Teaching yoga is like Ustrasana. Ustrasana, or Camel pose, can provide 1 of 2 ‘good’ outcomes - the liberating in-the-moment-back-opening-feel-good ‘good’ or the exhausting I-think-I’m-going-to-throw-up-or-pass-out-but-I-know-this-is-good-for-me ‘good.’ For me, moreso than not, it’s the latter. And on the rare occasion that it’s the former, I bask in all it’s glory. As a newly certified yoga teacher - 7 months into my teaching practice to be exact - I find this analogy to be enlightening. In the classroom, some days feel good and some not so good. But all, inherently, are ‘good’ because I learn to breathe through my shortcomings and sacrifice the self. When energy is high, my students and I are on the same wavelength working, together, through the practice. Teaching is liberating. On other days - when the energy is low and my pace is off - my students look at me like I’m a nut. I have to stir up enough positive energy left over from the previous liberating class to pull us all through this next one. Teaching is exhausting. I need a really long Sivasana when I finally make it home.
In these early days of teaching, I’ve learned that the teaching is just as difficult as the doing. It takes focus, attention, discipline, energy, time. A day in the classroom, either teaching or practicing, can tell all: liberation or exhaustion. Is it me? Or is it just me today? Yoga tells me to breathe through it and next time, it will be better. It usually is.
November 10, 2009
November 2, 2009
flying words down penn ave: the future of reading
should be self explanatory. ENJOY!
flying words down penn ave: the future of reading from Sarah Calandro on Vimeo.
September 6, 2009
An Accident.
Yoga class unspoken etiquette rule #1: Don’t enter the yogic space of your next-door yoga neighbor. Your presence is not welcome. Thank You.
After three days of sketching cell phones in my summer design fundamentals course at Carnegie Mellon University, I had an intense craving for a vigorous yoga class. I had just moved to Pittsburgh from Los Angeles, the yoga capital of the US. What began a curiosity developed into a platform for my sanity. The focus on the droplet of salty sweat trickling from my brow to my cheek to my lips; the intense Ujjayi breath stinging the insides of my nose and throat energizing my entire body; the comaraderie present amongst a roomful of complete strangers taking a 75-minute journey together--all had contributed to my dependence on this trendy, spiritual path.
Sri Swami Satchidananda, a well-known yoga guru, states that “Meditation is ultimately not something that we do, but... arises when all ‘doing’ is done with.... Meditation is an accident, and yoga practice makes us accident prone.”
It was a lukewarm Tuesday in Pittsburgh. My body was tired and my mind was racing; an accident was past due. I trudged up the stairs of the Amazing Yoga - Shadyside studio juggling my block, yogamat, towel, purse, water-bottle, and anything else I foresaw a necessity. I dropped everything down in my usual spot and went to sign in. Everything seemed normal. The instructors sat in the front gossiping subtlely as they waited for 5:45 p.m. The smell of the incense burned through the air as the heat magnified its smoky aroma. I handed my 10-class punch card to the desk-receptionist and turned back towards my space.
A curly redhead had placed her mat down next to mine and because I was preoccupied setting my intention for class, I disregarded her over-sized neon-blue beach towel breaking rule #1 of good yoga etiquette: it touched every adjacent mat, including mine. Deepening my inhalations I spread my Yogitoes towel onto my mat and collapsed into Child’s pose. The bustle of people slowed down and the instructor took attention.
Suryanamaskar A.
[inhale] Arms reach high.
[exhale] Fold.
[inhale] Halfway lift.
[exhale] Chaturanga.
[inhale] Upward-facing Dog.
[exhale] Downward-facing Dog.
I melted into non-thinking. The soothing oceanic waves of breath through the classroom; the choreographed lightness of the chaturanga jumpback; the throaty vibrations of sound exiting the instructors lips reinforced successful meditation.
[inhale] Step the left foot forward. Warrior I.
[exhale] Open the arms. Warrior II.
