When I first began teaching the elements of voice, I made one major mistake. I taught people how to shift the tone of their voice externally, but I didn’t teach them how to shift their focus on the internal emotions created by the tone of their voice. This resulted in people acting, and it was obvious. After many years of teaching EOV workshops and trainings, it finally became clear that the major difference between those that were nailing it and those that weren’t was the emotional quality of the voice. We know emotion is a form of non-verbal communication. For example, you know when someone is angry with you even if they speak with a polite voice or if they pretend to be calm. Begin observing this in speeches- TED talks or spoken word poetry – notice the ability or inability of the speaker to move the audience and you. Yes, the words that they are using matter, but if those words were spoken in a monotone, emotionless voice you wouldn’t be listening. So let’s get observing!
This practice provides you with a rare choice for the peak action. This class was taken from an immersion where I had taught the Fire Line – protraction and flexion of the spine – in a previous workshop and I wanted to provide something different as the focus since I knew the yogis were already familiar with the primary actions required for Lolasana. As you likely noticed, I still talk about the “push” of the shoulder blades and some other techniques like gripping the ground. However, the peak engagement in this class is in the hamstrings. We activate the hamstrings throughout the class in various postures. Activation fo the hamstrings is part of the Earth Line, and there are very few postures that actually require hamstring engagement to flex the knee joint. YES the knees are bent in a lot of yoga poses, but that doesn’t mean the hamstrings are what is creating the knee bend. More often than not, the knees are bent in standing postures and it’s actually the quads that are active, which STOP you from bending the knee more – gravity is bending the knee and your quads are resisting gravity.
In short, Lolasana is a rare posture that requires hamstring strength to lift the feet and keep them off the ground. It is NOT the KEY action but it is a required action.
The Elements of Voice is the practice of relating our inner environment – thoughts and emotions – to the elements of nature: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Space. The goal of EOV is to become aware of the effect we have on others, and use our voice for the purpose of inspiring and empowering everyone around us.
On the surface EOV…
refines the vibration of your voice (tone).
gives access to your range (pitch).
helps you manipulate volume (dynamics).
empowers you to let your words be heard (space).
In order to achieve these goals and maintain authenticity, we must go beyond the surface. The voice is simply an outward expression and reflection of inner landscape (emotions and thoughts). The EOV practitioner first cultivates awareness of their inner landscape to gain insight and clarity. Second, the practitioner breaks though resistance that denies access to one or more elements. Third is they freely move through the range of emotions available to them and boundlessly express themselves, sharing with the world.
Awareness: to begin the observation of your internal landscape, you will need a basis for self-reflection. Start by categorizing the range of emotional experiences and include “ways of being”. Being grounded may not be considered an emotion but it certainly can be felt, so we can say this is a way of being or a feeling.
List Qualities of each Element
Earth:
Water:
Fire:
Air:
Space:
Given our Chromatic vision, to unveil and ignite the highest potential in ourselves and everyone around us for the purpose of living boundlessly, EOV requires courage, vulnerability, and high levels of awareness.
Courage: for many of us, it is easier to work on the outer tools of EOV (tone of voice, volume, verbiage). However, in exploration of each element, you will quickly find blockages. Herein lies tremendous opportunity for self-inquiry and breakthroughs. The element that challenges you most will likely leave a pit in your stomach or tighten your jaw. You will want to run away from it; this is how you know you are on the brink of revelation! Courage will help you move into the fire of transformation and bring you through to the celebration on the other side of the adventure.
Vulnerability: the ability to be completely honest with ourselves the face of our fears and judgments. We have emotional and mental patterns that cloud us from the truth, usually because the truth is painful. These patterns also hold us back from stepping into our full power and potential. If you value vulnerability, then you can start a new pattern, one that celebrates who you truly are and allows you to share yourself boundlessly with everyone around you. A pattern of honesty and internal celebration will redesign the landscape of your inner world.
Awareness: the result of your courageous vulnerability. You will begin to see yourself clearly, unclouded by defenses and insecurities. This is where empowerment lies. It is in this pure, unobstructed place of clarity that you can access your connection to the infinite power of nature. Harnessing this power will give you the necessary tools to ignite the highest potential in everyone you connect with.
The Air Line is the exact opposite of the Fire Line in that it is an engagement of the back body muscles. Like the Fire Line, there is a simplified version, which simply creates extension of the spine – when both sides of the back muscles are activated. Similarly to the Fire Line there is a more complex cross-body engagement that we can learn to create. For example, activating the rear deltoids, rhomboids, and middle fibers of the trapezius of the right shoulder while activating the left erector spinae, QL, gluteus maximus and hamstrings. This cross-body activation builds tremendous awareness and can be really useful in accessing twisting backbends.
We can also use the complex Fire and Air Lines to balance out the body when twisting. More on that later.
Space requires a level of confidence in your teaching that allows you to say nothing at all, yet still hold the attention of the room. It is the hardest to develop within the roll of being a teacher. It is not something you can necessarily practice on your own, but rather you will need to become aware of yourself while you teach. Some helpful tips:
Breathe: it’s so easy to teach in a class and not breathe with your students. Leave space after you say “inhale” by breathing inward fully before you say “exhale”. The most common mistake of a beginner teacher is to say “inhale” followed by an immediate “exhale”. If you don’t leave time for an inhale, then you defeat the purpose of instructing your students to breathe.
