4yoga

“Hello darkness my old friend….” These words of Paul Simon come to mind as we once again approach the darkest day of the year, the winter solstice, in the cycle of seasons. As we encounter this darkness, we need to in draw in its opposite, the light. During our evening practices (when darkness has descended by 5:00 p.m.) the view of glittering tree lights on the square brings a sense of sparkle and warmth to our spirits. We can only appreciate the light because of the darkness.

Exhaustion, stress, and loneliness are forms of internal darkness that we may encounter as we turn our focus inward. It is important to acknowledge them as friends, as Paul Simon’s words express, and not to make them our enemies. We often have a tendency to add more pressure and stress by pushing them away and judging them as uncomfortable. However, they are signals to light the flame of the true self in the heart, healing the sense of fragmentation into wholeness and acceptance. Making time and space in your daily routine for even a few moments of stillness and contemplation is a great gift to yourself, accepting all the parts of you.

During this month of December, we are thankful for the light of our community and practice together. We look forward to continued practice with those of you we know and to welcoming new people who wish to begin the practice of yoga. As previously announced, the beginner class will continue on Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. through December, and new students are welcome to join us any week.

December schedule variations and special events:
Saturday, 12/1: basics class will begin at 8 a.m. because of the Christmas Parade. Unless you plan to remain downtown after class to enjoy the parade, we suggest parking on the south side of Chestnut Street for ease of departure. You may find the parking lot at the Public Theater of Kentucky convenient.
Friday, 12/14: discussion and meditation following the 5:30 p.m. yin class (no charge, all are welcome).
Monday, 12/24 and Tuesday, 12/25 (Christmas Eve and Christmas Day): no classes.
Monday, 12/31 (New Year’s Eve): 9 a.m. mixed level class with Angie (all are welcome).
For the full December schedule, please click on the class calendar tab of this website.

Community is witness; each member in this moment and that moment
Community has hands to pick you up and to clap for you
Community has legs to stand beside everyone
Community has arms to open the doors for others
Community has lips that release the truth
Community is hearts beating together and individually
Community accepts the old and the new
Community knows cycles and seasons
Community is extension beyond its denomination
Community is a destination not recognized by mapquest
Community is a place…community is compassion

A poem by Melanie Klug

“The meditative mind is a pleasant mind, a stabilized mind. That state is called chitta-prasadana in Yoga-sutra 1.33. According to the sutra, such a state is obtained though the practice of

• Maîtri: Universal love towards those who are happy

• Karuna: Compassion towards those who are in suffering

• Mudita: Joyfulness at seeing others virtuous

• Upeksha: Indifference towards the evil in others

Without these practices the mind will never stabilize in meditation. The karmic debts we have not yet paid off will continue to disturb the meditation. While one is sitting with eyes closed, the mind will keep racing in all different directions.”
– Swami Veda Bharati in: http://www.ahymsin.org/main/index.php/Swami-Veda-Bharati/love-meditation-and-service.html

Dear Friends,

As we begin the month of November, we will focus on gratitude. November is the month of thanks-giving and to consciously keep this in focus can allow goodness to expand in your life. As a practice using awareness to foster gratitude, think of the last meal you had. As you imagine everything that was on your plate, think of all the human effort expended to bring this food, this source of energy, to you. Someone planted the seeds of the plants; tended to the animals; harvested, processed, packaged, and shipped every part of this meal for you. We can express gratitude to all of the individuals who participated in this process. And, as we perform actions in our lives, we can think of the people who will benefit from the fruits of our actions. Therefore, why not perform all actions as acts of service to another? Whether receiving the fruits of another’s efforts in gratitude or performing your actions with the attitude of service, we can realize that we are all participants in the web of sustaining our lives here on earth.

Please note that the 9:00 a.m. Sunday flow class will not be regularly scheduled. Instead, on various Sundays we will offer a “Spontaneous Sunday” class in that time slot. The class could be a flow and/or a clinic style practice for working on challenging poses. We would announce the class by email on either a Friday or Saturday before the class to those individuals who may have an interest in attending. Let us know if you wish to be on this email list by responding to this newsletter.
Also, the Beginner Series will continue on Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. through November 20. We are open to continuing that class based on feedback from you. Please see the list below for November highlights and the full schedule in the attached file or on our website (https://4yoga.me/calendar).

November special events:
Friday, 11/16: 6:45 p.m. discussion and meditation following the 5:30 p.m. yin class (no charge, everyone welcome).
Thursday, 11/22 (Thanksgiving Day): 9:00 a.m. mixed level holiday class (all are welcome)

—
4yoga
Erica Jacknin, Kim Herald, & Angie Jones
4yoga.me