PLN Yoga Class Updates and Upcoming Classes and Workshops

Class Updates

Hello,
I hope the first week into September has been good for you.  Getting back into classes and routine of the school year is always a busy time. There is still room in the yoga classes if you were still interested in joining.

Here are a few updates and changes to the schedule and also highlights of a few upcoming classes and workshops.

The Tuesday noon class at The Healing Garden Spa has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances at the building.  I will be starting a Thursday Noon class at Yoga Sublime again in October.  I hope some of you will be able to join me there at this time. If you had a 5 pass card from the Tuesday noon classes still valid please contact me.

September workshops and extra classes:
On Sunday, September 18th from 1:00 - 3:30p.m.I will be leading the first in a series called Calm the Breath, Calm the Mind: Linking Asana, Pranayama and Meditation.  There is still space if you would like to join. You do not have to attend all three in the series if you are not able too.  Contact me for more information.

Thursday, September 29th from 7:15-8:30p.m. - Timed Practice
This class will include a warm up and savasana. The timed practice is a fun, non-competitive way to explore your practice holding postures for certain lengths of time.

New Classes in October
In October I will be adding three new classes at Yoga Sublime on Thursday's.
They include:
A.M. All Levels from 10:30-11:45 a.m.
Noon Yoga from 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Backs and Joints from 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Thursday Timed Class - October 13th - 7:15-8:30p.m.
Please contact me to register or for more information.

October Workshops:
Mini Inversion and Backbend workshop - Saturday, October 15th 11a.m.-1:30p.m. : not suitable if pregnant or menstruating. Modifications can be given but most postures will be too intense.

Calm the Breath, Calm the Mind: Linking Asana, Pranayama and Meditation - October 16th - 1:00-3:30p.m.

Classes are cancelled for Thursday October 20th and 22nd as I will be in London, Ontario for the Iyengar Yoga Association of Canada's AGM.  This year many senior teachers from across Canada will be leading workshops and classes.  It is a great opportunity for me to learn and share this wonderful gift of yoga.

Posters and more information can be found at my website/blog: www.plnyoga.blogspot.ca
 email: plnyogastudio@gmail.com
Thank you for your time.  Hope you have a great day!

September schedule at yoga sublime studio in Prince Albert

Yoga retreat in Costa Rica anyone?

I have been interested and exploring the idea of an international yoga retreat.

There are many, many beautiful retreat places but for my first one I thought I'd start with an adventure to Costa Rica. 

I am hoping there might be ten or more others who would be interested in joining me. 

As spaces book quickly and I am also away in India this winter I am looking into January of 2018!

If you, any family or friends would be interested in this please contact me and I can set up an information session. 

The company I'm working with has been in business internationally for about 13 years. 

I've included their website for you to check out plus the location for this retreat at this time. 

My email is plnyogastudio@gmail.com.  Please send me a note! :)

January 20-27th, 2018

http://truenatureyogawellness.com

Costa Rica – Arenal Eco-Lodge & Biodynamic Farm

This venue is a sustainable rainforest eco-lodge and spa, offering an intimate experience of primary rainforest together with a certified organic biodynamic farm. Their mission is “To provide a hosting service, cuisine and quality educational toursoffering our guests an unique experience in harmony with nature, sharing our expertise in biodynamic and organic production.” Walk through well-groomed rain forest trails on their guided farm tours and hikes, and eat gourmet meals prepared from their fresh organic garden produce. For adventure enthusiasts, they are located only 35 minutes from La Fortuna, the adventure capital of Costa Rica, and home of world famous Arenal Volcano.

Highlights of this Location:

• Rustic yet luxurious accommodations that suit the adventurous traveler.
• Boasting fine dining, they offer unique Costa Rican Asian fusion cuisine that is farm raised and prepared by a talented chef.
• Enjoy swimming in their ozonated swimming pool and soaking in their solar heated Jacuzzi in a natural surrounding.
• They offer hiking with bilingual eco-guides through pristine rainforests where monkeys, sloths, and hundreds of species of birds and butterflies make their home.
• This eco lodge is ten miles from Arenal Volcano, hot springs, canopy tours, rafting and other exciting tours and adventures that you will enjoy.
• Sink into soothing traditional massage or holistic wellness services at their spa.
• View working certified organic biodynamic herbal farm and estate on their farm tours
• Explore Sacred Seed Sanctuary, a rare collection of traditional medicinal plants and herbs.
• You will have access to a 50,000 acre Children’s Eternal Rainforest via a biological corridor in their private reserve.
• An abundance of over 15 tours and activities to choose from in your free time.

