As we leave Halloween behind and move toward the next holidays, we may also find ourselves outwardly focused on other people, events, and activities.  If so, we have an ideal opportunity to remind ourselves of the value of reducing external distractions and looking inward.  Yoga helps us develop interoception, the ability to sense what is happening in our bodies.  Whether we are noticing physical sensations at the beginning of a class, exploring our breath through pranayama exercises and in poses, or resting in silence in savasana, our yoga practice reminds us to pay attention to ourselves. *

To provide an additional weekday chance to practice, we have added a fourth weekly Gentle class.  Frances is the primary teacher for this class, which meets on Wednesday afternoons at 1:30 p.m.  Thinking of trying yoga but looking for a chair-supported class?  All of our Gentle classes are also customizable to incorporate chairs into the practice.  While there are several reasons folks may prefer having a chair available, two common ones are to avoid navigating down to the mat for seated poses and to provide additional stability in standing poses.

In addition to our usual, drop-in yoga classes, this month our schedule features two special events, both of which are book-focused, free, and open to the public! 

• Book Launch on Wed., Nov. 8, 4 p.m.  Did you know that Frances has written an historical novel?  Would you like to learn more about the book and celebrate its release with other members of our community?  Then come join us for the book launch on Wed., Nov. 8, at 4 p.m. at the studio!  We’ll begin with a short talk from Frances, enjoy a Q&A session, and then move to the lounge for beverages and snacks!  For more details, see this post.
• Book Club on Sun., Nov. 12, 1 p.m.  Are you wondering how to age as successfully as possible?  Grab a copy of Daniel J. Levitin’s book Successful Aging, and join us in the lounge for a discussion about its ideas and advice!  Our October discussion was a lively one (how many ways can you think of to use a wine bottle?!), and we expect the November conversation to be just as engaging!  Check out this website post for more details.

For a complete copy of November’s schedule, please see the class calendar page.  We look forward to practicing, celebrating, and discussing with you this month!

* To learn more about interoception and how to cultivate it, see this Body Electric story, where a neuroscientist and psychiatrist notes that we are “bombarded by sensory signals in our environment” and calls silence “an increasingly endangered species.”