Mindful Monday: Light and Dark

I snapped this image a few years ago (while driving – eeeek!) but the sky was soooo amazing I had to capture it!

Happy Mindful Monday, dearest yogi friends! I hope you had a lovely weekend. Friday was pure magic – so sunny and warm and fresh – it truly felt like Spring! And Saturday and Sunday, IMO, just as magical and beautiful – but for other reasons … the darkness, cloudiness and the pensive chill from the rain. Also an essential part of this season.

The universe always seeks balance: the yin and the yang, the light and the dark, the feminine and the masculine, water and fire. There is a scientific theory on the balance of nature that states that ecological systems naturally exist in equilibrium. It’s a fine balance that is easily affected by any small disturbance, which will then auto-correct itself to come back to its stability.

So it is with us. Within each of us there is yin and yang, light and dark. Most of us, definitely me, struggle with finding and maintaining this balance each day. We shift too far to one side, and we are thrown off balance. We must then look within and steer our way back to center. Our character and ultimately are lives are determined by that which we feed – the dark or the light within.

There is a need for both, as darkness is the absence of light. But without it, how would we understand and appreciate the light? Without loneliness, how can we appreciate companionship? Without hate, how do you know love?

There is an ancient Indian proverb that describes the four paths in life. Which path are you following?

Those in darkness moving toward darkness
Those in darkness moving into the light
Those in the light moving toward darkness
Those in the light moving toward the light

Namaste, dear ones! Hope to see you on your mat this week! 

Mindful Monday: Spring has officially Sprung

108 Sangha! Photo credit: Sarah Pogorzelski

Happy, happy, happy Monday, friends! As of 5:29 am today, the Vernal or Spring Equinox commenced! Spring has officially arrived!  This is a powerful time of year! Rapid shedding and releasing; tremendous transformations. The 2017 Equinox is the perfect time to honor all areas and aspects of your life and the circumstances that surround you.

More than 30 of our YBD community gathered together yesterday (a few not pictured) to harness the transformative power of this new season. What an amazing experience!

The sun’s power gives life and allows all things on earth to flourish. As we flowed through 108 sun salutations, we moved and breathed as one. The strength and Grace and power in the room was magnificent.

Four sets of 27 sun salutes.

1.  Focused and dedicated to releasing what holds us back – Spring cleaning of body mind and soul.
2. Planting seeds of self-love and self acceptance. Building the foundation for all good things to come.
3. This set was devoted to people we love. Love is the most powerful energy source.  When we devote our energy to others, we are able to achieve far more  than if it was just for ourselves.
4. One love. Dedicated to peeling away walls and barriers so that we may find a common ground in all humanity.

Practice ended with some deep yin poses and a guided meditation.

If you were unable to make it last night, no worries! It’s not too late to create your own intentions and plant your own seeds.

Now is the perfect time to bring acceptance to your life no matter the circumstances or the judgements over what is good and what is bad, and to instead honor your unique journey. We are all perfectly in progress!

It is also a time to celebrate how far you have come and how much you have grown over the course of the year. And even last year.

Has 2017 been less than stellar for you ? Well, you can start fresh ! The March Equinox is considered the start of the astrological new year. This is because the Sun shifts into the constellation of Aries, which is regarded as the first of the 12 constellations used in astrology. Never too late to begin again.

The energy of Aries makes it a perfect time to start thinking about what is next and what you would like the next few months to feel like. To think about it but more importantly feel it.

Perhaps make a list of all the feeling words you would like to create in your life moving forward and see if you can start creating those feelings in small ways every single day.

This year’s Equinox is the perfect time to honor the growth and the pain, the light and the darkness and all the experiences that have made you who you are today. It is the perfect time to love yourself and learn to find gratitude and peace with the journey you are taking.

Enjoy this beautiful weather! Make each breath count.

Mindful Monday: Spring Equinox and 108 Sun Salutes

Happy Mindful Monday, friends!  Living here in Chicago,  we certainly learn to go with the flow –  especially when it comes to the weather!  No shocker when we go from glorious weather in the 60s to snowfall in the same month, right?  So we learn to go with the flow  knowing this is an unchangeable situation and it also impermanent.  Like life it ebbs and flows and is in constant flux and transition.

Regardless  of the weather forecast, our Spring Equinox will be here in a week! Join your YBD community  for a vigorous practice accessible to all levels this Sunday at our Elmhurst studio from 3:30 – 5:30 pm!  The practice itself  should take about 90 minutes.   The final 30 minutes will be a yin and restorative cool down.

While the thought of 108 sun salutes may sound daunting,  the repetitive actions create a meditative experience.  Most people feel a build up of energy as they flow  and leave practice feeling energized!

Each time I’ve been a student for this practice I’ve  experienced an unbelievable freedom  and sense of being unchained.  My practice becomes a devotion and a celebration and a meditation.   It is truly indescribable.

Some common questions are addressed below:

Will the room be heated ?

I will set the room temperature  between 80 to 85°

Do we go through 108 sun salutations nonstop?

I chunk out the practice in four sets of 27

Can anyone do this practice?

Yes I will offer modifications to make this practice accessible to virtually anyone who is in decent physical shape and injury free

What do I need to bring ?

Your mat and a towel and some water

Do I have to count them on my own?  What if I lose track?

I will be counting the sun salutations,  so students have nothing to do but flow

There is still space available!  Sign up at any studio or online!

Have a great week,yogis!  Hope to see you on your mat this week!

