Hello Folks,
A little weekend update:
We are closed for class Saturday, because of Maha Sivaratri.
We are open for classes on Sunday for the Pranayama with assorted Primary and
Intermediate postures (8:30 am) and Yoga Sangraha Level 2 (10:30 am).
This Sunday the time change will put us one hour forward, so folks outside of the US, please note the time difference.
It's also a new moon day, but we are not observing the moon days for the Yoga Sangraha and weekend classes; the moon days are only observed for the Mysore
program.
In most Hindu practices, the full and new moon days are considered to be particularly powerful for performing rituals, chanting mantras, and other spiritual endeavors. Certain things are generally not done on the new or full moon, like a new undertaking, beginning a journey, or starting a business, however, they are not "bad" or "dangerous" days. As the moon represents the mind, during the full moon it is quite a good
idea to do practices that balance, stabilize, and ground the mind and emotions, such as yoga, meditation, chanting, and any sattvic activities. The new moon is considered by many to be auspicious and is a time for propitiating your ancestors. It is a powerful time for "inward" focused practices and new beginnings.
As traditions develop, such as Ashtanga Yoga, observances develop within them. Moon days are observed in Ashtanga
Yoga because when this practice was first systematized in the late 1930s, it was taught in the Sanskrit College of Mysore, where days off included the full and new moon. Those days off have nothing to do with the practice of asanas, pranayama, or meditation, they have to do with the schedule of Vedic learning in a traditional, Sanskrit University.
However, moon days as days off work well within Ashtanga Yoga mainly because most
people need some extra rest if they are practicing six days a week—but it is nothing more than that. Over-training is not good for your body or nervous system, so be mindful of over-training in Yoga. Take days off when you need them, and learn how to adjust your practices depending on your energy levels on any given day. A yoga system is not something that we have to push ourselves to live up to, meaning we don't have to nail every posture every day, it's not a performance sport, though social
media and the modern yoga culture would have us think so.
For yoga practices that are not as physically intense, such as the Yoga Sangraha or Sivananda Yoga classes, which are both taught in the temple, it is a fine idea to observe your energy cycles and practice accordingly. Rest days should realistically be taken at any time, and yoga as a whole should be practiced and viewed as a nourishing practice. If your practice makes you
tired, injured, or exhausted, please rethink what you are doing or how you are approaching it.
The challenge of yoga is to be observant of your body, mind, emotions, and energy, and be responsive to supporting and creating conditions of balance and inner calm. This is hard to do. It's even harder to do when we overdo it. As a compulsive over-doer for the past several decades, I know first-hand how to not get it right! In fact,
the Yoga Sangraha practices have developed as a response to my figuring out how to make yoga a source of nourishment and balance again, after spending years pushing too hard.
Have a great weekend, and hope to see you in class soon.
Best,
Eddie
My
books
Healing Through Breathing
One Simple Thing
New app
The Breathing App for Diabetes
Coming up, March 14th
Neuroscience and Yoga Conference
Link to the unknown
Birds do not sing because they have answers...
