cultivate space

Even with a few days of summer heat coming our way, it’s clear the seasons are in transition. It’s been a struggle to wake early and get out of bed while it’s still dark outside. Early morning practice time is now by the dim light of a candle until the sky lightens. Even as the daylight shrinks, my days have been full and fulfilling. As soon as one project is done, there are three more waiting. Walking home from the garden, a basketful of tomatoes and dahlias, the first clear crisp scent of fall was in the air. This emerging shift in the seasons is something I look forward to. It prompts me to pause and reflect on the season that is passing and the signs of change that are present and on the horizon.

This past weekend, I read an article in the New York Times about the benefits of household chores (it’s not just a clean house!). While doing dishes, sweeping the floor or preparing a meal, we are giving our minds a break from other mental work. While engaged in household chores, solutions to problems seemingly appear out of nowhere. What the article didn’t emphasize, is that household chores require physical involvement. You can’t think your dishes clean, you have to use your hands. Something similar happens during asana practice. With attention turned to the movement of the body, there is just enough space for solutions to make their way to the surface.

This is why practice is so important. The busier life is, the more that I’m trying to juggle in the course of a day, the more important it is that I set aside time to engage with the body and breath and cultivate space.

Beginning this week, I’ll again be offering Pranayama. This subtle practice involving the breath, tenders the possibility to transform ourselves. With regular practice, the breath opens, our spirits are lifted, and our awareness of the inner spaces of the mind are expanded with quietude and equanimity. This hybrid class meets monthly on Thursday mornings, 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.

For those interested in deepening their commitment to and understanding of asana practice, the Teacher Study Group is an opportunity to engage in a deeper exploration of the practice and philosophy of Iyengar Yoga. We work together exploring asana, pranayama, and their therapeutic benefits, to support a comprehensive understanding of the components of yoga and how to skillfully share this understanding with others.

Whether in one of these special offerings or the regular weekly classes, give yourself time to cultivate space.