 

 

 

 

Mindful Monday: Spring Cleaning

Good morning and Happy Monday, dearest yogis! We are slowly inching toward spring, and honestly, I’m so ready! 

Springtime means more sunshine, warmer temperatures, that fresh smell in the air! It’s a time for lightness and shedding those dark, heavy layers! 
The official spring kickoff is called the Spring Equinox – the day when the sun aligns directly over the earth’s equator. On this day, twice a year (once in the spring, once in the fall), the length of day and night are the same: equinox means ‘equal night.’  This day has been celebrated throughout history in many different cultures for many different reasons: increased sunlight hours, the shift of the season, restoration of crop supply, Passover, Easter Sunday, baseball’s opening day. 

Many people have spring cleaning rituals this time of year. Opening all the windows to allow the crisp air to flow through and kick up and carry away all that dormant, stale winter energy. Scrubbing floors and purging heavy clothing. It’s definitely a time of renewal and hope and lightness. 

It is the perfect time to do some internal spring cleaning as well! It’s a great opportunity to take an honest look at your life and what you are creating each day. Similar to cleaning our closets, it’s a time to take an inventory of our lives, what needs to be tossed away, and what to hold on to. Through honest and intentional choices, we can see what’s missing, what’s been tossed to the side, and what is holding us back from creating something wonderful.
In observance of this auspicious occasion, yogis worldwide create a Yoga Mala this time of year. It is the practice of 108 Surya Namaskara…Salutations to the Sun, in dedication to and celebration of something bigger than ourselves. Our YBD community will come together to harness this powerful shifting of energies with a Yoga Mala. The practice of completing 108 Sun Salutations is at times physically vigorous but ultimately it is deeply meditative experience.

The number 108 has great significance in many ancient and yogic traditions. The mala that is used in meditation has 108 beads….so let our practice of Surya Namaskara be an affirmation to that which we wish to create and manifest in the new season.

Spring equinox is just a day, of course, but it represents a new start. It is a reminder to check in with our true selves. I use my yoga practice as a guide to bring myself back to center and to reflect on where and what and to whom I am sending my energy. Through my daily practice I choose one clear intention. The intention could be as simple as a word: “clarity”, “peace”, “compassion”, or it could be more detailed, like visualizing your dreams. But the important thing is to CHOOSE. Choose what you want to put into the world, what you want to get back, and use your yoga practice as a pathway to that end. Because once we choose to let go of what is not serving us, choose to move forward with clarity, kindness, faith and a little bit of attitude, well then, we have something to celebrate. Your yoga practice is a guide; a nudge toward your own true self.

So, join me on your mat on Sunday, March 19! Toss out the old stuff that is taking up useful space, open the windows of your view, clean out the foundation. Because then, all that’s left is the celebration of what is possible.
Springtime intentions work like magic seeds that get planted in fertile soil. What is ready to blossom in your life? 

March Pose of the Month

On we March. Into the month. Into the season. Into the storm. Into the thick of it. We keep marching. Whether we’re ready or not, we’re sometimes thrown into circumstances that aren’t necessarily exactly as we’d choose. So we get up, and we move.

In honor of standing tall, feeling powerful, and readying our bodies for whatever comes next, we’re going through Standing Half Moon this month. Not only is this a juicy side body stretch, and the starting posture in our YBD HOT sequence, but it opens and releases the shoulders, which helps to balance perceptions of inner and outer self: how you see the world, and how the world sees you. This balanced notion will help us to march on no matter what’s going on outside of us and around us.

Accessing the Posture:

• From Urdhva Hastasana, come to a steeple grip by interlacing your fingers overhead with index fingers pointing up.
• Keeping your arms at your ears, bump your hips to the left and stretch to the right
• Open through the chest, and look up to the left with a lifted chin to expose the throat chakra
• Energetically pull your face through your arms to keep the chest open
• Focus on using and stretching the hips rather than bending from the torso
• Repeat on both sides

Benefits of the Posture:

• Increases flexibility of the spine
• Corrects poor posture
• Improves and strengthens every muscle in the central body, especially in the back and abdomen
• Helps to build will power and strong self-esteem

Meet Geraldina, YBD Teacher of the Month

This sweet soul has been such a huge part of Yoga By Degrees for years. We are so blessed to have her as part of our team. She will greet you with her warm smile while working the front desk, and fills her class with love while instructing. In addition to her permanent schedule below, she always helps out by subbing when she can. Hopefully you get a chance to check out one of Geraldina’s classes soon!

Mondays

1:30pm, YBD 2, Western Springs

7:15pm, YBD 1, Downers Grove

Tuesdays

8:00pm, YBD 2, Elmhurst

Wednesdays

9:30am,  YBD1, Western Springs

Fridays

12:00pm, Restorative, Elmhurst

4:00pm,  YBD 1, Elmhurst

When and how did you come to yoga?

Compleatly by accident! I was dragged by my friend to yoga class at  local gym…and that changed my life.

Why did you start teaching yoga?

Practicing yoga felt so good! It shifted my life in such positive and joyful experience, that I wanted to share that with as many people as I could.

What is your favorite pose?

Side crow or parsva bakasana

Who inspires your teaching?

Mostly my students. Also, Hindu philosophers and working at YBD.  Being in such a positive environment, surrounded by amazing staff and learning new things everyday.

Tips for beginners…

Practicing Ahimsa (non violence) while doing yoga-not overdoing, or pushing too hard. Take it slowly and make it a pleasant experience.

What’s your favorite quote?

“The river that flows in you also flows in me.” Kabir