Events at CYS
- Spring Challenge
- Myths, Meditation and Relaxation
- Yin Yoga Teacher Workshop: Welcoming Spring
- The Quiet Session
- Level 1 Thai Yoga Massage
- Prenatal Thai Yoga Massage
- A little house keeping
Can you believe we are almost through winter? As we all know, in Canberra winter actually lasts until mid October, but let’s forget about that. And apologies for this newsletter being so late.
We have just passed through a new moon phase and I hope this has brought you some calm and some smooth sailing. I was driving home that night as the sun was setting and as I looked into the sky I saw the crisp thin crescent glowing as it hung in the sky. I suddenly felt uplifted and light as the heaviness of my day drifted off my shoulders. Sometimes this brief glimpse of natures beauty, and the cycles of life can create this deep shift within us.
The last few weeks may have felt like a boiling pot. So much turbulence and a building or feeling of anticipation. A certain level of chaos, fluctuation and uncertainty. It is in these times when we can turn away from our practice feeling as if, we don’t have time, or we can not settle into the space. Its an all too present feeling and something I think we all may experience, not just now, but often.
These times are a great reminder that getting to the mat is even more important. The familiarity and solace our mat can provide, even if we are resistant, practice can be the very tonic we need to find peace in the chaos. Life is every turbulent, every changing and often challenging. With regular practice we can find our strength, our balance and a way to navigate our selves amongst the change, finding growth and wholeness.
I have just come back from 4 days of intense anatomy training, my brain filled with so much new information and a much clearer understanding of what I am seeing in everyone’s bodies as well as my own. It was my practice that helped keep me from overwhelm and allowed my brain the space to welcome the knowledge and concepts presented. What was reiterated throughout the training was the importance of the breath and how important it is to take time to breath down into the belly filling through the sides of your body. If your having trouble breathing give your ribs a little rub on either side, if you find a tight spot give it a little more of a rub. It wont fix things fully but it will help you to breath better.
Welcome New Teachers: Annika Dash and Rudhika Poria
I would like to welcome 2 wonderful new teachers to our teaching team. You may have already had the pleasure of having attended Meditation class with Annika and a gentle hatha class with Radhika. I have no doubt that both of these teachers will be valuable members of our team and I am super excited to welcome them both.
Annika has been teaching around Canberra for the last several years, She is not only Vinyasa hatha and Yin trained but has also well versed and trained in Mediation and Mindfulness. I have no doubt you will find your classes with Annika rewarding and uplifting.
Radhika joins us from India, but has been here in Canberra for the last 2.5 years. Radhika is an experienced Hatha Yoga – Sivananda Yoga teacher, she follows this lineage and its classical way of teaching to help people not just physically but also mentally and spiritually.
Her teaching comprises of Pranayama practices (breathing exercise) followed by Sun salutations and classical asanas that include a variety of sitting, standing and inverted postures. I can’t wait to attend Radhika classes for yet another wonderful way of exploring Yoga.
Change of Teachers
We have a change in teacher for our Sunday 5:00 class. In support of the changes in teacher lives, Cass has decided to take a break from regular teaching and will be passing on her Sunday 5:00pm Harmony Yoga class.
This class will now be shared by Michelle, Sarah and Cass. We have not had a shared class arrangement at the studio before, but I have no doubt that we will all gain much from these 3 fantastic and thoughtful teachers. You may already have had class with these ladies over the past few months so this is another great opportunity to enjoy their teachings further.
Our Meditation class at 6:30 on Friday evening is now also part of the Beginners Course and it has been wonderful to see some of you there. Please feel free to join us and share in this wonderful practice. The meditation class is open to all students.
Don’t forget that the Thursday and Friday Lunchtime Beginners classes are also open to all students. Please note these classes are at beginner level, they are a fantastic way to refresh your fundamentals. We should always come to the mat with beginners mind and really feel those fundamentals each and every time we practice.
Events at CYS
We have some fantastic events coming up at CYS in September and October. When looking for event information please visit the website and click on the relevant banner image, or you can now click the events tab which has a calendar of upcoming events, or visit our Facebook events page.
Our website is currently being refreshed and redesigned so stay tuned, I’m excited!
