Getting Back To The Heart Of Yoga
Been awhile since I've written here. I post daily on my Facebook Page with class announcements and information and thoughts so I guess posting here felt a bit redundant. I started many posts but never completed them-it just didn't feel important enough.
So here I am again, wondering if this post will get finished and posted, wondering if I have anything important to say.
Well, let me start by saying a big thank you to the students I have here in Cascais/Estoril and the studio owners who create space for us to gather. No matter what is happening in my life, showing up to teach and listen to others is something that has kept me grounded and sane for these past 10 years. I am blessed to have found this work and hope to continue until my "final savasana". However, I do need to remember that I am no spring chicken and my body does need some care and attention too. So that is why I took many classes off my public schedule this summer and spent time taking some inventory and working to bring more Balance (that was my word of the year after all) to my life.
After a summer of looking carefully at my schedule, obligations, and finances (yuck) I decided to make some of the changes from the summer stick through the fall. Check my facebook page for the latest public and semi-private class schedules and feel free to contact me for personal sessions.
“Buddhism teaches that joy and happiness arise from letting go. Please sit down and take an inventory of your life. There are things you’ve been hanging on to that really are not useful and deprive you of your freedom. Find the courage to let them go.” ~ Thich Nhat Hahn
Next on my mind is what I am teaching and how I teach it. Ever since my good friend brought me a copy of The Heart of Yoga I have been re-reading this book with new and, dare I say, more mature eyes. What I once thought of as elementary and too simple is now touching me deeply and profoundly. In addition to the wise words in this book I am also diving into the new information coming from movement teachers and those who focus on the inner work of Yoga of health. I don't think I have done a handstand in months and I don't miss it one bit. I just found myself asking, why am I doing this and how will it help me in the future. If my future, older self, need to be able to climb stairs and walk around without assistance, get in an out of the bath without drama or pain, carry my groceries, sit and stand without pain, and still be able to write and type without issue, then how is a handstand gonna help me with that? Handstands are great, I can help you do them safely and securely if you want, but I am going to ask you the same questions I ask myself before we start.
“However beautifully we carry out an asana, however flexible our body may be, if we do not achieve the integration of body, breath, and mind we cannot claim that what we are doing is yoga.” T. K. V. Desikachar
So in addition to the Yoga work, I have been happily diving into the world of CBD and vaping. My partner has been lovingly teaching me about the benefits of vaping as a harm reduction tool to stop smoking (no they are not the same!). In addition to vaping, he has been teaching me all about the many positive chemical compounds (something like 400) present in the Marijuana plant. Now I know that many of you may have strong negative feelings about marijuana but I invite you to open your mind to the amazing early science that is coming out about this plant an the medicine it can create. For more information on the product I am using to help with anxiety, pain, and inflammation check out out site promotingbalance.com.
"Vaping CBD is a more effective method of consumption than edibles capsules or topicals because the inhalation provides greater bioavailability. That means the user can absorb more of the drug. While there is still more to learn about the long-term effects of vaping CBD, vaping is considered to be a much safer way to consume than smoking, while being equally effective." vaping360.com
It is our goal to make this medicine affordable, reliable, based on the latest science, and great tasting (some of the other products are kinda yucky). So in the spirit of finding balance in my life and in my relationship, I am prioritizing our joint effort to bring the product to a wide market. If you want to help, if you want more information, if you want to try it out, let me know. The aim is promoting balance and Equilibrium is a great tool to have in your tool kit.
How are you doing with your year? Do you need any assistance from me? Just reach out and let me know.
Hey look...I finished a post.
Thank you for reading.
