Leah Cullis - Power Yoga: Strength, Sweat, and Spirit

Power Yoga: Strength, Sweat, and Spirit

Leah Cullis

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Cullis, Leah, 1980- author.

Title: Power yoga : strength, sweat, and spirit / Leah Cullis.

Description: Champaign, IL : Human Kinetics, [2019]

Identifiers: LCCN 2018017541 (print) | LCCN 2018018870 (ebook) | ISBN 9781492560661 (ebook) | ISBN 9781492560654 (print)

Subjects: LCSH: Hatha yoga. | Mind and body.

Classification: LCC RA781.7 (ebook) | LCC RA781.7 .C844 2019 (print) | DDC 613.7/046--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018017541

ISBN: 978-1-4925-6065-4 (print)

Copyright 2019 by Leah Cullis

All rights reserved. Except for use in a review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying, and recording, and in any information storage and retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

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Developmental Editor: Laura Pulliam

Managing Editor: Ann Gindes

Copyeditor: Michelle Horn

Senior Graphic Designer: Nancy Rasmus

Cover Designers: Keri Evans and Signe Higgins

Cover Design Associate: Susan Rothermel Allen

Photograph (cover): Human Kinetics

Photographs (interior): Human Kinetics unless otherwise noted

Photo Production Coordinator: Amy M. Rose

Photo Production Manager: Jason Allen

Printer: Versa Press

We thank Julianna Monceaux in Austin, Texas, for providing the location for the photo shoot for this book.

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Printed in the United States of America10987654321

The paper in this book is certified under a sustainable forestry program.

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E7218

For my daughter Victoria, my spirited and powerful teacher.

CONTENTS

POSE FINDER

FOREWORD

Ive been immersed in yoga for my entire life. My parents, Magaa and Walt Baptiste, opened one of the first yoga schools in San Francisco in 1952. They were pioneers in bringing yoga to the West, and many of the teachers they hosted in their school and retreat centers were influential contributors to yoga as we know it today.

When I was a teenager, I had an experience that shifted everything in my lifean experience that completely opened my eyes and heart to live with my purpose and power. I met Mr. B.K.S. Iyengar at a dinner party with my parents, and he invited me to his workshop while he was visiting San Francisco. I knew it was a huge honor to be personally invited by him, but I wasnt very familiar with his style of yoga at the time.

In the workshop with a gymnasium full of Iyengars dedicated students, I felt like I was in over my head. I had never practiced such an athletic style of yoga asana with such precision and rigor. I suspect Mr. Iyengar sensed me doubting myself when he approached me and requested that I do a drop-back. I didnt know what that was, but I looked around and saw the other students moving from mountain pose to full wheel and back with confidence, strength, and grace. As Mr. Iyengar stood in front of me and asked me to do something I didnt think was possible, something within me shifted in that moment. I got out of my head and into my body . I dropped back and came back up. In that moment, I let go of my doubts. I trusted the strength and wisdom of my body as well as the guidance of my teacher. The experience lit a flame within me for the physical practice of yoga.

That one yoga practice sparked a fire within me and set my life in a completely new direction, and it opened me to my life purpose. It led me to develop my own style of yoga, teach yoga trainings all over the world, build an institute committed to training leaders in the practices of yoga and meditation, establish a nonprofit that trains yoga teachers and creates jobs all across Africa and in the United States, and to write five best-selling books. The fiery and physical practice of power yoga is a gateway to so much more than just feeling strong in your body: Its a method for total life transformation of body, mind, and spirit.

A profound physical experience can be a vehicle for changing not only how you see yourself but also how you experience the world. Theres an awakening that occurs when you let your mind slow down and let your body lead the way. In a powerful, challenging, and sweaty yoga class, you experience your own strengths and struggles as you challenge your physical and mental limits. Through an intense yoga practice your body reveals the way for you, and you access your inner power. It starts with the physical practice, and the practice illuminates your potential.

Yoga gives you a method to close the gap between what you want, what you know is possible, and who you are. Within every pose, you access and apply your own power through choosing to take action or conscious nonaction, with your inner wisdom leading and the big picture in mind. You decide when to push, when to hold back, and when to let go. Every practice becomes a journey into your own power, and you get to access your power everywhere else in your lifeoff the mat, where it really counts. The postures are active steps taking you toward how you want to feel, who you want to be, and the life you want to live. The results of your yoga practice are amplified when you learn from a great teacher who will help you on your journey. In this book, Leah will guide you to create a power yoga practice that will enrich and empower your life.

I first met Leah in a yoga teacher training that I was leading on the Big Island of Hawaii. Since then Leah has worked as a part of a core team in my transformational yoga trainings at retreat centers, conference rooms, and yoga studios all over the world. With her clarity and guidance, she has consistently amplified the effectiveness and impact of my trainings and made a real difference in peoples lives. Leah is a brilliant teacher and leader, and she masterfully distills the teachings into practical and actionable steps.

In this book, Leah shares how to build a yoga practice that makes a difference for youone that works for your body, your lifestyle, and your individual goals. She takes the essence of the traditional teachings and adapts them to meet our modern day culture. Through simple steps and short sequences, youll gain the tools to customize your practice, build physical strength, expand your energy, and harness your power. Leahs instruction will empower you to create your power yoga practice to feel good and fuel your life.

Anyone can do yoga and benefit from yoga; its a practice that doesnt discriminate. With Leahs expert guidance and this four-week plan, you are sure to build a solid foundation for a lifelong yoga practice. Leah will guide you through the basics, starting with your breath and your reason for practicing yoga. The poses and sequences outlined in this book will help you weave it all together. Trust your body, trust the guidance in this book, and trust the process.