SPRING CHALLENGE
We have Fiona’s Spring Challenge starting on the 23rd September, culminating in a Blindfold class on the 27th October. Join Fiona for at least 1 class a week for 5 weeks in her Knoff yoga class, moving through a layered sequence and then practicing this sequence blindfolded to heighten your senses and body awareness. This is a great way to challenge yourself and step out of your comfort zone.
The blindfold class will be roughly 2 hours and cost $40. Book you place here.
MYTHS MEDITATION & RELAXATION
Come along to our Myths, Meditation and Relaxation workshop on Sunday 20th October at 11.45am and join Katie for an afternoon of gentle restorative yoga and storytelling! For 2.5 hours, you will be relaxing in gentle restorative floor based poses while Katie tells you the stories of some well known and lesser known Goddesses, before moving into a meditation for each of the Goddesses. You will also reflect about what those stories mean for your yoga practice today. This will be magical way to spend some time.
Cost is $45. Book your place here.
YIN YOGA WORKSHOPS
Sarah Owen is coming in October with a series of 2 Yin Workshops on Sunday 6thOctober. These are replacing the Mindful Kids workshops which have been cancelled.
WELCOMING SPRING
The Welcoming Spring workshop is aimed at yoga teachers and dedicated practitioners. We will spend 2.5 hours exploring the application of Yin Yoga and Mindfulness as a way of nourishing and supporting the physical and energetic bodies, as well as the mind, during the season of Spring.
We will engage in a Yin Yoga sequence for balancing the Wood element during Spring (including focusing on the Liver and Gallbladder meridians). We will also explore ways of adapting and modifying the postures to account for skeletal variations and differences in body type as well as ways of supporting injuries while practicing.
Please bring a notebook and pen – this workshop is a mix of practice and theory to inspire your practice and refine your teaching skills. You will take home with you a seasonal handout with an adaptable/variable yin yoga sequence for Spring that you can use to help plan classes, as well as seasonal tips for embracing Spring in your yoga practice and daily life. Book your place here.
THE QUIET SESSION • Yin • Pranayama • Meditation •
Join Sarah Owen this Spring for The Quiet Session – a 2.5 hr workshop focusing on Yin Yoga, Pranayama and Meditation. Allow the ‘white noise’ of society to drop away as we practice a gentle Yin Yoga sequence for Spring (balancing Liver and Gall Bladder meridians – the Wood Element in Chinese Medicine), as well as exploring Pranayama for relaxation, and Meditation & Self-Inquiry for clarity and contentment. As the abundance of Spring abounds, revel in The Quiet.
“When we invite ourselves to become Quiet, we are actually inviting the quiet whispers of our own truths to be heard.” – Sarah Owen
This workshop is suitable for beginners, as well as more experienced yoga practitioners and teachers. All Welcome! Book your place here.
But wait there’s more!!!!
LEVEL 1 THAI YOGA MASSAGE
Level 1 Thai Yoga Massage by Dani is coming on the 10th– 13thOctober 2019. Dani is joining us from Queensland for this fabulous 4-day workshop which is suitable for anyone wanting to give the gift of compassionate touch. This is an amazing way of giving nurturing touch and massage in a way that is compassionate and caring, all done with cloths on. You do not need any prior training to attend, just a willingness to learn and an open heart to give joy and relaxation to others.
For more details, visit our FB event page Or click this link to book your place.
PRENATAL THAI YOGA MASSAGE
Dani will also be here for a very special small group Prenatal Thai yoga Massage training on the 14th– 15thOctober, open to those who have completed Level 1 Thai Yoga Massage or those already working with pregnant women. Spots are very limited so book in early to ensure you have your place. For more details, click here or visit our FB events page. There is a wonderful video on the FB event page with Dani explaining all about her training and this fantastic course. I highly recommend it to anyone working in the care industry or with an interest into moving into this field. You will not regret it.
Early bird closes soon so book your spot today.
For more details on both of these events check out the posters in the studio or our FB events page.
A little house keeping
You may have noticed that there is now a small water dispenser in the locker room and some cups. If you use a cup can you please wash it in the kitchen down the hall and replace it in the studio. We do not have a cleaning service that will do this for you and would appreciate your assistance in keeping things in order for us all to use.
We have some wonderful books in our library so please do borrow them and make use of them. Please ensure that you write down you name and the book in the notebook provided so we can keep track of them and please return them in good time or before taking another one.
As always please feel free to reach out to me if there is anything you need and I look forward to seeing you in the mat.
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