Truth #1: I missed the winter solstice.
“The what?!” you might ask.
Honestly, I had to look up the definition of the winter solstice when I discovered that I had missed it. Sometimes I wonder if I might have grown up under a rock or in a cave? Nonetheless, I learned from wikipedia that: “The Winter Solstice…is the shortest day, and longest night, and the sun’s daily maximum position in the sky is the lowest. Depending on the shift of the calendar, the Winter Solstice occurs on December 21 or 22 each year in the Northern Hemisphere…Worldwide, interpretation of the event has varied from culture to culture, but most cultures have held a recognition of rebirth, involving holidays, festivals, gatherings, rituals or other celebrations around that time.”
Happy Belated Winter Solstice, everyone!
I love this idea of celebrating new beginnings! As 2009 comes to a close, I eagerly welcome a world of possibility in 2010.
Truth #2: I have been eating way too much sugar, and my body isn’t very happy with me. Anyone else understand my predicament?
This past weekend I attended a workshop on Ayurveda, which is often referred to as the “sister science of yoga”. It was fascinating, and I am already planning to shift my health plan for the new year with the guidance of ayurveda. The basics:
Ayur= life
Veda= science/knowledge
Soooo…Ayurveda= the science or knowledge of life
It’s all about balancing energy in and around our bodies by becoming conscious about the health choices we make, so we can live vibrant, active lives. Every person is made up of their own unique constitution, or energy. This constitution is a mirror of the seasons spring, summer, and autumn and their traits (ex. spring is heavy, cold, liquid, static, hard). The three seasonal energies in ayurveda are called kapha, pitta, and vata. Each person usually has a very strong constitution in one of the three and subtle amounts of the other two. Once you figure out what your constitution is, you can make health choices in order to bring your body back into balance. Treatments are given through diet, lifestyle, and herbal remedies. I am really looking forward to learning more at a 2-part session at Shine Yoga in January!
Truth #3: Even as a teacher, I’m still asking questions.
This past Sunday I participated in a Jivamukti yoga workshop at the lovely Gratitude in Motion studio. The facilitator/guide/teacher was the knowledgable, silly and very real Jules Febre. Jivamukti yoga combines intense physical postures with sanscrit scriptures, principles of devotion and non-harming, music, and meditation to create liberation from separation. Living liberated! What a beautiful concept. We are all connected, and the choices you make really do affect everything around you.
The workshop teacher (Jules), and this powerful style of yoga, pushed us to really “feel the burn”. I held poses longer than I’ve ever held them, and I went deeper than the deepest I’ve ever gone in some pretty intense hip-openers. I was concerned for the beginners in the class- for fear that they would hurt themselves by going too far. There was little mention of listening to our own bodies and knowing when to slow down, which made me realize how much I stress personal safety in my own classes. I wondered if it was too “Western” a mindset to be so careful? I wondered if it’s the responsibility of the student to take care of themselves? In the old days, when Ashtanga yoga was first being practiced, Pattabhi Jois (the founder that brought Ashtanga to the West) would make you perfect a pose/asana before you were allowed to move onto the next one in the series (insuring safety and precision). To me, this meant that he encouraged his students to build a foundation of strength and balance before moving on. This idea of safety in yoga has given me something to ponder for the past few days. Lately, I have found that I struggle to quiet the “teacher” mindset, even while taking a class for myself. It’s hard to turn off the teacher inside me that is constantly taking notes and getting ideas from my life experiences. But I am so blessed to be “living in the question” and to be given the opportunity to teach such an important practice.
One more thing…It was a super full workshop; we were all lined up with our mats practically touching each other. For some people, this closeness is an invasion of privacy. For me, it’s a beautiful exchange of energy that is meant to be savored. I really appreciated this new experience, and I look forward to more practices and more growth at Gratitude in Motion.
What can you learn from your current new beginnings?
Choose love,
Grace
