July 2013 focus and schedule

Posted on June 28, 2013 by 4yoga

July is travel month to many:  vacation time!   An excerpt from Swami Rama in The Essence of Spiritual Life comes to mind:

The most ancient traveler in the universe is love.  It is love that travels from the unknown to the known, from eternity to eternity.  Those who want to realize the greatest delight should realize themselves in others.  This is the definition of love.  Loving somebody does not mean hating others.  Remember this.  If you love somebody, that means loving all.  Your love should travel to expansion, not contraction.  May we light the fire of love that burns out the ego and enables us to pass from fearful fragmentation to fearless fullness in the changeless whole. Learn to love yourself.

Safe travels if you are traveling, and when you are in town, we look forward to you sharing your spirit and energy with us in this community yoga practice during July.  To review the July class schedule, please see the calendar section of this site.

July special events:

  • Thursday, 7/4:  9 a.m. Mixed-level holiday class with Kim (all are welcome), followed by a casual potluck brunch.  We will provide hot tea and juice; please bring anything you would like to share.
  • Friday, 7/19:  6:45 p.m. Talk/meditation led by Juanita (all are welcome, no charge).

Parking for Friday-night classes:  If you attend the Yin or Restorative classes on Friday nights, please note that Concerts in the Park will begin in Fountain Square at 5:30 p.m. on Fridays in July.  You may find it convenient to park either in the Mariah’s lot behind The Pots Place or in the lot on Main Street across from U.S. Bank and to allow a little more time to reach class because of the increased traffic downtown.

Updating email address:  If your email address is changing from “insightbb” to “twc” or another service and you would like to continue to receive our messages, please let us know your new address so that we may update our contacts list.

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

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June talk and meditation: Fri., 6/14 @ 6:45 p.m.

Posted on June 5, 2013 by 4yoga

This month’s talk and meditation session was accidentally omitted from the June schedule; however, we are delighted to announce that Juanita will be hosting that event on Friday, June 14, at 6:45 p.m. (immediately after that night’s yoga class).

As always, the talk and meditation session is an opportunity to discuss aspects of yoga with other students in a casual setting and to participate in a guided meditation.  There is no charge for attending, and we hope that all interested students participate.

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June 2013 focus and schedule

Posted on May 28, 2013 by 4yoga

Each month, every newsletter is a marker that we are in a different place than we were last month.  Sometimes external circumstances have changed; other times something internal has shifted.

The river of life flows on carrying us through the whitewater of emotional upheaval and then pooling into still, calm places. It reflects the light of the sun and moon. Our practice of hatha yoga (often using the metaphor of sun/moon energies), which uses physical poses to balance energy and increase awareness of our bodies, can ultimately help us to find our center–the place inside where we can weather (witness) the constant change of this river of life and not be tossed about by it. Being thrown off course by changing circumstances in our lives is inevitable. However, we can find stability by mastering the ability to pull back into our center, the core of who we are. It is like moving into the eye of the hurricane, or sitting in the center of a spinning wheel.

Here is a centering practice to become familiar with. Stand in Mountain Pose.  Be aware of the dimensions of length, width, and depth in your body. Connect with your dignity as you stand firm and tall, your past and your future as you sense your back and front, and your connection to your community as you sense the side body and the ability of the arms to reach out.  Now, connect with what you care passionately about.  Bring your awareness about two inches below the navel center (the center of gravity in the body) and “embody” this sense of what you stand for.  Feel centered in this space.

Returning to the river of life metaphor, the kindergarten rhyme comes to mind:  “row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.”  Happy June!

To review the June schedule, please see the calendar section of this site.  Although we have placed the Beginner’s class on hiatus for the summer, we continue to welcome new students at any time.  We especially invite students who are beginning or returning to their yoga practice to join us for either of the Gentle classes (at 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays) or either of the Basics classes (at 9 a.m. Saturdays and 4:30 p.m. Sundays).

Please remember that if you arrive at The Pots Place after a class has begun, you can still join us.  Just go to the back door (look for the blue building) and press the buzzer next to the door; the teacher can then let you in from the studio.

On a housekeeping note, we have accumulated several lost or forgotten items at the studio (e.g., black pants, black socks, ivory wrap).  If you think any of these items is yours, please check for and claim it this month.  Kathie has asked us to donate unclaimed items to Goodwill at the end of June.

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Reminder: Memorial Day mixed-level class @ 9 a.m.

Posted on May 25, 2013 by 4yoga

Just a reminder that, in addition to Sunday’s usual 4:30 p.m. basics class, 4yoga will be offering a Memorial Day class on Monday at 9 a.m.  Susan Tutino of Strawberry Fields Yoga will be teaching, and this mixed-level class is appropriate for students of all levels.

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Dalai Lama’s visit to Louisville: May 19-20, 2013

Posted on May 18, 2013 by 4yoga

One of our students reminded us that the Dalai Lama is visiting Louisville, with a public talk on Sunday and a teaching on Monday.  Tickets are still available to both events! For more information or to purchase tickets, see Engaging Compassion Louisville 2013.

