January 2007: New Year’s Intentions
Greetings and (sun) salutations, dear friends. One of my New Year’s intentions is to complete this newsletter in a timely manner. We had a wonderful 2006 thanks to you and your continued support for Joyful Yoga. We are looking forward to our expansion in Bonita Springs. We intend to evolve and improve with each passing day, looking forward to our continuing journey together through time and space. We love what we do! We love helping people take back some sense of control of their health and well-being; physically, mentally, emotionally, energetically. Regardless of what leads you onto the yogic path, everyone can benefit from this ancient science, and we are here to support the rediscovery of your inherently joyful and healthy self. Naturally, we are flexible, just look at any baby who spontaneously flows into the greatest of yoga poses with complete ease and stability, (most babies have mastered high-plank and downward dog, as they transition from crawling to walking)…they have not yet learned how to stop breathing with their diaphragm (primary breathing muscle), they have not had enough experience in life to develop tight hips and shoulders (common in most students…before they start yoga)… Whether you’ve been practicing for 50 years or it’s your very first class, our intention and desire is that you leave the studio feeling better than you did when you arrived, that you begin to notice that the inner joy in your life is expanding and presenting itself in all areas of your life. The awareness you cultivate on the mat resonates with you and spreads into your everyday activities.
We are here for the JOY.
What does this really mean? In Sanskrit (the first written language) there are four words for joy –Sukha; fleeting happiness, ease, enjoyment, comfort, joy experienced as pleasure. This type of joy is dependant upon situations. Sukha is inseparably linked with duhkha, or “suffering,” one of the basic pairs of opposites that provide the contrast in our lives. Santosha; contentment, is the idea of being content with and grateful for what you have, accepting things as they are. Hard core yoga texts on the Sutras associate Santosha with renunciation- the absence of desire for anything other than what we need. Practicing this calms the mind, allowing the next level of happiness to sneak in: Mudita; spiritual happiness. This purest form of joy comes from out of nowhere, like a message from our deeper self; the silent witness. It has the power to change our state in an instant. It gives rise to the good stuff, such as gratitude, equanimity, exaltation, the ability to see beauty in ordinary things. It is usually fleeting, but we have all experienced it. This type of joy is the kind that is cultivated through any type of spiritual practice, including yoga, meditation, and chanting. The devotional traditions, like bhakti yoga and Sufism specialize in cultivating Mudita. And finally, Ananda; the bliss that passes understanding. When Mudita deepens until it becomes our entire field of experience, we then find ourselves experiencing the most profound level of joy, this is Ananda. This is bliss, ecstasy, rapture, a joy that wells up from the universe and connects us to the vastness of pure consciousness. It has been written in so many sacred texts, from all faiths, that this is the experience of God (a divine energy inherent within all of us, with many ways of expression through various names).
So, this new year we invite you to join with us to cultivate joy in your life. Start with the simple understanding that joy is real and powerful. Decide to tune your mind and heart so they are open enough to feel it. To start, depending upon your state, you might need to practice some form of Santosha, maybe noticing what thoughts and feelings are agitating the mind, and then doing whatever it takes to let go of this thought pattern; maybe chanting, prayer, meditation, or asana. Sally Kempton, also known as Durgananda; author, meditation teacher, yogini, suggests this simple practice that will shift your consciousness in minutes and can be done anywhere.
Close your eyes and remember a time when you felt really happy. Take yourself to that moment. Try to get a feeling-sense of yourself in the situation. Ask yourself, “What did this joy feel like?” and then wait till you actually feel the happiness—even if only a little. Then remove the memory of the situation and just retain the feeling. Find a place in your body where the feeling is centered then, let it expand until it fills you. It may help to give this feeling a color, or breathing into the feeling and expanding it. Sit with the sensation for a few minutes. See if you can let the joy become your primary feeling. This is a glimpse, however small of your true reality.
Here’s to the Joy…. in all forms!
A loving Namaste'
Tess and Jackie
Workshops
Energy Workshop with Cory Hess
Saturday, January 20th 1:30-3:30pm
$40.00
Join us in the exploration of the energy contained within and discover how you can balance and restore your health and vitality through Yoga, Meditation, Tai Chi, Qi Kung, Acupressure and Massage. Call Jackie to register at 482-6677.
Yoga to find your Bliss with Amy Weintraub.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
1pm-5pm
Cost: $75
Join us for an inspiring afternoon with Nationally acclaimed yogini and author of "Yoga for Depression", Amy Weintraub as she guides you through an experiential journey that will provide you with all the available tools to enable you to cultivate the joy in your life. Through the practice of Yoga and meditation, we are able to tap into our original state of bliss and balance our energy to better manage our moods. Call Jackie for details and to register. 482-6677.
The Boutique
We received a new shipment of clothing from Be Present and American Apparel, including new Joyful Yoga Logo Tanks.
Check out the new YogiToes Towel for those of us that find we tend to slip on our mats due to sweaty hands and feet. We have beautiful silk eyepillows filled with organic flaxseed and lavender to facilitate your meditation practice. It includes a zippered pouch for storage. We carry the highly acclaimed Jo-Sha mat cleansing wipes in four fragrances that not only gently clean your mat, but also provide an aromatheraputic aspect to your practice. For a calming effect that restores balance try Lavender, for a cooling effect that invigorates the mind and senses try Peppermint, for a stimulating energizing effect that promotes mental clarity and helps release emotional distress try Eucalyptus, and to increase an uplifting inner atmosphere of joy try tangerine.
Happy New Year!
Help a friend or loved one discover the Joy of Yoga for 2007! Bring a friend in for their first class free, and you will receive a certificate for 10% off any retail purchase at our boutique! New students only please.
Stay tuned for more fabulous workshops coming soon!
Every Breath is a Gift! Enjoy the Flow~
Namaste'
Jackie and Tess Chiodo
