EARTH - Week 4: Session 1: Pranayama

Discussion
The practice of Pranayama. 

• Pranayama is typically defined as a set of practices used to control prana in the body by means of your breathing patterns. Pranayama is two Sanskrit words that loosely translate to ‘to control life force’. 

  • The first Sanskrit word is prana, meaning life force 

  • The second is yama, meaning restraint or control. 

Breath, prana, holds the chemistry of the universe, the ions, the ores, the minerals that surround us and inform us. It is the space dust of grace reigning through our atmosphere. Breathing is a process of eating, feeding the mind and imagination as well as the body. A trained breath stabilizes the nervous system and communicates with deeper parts of oneself as well as one’s surroundings. A character of the breath is movement. A character of the mind is directing, channeling the momentum.

Great Nature's breaths move the great currents; the movement of the tides, the currents of wind, the planetary rotations. The breath of plants, insects, seasons, the breaths of fire and water belong to the breaths of our planet. It is the breath that enlivens. Great Nature supports the individual breath and builds the momentum on the collective breath. The great movements of breath are very soulful and spirited.

All our meditations are based on integrating the personal breath with the breaths of Great Nature using the Golden Thread of a skilled imagination.  

Breathwork is the magic of yoga. It enlivens the mind and body. The power of postures and meditation is the breath. Empower your well-being through breath practices. The body is the instrument, the mind is the musician, and the breath is the melody. 
-Nevine Michaan

Part of your coursework is to:
Read: 

• Prana article by Swami Satyadharma Saraswati

• Katonah Yoga Breathing Script by Nevine Michaan

• Practice each of the following pranayamas for 3 min followed by 3-11 min of meditation:

  • Ujjayi Pranayama - Ocean Sounding Breath

  • Kapalabhati Pranayama - Breath of Fire

  • Bhastrika Pranayama - Bellows Breath

  • Nadi Sodhana - Alternate Nostril Breathing 

    • Chandra Bedha - Left Nostril Breathing

    • Surya Bedha - Night Nostril Breathing

  • Viloma Pranayama - Three Part Breath

  • Sheetli Pranayama - Cooling Breath

  • Seasonal Breath

  • 10 Bodies Meditation

Self-reflection + Journal

• Describe prana in your own words.
  
  
  

 EARTH - Week 4 Session 2: Mantras

Discussion
Explore incorporating mantras into your practice.

• Mantra, comes from the combination of two syllables: 

  • man - meaning “to reflect” or “to be aware” 

  • tra meaning “tool for, or agent of”

• A mantra is a tool for reflection and the cultivation of awareness, and is used for both concentration and contemplation.

• Mantras are based upon sounds that reflect the energy of our divine nature.

• Mantras are vibrations more than words.

• Mantras are sacred sound vibrations that help to calm the mind.

• As you work with mantras, take time to break down each mantra word by word - focusing on projecting each sound with focus brings the sound through the brain, heart and gut.

• Pathways to pure consciousness.

• A practice to rest in sound.

• Spend time with them to unlock their mysteries.

• Different mantras can liberate, re-organize and realign the mind’s tendencies which eventually quiets the mind, and intensifies focus, concentration and energy levels.

• Mantras can expand your self-understanding, and develop memory and creativity.

• They can alter and improve your attitude, self-expression and your sensitivity to subtle vibrations.

• In yoga psychology, mantras can be used to correct psychological and psychic disorders which are viewed as imbalance of energy in the mind. 

“While psychoanalysis can often keep a client self-centered, mantric energy can dissolve thought constructs like a magnet rearranges iron filings. The magnet of the mantra can realign and release energy, creating positive energy and thoughts, enabling the individual consciousness to develop a more harmonious level of experience which can eventually lead us to unity.” -Dr. David Frawley

Part of your coursework is to:

• practice of each of the mantras listed below, one each day for 3-11 minutes followed by 3-11 minutes of meditation

Self-reflection + Journal

• In what ways does repeating mantra assist in developing a personal practice?

Practices

• Om: is considered to be the universal, consummate mantra - it refers to the soul and the universe or the Divine within all of us. It is considered to be the most sacred, primordial sound. 

  • It is made of three sounds and syllables combined into one: ahh, ooo, mmm

  • Feel the vibration start in the belly, come up to the throat and end with a deep vibration through your mouth. 

  • It represents the divine energy of Creation

  • Chanting in repetition can bring you into a trance-like state and higher consciousness

  • It teaches you how to hold your breath longer and helps to quiet the mind

  • Om vibrates at a 432 hz frequency - the frequency of nature - it helps to calm the heart rate, ease stress and anxiety, and it can be soothing and healing.