Listen: this is the key to leaving space. Listen for your students breathing, or the sound of the room, or to the words you just spoke; let them settle for you and your students before you paint over them with more words. Listen to your own breath.
Observe: rather than getting caught up in your head, observe the students in front of you. Watch how they are moving, how they respond to your cues. Observe the specificity of their actions and observe the overall energy of the room.
With time and intentional practice, you will become masterful at holding space.
Silence.
Go easy on yourself as its is a challenging skill to develop.
Chromatic Yoga uses the Elements as a basis for self-reflection (inquiry), communication (elements of voice), and sequencing for both our physical and thematic through lines. As Chromatic Teachers, we study the elements known as the Maha Buthas which are Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space.The study of these elements can include philosophical traditions/systems such as Ayurveda, the Chakras, Tantra, etc. However, in order to authentically relate to each element, we must observe nature. Observation of nature is the first practice when it comes to developing awareness of this systematic view of life.
Self-Reflection: As a being of nature, we have all the elements within us. To make this more comprehensible, let’s look at the qualities of fire in relationship to ourselves. A blacksmith uses the heat of fire to transform metal. The fire within us has the same transformative power. Fire is the energy of inspiration, motivation, empowerment, and transformation. Each element has multiple qualities. The more we observe them in relationship to ourselves, the easier it is to see how intertwined we are with nature. With this practice we can begin to see that we are not separate, but rather, we are aspects of nature.
Communication: Emotional energy evokes communication. When a feeling arises, thoughts form around it, and the desire to express ourselves leads us to speak and take action. This process of emotion to thought to expression happens so fast it can be automatic, which we would call “reaction”. To help slow down and understand the process, we can practice observing the internal experience of emotions and thoughts in relationship to the elements. For example, we could pair feelings with elements such as:feeling light, free, and joyful with Air. Or grounded, stable, and safe with “Earth”. The goal is to become authentic and effectivein our communication with others, and that first requires internal clarity of our thoughts and emotions. For this purpose, we practice the Elements of Voice. (See below.)
Sequencing/Theming: Utilizing the qualities of each element, you can form sequences and themes for your classes. For example, an earth-based sequence might emphasize stability, or steadiness. Another possibility is to sequence around the root chakra. The elements can also serve as an easy thematic template for a retreat or trainings.
A pose to help set the journey of the class. If you know a general direction that you want to take your students in, you can sequence a class accordingly, and have an even greater potential to reverse engineer the steps for your students to allow a greater potential for success.
A peak posture is usually more challenging due to the an increase in one or more of the following categories:
required strength
flexibility
proprioception
balance
Layering:
Layering is the process of delivering information repetitively over the course of the class. Think of a layered cake that has icing between each of the layers of cake. The icing is the strength (peak engagement) and stretch (target stretch) postures, and the cake itself are all the other postures and transitions that exists in the class including the warm up poses, sun salutations, cool down postures etc.
Peak Action Vs. Peak Engagement
The peak action is a joint articulation that is taught, emphasized, and carried through an entire class. For example, you could teach internal rotation of the thigh bone through the whole class and this would be a peak action. On the other hand, a peak engagement is an emphasis and a muscle engagement rather than a joint articulation. One has to do with joints, the other has to do with muscles. The major difference is what you are choosing to emphasize. If you teach a class on retraction of the scapula (shoulder blades toward each other), this would be a peak action. If you taught the same action but emphasized the activation and sensation of the muscles that do this action- which are the rhomboids- than you would call it a peak engagement. Sometimes you will be doing both, so to keep it simple you could defer to the term peak action if you plan to do both.
Physical Through-Line
The physical through-line is the categorical term for peak action or engagement or target stretch (also simplified technique, which you haven’t learned yet). So If I ask you for your physical through line, you could respond with, “I chose a target stretch of the hamstrings.”
Preparatory Peak Pose:
Similar to reference pose in that the intention is to assess the student’s ability to apply the peak actions. The difference is that a preparatory peak pose must contain a similar shape to the peak pose in that similar muscle groups are naturally shortened and lengthened.
There are two versions of the Fire Line that I offer – a simplified and a complex. This version is the complex because it deals with cross body connection – activating the external obliques of one side and internal obliques of the opposite. This class is more education-based than the simplified Fire Line, which is just the rectus abdominus, that creates flexion of the spine. In both cases, the hip flexors and serratus anterior are required in order to have the connection of the axial skeleton (trunk/torso) and the appendicular (arms and legs).
For the duration of the rest of the training, I am going to be providing you with many yoga practices, taught by myself and many other chromatic yoga teachers. I invite you to observe the structure that underlies the class and the physical through line. These two things will help you develop your teaching. The mind tends to be entertained with style instead of structure. It will latch onto details about how the teacher says something, or fancy transitions, etc. As a practice, I invite you to stay focused on the structure and through line for now in order to best develop your sequencing skills. Enjoy!
New to Chromatic Yoga philosophy is the study of the Koshas. The outer-most layer is called Anamaya Kosha, and this layer is made up of the five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and space. The Koshas are the five layers of our being that encase the soul; they provide us with a framework of journeying inward from the outer-most physical self to the inner-most Higher Self. At the deepest core of us exists Bliss and Awareness. Learning to turn the Intellect “Budhi” inward, in order to reflect upon the innermost parts of ourselves, helps us to see the fullness of who we are as aspects of nature.
