Initially teachers were weary, or even outright scornful, feeling it was an abomination of the thoughtful inward nature of Yoga. In Spokane Buti was championed by Tera Bailey, a hair stylist, belly dancer, and yogini. Behind her calm unassuming smile, Bailey is an iconoclast who likes to push the edge of conventional thought. She gets fired up when talking about Buti.

“I took a training to try something different and thought it would be fun, though was a little of a yoga purist and figured it might not be real yoga. I realized right away it was one of the deepest yoga practices out there,” she says.

She started teaching at Abide in the Gonzaga University district, where the first certifications took place, and can also now be found at Yoga Shala. “I didn’t care at all that people believed it wasn’t legit—I knew it would prove itself.”  Her efforts, along with subsequent trainings in Spokane and Walla Walla, have blossomed into a growing group of instructors and students.

Seven years ago, Bailey became a certified yoga teacher with Lara and Lee Bear Tobin at Lila Yoga. She loved their free moving, spiritually-driven flow class and wanted to use yoga to help heal people, so she co-founded Coil Studio.  Her belief that yoga can “save the world” led Bailey to work with inmates at Geiger Corrections and recovering addicts, then to sign up for a two-year program in yoga therapy. 

“Yoga is the most radical activism because people don’t see it coming—they just think some little yogi is going to come in and do stretches. It transforms you from the inside out and therefore you don’t reject it,” she says.

Class begins sitting, with spiral motions to activate kundalini, get energized, and warm up the spine. The momentum grows with the music, which always carries a strong steady beat to synchronize the group and bring you into your body. By the time you’re standing, the party’s on. Lots of twisting, fast footwork, shaking, and swinging.

The vigorous organic practice elicits our primal nature and is a reminder we are animals. It teaches you to be in the groove, even those of us afflicted with White Man Dance. An emphasis on spiral movements, opposed to linear ones, targets a larger range of soft tissue development. Sections mimic High Intensity Interval Training to increase metabolism. The manual states, “Buti Yoga is a soulful blend of power yoga, cardio-intensive tribal dance, conditioning, and deep abdominal toning.”  My body has never felt safer in a workout and its minor back, hip, and knee injuries have mostly gone away; other students share similar stories.

People who are hesitant to try Buti Yoga share common refrains. Men tell me they’re apprehensive about it being sexual and therefore uncomfortable. Woman will say it’s “just twerking” or point out the minimalist outfits. But to participants Buti is completely non sexual. Its tribal expressiveness unifies the class and the shaking and vibrations “release stored trauma and stimulate the body to change, amplifying the power of the experience.”

Another concern is difficulty. However, the encouragement of teachers, lack of seriousness, and heartbeat rhythm of music will invigorate and carry you through. And yes, men can do it, too. Buti was started for both genders but was co-opted by women because it was so empowering. Now men are increasingly joining, and the organization is actively using verbiage to include them.

After class one day, “Butisattva” Marnee Setty, piped up. “It’s not rigid, not one way to do it. Each person is encouraged to have their own style. Instead of feeling awkward if you accidentally touch someone or step on their mat, we foster connection: calling out, bumping into each other, communicating.”

Bailey chimed in, “As the teacher, you get to put your own medicine in.” All this underlines the strong tribal emphasis of support, playfulness, and personal expression. It’s soulful. Buti is the most fun fitness class I’ve ever been in. For your first step into Out There’s new Way Out There section, join us, get down, let go.

Classes are available at Yoga Shala on Tuesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m. For private classes, reach Tera on the Spokane Buti Facebook page. //

Editor’s Note: Interested in the eccentric, mysterious, and magical side of life and nature? Look for Out There’s new “Way Out There” dive into topics ranging from counter culture expressions to regional mysteries and lore in every other issue.

Kelly likes scrambling up rocky hillsides, gliding through the trees on powder, and studying life forms in all their evolving niches.

