Spring Session II - No Saturday Classes

Wednesday June 18th - Make up Class

Hello everyone,
Just wanted to update you on Spring Session II.
There is not enough people enrolled to run the Saturday morning classes.

As I know this was a way for a few people to make up some missed classes I am offering to teach two classes Wednesday June 18th.
This will be a way for those wanting to make up missed classes to do that.
Class times will be 5:30-6:30 and 6:45-7:45.

There will be no cost if you are making up a missed class, but please let me know if you plan on attending so I know how many to expect by June 11th.

If you just want to take in an extra class before summer comes I will have a low price drop in for that day of $8 but again please let me know if want to attend.

Thank you again for attending classes at PLN Yoga Studio.
My summer session poster will be out soon.

Kind regards,
Pam

Book Review - The Yamas & Niyamas: Exploring Yoga's Ethical Practice

I take part in a Yoga Sutra Study with some of my yoga teacher friends and this book is one that was picked to read and discuss.
I am happy it was chosen because it really opens up discussion about the first two limbs of Pantanjali's Astanga yoga, which then leads into the other limbs. In the west we tend to focus the most on the Asana, or postures and a bit on Pranayama, the breathwork. More is needed on the other limbs to really weave the true meaning of yoga into one's life.

First the word Astanga means eight, so Pantanji's Astanga Yoga is the eight limbs of yoga with Yama and Niyama being the first two, then Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.

As Deborah Adele writes, "The Yamas and Niyamas are foundational to all yogic thought."
They are the ethical guidelines of how one should live  life personally and in a community.
Yama is often referred to personal code of conduct and Niyama as the universal code of conduct.
There is five Yamas and five Niyamas.

Yamas - ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truthfulness), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (non-excess), aparigraha (non-possessiveness)

Niyamas - saucha (purity), santosha (contentment), tapas (self-discipline), svadhyaya (self-study), Ishvara Pranidhana (surrender)

Deborah gives each yama and niyama a chapter and explores in a way that is meaningful in today's world. 
At the end of each chapter you are given a chance to explore yourself in more depth with a weekly goal to think about and work towards to bring this centuries old writings into your daily life.

I highly recommend this book to anyone just getting started on their yogic journey as it really explains what the yama and niyamas are and why they are so important even in today's world.

For those who have read many other books, this book is just as awesome to have and read as it puts things in a different perspective and complements many other readings out there.

Website for the book:  http://www.theyamasandniyamas.com/index.html
Website for Deborah Adele: http://deborahadele.com/

I hope you get a chance to read this book. Let me know your thoughts on it once you have.

Namaste.
Pamela Nelson
www.plnyoga.blogspot.com
plnyogastudio@gmail.com

Aspire to Inspire - Inspire to Aspire

                                          


I was looking in one of my many notebooks and had the word ASPIRE written down in large letters.
I also had written from something I read. "Clarify your aspirations to know exactly what your spiritual life aspires to. Find out what you value most and know that spirituality does not require working hard for a future goal, but to remain present, sincere and committed now."

This got me thinking of what the words Aspire and Inspire mean.

Aspire - to strive toward an end; ultimate goal, desire strongly
Also, to rise to great heights
And to breathe on

Inspire - to affect, guide or fill with enlivening emotion
To motivate
Be the cause or source of
And to draw in air by inhaling. Breathe life into.

I find the reference in both words to the breath very meaningful as yoga and the discipline of yoga is about the breath. Yoga has given me inspirations and aspirations.

My yoga practice inspires me to aspire to deeper levels and as a teacher to try and learn and share as much as I can with others. So it also aspires in me to inspire.

I have written down in my notebook also that aspiration is a reflection of what you cherish, love and value most.
I know these are not my words, but can not remember the book it is from, but it helps me to remain honest in my practice.

I love also this next passage I found;
"Make what you love reflected in your actions - not in what you think, see or say"

What do you value most?

Namaste.
Pamela Nelson
www.plnyoga.blogspot.com
plnyogastudio@gmail.com

Are asanas contortions?

Mr. Iyengar when asked if asana were contortions, says that they are not contortions of the body.

Patanjali says that the effects of asana leads one to get perfection in body, graceful form, loveliness and beauty, physical, mental and intellectual vigour, firmness and hardness and the brilliance of a diamond, and it brings softness in his heart due to purity of intelligence that equals the purity of the soul.

Each asana has a beautiful shape, grace and elegance that bestows power.

While performing asana there should be no contortion, or refraction. It should not happen even in infinitesimal particle of the muscle tissue.

Asana are not contortions, but the art of positioning the body in different shapes without altering its anatomical structure.

Yogasana are not an entertainment (bhogasana), into twists and bends of strange and unnatural positions, but a part of an inward journey.

-B.K.S. Iyengar

From Astadala Yogamala vol.7

 

Namaste.

Pamela Nelson

www.plnyoga.blogspot.com

plnyogastudio@gmail.com



 

You are therefore I am. Reposted

This blog post is from way back in October, 2010.
It is copied in a little quote book I carry with me and I still feel great emotions when I read it now.
Inter connectedness=oneness


Below is one of my favorite passages from the book "You are, therefore I am" by Satish Kumar.  Whenever I reread it I am again reminded how everyone and everything is interconnected.

Breathing connects you with the world. You are sharing the same breath of life, the same air, with all humanity.  You are connected with everyone through this invisible medium.  You share the same breath with animals, plants, birds, fish - the entire universe.  How wonderful that we are all connected through our breathing.  Air knows no barriers, no boundaries, no distinctions, no separations.  By paying attention to your breathing your sense of separateness dissolves.


Namaste,
Pamela Nelson
Www.plnyoga.blogspot.com

Plnyoga@gmail.com

The Breath

 

The breath is for you; it is not yours.

The lungs are yours, the heart is your,

the legs are yours,

mind is yours, brain is yours

but the breath is not yours.

 

It comes and goes.

 

-Prashant Iyengar

 

 

Namaste.

Pamela Nelson

www.plnyoga.blogspot.com

plnyogastudio@gmail.com