If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.” - Nikola Tesla

• Adi Mantra: is like a telephone number, a direct line to the creative power Shakti. This mantra is said to make you receptive and sensitive to the messages of your body, mind, and intuition. Its used to tune in, to center you in the higher self, and to spiritually guide both the teacher and the students during class. Everytime you chant the Adi Mantra, you are reminded that you are your own greatest teacher. Adi means primal or first - it is the first mantra that should be used for any yogic or meditative practice. 

Ong  
Namo 
Guru
Dev
Namo

• Translation: I am centered in my Highest Self and reminded that my ego will not be practicing yoga today. Chanting brings humility and stillness so I may learn from the Divine. I bow to the subtle divine wisdom. I bow to the divine teacher within.

• Each teacher connects to a golden chain of teachers that have come before and by chanting this mantra, the teacher plugs into that connection. What you are learning are teachings which have been passed from teacher to student over decades and generations. This mantra removes the adoration of an individual teacher from the equation. It can help overcome the ego of the teacher and student.

• Complete Adi Mantra: is a hook that creates a flow that offers you a way through your personal situation. It establishes a guiding beam between your immediate state and your dream state, which is said to be the truest version of you. This mantra tunes us into the total spiritual knowledge of all teachers who have ever existed or who will ever exist on this Earth. You may also use the complete form anytime you experience a lack of faith. Chant 5 times on one breath.

Ong Namo 
Guru Dev Namo
Guru Dev Namo 
Guru Deva

• Mangala Charn: is a mantra of protection that invokes the protective energy of the universe. This mantra should always be chanted 3 times in a row. It has two versions:

  • Version #1 is chanted right after the Adi Mantra to continue your vibrational shift in energy and surrounds your magnetic field with protective light. 

  • Version #2 gives you an enchanting, magnetic personality and builds your aura.

Aad Guray Nameh 
Jugaad Guray Nameh 
Sat Guray Nameh 
Siri Guru Dayvay Nameh

• Translation: I bow to the Primal wisdom, the Wisdom through the Ages, the True Wisdom, and the great, unseen Wisdom

• Visualize protection surrounding you in each direction

• Laya Yoga Meditation or Long Morning Call: is the mantra of mastery; the mantra of the Aquarian Age. It is chanted to raise our frequency. It is said to bring Kundalini awakening, opening the chakras and an experience of bliss; this mantra takes our consciousness from individual consciousness to collective consciousness to Universal Consciousness.

Ek Ong Kar
Sa Ta Na Ma
Siri Wa Hay Guru

• Long Chant form: is done at the beginning of the early morning Aquarian Sadhana. 

  • It has a 2 ½ breath cycle. 

  • Inhale deeply through the nose and chant ‘Ek Ong Kar.’ ‘Ek’ is chanted quickly, Ong is held until the breath is halfway through, and Kar is held for the remaining half of the breath. 

  • Inhale deeply through the nose a second time and chant ‘Sat Nam Siri’. Sat is chanted quickly and then Naam is chanted and held for the entire length of the breath, and just when there is no breath left, chant a quick ‘Siri.’ 

  • Then take a half breath and chant Wahe Guru with a short ‘Wa’ and then a long “He Guru.” 

  • This completes one 2 ½ breath cycle.It is to be chanted every morning at the beginning of the Aquarian Sadhana

• Laya Mantra: brings the soul and destiny present. It suspends you above conflicts attracted by success and the activity of the Positive Mind. It lets your activity serve your purpose. It makes you creative and focused on your real priorities and helps you sacrifice what is needed to accomplish them.

  • The rhythm used for the Laya Yoga mantra is very specific, with the navel pulled in at the end of each section. The “uh” identifies the sound that is produced by pulling the navel in at the end of each line.

  • Ek ong kar-(uh)

  • Sa ta na ma-(uh)

  • Siri wa-(uh) he guru

• Magic Mantra, Siri Mantra: is used to change negativity into positivity - will help you steer your life in a whole new direction. In Kundalini Yoga, this mantra is believed to be the most powerful mantra. It is to be chanted in a sacred way. After chanting, it is wise to keep your thoughts and words positive, as you will be in a state of manifestation. 

Ek Ong Kar


Sat Gur Prasad

Sat Gur Prasad
Ek Ong Kar

• Translation: There is one Creator of all Creation. All is a blessing of the One Creator. This realization comes through Grace.