PLN Yoga - Fall Schedule 2016

Hello,

Already into August so I am posting my upcoming Fall Schedule.  I will be teaching mostly at Yoga Sublime studio in Prince Albert, but also have a noon class again at The Healing Garden Spa.  I hope to include a few classes for Christopher Lake too.

Classes are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances or low enrolment.

Please take a look at the schedule and feel free to email or call me with any questions.
There will be an open house and registration night at Yoga Sublime on September 1st.
I hope you can attend and register for classes then or feel free to register early either online or by contacting Yoga Sublime at yogasublimestudio@gmail.com or contact me at plnyogastudio@gmail.com. 

Thank you for your support and interest.

Kind regards,
Pamela Nelson
 Instructor: Pamela Nelson – Certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor

www.plnyoga.blogspot.com – plnyogastudio@gmail.com

306-982-2737 or 306-981-4703

++Classes are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances.++

Classes in Prince Albert at Yoga Sublime Classes at Yoga Sublime please register at www.yogasublimestudio.com *Please note class start dates and dates of no classes!
Tuesday- begins Sept. 6th	Thursday – begins Sept. 8th for evening classes and Oct.6th for the morning classes.	Saturday-begins Sept.10th
9:20-10:20am  Iyengar Flow *no class Nov.8th		9:00-10:15am A.M. Eye Opener *No class Oct.22nd
10:30-11:45am A.M. All Levels *No class Nov. 8th	10:30-11:45am A.M. All Levels *No class Oct.20th &  Nov. 10th
12:05-12:55pm – Noon Yoga @ The Healing Garden Spa  begins Sept. 20th 5 card pass - $65 Please contact Pam to register No class Nov. 8th	12:00-1:00pm – Noon Yoga *No class Oct.20th &  Nov. 10th	MINI Workshop Oct. 15th -  11am -1:30pm Inversions and Backbends Please see full poster for more details.  Not suitable if pregnant or menstruating.
	1:30-2:30pm – Backs and Joints *No class Oct.20th &  Nov. 10th
5:30-7:15 pm  Iyengar Intermediate	5:30-6:45 pm Gentle/Restorative *No class Oct.20th
7:30-8:30 pm Beginner/All Levels	SEE BELOW – Thursday Extras!!

Special Classes @ Yoga Sublime:

Thursday Extras – 7:15-8:30pm Timed Practice Sept. 29th, Oct. 13th & Nov. 10th This class is for all – levels but some yoga experience is required.  By holding postures for a certain length of time it brings the breath and mind more inward Build Your Home Practice - Dec. 15th This class will give tips for building a successful home practice as well as a few reference handouts *Class passes may be used for Thursday Extras

Sunday’s –Sept. 18th, Oct.16th& Nov.20th Calm the Breath, Calm the Mind Linking Asana, Pranayama & Meditation 1:00-3:30pm - $35/class Classes will focus on how asana help to build strength, determination and endurance for pranayama while keeping the nerves and brain calm and begin to relax the mind for meditation.

 

 

 

 

 

The Twin Pillars of Yoga

The Twin pillars of yoga are described as abhyasa (practice) and vairagya (detachment).

Patajali's Yoga Sutra's state:

Y.S. I.12 abhyasa vairagyabhyam tannirodhah
Practice and detachment are the means to still the movements of consciousness.

Y.S. I.13 tatra sthitau yatnah abhyasah
Practice is the steadfast effort of still these fluctuations.

Y.S. I.14 sa tu dirghakala nairantarya satkara asevitah drdhabhumih
Long, uninterrupted, alert practice is the firm foundation for restraining the fluctuations.

Y.S. II.16  Heyam duhkham anagatam
The pains/sorrows which are yet to come can be and are to be avoided.

Pains, sorrows and afflictions are a part of life due to our desires.  The external world has many desires that pull us, which creates more desires.  When our desires can not be fulfilled we experience pain and suffering.

Geeta Iyengar says in her book, Yoga: A Gem for Women that,

"Without rigorous practice nothing is gained.  Without practice, purity of the body and the mind cannot be achieved, fluctuations of the mind cannot be controlled.  The fruits of the material world cannot be obtained without sustained effort; this sustained effort has to be multiplied a thousand times to gain Self-knowledge.  This rigorous practice is fourfold: moral, physical, mental and spiritual."

 She also says,

"The key to success is effort.  Vairagya or absence of worldly desires can be achieved by controlling the senses, by carrying out one's duties without thought of reward and by acting with goodness and purity."

