Ode to the Moon

Moon Haiku

The moon enlightens
When we find her strength within,
Then compassion drives.

The Moon has long been a mysterious figure. She constantly fluctuates, changing each day to present a new shape each night. She moves throughout the sky and sometimes disappears completely. She embodies the nature of femininity, showing strength in flexibility and re-creation. In Vedic Astrology, the moon represents the feminine powers that drive our world and is believed to exist within all of us. All humans have a balance of feminine and masculine qualities. Some feminine qualities attributed to the moon are beauty, grace, flexibility, creativity, maternity, and compassion. We can find these qualities of the moon within ourselves and strengthen them by centering a practice around the moon.

For tools to access your inner Moon, I am teaching a Moon Salutations workshop on March 28th, in honor of the Full Moon on the 29th. This donation based class is at Sacred Streams from 2:30-4pm, with a donation recommendation of $15. For more info visit Sacred Streams Workshops.

If you cannot attend the workshop, there are other activities to heighten your moon awareness. Barton Springs hosts night swimming. The Austin Astronomical Society hosts Austin Under the Stars for moon and star gazing purposes. There are groups that practice moon bathing for themselves and their mattress beds for better slumber. Simply creating a haiku can access the Moon Goddess within you!

SR

February: The Month of Looove

This month I am marking February as the month of love by planning every class as a Heart Centered practice. A Heart Centered practice focuses on the back bending series of postures: Locust Pose-Salabhasana, Bridge Pose-Setu Bandhasana, Camel Pose-Ustrasana, and so on. Back bends warm the body and uplift the soul. In the words of Donna Farhi,"With their emphasis on opening the heart, lungs, and chest, back bends exhilarate, bringing a sense of lightness and vitality that wards off even the most tenacious lethargy or depression." A Heart Centered practice during this cold and rainy month, will help keep your spirits lifted and your energy high.

There are also a number of February specials around town:

Sacred Streams is having a Share the Love special, so you can bring a friend to class with you for only $1 and introduce them to yoga!
Also, Lauren is teaching a Valentine's Day workshop for couples including yoga and partner massage:)

Yoga Yoga is offering a sweet spa package for your Valentine which includes a body treatment and facial for a low $149.00!

Bodhi Yoga is having a Thai Massage and Partner Yoga workshop with Gioconda on Saturday, Feb. 13th, if you cannot make Lauren's partner workshop on Sunday.

Links to the studios' websites are in the side bar for more information:)

I hope to see you all this month. Come and warm your heart!-SR

The earthquakes in Haiti are a world crisis and I am sure you are already contributing something to their relief, even if it is just your thoughts and intentions. This weekend there will be donation yoga classes around Austin, so you can dedicate your practice and some funds to aid Haiti. Yoga Yoga has an all levels class on Saturday evening from 7-9pm at their Westgate center, visit www.yogayoga.com/ for more information. Kula Yoga has a Yoga by Candlelight class (sounds delightful!!) on Sunday night at 6:30pm, visit www.austinkulayoga.com/ for more information. I hope you can find a way to contribute and help yoga to heal all!

Happy New Year!

I have not blogged in so long that I have embarrassed myself! So, I will do a quick catch up on my holiday adventures:

On December 19th I had an accident and totaled my truck, I was not physically injured but the trauma took a few days to recover from. I left for Florida the following Monday, the 21st, and had a wonderful visit with my family. My brother and I practiced yoga together every morning for about an hour. The practice with his company was truly therapeutic. I returned to Texas on Christmas Day to have dinner with Spencer's family in Weimar, TX. His grandparents have a beautiful, peaceful home that provides a meditative atmosphere. Finally, returned to Austin the day after Christmas and started to detox myself in preparation for the Holiday Detox Workshop...which was such a pleasure to teach. Thank you all who participated last weekend in the detox workshop and for those of you who missed it, it looks like we will have another detox on the spring!

Between vehicular trauma, drama, and travel, I found a quiet ease in allowing my life to unravel. Without resistance, I let things fall apart in good faith that they would reorder in a new formation that would benefit my life. And I have to say that in these first two weeks of the new year, I actually feel refreshed, renewed, and excited for things to come.