December Theme of the Month

This month the theme will be finding stillness in what can be the busy month building up towards the festive period and the end of the year. In my practice at home I’ve been studying some wisdom from the texts that bring in philosophy which we can apply to not only yoga but in our lives. I find the stillness and quietness of the early morning to be a great opportunity to learn more before the rest of the world wakes up.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are a collection of short verses that serve as a guide to attain wisdom and self-realization through yoga. It is considered by many as the foundational basis of yoga philosophy. The verse 1.2 “Yogas chitta vritti nirodhah” is often defined as — Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind. Although physical yoga poses are not focused in the book, apart from a few verses, we can take the philosophy and guidance into our practice.

Each December I try and move through a yoga theme of calmness, peacefulness and relaxation as this time of year can be a very busy time for a lot of us. Work seems to get more busier towards the end of the year and the busyness and quite often the stressfulness of the festive period can be felt. Yoga practice can be a chance to recharge and rejuvenate yourself, allowing the busy place of the mind to settle, reconnect with yourself, find clarity, and an opportunity to move, release tension and create space for ourselves.

Stillness can be a welcoming quality. Even in yoga when we are moving we connect to stillness within us, stillness doesn’t just mean the body has to be still. Stillness is more than the absence of movement, it is a state of being, where you allow your mind and body to rest, reset and charge. In stillness you can listen to your inner voice. Be present to hear what your mind and body are telling you so that you can process emotions and create a sense of peace as you move through your everyday life.

There’s a real importance of stillness in yoga to calm the mind and body. It encourages us to find inner peace and balance amidst life’s changes. Stillness can happen when we relax inside and are in harmony with ourselves.

This month will explore stillness through gentle flows, working with more simplicity, poses that we can hold for longer, calming breathing practices and relaxations that help us to de-stress. Stillness can be applied to yoga to find not only physical stillness but stillness from within when sometimes it feels like your whole world is spinning in different directions.

Be Still In The Midst Of It All

Week 1 – Stillness – The Art of Quietening the Mind and Listening
Today’s world can be a busy, fast past and noisy place to live in. The external noise in the world often mirrors the internal noise of our racing thoughts. Yoga can offer a pathway to inner silence which helps us navigate through the noise and cultivate more of a serene mental state. When we find stillness, we are able to listen to our internal voice to be present to hear what our mind and body are telling us. We give space to our thoughts and feelings to develop a deep connection with ourselves and others.

Week 2 – Patience in Stillness and a Journey inward
Yoga is a great practice to develop patience through moments of stillness, compassion during restlessness and being kind and patient to what’s going on with our mind and body. As we practice patience, we can train the art of resting in stillness. Working with stillness in yoga helps us to cultivate patience that we then able to take into situations off the mat. Yoga offers a journey that requires patience and the willingness to embrace stillness. Patience allows us to cultivate resilience, persistence, and a deeper understanding of ourselves.

Week 3 – The Power of Presence and Connection in Stillness
A yoga practice allows us to connect body to breath, breath to mind, and mind to a deeper awareness and a higher energy. Through yoga, we start to peel away the layers that have built of around us through the outside world and limiting beliefs that prevent us from experiencing our true potential. In yoga when we find stillness within, we can find the connection between body, breath, thoughts and emotions and to start to meet life with more connection and clarity.

Week 4 – Winter Solstice – Embrace Stillness
The winter solstice can be a time for introspection and renewal and invites us to embrace stillness as we reflect on the season outside and our own inner landscape. An opportunity to turn inwards and mirror image the stillness of nature this time of the year. A chance to seek the light within ourselves as we honour the energy of the season symbolising the return of the light after the longest night.

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This Month’s Music

Here’s a selection of the music that Vicky has been enjoying this month.