variations of the poses. There is a way for everyone to practice and receive the benefits of yoga, regardless of age or physical condition. Yoga can be done even in a chair! As long as you are synching your breath with your movements and making the effort to stay in the present moment and experience your own self as you are, you are practicing yoga, even if you can't touch your toes…at least for today…

See you in class.

(Laura teaches our Yoga classes at the Maple Conservatory, which are open to the entire community. View our Open Class schedule for more information!)

Laura Martin
Faculty Member,
Maple Conservatory of Dance
Email: info@mapleconservatory.com