January Theme of the Month

We hope you all had a good Christmas and New Year and managed to get some rest.

With winter now here, it’s a great opportunity to slow down a little and rest and recharge ourselves. The darker mornings and evenings in my own practice have allowed me to take time to read more and explore the philosophy side of yoga as it’s too dark in the morning for my walks, and with the cold and wet I’m finding myself inside more.

I have always enjoyed the philosophy side of yoga and learning from the wisdom of the classical texts especially during my yoga teacher training. I’ve since bought various versions of these texts to gain different insights and also explore a few online courses to get the experience of learning in different ways.

The philosophy side of yoga is a great opportunity to question who we really are and to show that there is much more to life than simply just existing. We start to realise there is more to yoga than the physical poses and more of an awareness of not just your body but also your thoughts.

I thought for the new year rather than going with the themes of detoxing, new year intentions etc, we would start the new year going back to one of the classical texts which let us connect deeper to what yoga is really about.

For the next few months our theme will be incorporating the Yamas and the Niyamas. The Yamas are principles of conduct with respect to the world that surrounds us. The Niyamas help to harmonise with ourselves. These words come from the classical philosophy text The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali which make up the foundation of modern-day yoga practice.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali describes the eightfold path which help to detox layers of who we really are and serves as a framework for living a conscious and purposeful life. We had mentioned the sutras last month when we were looking at our theme of stillness and that yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind. The Eightfold path is a path of action that helps us lead a life of meaning, purpose, and authenticity and is the path to enlightenment

The first step on the eightfold path, also known as the Eight Limbs of Yoga, are the Five Yamas. They are seen as restraints and disciplines and these ethical practices are meant to be lived daily. The are untimely about control. They help to harmonise with the world around us and are codes of conduct for the right way to live. They allow us to develop a good relationship with people, the world and the things in the world. If we have a lot of problems in the world around us it is then hard to solve the problems within as they are just no spaces left to find that connection.

These five Yamas are Ahimsa (non-harming), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (non-stealing), Aparigraha (non-grasping), and Brahmacharya (celibacy).

Each week we will introduce these themes into our class and our physical postures, breathing and mediation/relaxation. Some of you may remember these from a few years back when we looked at them and many of you will be looking at them for the first time. Yoga is a continual opportunity for learning and even as a teacher I learn so much from teaching as well as my practice at home.

The Five Niyamas

Week 1 Ahimsa - (non-violence or non-harming)
This is about not hurting anyone, physically, with words and thoughts. Working with this quality we become more compassionate with is a very important quality on the spiritual path. Through our yoga practice we can listen more to ourselves and our edges, learning to challenge ourselves but not to the point where we may push our body too hard.

Week 2 – Satya (truthfulness) and Asteya (non-stealing)
Satya is about living authentically and honestly and to not have too many filters that covers our true nature. Be honest in your own practice by observing your body and respecting your own limits Asteya is about showing respect to others and respecting space, possession and emotions. In yoga practice it can be about respecting other people in the room and avoiding comparisons with others in while we are in a posture.

Week 3 – Brahmacharya (right use of energy)
This is our wise use of energy and how we preserve energy. Is often translated as ‘celibacy’ - and is often considered irrelevant in our modern culture now. We can see it more as a way to find peace and happiness within ourselves rather than through external desires. In yoga practice, rest when you need to and balance poses between effort and ease.

Week 4 – Aparigraha (non-greed or non-attachment)
This is not necessary about getting rid of stuff but releasing the attachment and possessiveness to them. Greed and attachment often create clutter within the mind. In yoga pose we can let go of attachment and expectations of the poses to experience the pose more fully.

Related Videos

Ahimsa
Satya
Brahmacharya
Aparigraha

This Month’s Music

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