Yoga at The Solebury Club
The Yoga Connection
December 3, 2012 |
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| Greetings! | |
 Namaste,
Your mind and body are not two different things. They are both expressions of the same essence of you. You can have a thought of fear in your mind and immediately feel it in your body. You can slide your body into a warm bath and immediately feel it in your mind.
And your mind pervades your body. Scientists now call the cells that line your gut 'the second brain'. When you get 'butterflies' in your stomach, not only does your digestion stop, but messages are shared with the brain about what is going on and how to handle it. So thinking is happening in your body.
The thinking in your body is called feelings or emotions because your body holds the senses and that is where you interpret and perceive with your body. The trouble comes when you have body thought-feelings or emotions- that you don't like. When that happens you tend to shut that part of your body down in some way because, quite simply, it does not feel good there. Now you are not perceiving your body or your thoughts.
When you do yoga you are inviting the constrictions of your body and mind- of your mind in your body- to begin to unravel. How wonderful! And you are inviting the trapped emotions and feelings- physical and emotional- to flow once again. How wonderful! When you do yoga you are releasing the limitations that keep you from knowing your own divinity. How wonderful!
Do more yoga.
Maureen Shortt, Yoga Director |
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Foundations of Vinyasa Yoga |
 Is your back sore? Do you feel stiff and achy?
Want to try yoga and need to take it slow?
NEW BEGINNER YOGA CLASSES
Tuesdays 6:30-7:30pm
This class is designed for people who are new to yoga, struggle with flexibility, or who want to get a good foundation for a yoga practice. This will focus on yoga basics like simple standing postures and modified sun salutes. Also includes an introduction to breath practice, meditation, and, of course, relaxation. Join Jessica Presti on the mat Tuesday nights for a early week energizer. Platinum & Gold members no charge. Otherwise check at the front desk for drop-in rate or purchase a book of classes at a reduced rate |
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Ayurveda Tips to Stay Healthy Through the Holidays |
 Ayurveda is the ancient Indian science of creating and maintaining health through simple lifestyle habits. With the holidays upon us, you may find that you are letting some of your healthy habits go by the wayside. This can add up to high levels of stress, low immunity, and even weight gain. And it's not just the crowded malls and traffic jams. Impatience runs high, people feel pressured, and even loneliness takes its toll. Here are some simple recommendations for a healthy and happy holiday season.
When you keep your digestion strong, you keep your immunity and your stress handling ability strong also. Try to eat your biggest meal at lunchtime, and then eat lighter at dinner, to allow your food to be completely digested by the time you go to bed.
Add ginger to your diet to assist digestion and to boost immunity. You can put 2 slices of unpeeled fresh ginger in a cup and add hot water for a wonderful tea. Add honey and even lemon juice for more flavor.
Eat warm cooked foods like hot cereals for breakfast, casseroles for lunch and soups for dinner. The warm moist foods will balance out the cold dryness of the season that works its way through all your body systems. Avoid cold foods, leftovers, and cold beverages.
Sit down to eat, and do nothing but eat, enjoying your food and the wonderful company of others. When your bodymind gives its awareness fully to eating you will extract more nutrition and more satisfaction from each meal.
Sip warm to hot water throughout the day. The temperature inside your body is warm, and you are water up to your armpits. Keeping yourself hydrated, and keeping the warmth of your body consistent enables you to handle the demands of the season better.
Take the time this season to enjoy your food, your family and friends, and yourself. Make a 'to do' list and then let half of it go. Meditate or journal each day. Exercise everyday-even a walk outside. Go to bed by 10 and get up earlier for more energy and less need to run on adrenaline.
If you have a health consideration, be sure to check with your doctor before modifying your diet.
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Pose of the Month - Pranayama |
 For the month of December we will focus on Pranayama which is the fourth stage of yoga as outlined by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. The first 3 stages are: Yama, or social restraint, Niyama, or observances and Asana, or postures. These initial stages prepare the student for breath work. Asana strengthens the muscles in the body and improves proprioception or your awareness of where your body is in space and what it is doing. This helps you to become aware of constrictions in the body that might affect the breath. Practicing the Yamas and Niyamas clears the mind and allows the student the mental freedom to focus on other things, like the breath. Pranayama basically refers to the workings of the breath. The ancient yogis thought the breath was of the utmost importance, after all it one thing you always have with you. They also thought that you were born with a certain number of breaths and when you used them up, you were done. Modern science tells us that stress reduces our immune system and life span. When we are stressed we breathe more shallowly and rapidly. When we are calm our breath is smooth, even and deep. Breath is a connection between our sympathetic - think fight or flight, and parasympathetic - think rest and digest, nervous systems. What this means is that you can calm yourself with slow deep even breathing when you are stressed and you can reinvigorate yourself with some more energetic breaths when you are feeling down or lethargic. Join us this month as we explore some pranayama practices that will help keep you calm during this holiday season and keep you going. Ready? I'll see you in class! Karin
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Yoga Book of the Month |
 Our book of the month for December is written by Tara Brach. Tara Brach is a leading western teacher of Buddhist meditation, emotional healing and spiritual awakening. She has practiced and taught meditation for over 35 years, with an emphasis on vipassana (mindfulness or insight) meditation. Tara is the senior teacher and founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington. She has conducted workshops at Spirit Rock Center, Omega Institute, Kripalu, and other retreat centers nationwide. She lives in Great Falls, Virginia, with her husband (Jonathan Foust), mother and their three dogs.
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Free Community Yoga Class |
 All levels welcome!
Class meets on Thursdays from 11:30am to 12:30pm in the Namaste Studio. Classes are taught by The Solebury Club Yoga teachers and recent graduates of the Teacher Training Programs.
Childcare is available |
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Namaste,
Yoga at The Solebury Club
phone: 215-794-3494
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