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One of the main ways yoga helps skiers and snowboarders is by “keeping your legs conditioned,” says Mimi Vimont, who owns Beyoutiful Hot Yoga’s multiple Spokane and Wenatchee locations along with her husband, Wes. The entire Vimont family, parents and children, spend many of their free winter moments at Silver Mountain (they also love heading to White Pass), where they ski and snowboard. Their six and three-year-olds are big fans of the bunny hill; the one-year-old isn’t quite up on skis—yet.

Yoga, of course, is great for increasing flexibility and keeping the body loose. “Skiers are used to being so tense,” Vimont says. She remembers how her husband, a contractor and longtime skier, couldn’t sit on his knees until he’d begun practicing yoga. Seeing that transformation in him has “been kind of fun,” she says.

“If you’re more flexible, I think you have a lot more leeway in movement in your skiing,” she adds. The flexibility and balance help if and when you lose your footing. A strong and flexible body makes it more likely that “you’re not tensing up when falling,” Vimont says. As she puts it, you’ll be “more loosey-goosey.”

Leg strength and core strength, both of which are frequently called upon in a yoga practice, are essential to any snowboarder or skier. Yoga helps not only to build these muscles, but to strengthen the entire body, including the little stabilizer muscles that are often overlooked, and that protect joints and the spine. Another benefit for snowboarders and skiers is the way it encourages and increases focus—a helpful skill whether you’re trying to stay on your feet while hurtling down a mountain or keep your balance in Tree Pose (or avoid getting distracted during a long meeting at work).

Practicing yoga first thing gives snow bunnies the chance to get “loose and warm” before they hit the slopes, Vimont says; either try a home practice, or sign up for a class. Some studios open quite early and can accommodate a pre-ski day session. It can also be beneficial to cap off a ski or snowboarding day with evening yoga to wind down and stretch the many muscles that have spent the day tensed.

And remember, regardless of whether you can regularly make it to an official class, yoga has an unbeatable convenience factor. All it truly requires is time, some basic knowledge, and, possibly, a yoga mat. A yoga practice (even if yours is just an occasional handful of postures) is just as doable on the road—or the base of the ski hill—as at a yoga studio. The Vimonts typically warm up at the mountain, boots on, going through a series of stretches and forward folds before hopping on the chair lift.

If you want to give yoga a try, sign up for a class at a local studio, or ease in gradually at home by checking out a video online. One good resource is Yoga with Adriene, which offers a gentle approach for all levels of experience: www.yogawithadriene.com. When looking into classes, Vimont recommends hot yoga (the norm for Beyoutiful’s studios) and yin yoga, which is a slow-paced style of yoga that emphasizes relaxing in restorative postures.

However you incorporate yoga into your winter sports season, it will be good for both your mind and body. //

Yoga Poses for Skiers & Snowboarders

Beyoutiful Hot Yoga owner Mimi Vimont recommends the following yoga poses to help get skiers and snowboarders ready for this season.

• Chair Pose and Warrior Poses (for leg strengthening)
• Eagle Pose (for joint flexibility)
• Tree Pose and Dancer Pose (for balance)
• Boat Pose (for core strength) //

Sarah Hauge lives in Spokane with her husband and two daughters. She wrote the Run Wild column in the September issue. 

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1. Downward Facing Dog with Leg Raise – This pose helps to prevent shin splints by strengthening your leg muscles. It can also alleviate pain by stretching your hamstrings and loosening up your calves. Start on your hands and knees. Walk your hands forwards about two paces while keeping your arms straight. Straighten your legs and press your toes into the ground and your hips back and towards the ceiling. If you feel comfortable, raise one leg towards the ceiling. If you have shin splints, you should feel relief in the raised leg as the blood rushes away from your knee.
2. Warrior I Pose – The Warrior I Pose will stretch your hip flexors, quads, and hamstrings. From a standing position bring your right leg forward and bend your right knee until it is aligned with your ankle. Keep your left leg straight with your toes at a 45 degree angle and raise your palms towards the ceiling while arching your back slightly. 

