For many of us in the U.S. Memorial Day means a long weekend and the start of summer. Historically, though, it is a day of remembrance for those who have lost their lives in military service. Now in another era of war, our country has lost many men and women to combat in the last decade. Memorial Day is our way to pause and remember those lives as we continue on our own journey.

The Sanskrit word Smrti means literally "that which is remembered." It is one of the five Vrttis, waves or fluctuations of the mind. It is one of only five ways that our mind moves. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali speak to these five thought waves in Sutras I.5-I.11. Each is said to be Klista Aklistah, colored or not colored. Memory can be colored by conditioning, ignorance, fear or attachment, or it can be pure uncolored memory.

Coloring the waves of our minds can make life seen more interesting. My daughters and I recently went to the musical Mary Poppins. Some of the most memorable scenes involved bright colors, representing the magical places Mary could transport Bert and the children to (remember those horses that leapt off  the carousel in the movie?). Mary could take the children from the greyness of their London life to a technicolor fantasy world, and make them "feel like I could fly."But now I'm getting diverted to another of the five Vrttis, Vikalpa (imagination)...

The challenge of coloring our memories is that over time it becomes difficult to separate out the real from the unreal. This leads to Avidya, ignorance, and the other Klesas, the five causes of suffering. One of the practices of yoga is to become a witness to the Vrttis, our thought patterns, to progressively learn to remove the charge or coloring, from these waves as they move through our minds. Then they stay clear and we learn to see life as it is rather than through distorted lenses. 

Even the American day of Memory, Memorial Day, can be colored by the Klesas Raga (aversion) or Dvesa (attachment). Those who disdain the military and U.S. involvement in the affairs of other countries could refuse to acknowledge this day. Others could experience it as a tragic day of mourning for those lost at war and be upset that others are having a social BBQ. A Memorial without color might simply honor lost lives, with a moment of silence, or the decoration of a grave (Decoration Day was the precursor to Memorial Day).

Memory is powerful. It can shape our present in a variety of ways. If we can uncolor it, we let go of the drama that surrounds the past and arrive more fully present in each moment. 

Anne Phyfe Palmer, Director

8 Limbs Yoga Centers

 

JUNE EVENTS

Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga Training & Immersion

Prenatal Partner Yoga
w/ Mara Benedict, June 12, 8 Limbs Capitol Hill

Way of the Happy Woman Book Signing

June 17, 8 Limbs Capitol Hill

Way of the Happy Woman Mini Retreat  w/ Sara Avant Stover, June 18, 8 Limbs Phinney Ridge 

The Summer 3-Month Membership Special is now on!

$240 for three months of unlimited yoga (regularly 3 x $120 = $360), must by purchased by July 20, 2011. Visit your neighborhood 8 Limbs to start your pass.

The Kids Yoga and Arts Camps are now posted online and open for registration at Capitol Hill, Phinney Ridge, and Wedgwood. These camps, with child educator, artist and yoga teacher Sonia Stehr, are a great way for kids ages 4-8 to learn yoga in a playful and thoughtful environment. Art projects, field trips, and end-of-week plays keep their creative minds and bodies engaged. The Tween Yoga Camp is going to be great. Want to always hear about our Kids and Family offerings? Register for the 8 Limbs Newsletterand select Kids and Family Yoga and we'll keep you in the loop! 

SUMMER BREITENBUSH RETREAT - July 29-August 5, 2011

Yoga with Max Strom July 31, 8 Limbs Capitol Hill

Advanced Training Retreat July 29 - August 5, Breitenbush, OR

 Yoga Nidra, Yoga Bliss August 13, 8 Limbs West Seattle

Lifeforce Yoga with Amy Weintraub September 9 - 11, 8 Limbs Capitol Hill

Parayoga with Rod Stryker October 7 - 9, 2011, 8 Limbs Capitol Hill

Interested in taking the next step in your yoga practice? The 8 Limbs Teacher Training has been helping yoga practitioners deepen their knowledge of yoga and themselves for over almost ten years. Whether you want to teach yoga or not, this two-part program will immerse you in yoga Asana, Pranayama, study of the Yoga Sutras, Sanskrit, Anatomy, Ayurveda, and more. Come to a free Teacher Training Info Session to learn about both the 200 and 500-hour RYT Programs: Thursdays, June 23 and August 18, 8:30pm at 8 Limbs Wedgwood and Monday, July 25, 8:30pm at 8 Limbs Capitol Hill. Core instructors are Melina Meza, Anne Phyfe Palmer, Jenny Hayo and Chiara Guerrieri. Many of our graduates have gone on to teach locally, including 8 Limbs instructors Adi, Andreas, Angela, Cookie, Hilary, Jay, Jeff, Kate, KT, Jennifer, Sally, and Shana. We are proud to welcome Jen Yaros to the Teacher Training team to launch the 8 Limbs Yoga Teacher Mentorship Program in the fall. 

Wanderlust is a one-of-a-kind festival bringing together the world's best yoga and wellness teachers and top musical acts and DJs, all in a setting of breathtaking natural beauty - Lake Tahoe Valley. Wanderlust = Yoga + Music + Nature = A place to root down and rise up, to get centered on your yoga mat and get funky on the dancefloor = lux rooms, fresh healthy food, and good people.