ANUSARA-INSPIRED ALL LEVELS VINYASA
Exploring the modern relevance of the 8 Limbs of Classical Yoga

Each week we will practice a flowing strength, flexibility, balance, focus and relaxation sequence specifically created for different purposes while themed with one of the 8 Limbs of Classical Yoga.  The 8 limbs are an ancient philosophical set of ethics and exercises that help us become better people, optimally improve our health and energy levels, and connect us deeply with who we are and our higher self to find true happiness and inner peace.  The 8 weeks will build upon each other as we review all of the basic yoga postures and explore more advanced postures according to the student’s abilities making this a great session for students wanting a well rounded knowledge and practice of yoga.

$64 for 8 weeks  You may use any missed classes as a credit to use for YogaLoft weekly classes on the schedule or workshops with me within the 8 week time period.

Saturday at the YogaLoft in Sheboygan, we’ll practice a strong core class where we extend the limbs outward in all directions practicing muscular and organic energy – drawing energy in and extending back out.  A strong core as we know is so great for so many things.  Keeps back pain and stress at bay, makes you feel more balanced and confident in your daily activities, and protects your spine and it’s very precious cargo – your nervous system that connects your brain to your limbs and organs that run and maintain your body.  In meditation, a strong core allows you to relax as your posture is held with more ease making it easier to focus and get the true deep benefits of a meditation practice.  Being able to relax, focus and settle into the moment is truly a gateway into greater productivity in your work often leading to greater financial gain, improved relationships with loved ones as you become truly there for someone and really get to them beyond your ego’s version of them, as well as improved athletic performance or any other type of activity performance not only from a physical standpoint but from a mental standpoint as well.

Building core strength gives you more energy and strength in your athletic performance.  Take volleyball and let’s relate it to other sports where you are throwing, kicking or using one side of your body.  If the hit or spike comes first from your midsection through your arm into your hand or wrist, you have just given yourself a huge boost in strength as opposed to just moving or hitting from your shoulder/arm/wrist.  You will also save on wear and tear on your shoulder joints down the line so you can play for longer without significant injury.  You can relate that into kicking a soccer ball or throwing a baseball.  I do believe it does take training both physically and mentally however to learn how to make these actions begin from your core because of the short time period you have to think and act with precision in these actions during a game which is where yoga with it’s precise focus on core to periphery movements and mental strategy comes in to play.

I will end with explaining what I mean with the title of the blog: meditating from your core.  In our 8 week session we have explored the 8 limbs of classical yoga.  I believe the first few limbs build our core in many ways and not just our physical core.  We spend some time focusing and establishing ethics and heart qualities with the first two limbs which help us to know who we are as a loving, contributing and deeply spiritually connected people.  A balanced asana practice creates a body that is strong, flexible and more efficient leading to greater immunity more able to ward off sickness and disease.  The practice of breath work gives us a simple tool to increase our energy and relax the body and mind.  Withdrawal of the senses gives us an opportunity to dive deeper into our consciousness and rest from the constant barrage of external stimuli scattering our energy in inefficient ways.  Dharana invites us to focus on what’s important and prepares our mind and body for a deeper experience in meditation.  Meditating from your core means you have done the work to find what’s really important and uncover the deeper questions in your life.  Meditating on them reveals answers that you potentially wouldn’t have uncovered without connecting to the source and slowing down and quieting enough to really listen.  Lastly, why is this really that important?  Because it leads to greater satisfaction, understanding and experience of your life.  You’re less likely to waste your time and energy on things, thoughts and people that don’t serve your health or that stress you out.  And that’s empowerment, that’s enlightenment I think.  The last limb arrives:  peace and bliss.

I see where dharana is important to do first.  Just to make a conscious effort to truly focus on something is challenging in itself.  I tend to be a person with about 30 different things going on all at once as many people are these days.  My husband, so adept at simplicity and often troubled by juggling too many things at once, is a great influence on me to slow down and simplify in order to get the most out of each individual activity (albeit our lifestyles sometimes clash with a Leo fueled vengeance!).  Lately I have found great solace and peacefulness by immersing myself in just a few very important things.  I will admit, I still have a few extra fun things sprinkled in here and there, but only as a side dish to the main meal of my attention.  I have experienced deeper relaxation, a deeper understanding and knowledge of those particular activities and what I give to those things has been greater, more efficient and more of my full potential.  Now that I have practiced dharana in those activities, I feel confident that I will be able to use that skill to transfer to anything that I attempt to do.  But I now acknowledge that it is first a mental focus shift (dharana) that then leads to the full immersion and participation in the activity (dhyana) leading to one’s own enlightenment of that particular thing (which by the way can also be a person).

When you practice the 8 Limbs related to your daily life, I believe it leads to the real purpose of yoga.  In the Anusara tradition, we are taught that immersing yourself in your life and your own humanity more deeply, rather than trying to escape it, is the route to enlightenment, true happiness and fulfillment.  I have had this experience and it is so freeing, exhilarating and relaxing.