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Just decide already

Posted on May 4, 2013 by 4yoga
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May 2013 focus and schedule

Posted on April 30, 2013 by 4yoga

Not only are the spring flowers popping their heads out of the ground to be seen, people are now coming outside to bask in the glory of the outdoors, whether it be to enjoy a favorite sporting event, a festival, or simply a walk. Our senses (i.e. sight, smell, motion, touch, sound) are so delighted!

Swami Kriyananda’s commentary on verse 7:4 in the Bhagavad Gita explains how we may experience this world from a deeper perspective: “the Supreme Spirit, in manifesting the universe, set a portion of its consciousness vibrating to the great sound vibration of AUM (OM).  This is Supreme Spirit in his aspect of Divine Mother…and in its outward manifestations [this outer ‘show’ that we perceive through the senses] such as flowers, sunsets, clouds, stars,etc. can be named Prakriti.”

Prakriti, then, is that manifestation of consciousness through the basic elements of earth, water, fire, air and space that appears as many different forms in our universe.  Oh!  The diversity of life is so immense!  Yet, this Sankhya-Yoga philosophy states that there is only One consciousness and this One is never subject to change and death.

As we feel such joy and inspiration from the beauty of the natural world, we may be inspired to realize the Divine essence expressed in nature; however, true communion with nature can only be accomplished inwardly (meditation) through communion with AUM.  Through regular practice, we can hope to expand into realizing the Oneness that we are instead of contracting into the smallness of feeling separated from our essence.

At 4yoga, in May, we will continue the Tuesday evening beginner’s class, and new students are welcome to join that class at any time.  New students are also particularly welcome at the gentle and basics classes.

May special events:

  • Saturday, 5/11:  11 a.m.-2 p.m.  Potluck lunch to welcome spring and wish Erica well in Colorado (details TBA).
  • Friday, 5/17:  6:45-8 p.m.  Discussion and meditation following the yin class, hosted by Juanita (all are welcome, no fee).
  • Monday, 5/27:  9-10:10 a.m.  Memorial Day class with Susan Tutino (mixed level, all are welcome).

Studio access:

As many of you know, Pot’s Place is again open!  If you find that you will be arriving late to a class, please enter through the back door:  just press the buzzer and wait to have someone buzz you in.  The front door will remain open until the start time of class.

For the full May schedule, please see the calendar page of this site.

Hari Om, friends (Hari Om generally means all is om, all is one)

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Can yoga boost your immune system?

Posted on April 26, 2013 by 4yoga

Today Salon reported on new research from Norway that shows benefits of yoga, including “internal changes on a genetic level.”  The participants practiced asanas, pranayama, and meditation to receive these benefits.

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April Focus and Schedule

Posted on March 28, 2013 by 4yoga

All around us, new life is rising out of the dark underworld of winter’s hibernation and into the light as grass is getting greener, bulbs are emerging, buds of blossoms are swelling! Can’t you just imagine flinging your arms out, arching backwards and opening your heart and face to the warmth of this light? Think of the spine rounded and draped over the thighs in child’s pose as a seed in winter. Then beginning to stir, the spine unfurls and straightens to stand on knees, stretches and lengthens back allowing the heart to open and shine like the sun in camel pose.

As we open to the emotions invoked by spring, it is important to also stay grounded. Sometimes we have to confront fear, anxiety, anger, jealously, envy, and/or greed (emotions associated with the three lower energy centers of the body) on the way to feeling radiant and expansive joy (accessed in the heart energy center of the body). Just as the sun gives its light unconditionally (no energy bills for solar energy!), allow yourself to expand and open your heart unconditionally remaining aware of the grounding, root energy into the earth. Rise and shine!

We are pleased to welcome two guest teachers this month: Susan Tutino and Susan Polk. Susan Tutino has been teaching in her home studio, Strawberry Fields, and Susan Polk offers classes through Don’t Worry, Be Happy Yoga. We are delighted that both of them will teach at 4yoga in April.

In addition, the special classes offered by Sunil Kumar, visiting teacher from India, will continue through April 10. For more information about Mr. Kumar, please see his website: International Sivananda Yoga Bhavan. Additional donations for the 90-minute weekend classes are gratefully accepted.

We are also continuing the Tuesday evening beginner’s class for the month of April, and new students are welcome to join that class at any time.

Please note that the Friday-morning gentle class is taking a break for April. We invite students who had been attending that class to join the gentle classes that meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m.

April special event:

  • Friday, 4/15: 6:45 p.m. discussion and meditation following the yin class (all are welcome, no fee).

Studio access:
The beautifully remodeled Pot’s Place is open! If you find that you will be arriving late to a class, please enter through the back door: just press the buzzer and wait to have someone buzz you in. The front door will remain open until the start time of class.

For the full April schedule, please see the calendar section of our site.

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Know your Fascia and Stretch!

Posted on March 22, 2013 by 4yoga

This popular clip known to body workers as the “fuzz speech” is awesome!

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