As we welcome the New Year, we can take the opportunity to shed the old habits that are not useful and to re-affirm our intentions to be healthy and happy.  This may require a little reining in of the senses if celebrating the return of the light has led to overindulgence of them.

The chariot metaphor of the Self navigating through this life as described in the Katha Upanishad has some beautiful analogies of this process. The Self (our true nature of love and bliss) is a passenger in a chariot, the body is the chariot, the intellect (our ability to discriminate) is the charioteer, and the mind (the instrument of consciousness) is the reins. The senses are the horses and the sense objects (all the things we desire or resist) are the paths around them.  When one lacks understanding of how all this fits together, his or her senses do not obey and, as bad horses, can end up taking the passenger on a wild ride and even destroying the chariot.

As a practice this month, we can follow the example of the natural world around us as it appears still and silent to chart our course or to re-calibrate the course we are on to health and happiness. Give yourself time each day to approach stillness and silence and assess your ride in the chariot.  Where do you want to go? Is your driver on the job?  What is the condition of the reins?  How well are the horses under control?

During January, we look forward to continued practice with those of you we already know and to welcoming new students.  To review the month’s class schedule, please see the attached file, the calendar section of this site, or a hard copy available at The Pots Place.

Upcoming special events:

• Friday, 1/24:  5:30 p.m.  Restorative class with Kim.
• Friday, 1/24:  6:45 p.m.  Talk and meditation hosted by Juanita (no charge, all are welcome).

Inclement weather policy:  If we need to cancel class because of winter weather, we will announce that cancellation at least one hour before the beginning of the class, and we will share the cancellation notice both via email and on Facebook.  If you would like us to add a supplemental email address for you so that you receive these notices quickly (e.g., if you want both your work and home addresses in our list), please let us know.

Studio access: If you arrive at The Pots Place after a class has begun, remember that you can still join us. Just go to the back entrance facing Mariah’s (look for the blue building) and press the buzzer next to the door; the teacher can then unlock that door remotely.