[inhale] Lift the right leg up. Ardha Chandrasana.
“Yes! Half-Moon.” I thought. Ardha Chandrasana is a balancing pose capable of disclosing years of tension while allowing the heart and spine to open and be free. When achieved in all its glory Half-Moon feels phenomenal however, the focus must remain on a perfectly still object while the breath is deep and the abdominal muscles are tightly engaged. Elated I began the search for my Drishti. Typically I locate a well-formed lump in the drywall. I balance. Stare. Engage. Breathe. Then I step my gaze up until I have reached the ceiling. Once there I find a hole in the acoustic paneling to stare at. From here my arms and legs can soar into Half-Moon. Today of course, Rule-Breaking-Yogi wobbled back and forth obstructing all drywall lump Drishtis. Not being unusual for Half-Moon, I ignored the teetering and went straight for the acoustic paneling. I hardly reached the climax when my foot obnoxiously crashed down with a loud thud. Oops.
[exhale] Release the right foot next to left.
[inhale] Switch sides. Ardha Chandrasana.
To my left was a strong Half-Mooner so I had no worries this time around. My left leg rose. Lump #1. Lump #2. Hips stack. Lump #3. Inhale. Exhale. Abdominals tight. Inhale. Exhale. I had almost made it to the ceiling effortlessly when I noticed steamy, humid air blowing onto my back. Oscillating-Half-Moon had her mouth wide open and she panted every last bit of her hot, sticky breath over the line into my yogic space. Rule #1 broken again. “Breathe through your nose,” I wanted to say. The sound of my foot crashing again disrupted my thoughts. “Thanks for the tip Sri Swami,” I thought sarcastically. My accident today solely results from mat-location. Out of desperation, my mantra changed from the usual “Ham-sa” to “She does not exist.” I chanted this over and over again. She does not exist. She does not exist. Class continued on and despite the breathy gasping next door I managed to return to the present.
Ahimsa means non-violence. It can pertain to anything from eating strictly plant-based foods to denying negative thoughts towards another. Sometimes Ahimsa is effortless. However in certain moods I have extreme Ahimsa-deficiency. Today was a great example.
Class reached its pinnacle and I was exhausted. My hair, shirt, pants, face, towel, block, watch and everything else within a one-inch radius from every mat was doused in secretion soup. My clarity of mind wasn’t going any deeper than this.
[exhale] Float the hips back. Child’s pose.
Aaaaah. The room sighed in utter relaxation when the stillness was broken with a loud whisper, “What a tough class.” It came from the mat to my right. Humorously annoyed, I thought to myself, “Who would have thought after all the puffing and panting, she would be so worn out?” I caught myself: “Okay Sarah. Ahimsa.”
[inhale] Come to standing
[exhale] Lower down. Crow.
I prepared for another of my favorite poses. As I steadily lowered my hands to the floor Hot-Breath plotted her final disruption. She sucked on her water-bottle waiting for the stars to align in perfect synchronization. As she finished her last gulp an intestinal water-y belch exited her mouth and went straight for my Ujjayi inhale. I laughed.
Sarah Calandro
A short piece written for Yoga Enthusiasts
09.08.09 Workshop in Non-fiction Genres with Jane Bernstein
After three days of sketching cell phones in my summer design fundamentals course at Carnegie Mellon University, I had an intense craving for a vigorous yoga class. I had just moved to Pittsburgh from Los Angeles, the yoga capital of the US. What began a curiosity developed into a platform for my sanity. The focus on the droplet of salty sweat trickling from my brow to my cheek to my lips; the intense Ujjayi breath stinging the insides of my nose and throat energizing my entire body; the comaraderie present amongst a roomful of complete strangers taking a 75-minute journey together--all had contributed to my dependence on this trendy, spiritual path.
Sri Swami Satchidananda, a well-known yoga guru, states that “Meditation is ultimately not something that we do, but... arises when all ‘doing’ is done with.... Meditation is an accident, and yoga practice makes us accident prone.”
