Reflections

The Power of Yoga Speech

I’ve been attending classes in Vancouver for a month now and I’m starting to work out why I like practising here so much. There are so many aspects that I have enjoyed, that it’s been difficult to define them. This week I’ve finally understood one of the main features that make classes here so special to me: speech and stories.

Vishuddha chakra - http://www.tantramag.com

I love it when before we chant three oms, we sit in silence, eyes closed, and the teachers begin with an anecdote of their everyday life. They explain how seemingly insignificant events can illuminate some of the many mental habits that crowd our autopilot world.

The story could be the one of a teacher coming back from an eye test with blurred vision and drawing parallels with the drishtis; or another putting her winter coat on for the first time this season and feeling how we mentally wrap ourselves up  in cold weather; or one teacher remembering how sensitive she was as a child; or even teachers reflecting on recent readings, like an article on the brain and the stories we make up to ourselves.

I like it even more when the anecdote, the story or the article sets a theme, a guiding thread to the practice, a foundation to work on: drishtis, sensitivity, weaknesses in our bodies, breath, our inner narrative.

Most teachers are very gifted speakers with inspiring and calming voices.  The story and theme create a stronger connection between mind and body during the practice, it bolsters mental strength and physical endurance. We all become part of the story and embody it in each asana.

Stories linger with me sometimes for hours, days, months or years, and help me live more mindfully.

Can you think of a teacher’s anecdote which has helped you in everyday life?

yoga and community.

i’m starting to feel a bit weird posting on a blog about yoga in vancouver, when, in fact, i haven’t done yoga in vancouver in almost two weeks.

i miss my vancouver yoga–i miss my power classes, i miss danielle (mika nagel–she teaches the power classes i miss attending at y yoga), and my only interaction with her has been the occasional ‘girl, where are you/don’t worry, i’m not cheating on you, just traveling’ emails.

while i travel (which is often) i rely on podcasts (per my post last month, posted while traveling) or dvd’s (i ‘borrowed’ a baron baptiste dvd from the library at work i’m going to try today).  but so far, nothing replaces the feeling i get when practicing with other students in a classroom.

one of the things i love so much about yoga is the sense of community.  i’ve been to some pretty bad classes (i shouldn’t say bad, i should say: classes that weren’t for me) but as loooong as that hour has felt, i still felt better leaving the studio.

i’ve been living a fairly nomadic lifestyle for the past 5 years, and yoga has always been a grounding force in my life:  i started a consistent practice in ohio, and since then the first thing (aside from a grocery store) i’ve sought out in every new city i’ve visited or lived in, is a yoga studio.  and what’s amazing, is that no matter what the city/country/language (yoga in hong kong is phenominal) that sense of community, and being of one is always the same.

there really is no point in my post this week other than:  i love you guys.

namaste.

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving long weekend to all our fantastically loyal YVR readers!

I’m sure many of you were grateful to have extra time during your holiday to squeeze in an additional yoga class, or two.

We hope everyone enjoyed the festivities with friends & family and have started this new week with thanks & gratitude in their hearts.

From the entire Vancouver Yoga Review Team, we give thanks to each one of you for your support of our website 🙂

Do you feel over-stuffed like this little guy?

Savasana-Pup or Too-Much-Turkey-Dog?

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