The same idea is described in B.K.S. Iyengar's book Light on Astanga Yoga.  He says abhyasa means practice and vairagya means desire less practice.  Our practice needs to be done with detachment so that there is no expectation from the fruits of our actions.  This does not mean we do not have an aim to our actions for universal good, but to let go of our ambition to remove the selfish motives and desires.

Another way this is written that I find helps explain the twin pillars is in B.K.S. Iyengar's translation of Patajali's Yoga Sutras.  He says that,

"The twin paths to this goal are practice (abhyasa), the path of evolution, of going forward; and detachment or renunciation (vairagya), the path of involution, abstaining from the fruits of action and from worldly concerns and engagements."

They are described as twin pillars because to do yoga you cannot do one and not the other.  If either one is missing your foundation will crumble and the cycle of suffering will continue.


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

Any mistakes in trying to explain the twin pillars are my own.

Repost from May, 2011 The Importance of Water

The Importance of Water - A Water Sutra



This is a repost from a blog I wrote in 2011.  Still relevant and I hope you will read.  Send me your thoughts.  This post discusses a bit the devastation from fracking, but is still relevant with the current oil spill that is affecting many people, animals and environment.

Some places in the world the people living there get their whole years supply of drinking water during the monsoon season.  They realize how important the collection, conservation and preservation of this precious resource is and learn to use it wisely so it will last until the next season.

Here, at least where I live in North America we can open the taps and have water on demand.  We are not conscious of the amount we even use in a day, never mind a whole year.

So, today I am writing to maybe spark a thought in your mind to consider the amount of water being used and how it is being used.  This idea started a few days ago after reading and re-reading in the book You Are Therefore I Am, by Satish Kumar where he speaks about how for the Jains the wasting of water is a serious matter.  Satish's mother would tell him,

"The monsoon is a great friend of the people and the Earth.  The monsoon comes once a year and brings the gift of water. Our task is to receive the gift with gratitude, to thank the rain god, and make use of water with care and reverence.  Our task is to live in harmony with the monsoon and celebrate it.  God Surya, the sun, and God Indra, the rain, are twin brothers and all life depends on them."

How simple, yet how wise.  Our lives depend on the sun and rain, yet many of us do not even know directly where our water is coming from, what is being put into it or how much we are wasting...daily.

Then being a CBC radio fan it was another connection to hear in the last two days two programs concerning water.
On May 10th, "Your DNTO"(definitely not the opera), had Kevin Freedman on it. He challenged himself to only use 25L of water a day for a certain period of time.  It was interesting to hear how he was able to accomplish this, even carrying the water he would need with him to flush public toilets and shower at the gym.  You can listen to this episode from the CBC website.  Here is the link.

http://www.cbc.ca/dnto/episode/2011/04/14/how-have-numbers-shaped-your-life-apr-23may-3/

Here is the link to the website for the Water Challenge Kevin takes part in.  The site is full of interesting information regarding water and things we can each do to help reduce our water consumption.  http://www.howlowflowcanyougo.com/

Then, last night on my way home I heard "The Current" where the topic was about Shale Gas and Fracking.  Fracking is a fairly new process where large amounts of highly pressurized water is injected down into shale beds to help release gas.  The water is then pumped back up to the surface to extract the gas, now polluted with the fracking chemicals and other materials.  Andrew Miall was the professor being interviewed and has been monitoring the environmental impacts of fossil fuel development.  He said that in one operation that took place in B.C., they were permitted to use, therefore pollute, the same amount of water the whole city of Victoria uses in a day.  Listen to this if you wish by following the link below.

 http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2011/05/11/shale-gas-fracking/

So, we live in a world where we try to create inventions to save us time.  But, as Satish's mother also said to him, "Is there a shortage of time?", "You are trying to save something which is infinite, and expend things which are finite."

We are depleting our nonrenewable resources at an unprecedented rate.  Creating inventions that exploit the very earth that gives us our life.  Let's bring the conscious awareness we create on our yoga mats to our daily lives, even if only a little and become more consciously aware of what we are using, why we are using it, how we are using it and if we can do something to conserve it a bit more.

Remember, one of the Yamas in the yoga sutras of Patanjali is aparigraha - non-greed, not taking more then one needs.

I will end with the water sutra Satish's mother would tell him:

Waste not water
Nor ever spill it
Water is precious
Water is sacred
The way you use water is the measure of you
Water is the witness
Water is the judge
Your reputation rests on your careful use of water.

We must receive the gift of water with gratitude, and make use of water with care and reverence since ALL LIFE depends on it.


Namaste.
Pamela Nelson
http://www.plnyoga.blogspot.com