Luke Trimble
Staff Writer
Following the success of first semester’s classes, Mira Costa English teacher Diana Sieker, will return to ease the burden of high school workloads and hectic schedules for both Mira Costa students and faculty with the therapeutic and disciplined teachings of yoga.
For most, the word yoga simply refers to a series of stretches that require women and aging hippies to break out the tight pants, but the physical and mental exercises involved have dramatically increased the quality of Ms Sieker’s life.
Faced with deteriorating health as a result of an undiagnosed case of Celiac disease, Sieker turned to a more holistic approach to combat her symptoms of gluten intolerance.
“I was just a mess, I felt like I was eighty years old. My immune system was out of whack and everything was just off. I was always fatigued and sick. A lot of people recommended yoga as a healing method and as a way to feel normal again,” Sieker said.
More than satisfied with the results of the ancient form of homeopathy, Sieker delved into the enlightened world of yoga. She took an interest in Iyengar, a precise form of yoga that emphasizes the importance of strength, mobility and body alignment. Iyengar typically uses a variety of props to minimize the potential for injury and to provide an aid while attempting more advanced postures.
“It’s all about holding the poses, there isn’t a whole lot of flowing movement, because its supposed to be a way to build a mind-body connection. It’s called proprioception, knowing where your body is in time and space, and having an awareness of every body part. Sometimes you get into a pose and concentrate on your feet for ten minutes just to master the movement,” Seiker said.
Sieker’s passion for Iyengar blossomed as time progressed, and she ultimately decided to pursue a guru’s teaching certification at Yoga Works in El Segundo. But earning a certification at the Iyengar level is no simple feat.
Studying Iyengar is very much like learning brain surgery or going to Harvard, it is a very precise and demanding art form that typically takes a lifetime to master. To advance past the introductory level, Ms. Sieker must hone her technique through 150 hours of uncompensated instruction in addition to a test administered by her guru. This requirement led to the birth of Sieker’s midday meditation sessions, and Mira Costa’s first taste Iyengar yoga.
“It’s a pretty sweet deal, people get free yoga, and I get to work on becoming a better teacher,” Sieker said.
It began with a small class of Costa students and faculty in room 300 (one of the funky smelling portables near the baseball field). There is no tardy bell, but the yoga mindset is ushered through a traditional Sanskrit chant which is an invocation of Patanjali. Patanjali was the first to keep a record of yoga poses and the invocation is meant to pay respect to the godfather of all things yoga.
“We chant, we om, then there are usually a couple of warm up poses we begin with. Since this is the introductory part of my study, most of the positions we practice are pretty rudimentary. We’re focusing on mastering the basics.” Sieker said.
Originally the class was intended to be one guru-to-be working with Costa students, but the free mental spa day has drawn in a significant number of Costa faculty. A yogi crew consisting of Mrs Rappaport, Ms. Washell, Ms. Howerton, Ms. Thornton, Ms. Donavan, Mrs Short, and Mrs Woodie have showed interest in returning to the class when it resumes after spring break.
Second semester classes will be held on Tuesday, April 10th in room 300 at 3:30. The two hour sessions are free of charge and are open to anyone interested.
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