Thanks for listening.  Practice on, in all forms of yoga!

Namaste,
Rachael

photography by Adrienne Barrett

Hello!  I thought it might be easier and more interesting to use a blog form for my Inspire Yoga website with easy updates on workshops throughout Sheboygan County, interesting yoga and natural health information and fun photos!  Our Fall into Practice session has been awesome so far at our new space at Curative Therapies.  We are exploring the 8 Limbs of Classical Yoga with modern relevance.  First week was core work, second week twists and hip openers.  Next week we practice a full spectrum class honoring your seat as a student.  There are a few drop-in spots available, just shoot me an email, text or phone to reserve your spot!

I am so honored to be teaching again at Marci Tousey’s YogaLoft.  She has been an inspiration to me over the years in yoga as well as in running a successful studio over the years.  The POWER VINYASA PLAYSHOP: Come from your Core will be a fun, alive and kicking practice of muscle/organic energy balance coming up Saturday, October 29 from 9:30-11:45AM.

Thanks for following Inspire Yoga over the years, I have a new found excitement for teaching these days and I am excited to become a more closely connected yoga practitioner in the Sheboyan County community visiting and taking classes at all the local studios.  Also, stay tuned for upcoming workshops throughout the area and my 2012 Workshop Tour and Schedule!  Much love, Rachael

To slow down and just feel in postures such as downward dog, mountain, side angle, lying spinal twist and just being on hands and knees, I was able to feel the action of the spirals more deeply and subtly which led to an amazing feeling in my low back – this freedom that I hadn’t ever felt before.  I was feeling strong in my foundation in my hands and arms and so I attempted a handstand.  The handstand didn’t quite hold and I “accidently”  fell into the best wheel pose I had ever felt – the position of my arms and the spiraling action from the shoulders created such a wonderful opening in my chest combined with the strong, stable and lengthened position of my low back.  Camel pose was even better – because of the great strength combined with alignment, I went further in camel and almost floated with my arms held over my head.

These are such cherished moments when I feel just so in tuned with my body and the feeling of freedom, but they happen once in a great while.  But perhaps as the practicing of slowing down continues, more of the moments will seep into my life.  My faith combined with my cognition says that it is so.  So I’ll start there and just keep practicing to bring it into my body….. and my life.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I understand that these reasons are significant.  And I also understand that the general public has a certain view of what they think yoga is based on what is seen in the media or in pictures.  But we all have challenges, and we all must look beyond what we might think is obvious.  To break habits and addictions is very challenging, but what else are you going to do for the rest of your life?  When we look at the big picture of life, our whole lifespan, to learn a practice that is so beneficial in so many ways for the rest of our lives – so adaptive to our current body-mind-soul situation, it certainly seems like something I’d like to learn, no matter what the challenge is, and I’ve got my whole life to do it.  Life challenges will be much more significant if we don’t learn to relax, sit still, heal injuries, become more flexible and create more time for our health and the health our family.

Yoga is not just about physically performing a downward dog.  It’s an expansive mass of wisdom and exercises from thousands of years of practice, study and current modifications that cater to every situation that you might encounter.  It’s about tapping into your true nature of boundless possibilities and natural health and radiance.  Your yoga one day might be sitting on a park bench, observing and appreciating the fresh air enter and leave your lungs.   The next day it might be a sweaty, power vinyasa practice that fires up your body and soul.  One day it might be walking very slowly with your grandma and listening to her stories.  And the next, it is a soothing restorative session to help heal a back injury gently.  You can practice yoga every moment of your day.  Blessings to all of us on our journeys……

Gratitude to Ted Hamm of the Sheboygan Visual Artists for the photo.

We also hope to continue the growth of relationships with our local area business neighbors.  Our summer kickoff party ended with your choice of drink of tea, smoothies, coffee or wine at the ZSpot Coffeeshop just across the street from Greenseed Studios.  We will work with a few local businesses this summer including all levels yoga classes at Siebkens in Elkhart Lake, Kohler Andrae Park, Bookworm Gardens adjacent to the UW Sheboygan Campus, Maywood Environmental Park and EOS Outdoor Supply for our signature Yoga & Kayaking class as well as the YogaLoft, our sister studio in downtown Sheboygan.  As well we will continue our Tuesday morning yoga lunch at local/organic cafe Field to Fork for a conscious meal to follow practice.

The word yoga literally means “union”.  Yoga in itself is the relationship between the individual and the collective, strength & flexibility, mind & body, being & doing, masculine & feminine, stillness & movement, infinite & finite, spirit & matter and much more.  To practice yoga, we find the balance of many seemingly opposite yet truly complementary forces and our bodies, minds and hearts feel the increased energy and vitality that comes from this balance.  This then can help us to find life-work balance leading to whole, natural health & vitality within our hectic modern and often too technically dependent lives.

Thanks for a wonderful spring season to lead the way to a summer in full bloom at Greenseed Studios & more!  We hope to see you this week!
Namaste,
Rachael