The Water Line
The Water Line consists primarily of the opposing actions to the Earth Line. While Earth Line is predominantly made up of muscles that create extension and external rotation of the hip joint, flexion of the knee, plantar flexion and inversion of the ankle, the Water Line focuses on the opposite- flexion, internal rotation of the hip, extension of the knee, dorsiflexion and eversion of the ankle.
To clarify, the elemental lines are muscle engagements that create these actions. However, you will notice I often activate these lines when in the opposite joint alignments. So I activate gluteus maximus when in hip flexion – glutei max extends the hip joint. In Chromatic Yoga we call this a balancing action – a muscle engagement that balances out what is.
As you develop a better understanding of the general structure of class, you will be able to see it within the classes you take with me and likely anyone else you practice with. My classes tend to be slightly less vinyasa and more slow flow or Hatha. The major difference is in how many jump back/jump forwards you do in my classes, and how long you hold poses. In any vinyasa class you can introduce alignment, technique, or joint actions, so I wouldn’t say that is the major difference in structure, but it certainly is a major difference in style. When learning Chromatic Yoga, know that you do not need to focus a tremendous amount of time giving all details of how to activate muscles; that is my personal preference for how I share the practice. You may or may not be called to the same approach.
IMPORTANT: Throughout this training I will teach you the simple structure to make it easy to introduce a physical through line. I suggest KEEPING IT SIMPLE. Your verbal cues and anatomy will naturally get more and more intricate and complex, that will actually be the easy part with experience. The hard part will be keeping the structure simple and easy for students to understand.
Chromatic structure is set up to help you develop from simple and effective to complex and intricate. If you jump to complex too soon, you will miss the most important part: being effective.
The reason I mention this now is as you practice with me, you will likely hear the complexities before you hear the simplicities and you will be tempted to mimic. The complex aspects of what I teach is barely noticed to the beginner practitioner, but it will be noticed by you because you are listening and watching for it. The beginner practitioner will only hear what is emphasized and repeated over and over again. They will not catch the nuances.
THE EARTH LINE
Throughout this training I will be sharing kinesthetic elemental lines of muscle with you. The Earth Line. in its SIMPLEST form, is an activation of gluteus maximus. There are multiple muscles that can be activated in addition to complete the Earth Line, such as hamstrings, calf muscles, and pronators of the ankle joint. Depending on the length of the class, or if it’s several classes that I am teaching the Earth Line, I may slowly add on muscular engagements for a complete Earth Line. Later we will break down the anatomy of it, but for now feel out the experience for yourself, notice how your body and mind respond to it.
Welcome to the September Immersion: Live Yoga Immersion
Congratulations, you have committed to yourself! Thank you for choosing to practice with me and allow me to be your guide through this experience. I am excited that together we are creating a vibrational energy that will support each of us in our journey. I look forward to sharing the techniques in the asana (physical) practice that have awakened my body in a way I could have never imagined. We will also be working through the teachings that have been passed down to me from my teachers that have helped me and so many others find greater peace and well being internally. I look forward to doing this together.
One of the key defining factors of Chromatic Yoga is that it does not define any set alignment as being inherently good or bad. There is no one optimal way to hold your bones or engage your muscles. Instead of defining a set alignment for each posture, Chromatic Yoga offers amyriad of possibilities by teaching students various anatomical actions available within any given shape. We look at alignment as two questions:
What are the benefits?
What are the drawbacks?
These questions give rise to our potential rather than our righteousness. That being said, the drawbacks of certain alignments due to high levels of risk might lead us to the decision not to practice them or offer them to our students. Respecting each other’s decisions starts with understanding the intention behind our choices. Ou intention is based on what we are attempting to offer our students. Being clear with what the intention is, as well as the benefits and drawbacks, leads us to discernment – deciding what we feel is best based on our experience and education around the subject, in this case anatomy.
The focus is on feeling sensations of the body and the poses are a platform to better understand our own bones, joints, and muscles. Through this approach of sensation and knowledge-based teaching, students gain a mastery of their body, empowering them to make their own decisions about what is most appropriate for them. The aim is to give Chromatic Yogis the opportunity to know their body so well that they can choose what serves their over all well-being. In addition, because of the increased body awareness, students develop the capacity to break down seemingly “advanced” poses and movements into small accessible parts, which is the essence of this practice.
Flow:
Similar to technique and alignment, there is no one way to move and instead we encourage students to find authenticity in their movement. That said, movement can be taught in two ways, through improvisation or technique. Improvisation is the ability to freely access our current ability to move. Technique is the expansion of our movement potential.
In music, a guitarist can improvise with their current ability to move fingers around the fret board, expressing themselves joyfully with skills they have. On the flip side, they could also learn new scales and practice exercises to give them more freedom to express themselves without limitation of what their fingers are capable of.
Stepping into flow requires both a curiosity to the current state of our bodies (improvisation) and the willingness to grow and step into the things that challenge us (technique). What is most important as teachers is being intentional with the space we are providing. Are we encouraging students to improvise and access their current level of creativity? Or are we giving them specific skills to help them discover their movement potential and a deeper level of creativity? By understanding this distinction, we can be more powerful with the space we hold. While some of us will feel more authentic to one side of the spectrum, others will want to offer both sides.
