30 Day Yoga Challenge: Intro

Dear Yogis - as we are moving into another season, I want to share something that has been on my mind, which is "all thoughts welcome" and "the right way"

One meaning of karma yoga, is to practice yoga through right action. Like the fruit of a tree, actions grow from habits as the branches, words as the sap, thoughts as the roots. The studio floor is a place for contemplative and physical practice, a place for you to become your own guide, your own doctor. Learning to listen to your body, your thoughts - to guide yourself on your own path. Whether it is through challenging yourself physically, learning to enjoy being in your body, or learning how to engage more skillfully with others - these are all ways of moving inward and outward along your path.

When I see the studio floor, as a space where "all thoughts are welcome" - I feel free to be in my practice, honestly. I don't feel like I have to hide my thoughts, and the result is that my body opens and releases. When I feel strongly connected to the roots of my thoughts, the fruit of my action is naturally sweet. I don't have to force myself to say or do the right thing, it is naturally said and done. And for this reason, I hope that many of you will also enjoy this freedom, that we nurture here in our space - whether it's our virtual space, shared together on Zoom, or it's our physical space, shared together in a park, at someone's home, or in the studio. In our next newsletter, we'll talk about how to make this space in your own home.

1. Studio News

One big reason we switched from unlimited passes to credits, is because it allows us to share revenue with our teachers. This allows teachers to have more ownership in their classes, and a more direct relationship with you as students. One change we've made is to our cancellation policy. Teaching yoga has never been very lucrative, and now it is even less so - out of respect for our teachers' time, we ask that you please cancel within 24 hours of an in-person class, or within 3 hours of a virtual class. Teachers have the option of canceling classes if there are no sign ups. We recommend booking your classes at least one week in advance. This way, you can set aside time for your practice, and we hope that you will encourage friends and family to join as well!

2. Off the Mat

As election season approaches, and many of us have already been struggling through infection, closures, social pain, and fire - the element of heat is heavy, pervasive. Anger, and frustration, like a coal - burns inside us, fueling our irritation and judgments - burning us too! Especially the harder we hold it! What can we do? How can we put out a fire, when it is raging all around us? This is when it is time to lean heavily on our spiritual practices. Whether through song, yoga, art, tai chi, prayer, or gardening - in fellowship with friends and family - we can seek inner refuge, here in these places. Our hope is to continue to keep our little slice of Falls Church a stronghold of dharma, especially as times get rough ahead. Hold on to yourselves and each other, keep practicing.

3. Yoga in History

I had a lovely conversation with a student, who told me about Lilia's Yoga back in the 1970s, a PBS television show with yoga classes - later made into VHS tapes! How the times have changed, and come back again - as pre-recorded and livestream yoga are now coming back into demand.

Olivia Jeffers
Owner, Karma Yoga
Studio: (703) 596-4789
Teacher Page: karma.yoga/teachers/olivia-jeffers
IG: instagram.com/livvyjeffs

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Newsletter: All Thoughts Welcome

Dear Yogis – I hope you are staying well through this difficult time. I know I have stumbled, felt confused, and wished the chaos and conflict would all go away – feeling angry and sad, that it won't, for a long while.

If this resonates with you, let these emotions work for you – let the sadness drive you to investigate, let the anger drive you to create space, for peace and stillness in your life. Yoga is a powerful way to take a "one hour vacation" – in the past, yoga studios created the physical space, and you created the space in your schedule. Now, we have to build space in our homes and schedules in different ways.

One wonderful way to make space in your home, is to set aside a corner or an entire room, for your practice. In this space, leave a mat, a cushion, a blanket – let this be your comfort space. Leave a candle, a bell – something to soothe your senses. Notice any words or pictures that you can see or hear from this space. If they cause you discomfort, remove them, cover them. This is your space, for your practice.

# Studio News

We have just moved our videos over to YouTube at karma.yoga/videos, and are bringing new ways to practice. One thing that we noticed, is that some students just want to get out of the house – but we don't have teachers available at the time! We are beginning to open the studio to students for self-practice – you can reserve one spot for shared practice, or the entire space.

Please contact chuck@karma.yoga and we will set you up with a 4-digit key code of your choice, and give you access to be able to book our studio for self-practice or self-study. I hope that this option will give you a little space from home, and a nice opportunity to practice.

# Off the Mat

Election season is upon us. One element of practice that I have found useful is instant forgiveness. If you say the wrong thing, or someone gets offended – instant forgiveness. Forgive yourself. Forgive others. We are all going through a scary and confusing time, together.

Create some election-free space in your life. Leave your phone in the car, on airplane mode. Have a night off from social media, from the news. Take your favorite, enjoy your favorite glass of wine, read your favorite book. Let your mind, your heart, take a break.

# Yoga in History

Some of you may recall 'the Catcher in the Rye' – a novel by J. D. Salinger, about young Holden struggling with alienation, to maintain the virtues of childhood before falling into the artificialities of adult life. After coming across Yogananda's 'Autobiography of a Yogi', Salinger and his wife become interested in enlightenment and take a train to Washington D.C. in 1955 (advertisement below, note the effort to translate Hindu practices using American-Christian themes) – there he and his wife meet Swami and practice Kriya yoga breathing exercises. 
 
learn more, WETA's 'Boundary Stones' – "Salinger and the Swami" by Patrick Kiger

She is disappointed by the Swami's "lack of grandeur" – "without his robes on, you'd never have noticed him" – of course, in this way our eastern and western values are a bit reversed (and also similar)! "The branch that bears the most fruit, bows the lowest" – is saying that orients leaders, gifted with abilities or resources, into humility and service. While there are many styles of yoga and meditation, it is not uncommon for cleaning toilets, using rags until they fall apart, or even standing on a bed of nails (!) to be parts of practice.

Heading into the next couple weeks, wishing loving-kindness (mettā) to all of us:

May we all be happy,
safe and protected,
free from animosity,
free from anger and ill will.
May we all be happy.

Making Space, One Hour Vacation, Instant Forgiveness

Exploring the world & mind, seeking coherence & staying fit. RYT200. Steward & Owner of Karma Yoga: Classes, Community & Retreats.