• Sat Nam: is a bij (seed) mantra - within the seed is contained all the knowledge of the fully grown tree. It affirms the existence and value of truth. Chanting this mantra, balances the 5 elements, awakens the soul and gives you your destiny. 

Sat
Nam

EARTH - Week FOUR Session 3: Mudras

Discussion
Briefly touch on the intentional magic of mudras. 

“Our hands express prana - the light, love and the energy of the Universe. When we activate our hands through mudras, they become an even greater source of healing and kindness we can offer the world.” -Erica Jago

• In Sanskrit, mudra means gesture or “seal”, referring to locking or sealing in a specific feeling, state, or energy for a particular effect.

• Mudras are gestures or postures for the hands, face, or other key areas of the body.

• Mudras are a bridge for awakening the body as a sacred temple of the divine. Hands are keys that can unlock the door to this temple.

• Hand positions are used to seal the body’s energy in a particular pattern, activating specific powers or energies. Each pattern represents a different energy and is often used with a mantra, asana or visualization.

• Primary in shifting energy.

• Mudras involve the entire body.

• Subtle hand and finger movements make important connections in the nervous system and stimulate specific energy pathways.

• There are over 500 different mudras and meanings, across cultures, however they all are based on four basic hand positions: the open palm, the hollowed palm, the closed fist, the hand with fingertips together.

How Mudras Work

• Each finger is related to one of the five elements according to yoga and Ayurveda. The various combinations of finger positions allow us to access and affect the five elements directly.

• Fingers have an extensive network of sensory and motor nerve endings as well as energy channels; thus mudra is a powerful vehicle for communicating and transferring information to the brain and energy centers.

• The fingers act as antennae for attuning to channels of universal energy such as abundance, love, and peace. We can connect to these frequencies with mudras and thus harmonize them within ourselves.

• Mudras are powerful vehicles for awakening every level of being (the five koshas).

• Mudras have been passed down through tradition and reflect the experiences of great spiritual masters revealed in deep states of practice.

Mudras and Spin Theory

Physics might provide an explanation of - or a doorway into - the effectiveness of the mudra. Spin theory is associated with the rotation of a particle or body around an axis. In quantum physics, we look at this spin in relation to angular momentum and wave-particles, not just rotation and particles. The spin carried by the tiniest of particles - subatomic ones - can be graphed as geometric shapes or lines drawn from one point to another. One might even imagine that some of these points - the spaces penetrated by up and down, sideways, or other movements - connect to subtle energy fields and even other dimensions. Is it possible that a focused practitioner, a master of mudras, can actually create connections between different energy fields, worlds, and planes of existence. If so, they can use the mudra as a physicist might draw lines between various universes. Each mudra forms a different shape, and therefore accesses energies for a different cause. What might we spin into - or out of - existence with this intentional use of spin?” - Cyndi Dale, from The Subtle Body

References:
Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar
The Mind - Its Projections and Multiples Facets by Yogi Bhajan
The Subtle Body - An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy by Cyndi Dale
Kripalu website
Intro to Kundalini Course Workbook by Erica Jago

Week 4 Session 4: Kriyas

Discussion
Kriya. Preparation for Deep Meditation Kundalini kriya. You will also be introduced to Bandhas. Kriya refers to a set of practices, mainly breath control techniques and exercises, that are practiced to achieve a specific outcome. The word is a Sanskrit term that means "completed action." Each kriya is aimed at a specific outcome and has very specific instructions. It is yoga in a practical sense.

Part of your coursework is to:

• work with the below Kundalini Kriyas. Kundalini is a powerful practice that connects you to the subtle and potent life force energy that flows through you. The following practices are practices designed to prepare you for deep meditation. You can do the practice in its entirety or you can work with each kriyas individually for 3-11 min followed by 3-11 min of meditation.

Bandhas
Engaging bandhas increases awareness of the subtle energy within and can be utilized to increase power, energy and ease within postures and during pranayama and meditation practices. Bandha means “bondage”, “joining together”, “fettering” or “catching hold of”. 

Bandhas take you deeper into your practice by working with your subtle energy. You become a more sophisticated channel: not just for physical radiance but with energetic radiance. -Erica Jago

• There are 3 main bandhas:

  • Mula Bandha Root Lock

  • Uddiyana Bandha Diaphragm Lock

  • Jalandhara Bandha Neck Lock

  • as well as Hasta Bandha Hand Lock, Pada Bandha Foot Look and Maha Bandha Great Lock.

