One year ago (August 1st, 2019), I lost my teacher and friend, Jonathan Austman. To reflect, I wrote up an essay on my food-ish blog, www.twohollowlegs.com.
To help with navigating these turbulent times, our second online yoga video offering is a 60 minute Ashtanga practice.
Ashtanga is a flowing style of yoga, particularly distinguishable by its set sequence of postures. A set sequence asks us to surrender to what is, instead of running away or avoiding what is uncomfortable.
When you keep practising this set, you discover that there is a lot of power in repetition: the opportunity to find depth and subtlety alongside comfort in the familiar, as well as the opportunity to reflect on how you change on a daily, monthly and seasonal basis. As we observe these changes, nothing needs to be fixed, or pushed away; instead, we learn to hold space for what’s arising and falling. Through this, we grow our resilience and compassion.
As the COVID-19 pandemic situation continues to evolve, what will carry us forward to an uncertain future, with as much grace as possible, is to continue returning to tried-and-true methods that help us to feel grounded.
Let us endeavour to root down into our feet, feel our breathing, and come back to a practice of embodiment that can offer an anchor in these turbulent times.
Things keep changing. Fear, paranoia, grief, and frustration – these are normal. At the same time, there can be joy, gratitude, kindness, and community.
Rinse and repeat.
Rinse and repeat.
One breath at a time.
We are in this together.
Dana is the practice of donation – and was the traditional way that yoga teachers received financial support. I know a handful of contemporary teachers that maintain this practice and rely heavily on dana – turns out that I am currently one of them!
If you find value in this offering, and you are in a position to give, please consider donating by clicking the button below. I am grateful for your support and interest in what’s going on in my tiny corner of the universe; thank you in advance for your support.
Join me again at Small Mercies – for a gentle yoga class and sound bath! This all levels pop-up class in the cozy and beautiful shop space in Osborne Village is happening on Saturday, February 22rd (9-10 am).
This class is donation-based (suggested $15-20 cash, payable at event) with all proceeds going to Art City.