It was a lukewarm Tuesday in Pittsburgh. My body was tired and my mind was racing; an accident was past due. I trudged up the stairs of the Amazing Yoga - Shadyside studio juggling my block, yogamat, towel, purse, water-bottle, and anything else I foresaw a necessity. I dropped everything down in my usual spot and went to sign in. Everything seemed normal. The instructors sat in the front gossiping subtlely as they waited for 5:45 p.m. The smell of the incense burned through the air as the heat magnified its smoky aroma. I handed my 10-class punch card to the desk-receptionist and turned back towards my space.
A curly redhead had placed her mat down next to mine and because I was preoccupied setting my intention for class, I disregarded her over-sized neon-blue beach towel breaking rule #1 of good yoga etiquette: it touched every adjacent mat, including mine. Deepening my inhalations I spread my Yogitoes towel onto my mat and collapsed into Child’s pose. The bustle of people slowed down and the instructor took attention.
Suryanamaskar A.
[inhale] Arms reach high.
[exhale] Fold.
[inhale] Halfway lift.
[exhale] Chaturanga.
[inhale] Upward-facing Dog.
[exhale] Downward-facing Dog.
I melted into non-thinking. The soothing oceanic waves of breath through the classroom; the choreographed lightness of the chaturanga jumpback; the throaty vibrations of sound exiting the instructors lips reinforced successful meditation.
[inhale] Step the left foot forward. Warrior I.
[exhale] Open the arms. Warrior II.
[inhale] Lift the right leg up. Ardha Chandrasana.
“Yes! Half-Moon.” I thought. Ardha Chandrasana is a balancing pose capable of disclosing years of tension while allowing the heart and spine to open and be free. When achieved in all its glory Half-Moon feels phenomenal however, the focus must remain on a perfectly still object while the breath is deep and the abdominal muscles are tightly engaged. Elated I began the search for my Drishti. Typically I locate a well-formed lump in the drywall. I balance. Stare. Engage. Breathe. Then I step my gaze up until I have reached the ceiling. Once there I find a hole in the acoustic paneling to stare at. From here my arms and legs can soar into Half-Moon. Today of course, Rule-Breaking-Yogi wobbled back and forth obstructing all drywall lump Drishtis. Not being unusual for Half-Moon, I ignored the teetering and went straight for the acoustic paneling. I hardly reached the climax when my foot obnoxiously crashed down with a loud thud. Oops.
[exhale] Release the right foot next to left.
[inhale] Switch sides. Ardha Chandrasana.
To my left was a strong Half-Mooner so I had no worries this time around. My left leg rose. Lump #1. Lump #2. Hips stack. Lump #3. Inhale. Exhale. Abdominals tight. Inhale. Exhale. I had almost made it to the ceiling effortlessly when I noticed steamy, humid air blowing onto my back. Oscillating-Half-Moon had her mouth wide open and she panted every last bit of her hot, sticky breath over the line into my yogic space. Rule #1 broken again. “Breathe through your nose,” I wanted to say. The sound of my foot crashing again disrupted my thoughts. “Thanks for the tip Sri Swami,” I thought sarcastically. My accident today solely results from mat-location. Out of desperation, my mantra changed from the usual “Ham-sa” to “She does not exist.” I chanted this over and over again. She does not exist. She does not exist. Class continued on and despite the breathy gasping next door I managed to return to the present.
Ahimsa means non-violence. It can pertain to anything from eating strictly plant-based foods to denying negative thoughts towards another. Sometimes Ahimsa is effortless. However in certain moods I have extreme Ahimsa-deficiency. Today was a great example.
Class reached its pinnacle and I was exhausted. My hair, shirt, pants, face, towel, block, watch and everything else within a one-inch radius from every mat was doused in secretion soup. My clarity of mind wasn’t going any deeper than this.
