Senior Project Reflection

(1) Positive Statement

What are you most proud of in your 2-Hour Presentation and/or your senior project? In my 2hr, I am most proud of my 2nd activity in which at the end, it was clearly visible that everyone felt relaxed. 

Why?

It was apparent that a majority of the people were relaxed. There were smiles everywhere, and a general good vibe being emitted from everyone. It was personally satisfying to see everyone so relaxed. When the classed felt relaxed, I felt relaxed. I heard side comments of people telling their neighbors that they felt good, and that made me happy and proud to know that I was able to share and convey the practice that I love with them. More so than that, they responded well to my love for yoga.

(2) Questions to Consider

a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your 2-Hour Presentation (self-assessment)?

AE-/P+      

b.     What assessment would you give yourself on your overall senior project (self-assessment)?

P

(3) What worked for you in your senior project?

Research really worked. I found the research articles I found very beneficial in explaining the details of how the body undergoes stress, and how yoga counteracts that. Research showed me breathing techniques like Ujjayi breathing in detail. I feel like my research really complimented my practice in the studio. 

(4) (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would have you done differently to improve your senior project if you could go back in time?

I would have tried to find a mentorship in a yoga studio sooner. By finding a studio sooner, I simply would have been able to learn and perfect more poses. I would have been able to learn more alignment, and establish better relationships with the instructors. I spent the first semester taking classes at a 24 hr fitness. Looking back, it really didn't help me advance in my practice, so if I could, I would have liked to stop sooner, and find a studio to take classes instead. 

(5) Finding Value

How has the senior project been helpful to you in your future endeavors?   Be specific and use examples. 

The senior project has thought me to research thoroughly, and to be proactive and to be proactive and get things done yourself. For example, when looking for mentorship, when I realized that emails wouldn't cut it, I had to go to each studio and ask in person. I had to take charge and go do something I'm not comfortable in in order to take charge of my education. In terms of my senior project, I have learned to manage my stress in multiples ways. I now know a lot of proper alignment techniques, and I know breathing techniques as well. I am unsure if I want to pursue becoming a certified yoga teacher as a side job, but I am positive that I will continue to take classes when I'm in college. 

Mentorship

L

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-uWFXRsQf2ndHlDNWhuaVF1OHM/edit

Shanice Smith
626-404-3803

I

The most important thing I gained from this experience was the ability to step back and focus on the present. Although the principle may seem simple, it is a concept that most people in today's society tend to overlook. With the way society is, people go about their lives worrying about the past and future. As a result, people tend to forget about the current. They tend to forget about what is going on at that very moment in their lives. That is a big factor as to why people always feel stressed, it is because they are always worrying about something out of their control. In yoga, everything I learned can be tied in to focusing on the present. Breathing techniques, yoga asana, balance...they all draw the attention inwards. Breathing techniques draws attention to the breath. This brings a person's focus on something so fundamental in life that tends to be overlooked and undermined. Asanas bring attention to holding the pose. The fact that poses may be difficult to hold draws a person's attention away from whatever is bothering them and is instead put to trying to maintain the pose. Balance draws the attention to simply maintaining balance. All these examples contribute to the big picture of focusing on the present. My project was centered around finding the best way to reduce stress in yoga. Although my answers were different, what I gained was a way to reduce stress in overall life. This experience has taught me to not spend all my emotion worrying about the future, or sulking in the past, but rather to focus on the moment that is right in front of me...and to make the most out of it. I suppose in a sense, it could be said that I gained a new perspective on life, and that to me is invaluable. Prior to yoga, I was a worry body, always thinking ahead or reflecting on the past that I eventually lost sight of having fun in life. Yoga brought me back. It rejuvenated my drive and passion for life. It is for that reason that stepping back on focusing on now is so important to me.

