Pauline Villanueva - Trilogy Sanctuary Yoga Teacher Highlight

Pauline is one of our yoga teachers here at Trilogy. She teaches the 7am Power Hour bright and early on Tuesdays and Thursdays! Let's get to know her a bit better...  

How and where did your yoga journey begin?

I first stumbled onto yoga at a charity yoga event in 2013 to benefit the New Children's Museum. I wasn't there for the yoga--I was actually there to hopefully network with other attorneys! Little did I know that that one event would change so much. I've been hooked ever since. 

When not teaching yoga, how do you spend your time?

Working at my grown-up job as an attorney, reading, drinking craft beer, and playing with cats. Also probably napping.

What quote inspires your life and practice?

"Ego says, 'Once everything falls into place, I'll feel peace.' Spirit says, 'Find your peace, and then everything will fall into place.'"

What words do you have to offer for new yogis?

Remember that yoga isn't about the crazy ridiculous Instagram poses--it's about finding your practice and your peace. It's a constant journey and everyone has their own path. That being said, don't be afraid to try things! Our bodies are so much stronger and smarter than we realize most of the time and they'll tell us what we need to know. Trust yourself and your body. 

What is one of the things you are most grateful for?

One of the things I'm endlessly grateful for is that my life didn't go the way I thought it would. I'm grateful for all the twists and turns of the past several years that allowed me to realize that the only thing I can control is myself and how I respond to things. But I am also the one who controls my own happiness. It has been a very liberating lesson and one I keep learning.

Pauline's yoga teacher bio:

Pauline first stumbled upon yoga in 2013, during a fundraising event for the New Children's Museum downtown, and immediately got hooked. Since then, yoga has been a passion which has changed her life. She completed her 200-hour teacher training in April of 2016. Her focus is on the accessibility and sustainability of a yoga practice, as well as exploring new things and having fun! She hopes to share her experience with others, in the hopes that they will find their own path and discover the same benefits from yoga. Off the mat, Pauline is an attorney who enjoys reading, drinking craft beer, and hanging with her cats. 

Our power hour classes are held in our infrared heated Moon Room, learn more about infrared yoga HERE.

We offer infrared and aerial yoga classes throughout the day, everyday! Take a look at our schedule to see all of our classes. 

Yoga to Benefit the Body

There is no doubt that practicing yoga improves your strength and flexibility (which has a plethora of benefits in itself), but it has even MORE amazing effects on the physical body! Here are 5 benefits for your physical body that result from practicing yoga... 

Perfects your Posture

Yoga teaches you to be mindful of your body and how you hold yourself. Small correction in how you hold you head, shoulders and hips can create huge improvements on posture. Also building strength in the spine and back allows you to sit up straight, with more ease, rather than slumping or hunching forward. Good posture over time prevents may injuries and degenerative diseases.

Protects your Spine

Spinal disks—the shock absorbers between the vertebrae that can herniate and compress nerves—crave movement. That’s the only way they get their nutrients. If you’ve got a well-balanced asana practice with plenty of backbends, forward bends, and inversions in the aerial hammock you’ll help keep your disks supple. Inversions in the hammock with minimal pressure on the joints help to decompress the spine and neck relieving back pain and helping to heal injuries.

Betters your Bone Heath

It’s well documented that weight-bearing exercise strengthens bones and helps ward off osteoporosis. Many postures in aerial yoga require that you lift your own weight. And some, like inverted pencil pose, help strengthen the arm bones, which are particularly vulnerable to osteoporotic fractures. In an unpublished study conducted at California State University, Los Angeles, yoga practice increased bone density in the vertebrae. Yoga’s ability to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol may help keep calcium in the bones.

Prevents Cartilage and Joint Breakdown

Each time you practice yoga, you take your joints through their full range of motion. This can help prevent degenerative arthritis or mitigate disability by “squeezing and soaking” areas of cartilage that normally aren’t used. Joint cartilage is like a sponge; it receives fresh nutrients only when its fluid is squeezed out and a new supply can be soaked up. Without proper sustenance, neglected areas of cartilage can eventually wear out, exposing the underlying bone like worn-out brake pads. Aerial Yoga is especially good for the joints as with the aid of gravity, much less pressure is applied on joints like the knees over time.

Releases Tension in Your Limbs

Do you ever notice yourself holding the telephone or a steering wheel with a death grip or scrunching your face when staring at a computer screen? These unconscious habits can lead to chronic tension, muscle fatigue, and soreness in the wrists, arms, shoulders, neck, and face, which can increase stress and worsen your mood. As you practice yoga, you begin to notice where you hold tension: It might be in your tongue, your eyes, or the muscles of your face and neck. If you simply tune in, you may be able to release some tension in the tongue and eyes. With bigger muscles like the quadriceps, trapezius, and buttocks, it may take years of practice to learn how to relax them.