Breath:
Breath is an imperative aspect of any yoga practice. Calling our attention to it reminds us that we are full of life’s energy. The breath often reflects how we feel and think, and it can impact our thoughts and feelings as well. Breath is the bridge between mind and body because it brings our attention back to the present reality that we are living beings of nature. Breathing allows us to stay with our intention, and with how we feel. Chromatic Yoga is an awareness-based practice, so whether you are teaching flow, or alignment and technique, calling students’ attention to their breath will ultimately help students stay present throughout their actions and awaken to the results. Breath can be taught in many ways to help students physically and mentally and just like alignment and flow, there is no right or wrong, simply intention, benefits and drawbacks.
In order to have a group discussion on the topic of sequencing, we will work off of one shared sequence so we don’t have to guess or assume details of each other’s style. I have created a simple and very standard vinyasa style sequence to memorize. This is not how I expect you to teach yoga, but rather a platform for all of us to work from as a group. Once memorized, I can teach you how to pull out the structure and rebuild your own sequence. After we work through the more advance sequencing structures that Chromatic Yoga offers, we can then apply those structures to difference templates, which will ultimately define your style of teaching. For some of you, this structure will already feel familiar, and for others it will be new. If you have done your 200 hour training with me, this section will be review.
IMPORTANT: These videos are taken from the 200 hour online training, so at the end of them I may ask you to submit videos. THIS IS NOT NECESSARY FOR CHROMATIC 1. THE ONLY VIDEO I WOULD LIKE YOU TO SUBMIT IS THE LAST ONE IN THE SECTION TITLED “CASCADING”. You will see a quiz submission which is where you will share the Youtube link of your practice teaching video.
Note: If any of these sections are new to you, I suggest practicing them individually before putting together the whole sequence.
I look forward to all of us being on the same page so we can move forward with greater ease as a group!
Note about YouTube:
We use YouTube because it’s a free and fast way to share videos without losing quality or taking up storage space on your devices.
Creating Your YouTube Account
Why?
Videos take up a large amount of space on devices, and sending videos can take an incredibly long time via text. Most email services will not allow you to transfer large files. Normally you would need to pay for storage of large files and send download links. However, YouTube lets you store videos entirely free. The best part is, you can download them at a later date should you need a copy. This is incredible. You also have the benefit of selecting whether your videos are public, unlisted, or private.
For the purposes of this training, you will set your videos to “unlisted”, which means only those with the link can view. Of course, if you want to share your videos publicly, then you may do that, but this is not required for this training.
Throughout training you will be asked to share your unlisted video links in Key Points Review, so that I or your mentor can watch your videos. As you get deeper into the training, your mentor will provide you with feedback so you can work to develop your skills for your own practice or your teaching. You will be asked to stick to a certain time limit with your video in order to make sure you are on track. If you need to trim your video, you can do so on your phone or in the YouTube editor after upload.
Uploading and Trimming Your Videos
These quick tutorials show you how to upload and trim videos in case you have excess time at the beginning and end. Please trim your videos to when the teaching starts and when it ends before sending your links.
Sharing
Here are the basics of how to share YouTube videos in general. There are many ways to share your videos. Ultimately you need the link to send to your mentor for support.
There are 3 primary actions to balancing a handstand: Lean, Resist, Push (LRP). These 3 are all you need to balance a handstand; then all that’s left is refining your alignment. There is a 4th (Squeeze) that you will hear me talk about later in this training and that will make the process of getting into the handstand easier. LRP is the heart of this training, and every exercise works on 1, 2, or all 3 of them. Let’s get you familiar with each action.
LEAN
The main action to balance a handstand is learning how to lean your body weight whilst upside down and on your hands. You are a professional at doing this on your feet, which is why you can stand. In this training, you will focus on learning how to lean toward the place of balance — your fingers, “the brakes.”
RESIST
In Handstand Training Part 1: Strength and Technique, you practiced multiple exercises to strengthen “the brakes,” also known as the flexors of your wrist and fingers. These gripping muscles are what stop you from leaning too far, and they hold you in a place of balance when you are on your hands.
PUSH
Aligning the body upside down requires your push strength. The push muscles are the serratus anterior and the upper trapezius, which tend to be weak, causing a heavy, arched handstand. This training strengthens these, getting you out of a “banana back” and into a straight and efficient handstand.
Welcome
Welcome to your Handstand Training for Balance!
The following video will help you understand the why behind Lean, Resist, Push. Watch it several times and periodically throughout your training. After practicing and integrating the techniques, watching this again will give you a greater understanding of the concepts, and the concepts will further inspire your practice.
Welcome to the August Immersion: Live Yoga Immersion
Congratulations, you have committed to yourself! Thank you for choosing to practice with me and allow me to be your guide through this experience. I am excited that together we are creating a vibrational energy that will support each of us in our journey. I look forward to sharing the techniques in the asana (physical) practice that have awakened my body in a way I could have never imagined. We will also be working through the teachings that have been passed down to me from my teachers that have helped me and so many others find greater peace and well being internally. I look forward to doing this together.
Superior angle of the medial border of the scapula: the upper inner corner of the shoulder blade
Occiput: base of the skull on the back side
The Muscles
Sternocleidomastoid: rotation, flexion, Latteral flexion of the neck. If this muscle is tight it also could cause neck extension of upper neck around C1-3. This muscle has three attachment points – the sternum, mastoid process, and clavicle.
Semispinalis capitis: deep neck muscles that extend and laterally flex the neck. These attach from the occiput to the middle of the thoracic.