A

My EQ was "what is the best way in practicing Vinyasa yoga to reduce stress levels?" This experience has been able to help me answer my eq with great detail. My first answer was to apply breathing techniques throughout the practice. By taking classes, I was able to experience first hand how those breathing techniques affected the practice. I would notice a significant difference in how I felt when I applied the technique versus when I didn't. Instructors helped me by showing me how to utilize the diaphragm when breathing, and by showing me how it should sound like. The experience gave me first hand experience on my first answer. My second answer was to focus on alignment, then deepen the pose. By taking classes, I was able to get hands on help with alignment. Online articles only say so much, and they only do so much as well since one may not fully understand the instructions, therefore taking classes is the best way to answer this. Through classes, I learned specific alignment for poses I would not have found otherwise. I learned and experienced how focusing on a pose helps with mental stress, but I also experienced first hand how proper alignment impacts the physical stress. It really makes a difference in regards to the burn you feel in your muscles when you hold the pose. My third answer was to apply equal effort in both physical and mental poses. I would not have been able to come up with that answer unless I was forced to do balancing poses so much. Through balancing poses, I learned that there was an imbalance in my practice throwing me off, so I figured the natural cure would be to restore that balance back. To learn simple principles like treat everyone with respect, give it your all...those are not things that are just learned, but have to be practiced. I believe I learned those things, and my answers could not have been answered as they were if it were not for my practice in the studio.

Exit Interview Questions

(1) What is your essential question?  What is the best answer to your question and why?

What is the best way in practicing Vinyasa yoga to reduce stress levels? My best answer is to apply breathing techniques throughout the practice. Breathing is important because it is a core principle in Vinyasa yoga. The breath is what moves the body and helps it flow from one pose to another. Stress is separated into a physical and mental aspect. Physical stress looks like muscle tension and a lack of flexibility. Breathing effectively tackles both types of stress throughout a practice. As breathing techniques are applied through poses, more oxygen is allowed to flow into the body and muscles, allowing for muscles to relax. Stress is a result from the over activation of the nervous system as well. Breathing techniques in yoga utilize the diaphragm, so when a person breathes, the diaphragm and all the surrounding internal organs are bunched up together and slowly released on the exhale. This process done repeatedly relaxes the nervous system which then in turn calms the body down.   With more oxygen flowing into the body, it also allows for more oxygen to reach the brain to help with brain function. Compared to my other two answers, this is the best because it deals with both types of stress effectively.

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

The process I took was mainly through taking yoga classes. Researched played a role in guiding me along the path of where to look in yoga, but ultimately all 3 of my answers derived from a personal practice. During my practice I would stay alert and aware of how my body was feeling. I kept in mind the before and after feeling my body had after a practice. Through practicing, I was able to notice when I would feel more relief in one area, less in another, or relatively equal with both. My teacher's instructions guided me in my practice. Teaching me breathing techniques, teaching me alignment, and teaching principles in yoga that can be applied to life. I arrived at my answer through research, physical practice, and the willingness to correct my mistakes.

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

I encountered problems with finding mentorship. At first I had an unclear understanding of what mentorship was, and didn't really utilize my first one as much as I could. Even though I could have still gone to the 24 hour fitness, I was forced to reevaluate my whole senior project and what I was doing with it. I noticed how I really wasn't feeling the full effects and benefits of yoga from attending a gym class. I wasn't seeing much progress, and I wasn't feeling much better also. As a result, I had to search for a studio that would take me in. I did countless google searches for local yoga studios, and I emailed every single one with a description of my project. When emails weren't working, I started to visit the yoga studios and ask in person. I encountered some people that seemed excited to help me, and they told me to contact them, but I never got replies from them. Luckily though, I got an acceptance from Antionette from yoganette studios and began my mentorship there.

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

My first most significant source is my mentor Antionette. Of all my yoga teachers, she is amazing. Unlike the others, she focuses strongly on alignment and making sure a person is doing the pose right so that they can experience the full effects of it. She is kind, and funny which makes it easy for the student to connect to her. She is also very knowledgeable about yoga and provides me with detailed information with whatever I ask. She has helped me the most in my personal practice. 

My second most significant source is an article entitled "Ujjayi Pranayama- The Victorious Breath". I chose this article because out of all the other ones, this taught a valuable breathing technique and went into full detail as to what it entailed. It talked about the benefits and the way it should be done. It provided examples and created illustrations as to how to do it. After reading this article, I started applying this technique in my practice, and it was the  best thing I've ever done to change my practice. It was great and this breathing technique helped me in bettering my practice. I give credit to this article, cause without it I wouldn't be breathing victoriously.