[exhale] Float the hips back. Child’s pose.
Aaaaah. The room sighed in utter relaxation when the stillness was broken with a loud whisper, “What a tough class.” It came from the mat to my right. Humorously annoyed, I thought to myself, “Who would have thought after all the puffing and panting, she would be so worn out?” I caught myself: “Okay Sarah. Ahimsa.”
[inhale] Come to standing
[exhale] Lower down. Crow.
I prepared for another of my favorite poses. As I steadily lowered my hands to the floor Hot-Breath plotted her final disruption. She sucked on her water-bottle waiting for the stars to align in perfect synchronization. As she finished her last gulp an intestinal water-y belch exited her mouth and went straight for my Ujjayi inhale. I laughed.
Sarah Calandro
A short piece written for Yoga Enthusiasts
09.08.09 Workshop in Non-fiction Genres with Jane Bernstein
August 24, 2009
Today...
I started grad school.
During my sabbatical from 'real' life that began on April 25, 2009 (the first day of my non-dayjob lifestyle) to August 23, 2009 (yesterday), I have found myself involved in the following:
1. Doing whatever I feel like doing... whenever I feel like doing it.
2. Collecting and reading every single book that I have come in contact with that I find slightly interesting. These books have ranged from "The Omnivore's Dilemma", to "The Twilight Series", to "Eat, Pray, Love", to "Yoga in America" (and many others). From highschool, to architecture school, and then on to playing in the sun in California, I have not had much time to read. So, I have been reading...
3. Learning how to combat cancer (before it starts). Yes, sounds like a big undertaking for my 4-month leave, but yes, I've been eating lots of antioxidants (and working on getting my mother to do the same).
4. Laying in my bed. Surfing the internet. Dreaming of the day I live in Australia, Italy, India... teaching yoga, designing cool stuff, and doing more of whatever I feel like doing.
5. Doing yoga every day. Sometimes twice a day. My yoga practice lately has changed dramatically... and not only that, it is changing me.
6. Spending time with my parents. I have a new-found appreciation for being at home. Home = Cozy. And this time away from the chaotic lifestyle has been all about being cozy. So, thanks mom and dad.
7. Driving across the country over and over again living on granola bars, bananas, gas station bathrooms, and La Quinta Inn's with the one and only, MARA.
8. 2 months of getting to know Pittsburgh, PA. and learning that I am pretty fond of this cute town and it's nice people :)
So, what's next? Well:
1. I'm not quite sure. I know it will consist of a seminar course where I will read Aristotle and Plato, a studio course where I will map out my entire life into a complex diagram of information, Color Photography and Digital Output where I can finally add some color to my bw photography work, and writing: non-fiction genres on my own chosen topic (it's probable I will write about yoga and holistic health).
2. Yoga: teaching and practicing at the rec center on campus and yoga-flow (www.yogaflow.biz).
3. Mara. as always.
4. The un-cozy life. I will HAVE to do things, even when I don't want to.
5. Watching late-night crap TV to turn my brain off. Haven't had to do this in a while, but seems like I'll be thinking so much I'll need some mindlessness.
6. Getting to know and having discussions with lots of awesome people from all over the place.
7. Coffee.
8. Snow.
Here I go...
-S.
During my sabbatical from 'real' life that began on April 25, 2009 (the first day of my non-dayjob lifestyle) to August 23, 2009 (yesterday), I have found myself involved in the following:
1. Doing whatever I feel like doing... whenever I feel like doing it.
2. Collecting and reading every single book that I have come in contact with that I find slightly interesting. These books have ranged from "The Omnivore's Dilemma", to "The Twilight Series", to "Eat, Pray, Love", to "Yoga in America" (and many others). From highschool, to architecture school, and then on to playing in the sun in California, I have not had much time to read. So, I have been reading...