Splenius capitis: attaches to the mastoid process and from C3 to T3.
Splenius cervicis: rotation, extension, and lateral flexion of the neck. Long muscle attaching to side of the neck to middle of the back.
Levator scapula: attaches to the medial superior corner of the scapula, and C1-C4. Lateral flexion of the head and neck, and elevation of the scapula. When both sides are active and shoulder blades are fixed, it could also pull the neck into extension.
Scalenes: three scalenes at the side of the neck: posterior, medius, and anterior. Primarily responsible for lateral flexion and stabilization.
This practice focuses on rotation of the neck in order to strengthen both the front and back of the neck.In order for the neck to purely rotate without flexing, extending or laterally flexing we need to utilize balancing muscle engagements. Most of use are used to only activating the font neck muscles because our head tends to be set forward and of course our eyes are in the front of our head. In this practice we use a wall as a reference to help us feel where our head placement is.
All right. So we have gone over the massive benefits for community but like all things there can certainly be too much of a good thing. In Chromatic Yoga one thing I like to emphasize is that we cultivate the ability to look at everything from the standpoint of benefits and drawbacks rather than right or wrong. So no matter how much I highlight the benefits of something like stepping into community, it is imperative that we recognize the equal benefits of solidarity and alone time. Ultimately this is something each of us has to explore for ourselves in order to find what serves our highest potential. As I mentioned in a previous video, when we are not living up to our potential we most definitely feel it, and as a result we pull away from anyone that might remind us of this. When our actions do not align with our intention – because we are resisting an internal or external challenge- we lose our authentic integrity. When this is the case, this is not the time to pull away, but to step in to community.
On the other hand, once you step into your integrity and begin taking action steps that reflect your intention, you will likely get into a zone, a flow state that requires your full attention. At this time you may have to step away from community to maintain your focus and allow the momentum of your actions to move full speed ahead. Just remember to recharge and reconnect afterward, because again too much isolation has its drawbacks.
THESE ARE ALL SUGGESTIONS, GUIDELINES, AND IDEAS TO CONTEMPLATE.
None of what I am suggesting should be implemented as THE WAY, but rather, as a way to self-reflect. Ultimately, if you are inquiring within, you will find the answers you are looking for. Self-reflection will reveal if your ego is in the driver seat or if it’s your soul.
A paradox is two contradicting truths. As Chromatic teachers, we strive to see the benefits and drawbacks instead of rights and wrongs. This methodology provides a more open mindset. What if opposing opinions are both correct and can co-exist? What happens when the correct alignment of a yoga posture causes harm, and the incorrect alignment opens the doorway to a student’s highest potential? We know this to be true along our path. Keeping an open mind and embracing paradox is the work of the Chromatic yogi. The word Chromatic asks us to embrace the full spectrum of possibility. What could we achieve if the whole world embraced contrast? Yes, it’s an idealistic mindset, but it’s something to work toward.
On one day of a Chromatic Yoga workshop, you may teach a specific alignment for standing postures in order for your students to have greater access to the peak posture. The next day, you might share the opposing alignment in order to align with a different intention. A class on arm balances, for example, might emphasize protraction (separation) of the scapula, while a class on shoulder-openers might offer the exact opposite alignment (retraction) for the shoulder blades. Rather than looking at a good or bad alignment, Chromatic Yoga looks for the benefits and drawbacks and aligns choice with intention. This will allow you to be purposeful with what you share instead of dogmatic.
The Step-by-Step Approach
The Chromatic approach is to see a goal and break it down into small, easily approachable pieces. Rather than trying to climb a cliff made out of sand and hoping for the best, Chromatic yoga strives to look for small, solid steps upward. For example, when sequencing toward a peak pose, the teacher breaks the pose down into smaller, accessible pieces. What are the joint relationships (alignments)? what muscles are stretching? Which muscles are engaging? Next, we devise a class plan that sets students up for maximum success. You will learn how to do this in the sequencing section of this manual and in Level 1 training.
Humble: As we seek to reveal our highest potential, we remain open and ready for a revelation. To have a revelation requires the ability to not know for the sake of learning and growth. For many this means letting go of the need to be right, perfect, or to have it all figured out. When we take the pressure off ourselves and others to be perfect, we open ourselves to growth and the possibility of a life-changing revelation. Humility is the willingness to stand fully in the “I don’t know” and be open to what life (and others) have to offer. Humility is not about diminishing ourselves but honoring our limitless potential over our insecurities.
Empowered: While we strive to be humble and open to our potential, we also honor the magnificence of who we already are. Thus is the paradox: we are open to all that we do not know but maintain the awareness of all we have yet to offer. We do not diminish ourselves to make others feel bigger. We stand tall in who we are and inspire them to rise up with us. When we step into the role of “teacher”, we confidently offer from the wisdom of our journey. There is no one in the world more qualified to share your life’s experience than you.
Authentic: As Chromatic teachers, we aim courageously to share our unique qualities and wisdom. Rather than trying to be what we think others want us to be, we share ourselves openly and honestly. This, too, requires courage and vulnerability. “What if they do not like me?” “What if they don’t like this class?” As a Chromatic teacher, we recognize that being ourselves is actually a point of attraction. Relaxing into our being (including our faults), allows others to relax into theirs. Authenticity requires removing emotional armor and leading by example. Your fullpotential to ignite the highest potential in others emerges the moment you step into your authentic expression.
