Freedom! On the 4th, we celebrate our country’s independence from being ruled by a government the founders found to be oppressive. Take a moment to ask yourself what freedom means to you on many levels: social, political, religious, relational, and from your own thoughts.

Last month’s focus identified the five main categories of thought patterns that generate fear and suffering (yoga sutra 2.3). In this month’s focus on yoga sutra 2.10, we look ahead to see what happens when we achieve true freedom from our negative thought patterns. It states: “When the five types of colorings (kleshas) are in their subtle, merely potential form, they are then destroyed by their disappearance or cessation into and of the field of mind itself.”

Now, that is freedom—when there is no relationship, job, or anything externally present in our lives that can be a trigger to a fearful state. Keep practicing, folks! The good news is that every time you witness yourself in the snares of a disturbing thought pattern and don’t allow it to have power over you, it weakens when it recedes. As you progress, that path get easier.

Wishing you freedom to follow your true path, to honor and express your true feelings, and to acknowledge the divine spark in each and every one of us.

July updates and special events:

• Independence Day mixed-level class. Join Debbie on Wednesday, July 4, to celebrate the holiday with a 9 a.m. mixed-level practice. Although this morning class will be our only class on July 4, the rest of our schedule around the holiday remains the same.
• Yoga for All on hiatus. At Ashley’s request, Sunday’s Yoga for All class will go on hiatus for July; however, you can practice with Ashley this month both at 7 a.m. on Saturdays and at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesdays.
• Special Sunday Restorative class. On July 15, Angie will offer a Sunday edition of the Restorative class. It will begin at 5:45 p.m., shortly after the 4 p.m. Basics class concludes—we invite you to give yourself the gift of a mini-retreat of first an active and then a relaxing class.
• Yoga and Meditation at The Downing Museum. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to practice yoga or meditation in an art gallery? If so, join us this month at The Downing Museum: Angie will teach the yoga class on Saturday, July 14, and Alice will continue to lead the meditation class, which will meet on Saturday, July 28. For details and to register, see this page.
• Stress-Busting Roundtable with Pare and Flourish. Are you a female professional who would like to network with other like-minded women in a meaningful way? On Saturday, July 21, at the studio, Cassandra will facilitate a roundtable for Pare and Flourish. For a fuller description of the roundtable and to register, see the event page.
• Living Our Yoga Yin class. On Friday, July 27, Angie continues the monthly Living Our Yoga Yin series, which combines a traditional sequence of Yin poses with an exploration of selected yoga sutras. This month, our focus will be sutra 2.10.

For a full list of July classes, please see the calendar page—or pick up a hard copy at The Pots Place. We also post the day’s class(es) each morning on our Facebook page, should you find it convenient to keep up with us there.

Accessing studio after class has begun: Remember that even if the front door is locked when you arrive, you can still join us for class. Just come to the back door of The Pots Place (look for the blue building) and ring the buzzer. The teacher will then unlock the door remotely for you to enter through the pottery studio.