Category Archives: Class Themes
#TuesdayTunes: More than One Way Home
Yoga is about going deep within to discover the true Self and the unity of all beings. How you get there is your path. Do the practice, the style, the study that works for you where you are now. There is no one way to get there. There are many paths to the one Truth. Find yours.
In peace and light,
Debra
#MondayMeditation: The Peaceful Heart
This week’s classes will focus on the theme of the peaceful heart. The peak pose in each class will be a variation of pigeon pose (or swan pose in Yin classes). A deep hip opener, the pose is one that students seem to love or hate. No matter what feeling it evokes, the true goal of the pose is to find the balance between effort and ease. When we find that balance, we uncover peace in the physical body.
We can find that same sense of peace in the subtle body by meditating on the peaceful heart.
- Sit or lie in your favorite meditation position with a straight spine.
- Focus on the breath as it moves in and out through the nostrils. Begin to follow the breath as it moves in through the nostrils, along the back of the throat, and into the heart.
- Maintain awareness of the breath and silently say to yourself, “I am <first name> <last name,” for 3 to 5 rounds of breath.
- Continue your breath awareness and silently say to yourself, “I am <first name>,” for 3 to 5 rounds.
- Begin to silently say to yourself, “I am,” and gradually focus your awareness on that peaceful space and energy after the words “I am”. If your mind wanders or tries to fill in the space, simply acknowledge what arises and return to the mantra.
- Spend as much time in that peaceful space as you wish.
Feel free to come explore these themes with me this week. Here’s where I’ll be:
Monday, July 16
* 4 p.m. – Yoga at the Museum, The Art Museum of Greater Lafayette
*7:15 p.m. – Yin Yoga, Community Yoga
Wednesday, July 18
*7:15 p.m. – Restorative Yoga, Community Yoga
Thursday
* 4 p.m. – Yoga at the Museum, The Art Museum of Greater Lafayette
In peace,
Debra
#MondayMotivation: Keep It Simple
I know I’ve been absent for a while and I’ll post a personal update soon, but for now I’ll just share my motivating phrase for this week: Keep it simple.
Classes this week will focus on simple poses and breath work. My gentle hatha yoga classes will build on Jason Crandell’s ten poses to practice daily, and my yin and restorative classes will focus on a few poses that foster deep relaxation and contemplation.
My motivation for this week’s theme? I tend to overthink things in a pretty significant way, which leads to stress and anxiety. Life goes much more smoothly when I relax and trust the process, so that’s what I’m reminding myself of this week. I’ll share my tips and experiences the rest of this week, so I hope you’ll tune in.
Keeping it simple,
Debra