(5) What is your product and why?

My product is "maturity". Throughout yoga practice, I found out that there are poses that I don't necessarily excel at. Due to my condition of flat feet, balancing poses are extremely hard for me. At times though, it can get very aggravating since the women around me seem to do it so easily, yet I struggle with something that looks so simple. At first I would always be pissed at myself, but over time I learned to accept that I can't be good at everything, and I learned to except that I do have flaws and inconsistencies. Prior to that, I was a pretty proud guy. I had this unrealistic notion that I can do it all, but through yoga, I was humbled and learned that I have strengths AND weaknesses as well. I didn't just stop there though. Through yoga, I was able to learn to identify and accept my flaws and inconsistencies, but also I had to learn to work at it in order to improve myself. It is not enough to identify what you need to work on, once identified, the person needs to go and improve those inconsistencies. That person needs to try to make themselves better. Make themselves a better person. Yoga has thought me to be humble and it has also taught me to work on bettering myself, and I believe that that can be considered as maturity.

2014 Interview

1.  Who did you interview and what house are they in?
Victor Diaz
West House

2.  What ideas do you have for your senior project and why?

"I'm not really sure."

-So you don't have any clue as to what you want to do for your project?
"Not really."

-Ok, so that's ok cause when I was in your shoes last year, I had no clue either. So don't feel stressed, but let's start with interests, do you have anything you really enjoy doing?
"I enjoy writing stories and playing video games I guess."

-What kind of stories do you like writing?
"Fiction mostly. I just like to write sometimes."

-Ok that's cool. So now you know some things you enjoy. It's always a good thing to pick a senior project that you would enjoy cause remember you would be spending the entire year on it.

"Ok."

3.  What do you plan to do for your summer 10 hour mentorship experience?
"I have no clue."

-Once again, try to find something you like. The purpose of the summer is for you to try new things, so try different topics. You like writing and video games, so maybe try to get into a writing group or meet a game designer to see which one you like more. Those are definitely ways you can go about it. Would that be something you're interested in?
"Yeah, I guess."

4.  What do you hope to see or expect to see in watching the 2013 2-hour presentations?

"No idea really, I'm just expecting it to be like a normal presentation."

5.  What questions do you have that I can answer about senior year or senior project (or what additional information did you tell them about senior year or senior project)?

"What would you consider the most hectic part of senior year?"

The most hectic part is probably the deadlines. Senior year could be a breeze if you follow deadlines, but if you fall behind and procrastinate to catch up, then before you know it you could be in a deep hole. I suppose the answer to your question is really dependent on the person and their senior project topic. For some it may be hard to find mentorship, so their hectic part would be that, for others it could be research, and for some it just could be deadlines. If I could give you advice, I would just say try to stay on top of things. Meet your deadlines. The deadlines are not spread so thin that it is unrealistic for you to meet them, it is just people procrastinate and complain to much. The deadlines are totally reasonable, so follow them and you should be on a good path. Do you have any other questions for me?

"Not really."

Ok well thank you Victor for your time. I just want to put out there that the purpose of this was for me to help you. If you ever need advice on your senior project now or even next year, then feel free to shoot me a text or call me. Here's my number...and once again, I'm here to help you be it now in high school or even if I'm in college.

Final 3 Column Chart

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-uWFXRsQf2nVzVaQkZNVzdlOXM/edit

Independent Component 2

Literal
a) "I, Jordan Lim,affirm that I completed 30 hours of work."
b) Yoganette Studios
    -Antoinette Contreras
    -Susan
    -Kelly
    -Gigi
    24 hour Fitness
    -Marc Harrison
c) https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-uWFXRsQf2nMDBFSmlRcGVoVmc/edit
d) I completed 30 hours of yoga classes. The 30 hours was spent flowing from pose to pose. Normally the flow would be something along the lines of down dog to high plank, to chuturunga, to cobra, to down dog again, jump up to the front of the mat, and transition to sun salutations. Classes were intense at times. I worked on my alignment, breathing, and balance primarily throughout the 30 hours of class exploring my answers to my essential question. I had a lot of hands on help from instructors. They would correct my alignment, teach me new poses, and simply be a helpful resource all around.