At Trilogy we practice yoga on the mat and in the sky! We have yoga and aerial classes everyday of the week! Take a look at our SCHEDULE to sign up... First time practicing with us? We offer a $39 for two weeks of unlimited yoga! 

References: 

http://totalhealthyoga.blogspot.com http://www.energycenter.com http://kineticvigilantes.com http://www.lostartofhandbalancing.com http://www.evolutionhealth.com http://sitincomfort.com http://www.livestrong.com http://www.yogajournal.com http://www.rebekahleach.com

Using the Hindu Trinity to Inspire Balance

By Rachel Lubich.

When our lives are in balance we feel a sense of harmony within our body, mind and spirit, as well as, the world around us. This harmony can be observed by the divine timing and cosmic ordering of opportunities which unfold for us at the right moment once we are ready for them.

Recently, I’ve been looking to the Hindu trinity of Gods to inspire balance in my life. In case you aren't familiar with them, allow me to introduce Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. Brahma is the creator, Shiva is the destroyer, Vishnu is the sustainer, and together they create harmony within the natural cycle which sustains life in this world. Let’s take a closer look at their individual qualities in order to extract the wisdom they embody so we may apply their teachings to achieve a more balanced effort in life.

Shiva, the Destroyer

First, we employ the wisdom of Shiva, the destroyer. Destruction, in this sense, is not an act of violence or an attempt to dismantle our life. Instead, it’s the ability to recognize the impermanence of certain aspects of our life in order to let go and move on from them. Shiva’s power of destruction is a necessary action in order to make room for new opportunities and maintain the energy required to pursue new ideas. We see the benefits of destruction when certain wildfires create space for new seedlings to take root and develop into the next generation of growth in the forests. Our ability for growth is often hindered by our inflated sense of unlimited capacity; growth can only be achieved when we are able to let go to make room for the new. Once we've identified what we can let go of, we have room for the creation of new projects and space to dance into new growth.

Brahma, the Creator

Within the Hindu trinity, Brahma symbolizes creation. This is our call to recognize our potential to create, whether it be through a new professional project or as simple as choosing a new-to-you hobby to stoke this flame of creativity. Are you able to point to something in your life that requires this act of creation? Maybe you’re creating new life with a pregnancy, you’ve chosen to knit yarn into a blanket, or beautifully transfer paint across a canvas to express yourself in the form of art. Without creation in our lives, we may become dull or uninspired. Creation stimulates pathways through our mind which inspire new ideas and allow us to recognize our innate ability to provide for ourselves.

Vishnu, the Sustainer

Vishnu represents the sustainer, maintaining order in all which already exists. Daily rituals are a good example of ways we are able to sustain ourselves. Whether it’s practicing yoga or enjoying your morning cup of coffee, devotion to our own unique set of daily rituals aid in maintaining optimal health in body, mind and spirit. Recognize which aspects of your life require a certain amount of effort in order to be maintained, but do not hesitate to also recognize when those areas need the revitalizing power of Brahma or the fire of Shiva in order to enact change and progress.

When observed independently, we learn of the strength and wisdom embodied within each figure; when viewed together, we are able to observe the balance each provides to the flow of life as a whole. Consider checking in with yourself to employ the wisdom of balance the Hindu trinity exemplifies. With honest inquiry, you may find you’re already in a state of balance or it may reinspire action toward a new direction in your life!

Written by Rachel Lubich

Learn more about Hindu philosophy in our upcoming teacher training at Trilogy Sanctuary - Still time to sign up! Starts April 1st 2017

Yogi's First Books

By Rachel Lubich

Lead Teacher for Trilogy's Spring 200 Hour Teacher Training

A dear friend of mine from Austin requested that I compile a reading list for Yogi’s who are interested in enriching their yogic understanding outside of the studio setting. I LOVE when students ask me for yoga text recommendations! When a student approaches me for book recommendations, my energy soars and my eyes sparkle with delight! It’s such a joy to know that the practice has inspired a quest for more breadth and depth of knowledge in another Yogi. So, here is my carefully selected “Yogi’s First Books” reading list complete with short descriptions as to why I chose each of them.

Yoga Beyond Belief by Ganga White (Amazon)

This book was gifted to me as I left the country for my Yoga Teacher Training 7 years ago. It was the first yoga book I ever read and truly shaped my approach to the practice and philosophy as a teacher all these years later. It’s a great introduction, written in accessible language for the modern reader and briefly touches upon a breadth of information regarding yoga philosophy and yoga in practice. This book is my top pick to get a Yogi started on their journey and has been recommended and loaned to many people within my community.

