May

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In Gigis bathroom, visiting with Prince💜

Hello! I have some things to share, not just the moon phases for each month. I know I haven’t been keeping up on that very well either. Let’s just say I have been trying to keep the faith with everything these days. I have been holding my Tuesday classes as usual, getting up to practice and sit early in the morning before work, eat good food, sleep enough and make time for other enjoyable things. I believe my grief about R Sharath Jois is beginning to soften. I am noticing a lot of imposter syndrome around this (so so much that I won’t get to experience anymore! Ever! And, what’s the next step to take for continuing this lineage/journey?) When will things not feel so sucky and uncertain, everywhere? I’m finally happy to say I’ve got a few ideas to follow up on for the summer, at least.

Annual Birthday practice video screen shot. I may be getting older but so much to keep going with! This is where I stopped with Sharath Ji during the 2024 Mysuru trip. It’s truly a gateway posture. 🦥

Finally:

My Biggest But (as Peewee used to say) of 2025 has been how to foster community, share in a sangha and contribute/practice collectively, going forward. The problem for me has been not being available or ready enough to seek or provide this. Too busy, too tired and confused or angry. What is my circus and who are my monkeys? Do I keep up what I have been doing, or is it time to make changes? Obviously, a lot of change has happened without warning.😜 Do I resist this, or do I accept?

What I have figured out is that a small change made can have the biggest impact. Baby Steps, people. Don’t quit, just do the baby steps. The links below are provided for some local Ashtanga relative doings that I am excited about. I am not offering these events personally but I sure would like to attend them and I can definitely recommend them as something all y’all might want to join in on!

https://www.nordeastyoga.com

Check out the Cheryl Oliver classes on the home page for dates and subjects. I’m interested in the Yoga Sutras but all of it sounds great. We don’t get a lot of in person chanting / Yoga philosophy classes or opportunities here though there are some local peeps who are experienced in this.😊

https://vincentyoga.com/shakti-studio/

And here is where the evolving incarnation of our local Mysore Program is beginning to come together. I don’t have a lot of good info on this just yet but I do know I will be trying out Jamie Bollman’s Thursday evening Primary Series class. Yay! If you check out the schedule, it says 4-5:30 pm. Then again everything is a WIP, so double check. Updates will follow. Here’s Jamie’s web info…

https://jamiebyoga.com/

Perhaps I meet you on your mat in public, sometime soon!

December 2024

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New Moon: 11/30 or 12/1 take your pick 💜 then there’s 12/30

Full Moon : Sunday or Monday 12/15 or 12/16

No Tuesday 6pm class on 12/24 or 12/31 at Nokomis Yoga. Be merry! It’s been a long year. Rumor has it there might be a kirtan on the 31st. Stay tuned!

I will also be subbing at One Yoga again, for the Mysore program on Sunday 12/15 and Monday 12/16.

Holiday Bummers: it’s official, I will not be returning to Mysuru in February 2025- much as I had been looking forward to making this trip more of a regular thing in my life. Sharath Yoga Centre will be open December to March but there will be no Sharath to preside or confer with. I’ll have to wait and see what develops in the new year. (I’ll be honest, I’m a little afraid of 2025 at this point. )

I will continue on, and teach what I know. 💜

Thank You, Sharath-Ji💜

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From the Sharath Yoga Centre site. Thank you for everything you have shared with us, Sharath Jois.

How was everyone’s full moon on Friday??

This week was supposed to be a time of rest, nourishment and wide open space for the subtle and gross worlds, for me. Instead, it has become a time to grieve, not only for this country, but for one of my accepted teachers. 2025 now holds even more uncertainty to sort and process, and we must do these things together. Nobody is an island, even if we’re not all in the same boat.

As I’ve said many times in the past year, Yoga is not about what you’re doing or getting in class. This is a piece of the bigger picture. Are you practicing the Yamas and Niyamas 24/7? Click to visit an explanation of the 8 Limbs of Yoga by Deborah Adele. Are you being a thoughtful, deliberate and good person? Then you’re getting close.🙂 Atha Yoga Anusasanam- Now, the Yoga begins.

