Classes with Amy
Amy offers many options for yoga studies, depending on your desires and needs. She teaches group classes at California State University-San Bernardino. Amy does not teach public yoga classes at this time. Amy teaches many workshops and is on the faculty of two Teacher Training Programs (Loyola Marymount Yoga Rx and Krishnamacharya Healing Yoga Foundation). She offers private yoga and wellness sessions for individuals that need healing. Last, she is the mentor of many yoga students who hope to become yoga teachers and yoga therapists.
Below are sample mp3 group classes, sequenced and instructed in the T. Krishnamacharya Tradition, which you may download and use to practice with Amy's leadership right at home!
Take Audio Classes with Amy!
Click the link and then press the small arrow to begin the audio for FORWARD BENDS (see sequence below).
1-Goal Pose Head to Knee
Practice 1- Forward Bends
Goal: Head to Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana)
Please feel free to warm-up with Sun-Salutations on your own for a stronger practice or begin the audio with #1.
1) Mountain (Tadasana) 6T
2) One-leg Standing Forward Bend (Parsva Uttanasana) to Warrior I (Virabhadrasana) 6T
3) Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana) 6T
4) Triangle Pose both Lateral and Twisting (Parvritti Trikonasana Vinyasa with Parivrrti and Parsva) 6T
5) Sun-salutation on Knees (Vajrasana Vinyasa) 6T
6) Rest in Corpse Pose (Savasana) 2 min.
7) Bridge Pose (Dwi Pada Pitham) 6T
8) Legs in the Air Pose (Urdvha Prasrita Padasana) 6T
9) Head to Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana) 6T
10) Table to Child’s Pose (Cakravakasana) 6T
11) Seated with Cross Legs (Sukasana) or Corpse Pose (Savasana) Breathing Free
Click the link and then press the small arrow to begin the audio for CORE STRENGTH (see sequence below).
2- Goal Pose Boat
Practice 2- Back Strength and Abdominals
Goal: Boat Pose (Navasana)
Feel free to warm up with Sun-Salutations on your own for a stronger practice or begin with #1.
1) Mountain Pose (Tadasana) on toes 6T
2) One-leg standing forward bend (Parsva Uttanasana) 6T
3) Standing forward bend (Uttanasana) to Hald forward bend (Ardha Uttanasana)
4) Sun-salutations on knees (Vajrasana Vinyasa) 6T
5) Rest 2 minutes in Corpse Pose (Savasana)
6) Legs in the Air (Urdvha Prasrita Padasana) 6T
7) Knees to Chest (Apanasana) 6T
8) Half Boat (Ardha Navasana) with 1 leg at a time 6T each side
9) Full Boat (Navasana) 6T (5th T stay 1 Br, 6th T stay 2 Br)
10) Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana) 6T
11) Bridge (Dwi Pada Pitham) 6T
12) Table to Child (Cakravakasana) 6T
13) Sit with legs crossed (Sukasana) or Corpse Pose (Savasnana) Breathing Free
Click the link and then press the small arrow to begin the audio for PARTIAL BACKBENDS (see sequence below).
4- Goal Pose Superman
Practice 3- Partial Back-Bends
Goal: Superman (Salabhasana)
Please feel free to warm-up with Sun-Salutations on your own for a stronger practice or begin the audio with #1.
1) Mountain (Tadasana) on toes 5T
2) One-leg standing forward bend (Parsva Uttanasana) to Warrior I (Virabhadrasana) 5T
3) Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana) 5T
4) Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana) 5T
5) Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana) to Half Standing Forward Bend (Ardha Uttanasana) 5T
6) Full Squat (Utkatasana) to Half Squat (Ardha Utkatasana) 5T
7) Rest in Corpse Pose (Savasana)
8) Bridge (Dwi Pada Pitham) 5T
9) Legs in the Air (Urdvha Prasrita Padasana) 5T
10) Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana) 5T
11) Superman Pose (Salabhasana) 5T
12) Knees to Chest (Apanasana) 5T
13) Table to Child (Cakravakasana) 5T
14) Sit crossed-legged (Sukasana) or Corpse Pose (Savasnana) In/ Ex Free
Click the link and then press the small arrow to begin the audio for a BREATH PRACTICE (10 min.)
Breathing
Amy Wheeler’s Yoga Philosophy
Based on the Teachings of T. Krishnamacharya
Amy makes the postures fit the people, not the people fit the postures
Each person has a unique skeletal-muscular structure and needs to have the postures modified to fit his or her body. For example, one person may be asked to straighten the arms completely in a pose and another person might be asked to bend the elbows into a goal post position because they have a tight neck. Although there are clearly defined the classical position for each posture, older bodies, western bodies and injured bodies need modifications and in many cases a much softer approach to yoga than was classically taught. Classical postures were taught to young (16-19 years old) boys who were very fit, flexible, strong, lean and who had excess energy to burn. Because there is no forcing or straining in yoga with Amy, the risk of injury is very low.
Amy teaches that one should move in and out of postures dynamically before they hold the postures statically
Probably the most unique thing about yoga with Amy is that she synchronizes movement and breath dynamically. Slow dynamic movement has many advantages. First, it warms up the muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments. Second, slow dynamic movement creates greater flexibility as the student moves in and out of the pose several times. Third, in many cases, slow dynamic movement also promotes greater strength building. Imagine bending into a forward bend 4-8 times (flexibility) and lifting your spine to come out of the pose 4-8 times (strength). Then, if the student is very fit and ready, they are asked to hold the pose statically to promote intensity with awareness.