Resourceful: While humility opens our minds to learning, growth, and revelation, resourcefulness is the act of seeking out the knowledge and information that ignites the process. The Chromatic teacher seeks to expand their knowledge first for personal evolution, and next to empower others. To be a yoga teacher, there is so much to know and we will never be able to master all the aspects of the practice. This is one of the reasons we value community. We may not have the answers, but we respect our collective experience and the incredible knowledge our global community has to share. The more willing we are to be resourceful, ask questions, and seek information, the more supportive we can be for our students.
Tactical: Tactical and resourceful go hand in hand because to be tactical requires a certain level resourcefulness or willingness to do the research. Someone who is tactical employs a structured “plan” or “approach” toward their vision. As a Chromatic Yoga teacher this means mindfully structuring classes/workshops/trainings for the sake of revealing each student’s highest potential. We do this in two main ways: sequencing (physical through line) and theming (thematic through line).
Teaching From theH.E.A.R.T: Humility and empowerment are emotional heart-centered qualities. Resourcefulness and tactics are structured and linear qualities. To share authentically, acknowledge which side you are most drawn to and embrace that in your teaching. H.E. teachers will quickly be masterful at thematic through lines, while R.T. teachers will excel at physical through lines. As a student, stay humble and open yourself to the other side of the spectrum. With practice and time, you will be able to masterfully integrate and share the full spectrum.
Chromatic Yoga Teachers lead with confidence and humility. We aim to lead by example rather than by unattainable perfection. We make mistakes and use them to empower our teaching. We encourage students to move toward their hearts’ desire and potential by inspiring them from our own experience. We are a community, a support system, students of our highest potential.
P.A.C conveniently represents the pillars of Chromatic Yoga. A pack of wolves, for example, is a community that comes together to support their collective strength, fulfill their social roles, and look out for the well-being of one another. Chromatic Yoga is a place where we support one another in our journey toward our highest potential. Empowering each individual inspires a rising of the collective. Chromatic stands upon these pillars:
Practice:Practice is the action of aligning with our intention on a regular basis. Chromatic teachers and students alike honor the importance of practice as the way toward self-awareness and living boundlessly from our highest potential. This is not limited to being on a yoga mat, but rather wide open to the spectrum of practices over the course of a day for the purpose of revelation. From practice comes wisdom, and from wisdom comes the empowerment to support the rising of others.
Authenticity: Authenticity, also a chromatic core value, is a pillar which we stand upon. To be authentic we must strip away the layers of our emotional armour and courageous enough to share ourselves for the sake of inspiration and heartfelt connection. Authenticity requires courage and vulnerability, and it is the energy that attracts abundance of all of life’s gifts that we seek.
Community: Community makes us stronger and holds us to our spiritual path – it binds us to our integrity. In this community we are held (and hold others) from a place of love. We support each other in our practice of staying true to our intentions. This is not about shaming or guilting but rather serving, a reflection of our highest intention. When we are not living or acting in alignment with our intention, the first thing we tend to do is move away from anyone that would remind us of that. This is why community is a pillar; it serves as a reminder of who we truly are below the surface of day to day troubles and asks us to step up to our fullest potential. In good times, community is our collective strength from which to thrive; in bad times community is the fire that re-ignites our soul’s purpose. Be open to it.
Chromatic Yoga asks us to remember our true nature by providing a platform to explore self-awareness through structure of the elements of nature, known as the Maha Buthas: Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space.
The elements are a way of breaking down larger-force nature into smaller pieces—to understand the whole, we study its individual parts. Being that we are nature, we each have the qualities of each element within us. By observing these qualities, we become more self-aware and have the opportunity to unveil the truth about ourselves.
Chromatic teachers use this approach to support the growth of our students by breaking down bigger challenges (postures, practices, life goals) into smaller digestible parts, and encourage a step-by-step approach toward awareness, conscious action and transformation (A.C.T).
A.C.T (awareness, conscious action, transformation) is a method of unraveling patterns. Chromatic Yogis practice observing their patterns in order to better understand the “why” behind their way of thinking, feeling, acting, and being (perspective). Our muscles have patterns based on our past physical experiences- sports we played, how we sat growing up, activities we did, injuries we had, and so on.
Our thoughts and emotions operate exactly the same way. If someone raises their hand in a classroom and we identify this action with the desire to ask a question, this thought is a pattern.
Some patterns serve us well, some are neutral, some patterns don’t serve us at all, and some served us at one time but no longer do. Our work as yogis is to become aware of them so we can change patterns that do not serve the well-being of who we are today. As teachers, we provide space for our students to do the same through the process we call ACT.
Awareness: What we are aware of can be changed. Awareness is strengthened by constantly directing our attention toward anything- breath, body, the senses, thoughts, emotions, subtle vibrational energy, etc. Through attention-building practices like asana, pranayama, meditation, contemplation, and conversation, we eventually become aware of our own awareness, and it is in this state that we deeply connect to all that is.
ConsciousAction: is required in order to make any type of change. Awareness reveals our patterns, but in order to make a change we have to take a different course of action in order to re-pattern ourselves. Not taking any action is still an action because you have chosen not to act. Choice is an action. What’s more, action without being anchored in intention can lose its purpose and power when patterns are strong. Conscious action is inseparable from our higher intention, or our inner deep desire inside for long-lasting change.