Interpretive
The significant parts of the component was refining my poses through learning better alignment, and by better practicing my breathing techniques. Alignment is a big deal in yoga, so this component helped me grasp a better understanding of it, and helped me understand better the importance and significance of it.
I was not allowed to take picture during class because that would disrupt everyone's practice and probably make the other students mad, so what I did was took pictures of poses before and after.

This picture was my down dog before the 30 hours.

This is my new down dog. As you can see my hips are higher up now, creating a more apparent upside down V. The hands are engaged pushing my body away from the mat, and my shoulders are broad...away from the ears. My alignment for this pose has been fixed thanks to the help of all my instructors.

This is my warrior 1 pose before. I looked like I was lunging and trying to fly at the same time.

This is my new warrior 1 pose. The feet are in a front heel-back arch stance. My back foot is at a 45 degree angle, the purpose of which is to make it easier to square the hips. My arms are higher and plugged into the armpits. My biceps are by my ears and fingers are engaged. My lunge is also a bit longer as well. Those changes make a huge difference in the pose, and really trigger a burn that builds up in the thighs and hamstrings.

This is my warrior 2 pose before. As you can see it looks as if my stance is small, and my arms are not completely straight.

This is the new warrior 2 pose. The stance is wider, the feet are more engaged. My arms are straighter, and the torso is supposed to twist so that it looks straight on. This pose took a while to get down because I don't have the strongest legs, so it always burned so good.

This was as far as I could go in terms of the splits prior to the 30 classes.

This is my new splits. Although I am not able to do it fully, I still improved thanks to all of those hip opening exercises Susan made me do. I still am dumbfounded on how guys can do the splits. It doesn't feel good.

Same thing, but side splits!

New splits! I'm pushing one leg back and the other forward creating a scissor like feel in order to square the hips. Once I squared my hips, I tried straightening that back leg and dropping my hips to the floor. This is as far as I got, but I think that this is called the man's splits. As seen in Pitch Perfect when Bumper did the splits.

Seated pose with feet open like a book. This is another hip opener, but I probably went as far as I could go. My thighs are on the mat. This hip opener actually feels really good.

This is one of the new poses I learned. It is called horse stance. Although it looks totally unattractive and easy, this pose is extremely hard to do. The feet need to be opposite each other as if they are on a line. The back needs to be straight and then you need to squat. I struggled a lot with this pose, primarily because my hips bones are extended outward according to my doctor.

Applied
This component helped support my answers 1,2, and 3.

Answer 1: Apply breathing techniques throughout the practice. Throughout my practice, I would exercise my ujjayi breathing. I noticed that when I didn't apply breathing techniques thoroughly throughout the practice, then I would not get the full enjoyment I experience during savasana. Breathing helped my body do more than I thought it could, it helped me deepen my poses. Breathing became a strong foundation.
Answer 2: Focus on alignment, then deepen the pose. This independent component helped me best with this answer. Having all that hands on help from professionals was priceless. They helped guide me with alignment, correcting me where I had mistakes, and commending me when I did something right. They built me up, and I'm grateful for that. They taught me things that I could not learn from simple online searches. Alignment has to be taught. It has to be, and it was. My down dog, splits, warrior poses, were all improved. Down dog is the center of the practice, so by fixing the alignment there, it helps tremendously for the practice overall.
Answer 3: Exert equal amounts of effort on both physical and mental poses. The independent component helped me here, but not as much as the other 2 answers. I learned that it is important through the practice to balance things out because stress is the result of imbalance. I noticed that balance does not always mean equal. For right handed people, balance in a practice may mean prolonging the pose on the left side to even things out since everyone has their natural side. This surprised me since initially I thought balanced meant equal time, equal everything on each side. Apparently that was not the case. An example would be when stretching with the straps, we would hold our left leg to the side for 8 breaths versus the right side where we would hold it for 4. I thought it would create an imbalance, but in actuality it made me feel more grounded afterwords. My left leg felt as if it was just as strong and important as the right.

3 column rough draft

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AuuWFXRsQf2ndFVVLWhsUXZyR2JIX0FnY29Ba2VZVXc#gid=0