As many of you may know, Shakti Yoga Studio has a blog that covers all things yoga. In an attempt to make this resource even more informative and personal than before, we are excited to announce that we now have a "resident blogger"! Kate Barley, a PhD student at the Marine Institute, who's here from the UK, is going to be blogging weekly about her experience in taking on a four-class-per-week yoga challenge, at the studio. She'll be blogging throughout the summer while she attends all of our classes and explores the transformational affect of yoga! 

Kate will be starting her journey on June 1st, so expect to start seeing her in some of your classes. You can click here for a link to our blog so that you can follow Kate's story as it unfolds.

We have all done Sun Salutations in class and may, or may not, have thought about the sun's significance in this beautiful meditative flow, as we move though the postures together. However, by very definition, this series is an opportunity to attune your body and mind with a sense of honoring the life-giving properties of the sun. The series itself is not documented in ancient texts, but a product of many years of yoga evolution, a relatively new way to express an ancient idea. It is an opportunity to connect with our place in the universe as we raise our arms to the sky and open our hearts to the sun and then bend forward to connect with the life-giving essence of the earth. In more practical terms, it is an opportunity to feel gratitude for things that we often take for granted like the sun above us, the earth below us, and the air that we breathe. 

From a purely physical perspective, the sun salutation is a wonderful way to move all the muscles and joints in the body, wake up the organs, boost the circulation and balance your Nervous System. It is a pre-set series that you can do any time you have 5 minutes to spare. It can be done quickly, to invigorate, or slowly, with longer held poses, as a balancing meditation. All of these things make it a useful, health-giving tool to pull out when you are travelling, don't have time for a full class, or just feel like moving on a sunny day out!

This year on summer solstice, Tuesday, June 21^st, Shakti Yoga Studio will be welcoming the rising sun on first day of summer with 108 sun salutations. Why 108 you might ask? The significance of the number 108 is open to interpretation however it has long been considered a sacred number in yoga tradition. Vedic mathematicians saw 108 as a number of wholeness of existence. It is thought to connect the Sun, Moon, and Earth: The average distance of the Sun and the Moon to Earth is 108 times their respective diameters. As a result of this significance, you will see this number pop up in many yoga traditions. For example, Yoga malas (garlands of meditation beads) come in a string of 108. We also think 108 is just enough sun salutations to wake you up, warm the body, and to create a sense of having done something significantly different from your regular practice to celebrate the arrival of summer.

So whether you do it to celebrate the birth of summer, with a physical and mental expression of gratitude, or to just challenge your strength and stamina in a fun way, or both, you will leave feeling wide awake, exhilarated and part of the beginning of summer yourself!

Time: 6:30-8:00am Date: June 21st Location: Torbay Road Shakti Yoga Studio

Cost: Use your membership/class pass or purchase a drop-in.

Pre-registration is required for this session.

We would also like to request that you be mindful of noise inside the yoga room. You may have noticed that many students take the time before class to unwind, release their day and practice meditative contemplation. When speaking with others inside the practice space, please be aware and respectful of those who are choosing to spend this time in silence by keeping your voice low, and avoid making any unnecessary noises.

Thank you for understanding,

Namaste