The Yoga Health Foundation has declared September as National Yoga Month, designed to educate about the health benefits of yoga and to inspire a healthy lifestyle. To get involved and get my community involved, I'm doing my very best to add more to the September calendars at the studios and country clubs I work at. Two events that are already set are....
1) Chaturanga Dandasana Defined at Yoga Loft Naples on September 16th, 2017 at 1pm. In this two hour workshop we will explore one of the most commonly used foundational postures in a Vinyasa Flow or Ashtanga class. We will navigate correct method in order to develop muscle memory and safety in the body. Techniques, alignment and strength building tips will be explained. This workshop is for the beginner and advanced practitioner alike, to refine your existing practice. I added this because I continue to see it entered and exited incorrectly in a way that, overtime, can be injurious to people. This is a practice that we want to do forever, and the protect the longevity of the practice and our bodies, I think its very important to break it down over and over again. This will be the 4th time I've hosted a foundational workshop at Yoga Loft because I am "basic" girl. Master the basics FIRST. Why are we rushing ahead or worse why are we rushing through our practice? 4 Limbed Staff Pose is a POSE not a transition.
2) The Autumn Equinox is upon us! I can't believe the seasonal change is already here, summer flew by! Since I was traveling for the Summer Solstice, our celebration of seasonal transition with 108 Sun Salutations will be held during the Autumn Equinox. On September 23rd, 2017 at 5pm, myself and Ashley Dixon will be leading our community through 108 Surya Namaskars outdoors! At the Autumn Equinox there is a shift of emphasis from outward achievement to inner reflection and contemplation.
At the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes day and night are of equal length. The equinoxes are the point of balance between the two solstices: the Summer Solstice when the days are longest and the Winter Solstice when the nights are longest. The Spring Equinox is like an athlete poised ready for action as the year enters its light, growth phase. Whereas the Autumn Equinox marks the beginning of the dark, composting phase of the year. Both the Spring and Autumn Equinox are rich with symbolism that you can integrate in to your yoga practice and your life.
The Autumn Equinox is a point of union and balance between the Light and the Dark, between Fire and Water, between the Yang and the Yin. We have all been encouraged to become disconnected from our Yin, the intuitive ‘feeling’ parts of ourselves, when in reality both our yin and yang aspects create the whole self and, if they are not blocked, flow in a continuous holistic motion of unity and equilibrium. "The Autumn Equinox reminds me to balance all parts of myself, the active and the passive, the known and the unknown, the outer journey and the inner journey, the seen and the unseen, the logical and the intuitive, the conscious and unconscious. From this place of Unity new doors open, new directions and new possibilities are revealed." - Jill Shipway.
Why 108? There are so many different ideologies of why but you'll have to come to the event to here more about this 'auspicious,' yoga number.
Hope to see you on the mat in September. Love you, LP.
