Patanjali Yoga Sutra 2.16 (“the pain that has yet to come can be avoided”). This fortune explains well, I think, how to incorporate into one’s life and practice the teaching of this particular sutra.
The philosophy and religion professors with whom I have studied yoga philosophy have emphasized that we need both theoretical study and experiential practice to develop understanding. In that light, here’s the reading line-up (though currently I am slowly making my way through Harry Potter y el cáliz de fuego.
Anyone who wants to or has read anything in this list and is interested in discussing, please let me know.
It started before yesterday’s Tuesday night class. There was a piece of fuzz next to one of the students mats–a schmutz. We then decided that the yoga outfit, especially the old raggedy one, was a schmata. Tonight, I was in an uncharacteristically silly mood. With birds falling out of the sky, fish washing up on the shore, and the Republicans taking back “control” of the house, I could weep or I could find the laughter in small things. Tonight, with a practice theme of the Anusara’s “first principle” — opening to grace — I spontaneously and giddily came to the latter.
I mentioned the idea of yiddish for yogis, and the class took off. We were all women tonight, so it was “yoga for yentas.” The word one utters when going into the first forward bend of the practice, is of course, oy, which can be lengthened to oy vey is mir. When we are truly opening to grace, we are kvelling; when we are noticing our aches and pains and forgetting to move towards the good, we are then kvetching.
Just FYI, I learned after doing a cautious internet search before posting this blog entry, that it turns out that the phrase “Yiddish Yoga” has been trademarked. I am pretty certain we can still have fun talking about using yiddish vocabulary words in yoga class without violating any laws, though it has been over 20 years since I took class in copyright and trademark law. So feel free to think of your favorite yiddish word and how it should be used in yoga class. You never know how it will enhance your practice, for whom it will bring a smile or a laugh, and what other thoughts might arise. I’m pretty sure that there isn’t a yiddish equivalent for satcitananda, any more than there is an English equivalent for weltanschauung or schadenfreude, or a French word for sandwich, but at least one student wants to give it a try.
Dear Friends,
Not long after the slush from last night melted in the early afternoon rain, the precipitation falling had started turning into the dreaded wintry mix. Thunder clapped and the sky was dark, and I have been mighty grateful all day that I was able to work from my warm home. It is all snow now — quite beautiful. It is inevitable that I will be out shoveling early tomorrow morning, though whether it will be three or four inches or 8-10 remains to be seen. It will be heavy underneath. This is a wet snow. I will be following my own advice on yoga alignment for snow shoveling (that appeared in December 2010’s edition of Yoga Journal).
It is on nights like this that I find myself planning a good restorative practice. What could be better after a dark storm and some heavy duty shoveling to surrender to the blissful support of blankets and bolsters, find the sweetness of your breath, shift into optimal alignment, and find a space of deep relaxation. If this sounds like a dream come true or you want to know what is all the fuss about restoratives, you are in luck. This coming Saturday, is the first of the winter session series of restorative workshops with me at Willow Street Yoga:
Relaxing into Optimal Alignment with Anusara Restoratives, Saturdays, January 29, February 26, and March 26, 2:30-4:30p, Willow Street Yoga Center, Takoma Park, $30 each (All 3 Saturdays = $75)
After a little gentle stretching and self-massage to bring awareness to the breath and body, we will enjoy the exquisite application of Anusara’s® Universal Principles of Alignment to restful and supported restorative postures to release old patterns and invite in the new to find greater ease of body and mind. A great workshop and practice for all levels; sign up for the full three-class series and save $15!
Be safe, stay warm, enjoy being snowed in for now if you can, practice gratitude for being able to be snowed in, and delight in dreaming about how wonderful it will be to go on a mini-in town treat of a retreat with two hours of restorative yoga. Hope to see you.
Peace and light,
Elizabeth
