soleil yoga by jessie: September 2014

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

september pose: half lotus toe balance

padangustha padma utkatasana

How to do it:
1. Start standing up and begin to shift your weight onto your left foot.
2. Bend your right knee, and cross your ankle above your left knee.
3. Focus on a point to gaze at and bring your hands together at the heart centre (you may choose to stay here as the first variation)
4. Start to bend your standing leg, lean forward slightly as you begin sitting down into a one-legged squat
5. Lengthen the spine as you come deeper, lifting your left heel off of the ground, balancing on the ball of your foot (you may use your fingertips as a support when you come down)

Listen to your body and know your limitations. Stay for 5-10 breaths and slowly make your way back up into a standing position. Switch sides.

Benefits:

strengthens the ankles
opens the hips
develops balance and clarity of mind

image source: Laura May Photography

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Testimonials

"Jessie is a solid yoga instructor. Yoga is holistic and her approach to helping me integrate yoga regularly in my life is based on developing my autonomy. Her 10 session program makes a lot of sense for me. She recommended two books for me: Journey to the Heart and the Anatomy of Yoga to help connect with my heart and for me to have a reference of poses. The first 3-4 sessions are about understanding the scope of yoga, then with you as a guide, she will assist in creating your first sequence that you will practice for a couple of weeks on your own. From there, she will help you create a second and third sequence to practice.
At the end of the program, you will have three of your own sequences which you can incorporate on your own and continue to practice the daily ritual of yoga" - Roger Poulin

“I went on a yoga retreat in Panama at Sansara Resort with Jessie as our guide. She was more than just an amazing yoga teacher, her gentle, loving spirit was inspiring. It was because of her that our amazing group was able to bond even more and fully experience the gift of yoga. It's been two years since my trip and I still think about it often. Simply the best experience of my life! Thanks Jessie!!” – Victoria Steidler

“I was lucky enough to send myself on a yoga retreat for my 40th birthday to Anamaya in Costa Rica where I met Jessie who was our yoga instructor. She is a beautiful soul inside and out. Her knowledge and ability to teach is exactly what I was looking for. I have done yoga off and on for years but not advanced by any means and I was looking to re fall in love with yoga again and gain the ability to do new poses. I was able to accomplish that with the help of Jessie and her easy to follow instruction, hands on approach. She also brings a bit of spiritual and positive affirmations to each class from her favourite book that of course everyone wrote down the title! This retreat was almost 3 years ago and if I ever have the chance to do a retreat again it will be one where she is teaching! My hopes is she will do classes online or make her own DVD because I would absolutely buy it!!

I wish Jessie all the best in her future.” - Carrie Likes Davis

“It was my first Yoga retreat, went mainly to help with stress, connect back to myself, and learn how to really "Breathe". I was skeptical at first when a friend suggested I try Yoga since I always thought that Yoga was just another type of exercise. To my surprise, it really wasn't "just another exercise". And having Jessie as our Yoga instructor really helped me achieve all that I needed. She helped make all the Yoga postures and forms so easy to follow, but her methods goes beyond the physical aspect of the practice. Jessie's exceptional Yoga teachings ties all Body, Mind and Soul. I'm really lucky to be part of Jessie's class, cause since then, I've learned to see and practice Yoga on a whole new level, beyond the physical posture and forms and all the way to connecting the flow of the mind reaching back to my inner consciousness." - Raffy Rabin

“I had the chance to be part of a yoga retreat lead by Jessie in Panama, and the experience was amazing! Jessie is a great teacher: she has a very calming presence and is always attentive to her students. I am glad that I could get to know her better outside of the classes, and can only thank her for making the retreat an unforgettable time!” Cecile Deforges

“A week in Costa Rica at a yoga retreat hosted by Jessie! She definitely loves yoga and loves to teach it. Left there feeling totally rejuvenated and stronger than I have felt in years.” – Lorelei Wilson

“I had the pleasure of attending a yoga retreat in Costa Rica with Jessie in 2014. What an amazing experience! One of the best of my life. When I first arrived, I felt ready to practice, and eager to make progress. However, the transformation I witnessed in myself exceeded all my expectations. The atmosphere Jessie created was so positive and conducive to personal growth. I felt encouraged and supported the whole way through. The classes were structured beautifully; complementing each other and bringing balance to each day. I really appreciated her pace of instruction; I felt challenged, yet comfortable and supported in my learning zone, and never in a panic zone. She gave clear, positive and honest feedback, which I found to be extremely valuable.

By the end of the week, not only did I feel stronger and more confident in my practice, but also deeply inspired. Jessie opened my heart and mind to many other aspects of yoga, and I am grateful for the variety, knowledge and passion she shared with our group. I particularly loved the readings she offered during savasana. Those are among the most peaceful moments of my life.

I recommend a yoga retreat with Jessie for anyone who is looking for a beautiful journey, in a beautiful place, with the support of a beautiful teacher.

I would not trade my experience for anything in the world” - Kate Wilson

"My wife and I attended a Yoga and Surf retreat in Panama with Jessie being the Yoga instructor for the week. We had 2 classes per day each very different yet progressive. I am not your typical yogi yet Jessie had a way of making sure that all levels of practice were challenged yet comfortable. She even added in a meditation section to the second last day which I had just asked her questions about a few days earlier and had mediation as my main goal for the week. It was a fabulous week and we owe a big part of it to Jessie"– Brett Barker

“I was fairly new to yoga when I attended one of Jessie’s retreats a few years ago in Costa Rica. She has a true gift and passion for teaching and made sure each one of us on that retreat took something away to improve our practice. She provides great instructions with easy cues. She played a great part in my journey and the information I learned on that retreat is still part of my practice today” – Julie Rice