“A bandha is a restraint. As condensers, fuses and switches control the flow of electricity, so bandhas regulate the flow of prana.“ - BKS Iyengar

• Mula Bandha Root Lock

  • Stimulates the proper flow of spinal fluid from the Root Chakra upward 

  • To engage, contract the perineum muscles inward and upward. 

    • Two actions are applied together in a smooth, rapid motion

      • Squeeze the muscles of the pelvic floor (like stopping the flow of urine)

      • Gently lift the muscles of your lower abdomen and your navel point toward your spine

    • For men, this is the region between the testes and the anus. 

    • For women, it involves the pelvic floor muscles behind the cervix.

    • Pregnant or menstruating women should not apply
      
      

• Uddiyana Bandha Diaphragm Lock

  • It means “flying up”

  • Integrates emotional energy from Solar to Heart Chakra

  • Exhale completely, with breath held out, act as if you will inhale again, but don’t inhale, 

  • Feel the abdominal region lift and chest gently push up. 

  • Your ribs should protrude over your abs, and you should feel your abdominal wall and internal organs pushing up and back.

  • Hold and gently relax your belly.

  • Gradually inhale through the nose.

  • Yoga practitioners often consider this lock a remedy for stomach upsets and abdominal pains and use it to stimulate digestion.

  
  

• Jalandhara Bandha Neck Lock 

  • Guides energy into your brain and opens up the Crown Chakra

  • Lift your sternum and gently pull your chin in, lengthening the back of your neck.

  • Keep length and space in your throat

  • Relax your face
    
    

• Hasta Bandha Hand Lock

  • To engage, place your hands on the yoga mat, spreading your fingers far apart to provide a solid base of support. 

  • Slowly put weight onto your hands, letting the area where your thumb and pointer finger meet carry the most weight. 

  • Rotate your forearm, if necessary, to direct your weight onto this area. 

  • Then, lightly grip the mat with your fingertips. 

  • You should feel no pressure in the center of your palm. 

  • Practice this lock regularly to develop strength and comfort.
    
    

• Pada Bandha Foot Lock 

  • Connects your body with the earth. 

  • To activate, place the soles of your feet on the ground so that your weight is supported by the triangle between your big toe, little toe, and ankle.
    
    

• Maha Bandha Great Lock

  • Opens the complete flow of Kundalini for healing - is considered the great lock because it engages when you simultaneously activate the three major locks. 

  • With breath held out, engage the Mula bandha. 

  • Exhale completely and then activate the Uddiyana bandha. 

  • Finally, engage the Jalandhara bandha. 

  • To release the Maha bandha, disengage each bandha in the reverse order.

Bandhas protect and project, that’s what they are for. They protect the alignment of your spine and project your energy where you want it to go.” -Guru Prem Singh Khalsa

Self-reflection + Journal

• Where could you project your energy? Where could you protect your energy?

References:
Donna Fahri
Intro to Kundalini Course book by Erica Jago
Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar

EARTH September 
Pranayama, Mantra, Mudra, + Kriya
Friday 11:30-1:00pm
Date: 10.4.24
WEEK 4

Call Flow
11:30-11:45am (15min) Opening: Check in: Alot comes up, recap Erica’s call, reading, prana, topics in the manual. Non-Negotiable Worthiness by Pixie Lighthorse, Fall Descent by Tara Wild
11:45am-12:15pm (30 min) Talk: Bandhas, Experiential practice for the bandhas
12:15-12:45pm (30 min) Forum
12:45-1pm (15 min) Questions and Closing

Check in
Let’s start with a check-in since we had last weekend off.

Alot comes up
I was looking through notes from previous year’s YTT and so much comes up for people. I want to acknowledge the bravery it takes to look at yourself, to work through painful memories, to deal with experiences that have had an impact on you, that may have caused pain or still cause pain. 

Recap Erica’s call
Who would be willing to recap Erica’s call?
What did you note?
What stood out?

Reading
Where are you with the reading?

Prana
What is prana?

Tell me about the topics in your manual this week
Pranayama, mantra, mudra, kriya.
What, if any, of the practices this week fit?
Mantra: "the meaning of each word is stepped up to a much higher level than that which the word has in ordinary speech." 

Boundaries
I’m going to read a page out of Pixie Lighthorse’s Book Boundaries and Protection.