The power of attention creates a meditative state of mind
The mind must be completely involved in the yoga practices. Imagine moving in and out of a pose, counting the breath, sometimes using the voice to create sound and possibly visualizing a healing thought- all at the same time!!!! This is what Amy calla having one-pointed focus. Amy attempts to take the mind from the many thoughts of life, narrow it down with a practice that starts with the gross (postures) and moves towards the subtle (breath and meditation). By the end of the practice Amy hopes that you can easily find a meditative state of mind. Think of it like this, first is the moving meditation, then the breath meditation and finally the mental meditation. Many practices stop after the gross physical postures. Amy feels that the postures are only the starting point and it is important to continue on to complete the original purpose of yoga- getting into a meditative state of mind.
Function over form in the practice
Amy does not adhere to rigid form and ideas about how the posture is supposed to look and thus the style that she teaches may not look as impressive. Amy has a contrary view to many styles of yoga that feel certain external "form" prevents injury. For example, many styles of yoga say that in Warrior I one must push down the outside of the back foot to make the knee safe. Amy feels that each individual may need to make a certain adjustment to fit the needs of his or her own body, but that these adjustments cannot be assumed for everyone as a general rule of safety. In fact, many times the western body may need to have soft knees and arms because we have so much tension in the low back and neck. It may not look as pretty, but is serves the function of staying safe and having an effective yoga practice.
The spine is the focus, not the limbs of the body
Another aspect of function over form is that Amy bases all of the movements around what is most effective for opening up the spine. Imagine yourself doing a standing forward bend with completely straight legs and attempting to bring your nose to your knees. Exactly, for most of you this is not possible to imagine, much less achieve physically. The straight legs cause you to get stuck halfway down and you never even get to feel it in the spine. Now imagine yourself doing a standing forward bend with bent knees. Chances are that you can get further down and you actually feel it in your spine. This is the way we would suggest the pose be done. Why? There are many nerves and body functions that originate in the spinal column. When you open the spinal areas you have a much greater impact on the human system as a whole (nervous system, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, immune system, digestive system and reproductive system). If you had not allowed the knees to bend and the spine to open, you would miss out on all of these amazing benefits. Now if you are one of those people who can have straight legs in a forward bend and place the nose on the knees, you too will be opening the spine in a forward bend and receiving all of the benefits.
Breath is the foundation of the practice
The focus on the yoga practice is on the breath because breath is one of the most healing of all of the available tools in yoga. Amy asks that you begin the breath just before the movement starts and end the breath just after the movement finishes. First, this requires complete attention, which leads to a meditative state of mind. Second, why is the breath such a healing tool? It is because the breath interacts with the nervous system, the cardiovascular system and the respiratory system immediately. Third, Amy asks that you "Inhale nose to belly---exhale belly to nose". This is quite different from chest breathing or belly breathing. This type of breathing moves the breath down the body on the inhalation, for maximum oscillation and massage of the spine, and then back up the body with the exhalation for the same purpose. Just breathing in this way will loosen tension from the top of the spine to the bottom. When you combine this type off breathing with postures that flex and extend the spine dynamically, you get maximum results. Fourth, Amy would like each inhalation and exhalation to be a minimum of 4 counts (if possible) to create a calming effect in the body. Yoga postured done at a fast pace with a quick breathing pattern actually stimulate the body and mind. In many cases, we are already too stimulated and need to calm ourselves. There are times we need stimulation, but needing to stimulate the mind and body is usually is the exception to the rule. Our western lifestyles are so fast paced that 90% of us need to slow down.
Amy combines many tools beyond the postures for maximum effect
Yoga postures are only the beginning of yoga with Amy. Postures are the grossest tool that we have for healing in yoga, and consequently have the least healing effects because they do not require such careful attention. Even a young person with very poor attentional skills can often do postures. It is no surprise that westerners LOVE to do postures because our attention is often very limited as a result of our lifestyle choices. Each posture is carefully coordinated with breathing patterns, sound, special hand gestures, mental images and other subtle tools. Subtle tools require the power of attention and therefore have a more powerful effect. Additionally, as the student progresses, many tools can be combined for maximum healing potential. Most of us have seen the new medical research on the power of imagery, faith and prayer for hospital patients. Some would say these studies are invalid because the healing is caused by a placebo effect. The bottom line is, the patients become well faster than those not using these subtle tools. So remember, even if you cannot do yoga postures, you can still do a very powerful yoga practice. Yoga is all about the mind and learning how to focus the mind for health, healing or beyond.
Amy adapts the practice to meet the needs of people from all stages of life
Amy has specific guidelines for the practice depending on the stage of life of the student. These are based on the teachings of T. Krishnamacharya. For example, when the student is young, the practice is focused on postures with just a few breathing techniques and very little meditation. The postures for young people are often done vinyasa style or with classical perfection of the poses. For the middle-aged person with many family responsibilities, there is a short practice of postures, but much more breathing and a short meditation for stress reduction. Then when students become older the practice begins to focus on breathing and meditation, with only 2 or 3 postures to prepare the body for sitting before the breathing and meditation. As we become older we prepare to become wiser, more intuitive and stable. Breath exercises and meditation are the key to obtaining the before mentioned attributes. Many older western students want to do the practice of a young person (mainly postures) as a way to get a workout. This is OK because it is true that our lifestyles are too sedentary. However, the student must understand that the postures are only the preparation for the goal of yoga- to get a quiet and focused mind by the end of practice.