Living with the Himalayan Masters by Swami Rama (Amazon)

This book was also gifted to me (I’m noticing a trend…) by my friend and yoga studio owner when I was leaving Philadelphia to move across the country. This book contains short stories of experiences and lessons Swami Rama noted from his time studying with the Master Teachers of yoga in India. I love the way the stories bring the teachings to life and offer insights into the hidden teachers of the ancient science and art of yoga.

The Heart of Yoga by T. K. V. Desikachar (Amazon)

This book resonates with me because of the material included and the conversational language with which it is written. It offers a wonderful foundation of yoga philosophy with great clarity and encourages the adaptation of the practice to suit the individual. Written by T. K. V. Desikachar, he includes insights into the life of his father, Sri T. Krishnamacharya, the “father of modern yoga”, who was the Guru to Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois, Indra Devi and B. K. S. Iyengar, among others.

Happy reading, yogis!

Interested in joining Rachel in our Yoga Teacher Training this Spring? You can find more information HERE

Infrared Yoga in the Moon Room

We are all three dimensional beings; mind, body and spirit. Here at Trilogy we are highly focused and passionate about strengthening that connection. We believe that “true happiness can only be achieved by balancing all three.” Trilogy is the only studio in San Diego that offers infrared yoga - a heat therapy that greatly assists in the healing process of these dimensions.

Infrared Heat Therapy

Rooted from ancient Chinese healing called “Palm Healing.” The palms radiate infrared energy through the skin, aiding in healing.
In essence, infrared heat radiates energy into the human body, without causing the surrounding air to warm. The sun is the primary source of infrared heat and 80% of the light on Earth is infrared, causing this light to be easily processed by our bodies.  

Rejuvenation

As a beauty treatment, the penetration of infrared heat, reduces the appearance of wrinkles, scars, as well as smoothes skin’s texture.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. Collagen is the main structural protein found in skin and other connective tissues. Infrared heat invigorates the production of collagen, which helps improve healthy skin and hair, reduces joint pains and degeneration, helps heal gut issues, and other health ailments.

Clean Air

Infrared heat does not recirculate air, which reduces the circulation of dirty air and bacteria - thereby creating a very pure environment to breathe and practice in. As our body absorbs infrared waves, molecules begin to vibrate, causing an incredible cleansing effect at a cellular level. This heat therapy has proven to heal health-related disorders of the immune system, the cardiovascular system, soft tissue injuries, aches and pains from arthritis and fibromyalgia. It also helps increase blood circulation without suppressing your heart, as well as increases the levels of white blood cells and oxygen in your body.

Detoxify

Heavy metal toxicity is a very prevalent health issue as we are exposed to pollutants every day in our environment. Contamination from these heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic can be cleansed by detoxification from infrared heat therapy, by generating perspiration.

Join us at Trilogy Sanctuary for a warming, comforting and healing experience as you let the infrared rays heat your body from the inside out. Sign up for an Infrared yoga class HERE

Lessons from my Yoga Teacher Training Immersion

By Rachel Lubich

Lead teacher for Trilogy's spring 200 hour teacher training.

Every student I’ve mentored through a yoga teacher training program has expressed their own unique story of the pivotal transformation they experienced through their journey. Not only does a YTT prepare you to share the science and art of yoga with your community, it presents tools to help open your mind, body and spirit to a deeper awakening of your true nature. The decision to embark upwards upon the rungs of the ladder of your spiritual journey is a personal one. If you are open, then you will learn, you will grow and you will experience a transformation that is uniquely your own. Let me share a piece of my yoga teacher training transformation with you...

Learning to live my yoga
A few days into studying for my yoga teacher training program our teacher assigned each of us with the task of giving up something for the duration of the program in order to help us focus. Many of my peers chose to forgo various vices and indulgences to keep their minds clear. I immediately knew what sacrifice would serve me best: letting go of negative thoughts.
This task required me to pay attention to each passing thought as it arose and truly listen to the sentiment and tone it conveyed. If I noticed negative speech bubbling up in my mind from leftover personal struggles, I recognized my thought, chose to rewrite it into an increasingly more positive one, repeat the more positive speech and move on without judgement. This process of self-awareness continued for weeks; eventually I was able to transcend my former thought patterns and elevate my attitude to one filled with unlimited potential and contentment.
 

This is an example of the power of actively listening to your thoughts and making the choice to reshape the quality of your internal self-speech. It has the power to transform your life. This is what the practice of yoga asks of us; to show up, observe ourselves and put in the effort. Once we learn how to tune in, we are able to shed the layers obstructing the Self and embody our true nature within.

Ready to start your journey as a yoga teacher? More information on our Spring YTT with Rachel is HERE