I love boundaries and talking about boundaries because I think it's so important to form and structure our experience, to put things into context and relationship. Boundaries are permeable, they are a membrane that holds safety and sanctuary, and sacred space around what is most precious, meaningful, integral, essential. A little bit later in the call I’ll talk again trauma

Non-Negotiable Worthiness by Pixie Lighthorse from Boundaries & Protection

Fall Descent: Initiatory Descent by Tara Wild
As we journey deeper into autumn and the dark half of the year here in the northern hemisphere, I feel myself consciously turning inwards, into the depths of psyche and innermost self.

As someone who honors the living world as a metaphor for the sacred feminine, and the seasons as a metaphor for my life, this time of year always feels so powerful for me.

The Initiatory Descent of autumn is a time of internal change. A time to cross the threshold and embrace ourselves as mythic (people) who know how to dive deep.

In many myths and stories, there is a stage in which the protagonist is called on a journey and then answers that call. They step onto the path that leads them away from what they know and firmly into the void of the unknown, where they will be tested and initiated in the realms of the psyche.

The deeper I allow myself to surrender to this seasonal journey - with the dark season representing the journey within - the more rooted I feel within myself. Magic, medicine and nourishment flow from the depths of darkness that are vital for my being.
Let me ask you, dear one...
How deeply can you surrender to the dark, the void, the initiatory unknown as we turn towards the season of winter? What might shift or change in your life as a result of this deep, mythic surrender?

Bandhas and Experiential Practice of Bandhas
There are 3 main bandhas: Mula Bandha Root Lock Uddiyana Bandha Diaphragm Lock Jalandhara Bandha Neck Lock as well as Hasta Bandha Hand Lock, Pada Bandha Foot Look and Maha Bandha Great Lock.

“A bandha is a restraint. As condensers, fuses and switches control the flow of electricity, so bandhas regulate the flow of prana.“ - BKS Iyengar

Mula Bandha Root Lock
Stimulates the proper flow of spinal fluid from the Root Chakra upward  To engage, contract the perineum muscles inward and upward.  Two actions are applied together in a smooth, rapid motion Squeeze the muscles of the pelvic floor (like stopping the flow of urine) Gently lift the muscles of your lower abdomen and your navel point toward your spine For men, this is the region between the testes and the anus.  For women, it involves the pelvic floor muscles behind the cervix. Pregnant or menstruating women should not apply.

Uddiyana Bandha Diaphragm Lock
It means “flying up” Integrates emotional energy from Solar to Heart Chakra Exhale completely, with breath held out, act as if you will inhale again, but don’t inhale,  Feel the abdominal region lift and chest gently push up.  Your ribs should protrude over your abs, and you should feel your abdominal wall and internal organs pushing up and back. Hold and gently relax your belly. Gradually inhale through the nose. Yoga practitioners often consider this lock a remedy for stomach upsets and abdominal pains and use it to stimulate digestion.

Jalandhara Bandha Neck Lock
Guides energy into your brain and opens up the Crown Chakra Lift your sternum and gently pull your chin in, lengthening the back of your neck. Keep length and space in your throat Relax your face.

Hasta Bandha Hand Lock
To engage, place your hands on the yoga mat, spreading your fingers far apart to provide a solid base of support.  Slowly put weight onto your hands, letting the area where your thumb and pointer finger meet carry the most weight.  Rotate your forearm, if necessary, to direct your weight onto this area.  Then, lightly grip the mat with your fingertips.  You should feel no pressure in the center of your palm.  Practice this lock regularly to develop strength and comfort.

Pada Bandha Foot Lock
Connects your body with the earth.  To activate, place the soles of your feet on the ground so that your weight is supported by the triangle between your big toe, little toe, and ankle.

Maha Bandha Great Lock
Opens the complete flow of Kundalini for healing - is considered the great lock because it engages when you simultaneously activate the three major locks.  With breath held out, engage the Mula bandha.  Exhale completely and then activate the Uddiyana bandha.  Finally, engage the Jalandhara bandha.  To release the Maha bandha, disengage each bandha in the reverse order.

