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    A Worthy Experiment

    The practices hosted by Woven History were a delightful opportunity to practice in community, come together to share with those in need (World Central Kitchen), and enjoy techniques and refuge in these trying times.  Though the practices themselves were great, it turns out, not to anyone’s surprise, that it was not ideal for the shop to have the space occupied for a non-business reason that regularly, unless it was okay to cancel at the last minute on a not infrequent basis.

    I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to practice in such a vibrant an interesting space and enjoying meeting new and reconnecting with old fellow practitioners.  I was also reminded of my favorite way to practice in a group, which is to have everyone say what they are there for and needing that day, whether physical or emotional, and then offer something(s) intended to be nourishing for all present.

    We’re talking about whether perhaps a once a month practice at Woven History might still work, and I will keep myself open to discovering other alternative, local spaces.

    I’m also considering offering a weekly house practice (ideally 3-4 people any given practice), as we did before the pandemic.  Please comment or email me if you might be interested and what days/times might be best for you.  I’m thinking about mid-morning either Monday or Wednesday.  It would require advance RSVP because it is in my home.  I don’t know about you, but I need more time giving myself the rest and strength I need to participate working for positive change and less time drowning in the ranting of people whose minds I cannot change.

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    It is the days

    when I have too many different things to do that sitting for meditation and doing a little asana is most important.  We always have 25-45 minutes.  It is just a matter of understanding where they are and how we want to use them.

    Having sat sweetly for 25 minutes, I am calm and relaxed as I get ready for work, take care of the garden (if only it would rain), wait for a meeting with a contractor, etcetera, etcetera.

    I do not believe in using the benefits of practice to enable multitasking, but on the days when everything coalesces in a less than optimal way, I am grateful for the calm center it provides.

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    Prop or Crutch

    “Liberty” is again encased in scaffolding, though it hasn’t been that long since she was taken down for a good cleaning. Seeing her thus supported while simultaneously blocked led me to think about the use of yoga props.

    I am a big fan of using props to discover places one thought out of reach, either because an injury is limiting range of movement or because intelligent or inspired use of a prop can teach where the next step could be in practice.

    Liberty’s scaffolding might be necessary for structural repairs or cleaning, but it is obscuring the view–her view out and our view in. We wouldn’t want her bound and stuck unless it was truly necessary for her full beauty and integrity to be maintained and revealed.

    So, too, with yoga props. As beneficial as they can be, we do not want to rely on them automatically without seeing whether we can open to and discover the full flourishing of ourselves in a pose without them by being open, sensitive, and discriminating about our physical boundaries; applying the alignment principles to the fullness of our knowledge; and using just the right amount of effort.

    By all means use props, but use them to find and witness new freedom (ultimately, svatantriya) not to bind or obscure it.

    Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

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