Ojai Yoga Crib Love Notes, Part 1

Hello my darlings,

I have just returned from a stretched-out weekend in Southern California, my first time away from Oona overnight, and am really excited to share my experiences with you here. It feels important to me to write this down, to share with you all of the wonderful ocean of yoga I swam in while traveling and what I am doing to stay in that space as much as possible back here in my *real* life (which is what the yoga is all about anyhow, so yay!).

I traveled to Ojai, California for the 10th annual Ojai Yoga Crib. Lara Hedin interviewed the Crib’s founder/ Den-Mother Kira Ryder years ago on Yoga Peeps. I heard this interview and said “I need to go to there.” Seven or so years later, I made it.

Thank God I made it. 

The Crib was so much more than the classes and talks; it was about connecting with yogis, with humans, tapping into an energy (remembering our connection to that energy), marinating in it and sharing it. I met amazing people. They reminded me that we are all amazing. I will do my best to share my experiences in a somewhat coherent manner here. While traveling, I studied with seven teachers (of course more, but 7 presenting materials). I will give each of them their own post in the spirit of being completely present with each. (You can also check out my photos of the trip on my instagram feed.)

Maria Cristina Jimenez at Black Dog Yoga in Sherman Oaks

When I landed in LA on Wednesday morning, I headed straight to Sherman Oaks for a class with Maria Cristina. Maria Cristina teaches yoga in the manner of a scientist, so much curiosity for anatomy and kinesiology. She shares her musings on practicing and teaching on her blog, which I have read for many years, and she is as inspired in *real life*. I have really appreciated Maria’s openness to question the ways in which we move (or are encouraged to move) the body.  For example, in the class I attended, we worked on drawing the xiphoid process in slightly in postures like trikonasana, virabhadrasana I and ardha chandrasana and then finding buoyancy in the heart, rather than just opening-opening-opening- heart bursting forward only. This really resonated with me. It felt very balancing. The way the exhalation needs the inhalation (and vice versa).  The class was sweaty and challenging (mid-room handstands, crane, jump-backs), though we also worked very subtlety within the postures. And spirit! There was quiet, focused awareness in that room. Maria quoted Gabrielle Roth,

“Energy moves in waves.
Waves move in patterns.
Patterns move in rhythms.
A human being is just that…
energy, waves, patterns, rhythms….
Nothing more. Nothing less.
A dance.”

And that felt really right to my ears.

Hello, LA. Namaste. I see you. I love you.