November 2024

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Flexing at work a week or so back.😜

New Moon(s!) – November 1, November 30th

Full moon- November 15th

NEWS: Election Day 2024 is nigh. Also a Tuesday. Many of you may have early voted. I am going to be present at the studio for our regular class time, but I decided to switch the format to Mysore Style, or self directed practice. See previous posts/class offerings page for more information on this topic. I felt that this would be a good opportunity for you to decide to come to class and do what felt best, not to worry about trying to feel present /performative when so much is going on this week. You don’t have to make practice an all or nothing deal- come over and move and breathe ! You will find your way. 😄

September 17th 2024-

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Hello, Folks! Some updates and reminders! Tonight’s class will feature some free jazz talk about DRISTI. 🙄 The eyes have it. Or, Follow Your Nose. Part of Tristhana- and really the cherry on top of what we do in regular practice. It sounds crazy but keeping your general gaze close to your nose can be a very creative and grounding experience in practice. Talk about rabbit hole! 🐇

Next week (9/24/2024)we will explore Mysore Style/ Self Directed Practice from 6m till 7:30. There’s some info about this on my previous blog post, same on the Class Offerings Page! Don’t worry about fitting in and nailing every posture in the Primary Series sequence . Mysore practice (as it can be called) is a great opportunity to play, learn and practice Yoga regularly. It may feel weird to be moving around not in sync with everyone else or even not hearing the teacher talking as you practice, but here’s where you can experience community and spend time learning about yourself!

Anyway, if you’re interested, great! If not, no big deal. Guided class will be back on the first Tuesday of October. 😜 10/1/2024.

Here’s a photo of Ashtanga Yoga Luxembourg in a Mysore Style practice situation. Thanks, internet!

September Song

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Ok, Folks, we’re in the Spooky Season. : ) Enjoy the fall of summer and (I’m hopeful) cooler temperatures. Things may get spicy but of a sweeter, not fiery quality.

New Moon: Monday 9/2/2024

Full Moon: Tuesday 9/17/2024

NEWS:

This month I will be trying something new! There’s been interest in some self-directed practice(AKA Mysore Style)from some of you, and I’d like to investigate the experience with you all! This month (September 2024) I will be holding a Mysore Style class time on the last Tuesday of the month- 9/24. It will be the same start and end time, and the biggest difference will be not talking everyone through the Primary Series sequence as usual. This opens up the practice time to work on your own but also at your own pace, with the support of a teacher. Try it, you might like it! Don’t worry, I can provide reminders and answer any questions that may come up prior to the day.

Extra Credit: Another idea ready to be implemented is some field trip time! If any of you are interested in going to other practices/classes with me, I’m looking to do some practicing in public this fall. : ) I get alternate Fridays off from work and then there’s weekends, if you have the energy. Let me know!

January 2023!

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Some things to mention before I forget!

February is coming up fast. The moon days for February this year are Sundays.

FULL MOON: Sunday 2/5/2023

NEW MOON : Sunday 2/19/2023

I am not teaching at the Yoga Center anymore, but this year is the 10 year anniversary of my Yoga Study 500 hours completed there. In 2013 I also began an Ashtanga practice after taking a weeklong Primary Series immersion with David Swenson there. He is returning this spring for a weekend! Check out the workshop offerings at the Yoga Center Https://theyogacenterretreat.com/workshops/retreat site for the weekend of 4/21/2023 to 4/23/2023. I may check out the arm balance/float offering, as I am still figuring a lot of these things out nowadays.

Another thing worth mentioning in the short term is tacos! Yes, tacos. It’s becoming a very new tradition to go get some tacos with John and Hiromi from the Tuesday Ashtanga class afterwards. No pressure! It’s just a nice way to spice up the winter nights after class if you’re so inclined. : ) Do inquire if you’re interested.

A couple of weeks ago I introduced an alternative vinyasa for anyone curious about keeping with their Tristhana when their upper body might be trying too hard to keep up.(shoulder/wrist/etc pains or problems). While it’s not a cure-all, once you get the rhythm of it you may find it helpful when attempting to take care of any issues with the upper body for a while. I tried this out during a primary series led class, after a very taxing weekend. I could keep up with the vinyasa count and my shoulders didn’t get sore.❤️

Here’s the YouTube link that I found and worked with. Enjoy!