Yoga_Journal_-_February_2016_USA_

OUR PROS Teacher and

model Christen Bakken

works with yogis of all ages.

She is a graduate of several

teacher trainings, including a

500-hour with Rusty Wells,

and founder of Young War-

riors, a business focused on

20-hour teacher training pro-

grams for children and

adults. Find her in Denver,

Kansas City, and all over the

nation teaching fun-filled

Rockin’ Bhakti Yoga classes.

Our other model is Noah Ciel-

Tilton. Writer and yogi Jessie

Lucier balances caring for her

family with her passion for

sustainability and wellness.

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february 2016

yogajournal.com

2 WISHING CHAIR

Begin in Standing Forward Bend with feet together, weight in the heels, and hands or fingertips on the

earth. Bend your knees and reach your hips back as far as you can, as if about to sit into a chair. Imagine

that you’re picking dandelions in front of your feet (A). On the inhale, pick the flowers, lift the chest, draw

the navel in and up, and bring elbows to touch in front of your heart. Keeping elbows bent, outstretch

hands with palms up toward your buddy (B). On the exhale, hold the pose, blow toward your hands, and

make your dandelion wishes. Repeat 3–5 times. In this pose, believe in the power of your dreams! Reflect

on what it is you truly want to manifest in your life, and don’t be afraid to put your desires out there.

the room. You might meow

and moo when doing Cat-Cow

Pose. “Get creative, and use

your asana to truly come alive,”

suggests Komitor.

If you can’t imagine yourself

meowing or barking during a

class full of people, or even in

your own living room, there are

subtler ways to bring more play

and lightness into your prac-

tice. You can set an intention

at the beginning of class to

relax more into your body. In

Airplane Pose, for example,

stretch your arms out to the

side and imagine gliding into

the mountains and perhaps

landing atop the highest peak.

Instead of berating yourself for

not nailing Natarajasana (Lord

of the Dance Pose), notice the

wonderful ways your legs, feet,

and hands move, even when

falling. “Sometimes simply

smiling when we notice that

we’re taking ourselves too seri-

ously or laughing rather than

judging when we fall out of a

pose can help us let go of some

of the limitations we’ve created

for ourselves,” says Bakken.

When we give ourselves

permission to play on the mat,

a whole new yoga practice

and outlook on life can emerge.

We lose our attachment to out-

comes, which limits our effort,

and instead enjoy the moment

for what it is, explains Kali

Love, a certifi ed instructor in

yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda

at the Chopra Center in Carls-

bad, California. “We can learn

so much from how children

respond to uncertainty with

a sense of curiosity and adven-

ture,” says Love. “Rather than

fearing that we’ll fail to meet

an expectation, we can adopt

a child’s practice of letting go,

and so much more becomes

possible. We can create more

magic, inspiration, happiness,

love, joy, and laughter both on

and off the mat.”

2

A

B

MODELS: CHRISTEN BAKKEN AND NOAH CIEL-TILTON; STYLIST: TINA GILL; HAIR/MAKEUP: BETH WALKER; ON CHRISTEN: TOP: LULULEMON; BRA: ZELLA; BOTTOMS: ATHLETA; ON NOAH: TOP: CHEROKEE; BOTTOMS: CHAMPION