“Bandhas protect and project, that’s what they are for. They protect the alignment of your spine and project your energy where you want it to go.”
- Guru Prem Singh Khalsa

Loosening the knots
I also want to talk about the idea of loosening the knots. With Bandhas, we are lifting and locking the pranic energy within our body. The bandhas direct the energy, the chakras spin the energy and open these channels to higher states of consciousness. Which isn’t very sustainable, especially with the responsibilities and distractions that we have. If your chakras were just spinning freely and fully open then you wouldn’t be able to manage it all. So we can loosen the knots. You know if you tie a knot really tight and you keep pulling at it and trying hard to pull the knot, it is just going to tighten up. So our breath can help to loosen the knot - not untie the knot, just create a little space so there is some freedom.  Which brings me to: 

Trauma
Trauma is when we are not seen and known. - Bessel van der Kolk
The inability to be present in one of the imprints of trauma. -Dr. Gabor Mate, The Myth of Normal

It's not a matter of if you have trauma it's to what degree. Experiencing trauma does not mean broken. However, trauma can fracture our sense of wholeness and it takes time and effort to repair or return to wholeness and you, me, we, aren't ever the same as before the traumatic event. 

Kintsugi is an ancient Japanese practice of repairing broken pottery with gold. As a metaphor for life, it shows us how to see the broken, painful parts of ourselves and others as an opportunity to add strength, beauty and character.

How does this relate to your journey from yoga student to yoga teacher?

This is to up the function of your yoga practice so that you can be more functional.

I shared a quote from the Body Keeps the School is the chakra clinic about stories of trauma and how sharing them is difficult but necessary and that trauma changes people. And when one follows the interceptive pathways things begin to change. 

Quote pg. 237 The Body Keeps the Score

“Trauma stories lessen the isolation of trauma, and they provide an explanation for why people suffer the way they do. They allow doctors to make diagnoses, so that they can address problems like insomnia, rage, nightmares, or numbing. Stories can also provide people with a target to blame. Blaming is a universal human trait that helps people feel good while feeling bad. But stories also obscure a more important issue, namely, that trauma radically changes people: that in fact they no longer are "themselves. It is excruciatingly difficult to put that feeling of no longer being yourself into words. Language evolved primarily to share "things out there," not to communicate our inner feelings, our interiority. As I once heard Harvard psychologist Jerome Kagan say: "The task of describing the most private experiences can be likened to reaching down to a deep well to pick up a small fragile crystal figure while you are wearing thick leather mittens. If a patient tells me about an experience, I am likely to stop and ask him to check in with himself: What happens inside when he tells me about? Where is it registered in his body? When you activate your gut feelings and listen to your heartbreak - when you follow the interoceptive pathways to your innermost recesses - things begin to change.”

*** share We can get past the slipperiness of words by engaging the self-observing body-based self system, which speaks through sensations, tone of voice, and body tensions. Being able to perceive visceral sensations is the very foundation of emotional awareness.

So for what reason do you think I'm even talking about this?

Because when you are healed, when you do the kind of internal excavation, and you mine your shadows, you are a different kind of teacher. And that difference is felt more than anything.

Yoga is the light of self-knowledge. Information becomes knowledge when it’s used and knowledge becomes wisdom in time. Yoga is an experiential practice, a multi dimensional practice. The yoga sutras say that yoga is to be practiced over a long period of time, consistently, and with devotion.

There is nothing quick about this. 

The possibility of a profound shift or ah-a moment where the light bulb goes off and you think … oh i get it!, the probability is high.

However, you will still need to meet yourself where you are because you have to meet others where they are. 

How many have you thought : I want to teach yoga because I want to help people?

We are not here to help people. We are not here to change people. We are not even here to inspire. We create the possibility, the container, for people to change themselves, to heal themselves.

Integration

In my Boundaries and Protection work, and I think also in recovery, we talk about keeping your side of the street clean. Not spilling your stuff all over everything. This also is an act of containment. There are healthy and unhealthy ways of relating to the world. So our job as yoga students is to find health. And balance is health. 

It is the middle ground of integration where healing happens.

Questions and Closings
Any questions?

This weekend

Asana clinic. Look through the Core Asana Reference Guide - don’t try to memorize any of it, read through, make some notes. Dress warm and comfy because we are going to get technical. I have about 10 poses planned so we’ll see how far we get. Child’s pose, table, forward fold and seated forward fold, mountain, chair, down dog, plank, updog, chaturanga.

Community Class 9-10 Water

Next week

Paths to God, Bhagavad Gita - the epic story of Arjuna's decision and the conversation between him and Krisha, the charioteer, the bard, who represents the ambiguity, the ambivalence of what to do. As all good mythic stories go, according to Dr. Douglas Brooks, this story seeks clarity, but deals in ambiguity. Main tasks for next week: history, bhagavad gita, yoga sutras, 

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

Ending
Please find your seat, organize your shoulders over your hips, ground to crown. Close your eyes and please take 3 breaths with me. Thank you for your practice. Namaste, Bye.