Change- adjust, change again..

'With a small pile of books by my side, the battered summer novel well and truly finished, I take stock for a moment, what is it I'm trying to take in with these books?
Three were gifts and one my own gift to myself... this says what about me? mmm...

Books
I'm not a morbid person, but the Tibetan book of living and dying, although the title is a little ominous is really about living, & a highly positive take on how we live.

Which leads me to the Stoic book of the good life which starts a bit like a hangover, a bit groggy and easily overwhelmed, however gets good I've been told, so will persevere! (and drink lots of water.)

Ayurveda, a word I have to concentrate on to spell right, is fascinating, and as a sister practice to Yoga feels right to have in my yoga fruit salad, a bit of healing knowledge in the background of our sessions will be coming in as the weather cools and our bodies adapt once again...

Talking of adapting, the one book which I just noticed is ironically upside down on the little heap is the one which takes me on the fairground ride of adapting and change, adapting again and then burning everything, (maybe) a book that focuses on an era that speeds up around about my age, so, fun and games everyone! Hagitude.

A Theme
Each term I like to bring in a theme to our sessions, we had a lot of fun with TCM, and the organs last term, which was active and really helpful I think, but turning towards the earlier evenings, and later starts it is important to listen to the body, maybe not turn on the lights quite so readily when it is dark early. If you wake in the night, let your body and mind feel what that is like.
I toyed with the idea of bringing in the Yoga Sutras to our sessions, which is always a good idea. There are other texts and lessons which I would like for us to delve into which relate to our modern lives too. The fact that our bodies are adjusting to being on screens, our eyes, our postures, or our slipstream attention to be sucked in to funny cat videos on instagram (guilty).
Yoga and addiction, Yoga and the mind, Yoga and the moving meditation of cycling...

Cycling
Ok, just a little update on my 2 weeks away...
One of my sisters has taken herself (and cats & partner) to live in the mountains of northern Spain, so we went there - on bikes. Ok I have a little motor on mine, but it does run out funnily enough about half an hour before the top of every peak out there.

Cycling is not my most natural activity, but the combination of the overwhelmingly beautiful scenery, the mind boggling heights, the cool, the heat, the insects smacking me in the face on the way down, and the certainty of having a massive slice of tortilla in the villages at the bottom of the mountains definitely has given me one of those top 3 mental "medals" for physical (and mental) achievements.

All through the two weeks away I was trying to recall the deal I had made with myself:
To find solitude and peace, to test myself, ask some deeper questions, and to take relaxation seriously.

-Unavoidable in this place!

On return I find myself writing to you and delivering some words from the depths, so you can maybe find/recall, have a look for some of what my friend says:
"What is in the pot of universal magic?"

Back to sessions
To round up this email, I want to just let you know that my weekly sessions will start again this Friday at Birdwood House, both the 9am half hour vinyasa/ sun salutes.- By donation= Turn up, & pay what you feel to.

-10am Friday 6th for Hatha yoga. where we shall explore themes mentioned above, as well as some fantastic texts I haven't mentioned (no spoilers)
Book Hatha Yoga

-Next Monday 9th will see us back in Chapel House studios for Easy yoga sessions, 10.45-12.. Which I'm afraid my website has had trouble finding, so here is the link to book:
Book Easy Yoga

And in case you haven't seen this flier about... Florence uses Chapel house studios too, so if youre up for finding out about yoga, yin, nidra and the acupuncture mix, please get in touch, or go ahead and book your space! £50 full price, or £45 early bird.
Book Acu- Yin workshop

Much love to you all.

Looking forward to seeing you on or off the mat.

Katie

September 2024