Transformation: the result of repetitive awareness practices and conscious action over time. Transformation requires a new pattern- be it neurological, postural or otherwise. While change is inevitable, transformation is a choice and the Chromatic Yogi aims to choose.
Superior angle of the medial border of the scapula: the upper inner corner of the shoulder blade
Occiput: base of the skull on the back side
The Muscles
Sternocleidomastoid: rotation, flexion, Latteral flexion of the neck. If this muscle is tight it also could cause neck extension of upper neck around C1-3. This muscle has three attachment points – the sternum, mastoid process, and clavicle.
Semispinalis capitis: deep neck muscles that extend and laterally flex the neck. These attach from the occiput to the middle of the thoracic.
Splenius capitis: attaches to the mastoid process and from C3 to T3.
Splenius cervicis: rotation, extension, and lateral flexion of the neck. Long muscle attaching to side of the neck to middle of the back.
Levator scapula: attaches to the medial superior corner of the scapula, and C1-C4. Lateral flexion of the head and neck, and elevation of the scapula. When both sides are active and shoulder blades are fixed, it could also pull the neck into extension.
Scalenes: three scalenes at the side of the neck: posterior, medius, and anterior. Primarily responsible for lateral flexion and stabilization.
Metacarpals:your fingers connect to bones in the palm called metacarpals. The head of the metacarpal is sometimes called the knuckles in English language. The head of the metacarpal on the palm side of the hand is a point of reference in the yoga practice; pressing them down into the ground requires activation of the wrist flexors.
Carpals:the bones of the heal of the hand; nerve lines run through this area, called the carpal tunnels, infamous because of carpal tunnel syndrome. The down dog exercise in the video teaches how to lift the carpals slightly to release pressure.
Medial Epicondyle:medial to inner epicondyle; the boney part of the humerus on the elbow side, not the shoulder side. Please look this up on your Anatomy 3D App so you can see where the location is. Many of the muscles below attach here, like the flexor capri ulnaris and flexor capri radialis.
The Muscles
Please use Essential Anatomy 5 App in order to better see the layers of muscles in the forearm.
Flexors of the Wrists
Flexor Carpi Ulnaris: flexes and adducts the hand; most medial of the superficial flexors.
Flexor Digitorum Profundus:attaches toward the middle to top of the radius down to the four fingers, not the thumb. Flexes wrist and fingers.
Flexor Digitorum Superficialis:has three attachment points, one on the medial epicondyle of the humerus (inner elbow bone), one on the head of the radius, and one more toward the middle of the radius. The other side of the muscle attaches to the four fingers (digits 2-5), not the thumb. This muscle spans a greater distance than the profundus and is more superficial than it.
Flexor Capri Radialis:also attaches to the medial epicondyle and runs down the inner palm to the base of the second and third metacarpals (index and middle finger). Responsible for flexion and abduction of the wrist.
Brachioradialis: Dr. Ray Long lists this as a flexor in the forearm and hand section, so I assume he is referring to the fact that it is a flexor of the elbow. From my understanding, since it does not attach to the hand and finishes before the wrist joint, it doesn’t flex the wrist. It is, however, responsible for pronation and supination, according to most sources.
Look up each of these muscles with the Anatomy App in order to see them. This will help you visualize them and get a better understanding of their line of pull. I am providing just the basics here to keep it simple. As you look into the muscle actions you will see some of them do more than just extension of the wrist and or fingers.
Pronators
Pronator Teres: from the medial epicondyle, runs across to the lateral radius, pronates the forearm and is also a weak flexor of the elbow.
Pronator Quadratus:pronates the forearm; close to the wrist joint that attaches to the radius and ulna.
Extensors of the Wrists
Extensor Pollicis Longus: connects near the middle of the ulna all the way to the thumb tip; extends and abducts the wrist and thumb. You may be able to see the muscle activate (depending on muscle definition) by moving your thumb side to side (toward and away from the palm -abduct and adduct).
Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis:attaches from the base of the humerus all the way down to the base of the middle finger (dorsal base of third metacarpal). When a muscle crosses two major joints, I pay close attention to it. You may experience pain in the wrist, and that might be due to an issue at the elbow joint and visa versa. These long muscles, along with fascial lines, can help provide insight as to where to start our inquiry.
Extensor Carpi Radialis Longus:essentially the same line of pull as the ECRB, but it attaches slightly higher up on the humerus, hence the name longus. Brevis means short or abbreviated ,whereas longus is long. Where there is a brevis, there is usually a longus; two similar muscles, one shorter than the other. The longus attaches to the index finger metacarpal (second).
Extensor Capri Ulnaris: as the name suggests, runs from the ulna (ulnaris)to the metacarpal (carpi) of the pinkie finger (fifth). Extends and adducts the wrist
Extensor Digitorum:this muscle is long and attaches all the way to the finger tips, so if you show off your nails to someone, you will be engaging this muscle. Pulling your fingers and wrists back into extension is the action of the extensor digitorum.
Look up each of these muscles with the Anatomy App in order to see them. This will help you visualize them and get a better understanding of their line of pull. I am providing just the basics here to keep it simple. As you look into the muscle actions, you will see some of them do more than just extend the wrist and or fingers.
Exercises for Strength and Awareness of the Flexors and Pronators
Wrist Pushups: will target flexors of the wrist through range of motion – the flexor digitorum will likely not be as involved since the fingers are fixed on the ground.