3. Learning how to combat cancer (before it starts). Yes, sounds like a big undertaking for my 4-month leave, but yes, I've been eating lots of antioxidants (and working on getting my mother to do the same).
4. Laying in my bed. Surfing the internet. Dreaming of the day I live in Australia, Italy, India... teaching yoga, designing cool stuff, and doing more of whatever I feel like doing.
5. Doing yoga every day. Sometimes twice a day. My yoga practice lately has changed dramatically... and not only that, it is changing me.
6. Spending time with my parents. I have a new-found appreciation for being at home. Home = Cozy. And this time away from the chaotic lifestyle has been all about being cozy. So, thanks mom and dad.
7. Driving across the country over and over again living on granola bars, bananas, gas station bathrooms, and La Quinta Inn's with the one and only, MARA.
8. 2 months of getting to know Pittsburgh, PA. and learning that I am pretty fond of this cute town and it's nice people :)
So, what's next? Well:
1. I'm not quite sure. I know it will consist of a seminar course where I will read Aristotle and Plato, a studio course where I will map out my entire life into a complex diagram of information, Color Photography and Digital Output where I can finally add some color to my bw photography work, and writing: non-fiction genres on my own chosen topic (it's probable I will write about yoga and holistic health).
2. Yoga: teaching and practicing at the rec center on campus and yoga-flow (www.yogaflow.biz).
3. Mara. as always.
4. The un-cozy life. I will HAVE to do things, even when I don't want to.
5. Watching late-night crap TV to turn my brain off. Haven't had to do this in a while, but seems like I'll be thinking so much I'll need some mindlessness.
6. Getting to know and having discussions with lots of awesome people from all over the place.
7. Coffee.
8. Snow.
Here I go...
-S.
July 24, 2009
wo.rd. line. paragraph. column. / the manuscript grid
Check out this weeks work on aftereffects. It was my first time to ever use the software and I'm quite impressed. I think it may become one of my new favorite programs :)
wo.rd. line. paragraph. column. from Sarah Calandro on Vimeo.
July 18, 2009
"Enjoy the little things...
for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."
-Robert Brault.
From May 12 to June 27th, I found myself in a Timewarp. 47 days...............
of Timewarp.
After being in the big city. Doing everything myself. by myself. for myself. plus a lot more. figuring things out. living, loving, aching...... exhausting my inner being. i went home. I had the option of staying in Los Angeles until the end of June. I could have packed my car and headed straight to Pittsburgh. But, I had this burning desire to go home to mom and dad and sit in a bubble. a comfortable bubble. I pretended I had never left. and by 'never left', I mean, like college never happened. LA never happened. and maybe even senior year of highschool never happened. The ages between 18 and 25 ceased to exist. 17 was blurry. and 16 was maybe just catching on....
But in this time at home, there was a bit of a difference from when I was 16. Have you ever said to yourself, 'I wish I could go back 10 years knowing what I know now?' Life in Baton Rouge, at mom and dad's.... well, I got to go back... But I was enlightened.
When I was 16, I was a mess. A MESS! I was sooo rude. Self-absorbed to the max. Knew the world didn't revolve around me... But did everything in my power to try to get it to! I spent a lot of time worrying about who I was, how I was, and why I thought noone liked me. I cried a lot. I don't think I could have sat down when I was 16 and just thought, 'it's nice to be sitting down'. My mind was consumed with every thought from how I wanted to skip out on swimteam practice, to how I had to make an A on Sister Ursula's chem exam, to how I was going to convince this guy to like me who obviously would never like me in the first place [and yes, knowing that 10 years ago REALLY would have saved me some time]. But really, just a circle of self-centered, self-mutilating, estrogen-stricken, negative, exhausting thoughts consumed my being.
"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."