   

3. Lizard – This pose is a variation of a lunge. Like the previous two poses, lizard pose will also stretch your hip flexors and thigh muscles. For this pose you want to begin in downward facing dog. Step your right leg forward, next to your right hand, and lower your left knee to the ground. Your right leg should be at a 90 degree angle and your left leg should be straight. Press your hips down towards the ground. For a deeper stretch you can rest your forearms on the ground.
4. Reclining Bound Angle Pose – This pose will stretch your knee and thigh muscles and will open up your hips. For this pose you will want to begin by sitting on the ground with your legs out in front of you. Bend your knees and rotate your legs until your thighs are touching the ground (or as close as you can get). The soles of your feet should also be touching each other. Use your hands to support you as you slowly recline backwards until you’re lying on the ground. Make sure you keep your hips open to fully benefit from this stretch. 

   

5. Corpse Pose – I don’t know that this pose has any specific benefits for runners, but as far as I’m concerned, you can’t end a yoga session without this pose. For Corpse Pose you’ll want to lie flat on the ground with your legs straight and your hands by your sides with the palms turned upwards. Concentrate on your breathing. You should be feeling pretty relaxed at this point. Now that you’ve completed these stretches, feel free to reward yourself with a well-deserved nap. //

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This is a great day for America–another peaceful transition of power, this time to America’s first African American Commander-in-Chief. In the spirit of President Obama’s national call to service we are happy to make you aware of this fundraiser for a much beloved local yoga teacher who is working hard to recover from breast cancer:

Harmony Yoga Weekend Fundraiser
January 23rd – 25th, 2009

Friday
7:30-9:30 pm: Moon Salutations & Mindfulness Meditation . . . Shawn Brow and Carey Charyk

Saturday
8:45-9:45 am: Nia . . . Laura Markmann
10-11:30 am: Finding Flow: Vinyasa Basics . . . Shawn Brow
Lunch
provided by ‘Soulful Soups’ . . . Soup and Bread $5 donation
2-3:30 pm: Alignment and Stability: Iyengar style yoga . . . Jackie Kittel
4-5:30 pm: Discovering Our Heart Chakra . . . Cara Wright

Sunday
10-11:30 am: Restorative Yoga . . . Brit Penberthy

Suggested Donation $15-$20/class or $90-$100 for entire weekend
Non-attending donations graciously accepted!
Please make check payable to Alison Rubin, and mail to:
Shawn Brow
c/o South Perry Yoga
PO Box 30306
Spokane, WA 99223

Questions and Pre-registration
Shawn 443-6241 in support of Ally’s healing and recovery from breast cancer

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Here’s some info about yoga on Thanksgiving and the day after:

Hi All,

Attached, please find the flyer for a Thanksgiving day practice to benefit Allie Rubin of Harmony Yoga. The practice is hosted by my teacher and great friend, Karen Sprute-Francovich of Garden Street Yoga in CDA.

I am so grateful to Karen for presenting this in support of Allie. If you are unable to attend but would like to contribute, see the mailing address on the flyer. I intend to participate and I will gladly provide the ride for those willing to commute from Spokane Valley…just let me know.

Also, a reminder to all about the practice at MSY the day AFTER Thanksgiving from 10:00 – 12:00 in support of ECEAP. Details: Karma Yoga practice at Main Street Yoga on Friday, November 28th (Day after Thanksgiving) from 10:00 – 12:00 pm.

Donations will benefit the Kneer family whom we are sponsoring through ECEAP (Early Childhood Education Assistance Program.)

Expect a well-rounded potpourri class: Devotion, chant, vinyasa flow, held asana, restoratives and a time for contemplation and meditation. This is an ALL LEVELS class.

Love and Light,

Kim

See the Allie Rubin benefit flyer here:
full-size-thanksgiving-morning-yoga-benefit

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