Down Dog with a Blanket:down dog with the heel of the hand slightly lifted and fingers gripping activate wrist flexors. Work external rotation of the humerus against the pronation of the forearms and you will strengthen both the pronators and the external rotators of the rotator cuff.
Chromatic Yoga uses the Elements as a basis for self-reflection (inquiry), communication (elements of voice), and sequencing for both our physical and thematic through lines. As Chromatic Teachers, we study the elements known as the Maha Buthas which are Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space.The study of these elements can include philosophical traditions/systems such as Ayurveda, the Chakras, Tantra, etc. However, in order to authentically relate to each element we must observe nature. Observation of nature is the first practice when it comes to developing awareness of this systematic view of life.
Self-Reflection: As a being of nature, we have all the elements within us. To make this more comprehensible, let’s look at the qualities of Fire in ourselves. A blacksmith uses the heat of fire to transform metal. The fire within us has the same transformative power. Fire is the energy of inspiration, motivation, empowerment, and transformation. Each element has multiple qualities; the more we observe them in ourselves, the easier it is to see how intertwined we are with nature. With this practice we can begin to see that we are not separate, but rather, we are the essence of nature.
Communication: Emotional energy evokes communication. When a feeling arises, thoughts form around it, and the desire to express ourselves leads us to speak and take action. This process of emotion to thought to expression happens so fast it’s often automatic, so we call this “reaction”. To help slow down and understand the process, we can practice observing the internal experience of emotions and thoughts in relationship to the elements. For example, we pair feelings of lightness, freedom, and joyfulness with air. Or grounding, stability, and safety with earth. The goal is to become authentic and effectivein our communication with others, and that first requires internal clarity of our thoughts and emotions. For this purpose, we practice the Elements of Voice (see next post).
Sequencing/Theming: By using the qualities of each element, you can form meaningful and inspirational sequences and themes for your classes. For example, an earth-based sequence might emphasize stability or steadiness. Another possibility is to sequence around the root chakra. A sequence formed around the quality of air would include pranayama techniques. A fire-based sequence might present a challenging pose or flow, so you can show your students that they have the ability to fire themselves up, even when they don’t feel like it. The elements can also serve as an easy thematic template for a retreats or trainings.
There are seven postures in Surya Namaskar A, and it starts and ends in the same place. Some postures repeat at the end in order to make it cyclical. Each posture has half of a breath, either an inhale or an exhale. Downward Dog is the exception, it has 3-5 full breaths.
Tadasana: Mountain Pose
Urdva Hastasana: Upward Salute Pose
Uttanasana: Standing Forward Fold
Ardha Uttanasana: Half Uttanasana (halfway lift)
Chaturanga Dandasana: 4-Limbed Staff Pose
Urdva Mukha Svanasana: Upward Facing Dog
Adho Mukha Svanasana: Downward Facing Dog
Ardha Uttanasana: Halfway Lift
Uttanasana: Standing Forward Fold
Urdva Hastasana: Upward Salute Pose
Samasthiti or Tadasana: Equal Stance or Mountain Pose
When To Breathe
The typical breathing rule of thumb is this: if the posture is rising or expanding (becoming bigger) than it is an inhale. If the posture is going downward or contracting (becoming smaller), it is an exhale. This is a rule of thumb and can be broken. You will hear me break it quite often when it comes to twists. In a twist you would typically exhale to twist and inhale to unwind. What if you are twisting but rising upward? Here I choose an exhale where most people will choose and inhale. Either way is fine; this is just my preference to honor the diaphragm and its movements. There are no twists in Surya Namaskar A so you will not get that here.
Tadasana: Exhale
Urdva Hastasana: Inhale
Uttanasana: Exhale
Ardha Uttanasana: Inhale
Chaturanga Dandasana: Exhale
Urdva Mukha Svanasana: Inhale
Adho Mukha Svanasana: Exhale (+ 3 Breaths)
Ardha Uttanasana: Inhale
Uttanasana: Exhale
Urdva Hastasana: Inhale
Samastiti or Tadasana: Exhale
Modifications + Key Points
Tadasana: Hips back over heels.
Urdva Hastasana: Reach arms out and up.
Uttanasana: Hips forward (shins vertical), anterior tilt, weight in fingers and toes. Hands on blocks.
Ardha Uttanasana: Heart and buttocks lifted, blocks under hands as an option.
Chaturanga Dandasana: Option to have knees down. Step back optional instead of jump back.
Urdva Mukha Svanasana: Transition through cobra in order to take weight off shoulders, allowing shoulders to roll back before straightening elbows. Place knees down as an option instead of flipping toes. Cobra is optional instead.
Adho Mukha Svanasana: Anterior tilt of pelvis, shoulders to ears. Child’s pose optional instead. Step forward instead of hopping forward is a great option for the transition to ardha uttanasana.
To learn how to create a “physical through-line”, one physical focus woven through your class, we will begin with learning what we call a “target stretch”.
Target Stretch: lengthen one muscle or muscle group throughout several postures in order to create greater ease or access to the peak posture.
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BLACK FRIDAY SALE!
Congratulations, your 30% discount code has been applied and will be reflected at the very bottom of the checkout page.
All Immersions & Immersion Bundles are included in this sale.
To get more info on each immersion click on the photo.
On Demand and Lifetime Access To all