Amidst my vacation at mom and dad's, I began to notice this towel hanging in the powder room next to the kitchen. This little, simple, fabulous quote subconsciously began to hover in my mind throughout my vacation. Enjoy the little things... i.e., washing my hands in the powder room at mom and dad's house. After some time of seeing this towel every day, it would bring a little smirk to my face. I would think, 'Yes, I'm at home. I am at home and I'm drying my hands on this towel and my parents are here, and Mara is here, and I'm happy, and I love being alive.'
I know, this is one of the most well-known of the cheesy quotes of cheesi-ness. It definitely belongs hand-sewn on a towel accompanied by butterflies and flowers in a powder room... at mom and dad's. But it was so refreshing to read this quote that I have seen over and over throughout life, never thinking beyond, 'oh, how sweet...' and then, waking up one day, and realizing it had become a mantra in my head... and it was beginning to make me smile!
I am SO happy I am not 16 anymore. And I am so happy I am here.
So friends-
Enjoy the little things... whatever they may be.
Namaste-
S.
-Robert Brault.
From May 12 to June 27th, I found myself in a Timewarp. 47 days...............
of Timewarp.
After being in the big city. Doing everything myself. by myself. for myself. plus a lot more. figuring things out. living, loving, aching...... exhausting my inner being. i went home. I had the option of staying in Los Angeles until the end of June. I could have packed my car and headed straight to Pittsburgh. But, I had this burning desire to go home to mom and dad and sit in a bubble. a comfortable bubble. I pretended I had never left. and by 'never left', I mean, like college never happened. LA never happened. and maybe even senior year of highschool never happened. The ages between 18 and 25 ceased to exist. 17 was blurry. and 16 was maybe just catching on....
But in this time at home, there was a bit of a difference from when I was 16. Have you ever said to yourself, 'I wish I could go back 10 years knowing what I know now?' Life in Baton Rouge, at mom and dad's.... well, I got to go back... But I was enlightened.
When I was 16, I was a mess. A MESS! I was sooo rude. Self-absorbed to the max. Knew the world didn't revolve around me... But did everything in my power to try to get it to! I spent a lot of time worrying about who I was, how I was, and why I thought noone liked me. I cried a lot. I don't think I could have sat down when I was 16 and just thought, 'it's nice to be sitting down'. My mind was consumed with every thought from how I wanted to skip out on swimteam practice, to how I had to make an A on Sister Ursula's chem exam, to how I was going to convince this guy to like me who obviously would never like me in the first place [and yes, knowing that 10 years ago REALLY would have saved me some time]. But really, just a circle of self-centered, self-mutilating, estrogen-stricken, negative, exhausting thoughts consumed my being.
"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."
Amidst my vacation at mom and dad's, I began to notice this towel hanging in the powder room next to the kitchen. This little, simple, fabulous quote subconsciously began to hover in my mind throughout my vacation. Enjoy the little things... i.e., washing my hands in the powder room at mom and dad's house. After some time of seeing this towel every day, it would bring a little smirk to my face. I would think, 'Yes, I'm at home. I am at home and I'm drying my hands on this towel and my parents are here, and Mara is here, and I'm happy, and I love being alive.'
I know, this is one of the most well-known of the cheesy quotes of cheesi-ness. It definitely belongs hand-sewn on a towel accompanied by butterflies and flowers in a powder room... at mom and dad's. But it was so refreshing to read this quote that I have seen over and over throughout life, never thinking beyond, 'oh, how sweet...' and then, waking up one day, and realizing it had become a mantra in my head... and it was beginning to make me smile!
I am SO happy I am not 16 anymore. And I am so happy I am here.
So friends-
Enjoy the little things... whatever they may be.
Namaste-
S.
July 12, 2009
school update : hcd movie
1. design observation
2. physical interaction
3. cognitive interpretation
4. emotional resonance
it's a silly video; though, it will give an idea of how the summer intensive is going at CMU.
2. physical interaction
3. cognitive interpretation
4. emotional resonance
it's a silly video; though, it will give an idea of how the summer intensive is going at CMU.
human-centered design from Sarah Calandro on Vimeo.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
