Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a huge topic.... a little daunting to be fitting this into our 6 week summer session.
However we will look at aspects of forgiveness that might dislodge some of our old perceptions and give us a clearer view of what it means.
Regarding self forgiveness Patrick Miller in THE WAY OF FORGIVENESS says," Forgiving your flaws and failures does not mean looking away from them or lying about them. Look at them as a string of pitiful or menacing hitchhikers whom you can't afford not to pick up on your journey to a changed life. Each of them has a piece of the map you need hidden in its shabby clothing. You must listen attentively to all their stories and win the friendship of each one to put your map together."
For me the idea of "listening to their stories" makes all the difference. What lies beneath our inability to forgive ourselves? We can begin to let go of and remove the armor that protects and keeps hidden our shame and guilt. We can bring it into the light and acknowledge it. We can learn the truth that surrounds it.
In yoga practice, we often feel that we have peeled away some of the protective layers of tension that we habitually store and hold in our bodies. That is one of the reasons we feel so good after practice. There is a freedom that is felt in the body... a new way of moving and breathing.
What if through a regular practice of forgiveness we felt that same lightness and freedom.
Similar to yoga, our first attempts may feel clumsy and awkward. However with practice it becomes easier more fluid and we begin to claim it as how we live. We catch ourselves holding a grievance and begin to wash it away little by little. We boldly stay present with our state of mind and how we are responding or reacting.
Forgiveness is a yoga... a practice of knowing ourselves and responding from a deep well of wisdom within.

Friday Class- cancelled

Sorry to say... we did not get enough sign ups for Friday this summer. Understandable, as often people want to go off for the weekend.
For those of you registered in Tuesday and Wednesday classes that means NO MAKE-UPS on Fridays!!!! Sorry about that. I know some of you made full use of that option!!!
Ah well, Friday evening classes will be back in the Fall. :)

The Way of Forgiveness

Have you ever thought of forgiveness as a "provocative discipline"? Patrick Miller in his book The Way of Forgiveness describes it this way. I look forward to exploring this topic in our 6 week summer session beginning tonight. Attachment, refusal, ego and fear all participate in our inability to forgive. We may be stuck in our ability to forgive others but also very resistant to forgiving ourselves.
We will also of course be diving into some interesting postures and techniques and revisiting and refining some old favorites. Yoga is vast. There are so many ways we can learn about ourselves and continue to grow and become more of who we are.
See you soon...

Summer Classes

Next week we begin our 6 week summer session...
Wednesday seems to be full at this point, but do get on the waiting list just in case someone has a change of plans. Otherwise Tuesday and Friday evening still have spaces.
I loved my two weeks off. It allowed for some refreshment and some down time from planning and teaching. However I am so ready to get back into the "simply yoga" rhythmn once again.
See you soon.

Hip Openers

This week we delve into a variety of different ways to care for our hips and low back.
The class and the handout should give you lots of ways to work with your hips that will free you from stiffness, chronic tension and imbalance.
Then 2 weeks off and we start up our 6 week summer session. Starts the week of June 20th.
SEE YOU THEN!!!

8 Limbs of Yoga

This past session we covered 6 of the 8 limbs of yoga. Clearly I got behind in posting a little of our discussion regarding Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara and Dharana. I guess I will just say you had to be in class to pick up those gems.... There is just a little too much to say to include all of that in a few posts. I think the discussion was of great value for all of us and underscored how much yoga offers us in terms of learning, self study and practice. It is vast and has layers upon layers. That is what keeps us coming back to class, and back to the practice over and over again.