MorningMysore

Light

Good morning to you all.

Philippe said to me recently that he thought that the discipline instilled in us from doing this practice so early in the morning, he thought that was one of the things that distinguished the yogis we are now from the people that we started this practice as. For me, this is true… if this practice could make a morning person out of me it can make it out of anyone.

I can only say that after almost three years away, its a great treat to see so many familiar faces getting up early, living the practice, and showing up on your mats.

I am happy to report that while a few things will change in the coming few weeks, very little will actually change. Beata, who you all know well, will be teaching most of our days, Sunday to Wednesday, and I will be teaching on Thursdays and Fridays, along with supporting the general YIY community. Leigha will be back to see us within six weeks or so, when Beata is gone to Europe.

We also plan to reinstate the chai habit three days a week with Ken and Elaine’s return beginning of May, let me know if you have any interest in participating….

And we will have Sabina and Joseph to thank for a YIY party to celebrate everything on May 9th.

To close I’ve been in the habit lately of picking up the yoga sutra’s, and I was hoping to add one here and there to our morning mysore mix.

2:33: Vitarka Baadhane Pratipaksha Bhaavanam.

When disturbed by negative thoughts, opposite [positive] ones should be thought of. This is pratipaksha bhavanam.

It never ceases to amaze me how in ever world we ever live in there can be manifestations of politics. In the corporate world, at the gym, maybe even at yoga, everywhere there can be maya there will be maya. Grounding in my practice helps to bring me to a space of lightness and happiness that allows me to meet most all of what I face with joy.

It highlights to me those people who seem anchored in the positive, and how much it is a good disease that’s catching. How tiny it seems, this being positive, and how important it is. Not that we aren’t to acknowledge the dark things, they must be acknowledged to move past, but towards the end of moving forward….

And that Patanjali gives us the out here, he doesn’t say, look, just have the mental discipline, just make your thoughts positive, that rather its there, if you can do it great, if not just take yourself round something you love, a child, a friend, and stay there…..

When I’ve been there lately, on the floor, when I wasn’t out with stomach flu, or Aurora’s stomach flu, or Einar or Aurora’s flu, in these last few weeks, I’ve noticed how much lightness there is on the floor at YIY, and how much love is there. Its a good thing, and I think a hallmark of Ashtangis moving down the serious path of discipline we all started years ago…

We hope very much that we can support you all in your practice and on your journey of yoga as we go forward…

6 thoughts on “Light

  1. SSR

    You’re right Anne. There IS a ton of love on the floor at YIY. It’s one of the main reasons I return again and again. That, and the fact that there are so many yogis who understand the experience of this practice in my life … which no one in the rest of my world can understand. It makes me especially happy when we share a laugh on the mat, for the ridiculousness of it all.

  2. Anna

    Thanks for this Anne!

    Also wanted to say hi to everyone. Came down this week from Boston to NYC for the Sharath workshop and was thinking of you all!

    Big Hugs!
    Anna

  3. Brian

    Thanks for sharing your contemplations, Anne. They are inspiring and show your love for the path.

    Keep those Yoga Sutras coming πŸ™‚

    Brian

  4. suan chew

    hey anne,

    love what you shared about 2:33.

    for me, it pairs well with detachment too. it’s quite impossible not to have negative thoughts since the ego is easily drawn to negative rather than positive. and our minds so easily get attached to either end. sigh, so what can we do?? i say roll out the mats and let the vinyansas take over :).

  5. Anne Finstad

    Hey there, I really appreciate all of your comments. Anna we miss you, and if any f you want to guest write and take on a sutra you like please talk to me, I think we all benefit from different points of view.

    A annefinstad at yahoo dot com.

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