How's the Weather in There? Turbulent Snow Squalls, Calm Inner Seas: Inside, Outside—Class Cancellations
In an age of constant acceleration,
nothing can be more exhilarating than going slow.
In an age of constant distraction
nothing is so luxurious as paying attention.
In an age of constant movemet
nothing is so urgent as sitting still
—Pico Iyer
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I am just back from a week with my teacher, Tias Little, of PrajnaYoga, completing the first 45 hours in a 150-hour program to become acertified SATYA (Sensory Awareness Training for Yoga Attunement)teacher. Briefly, SATYA is primarily floor-based movements that Tias hascodified, combining elements of Hanna Somatic Movement and Feldenkrais,and decades of his own experience as a teacher and yoga-naut. In thispractice we recognize that healing can only happen slowly, that to healthe body, heart and nervous system requires slowing down. SATYA is apowerful way to train this process of slowing down and looking inward.The movements themselves include sliding, dragging, and rocking, in anon weight-bearing position. The process of compression/decompression,or squeeze and release actions help to release tightness and holding inthe tissues.
It's remarkable work. So many of us are trapped in "speed" in ourbodies, accelerating constantly (as Pico Iyer so aptly notes above).SATYA trains mindfulness in the body in a way that I have neverexperienced, even in restorative and other slower methodologies, in 30years of practicing yoga. In training our attention to subtle movementwe get below the radar of the thinking mind and 'doing' body in a reallypowerful way. Regularly, we pause to notice, feel, and find Savasana.By repeatedly noting feelings, sensations, pulsations (ie, "how's theweather in there?") we train the skill of awareness, we learn to comeback to Shamatha, or grounded awareness, again and again. It istransforming both my asana and meditation practices.
If you have come to my classes recently you know I have started to integrate some of this work into my classes.
I love speed. I love active practice. I love the sweat and euphoria andsheer power of a challenging asana practice. I think the two go hand inhand, but that when we disregard the need to slow down, our activepractices can become reckless—pounding out poses in a way that janglesour nervous system and perpetuates injury and overuse. Energetically,if we use a practice to momentarily mute difficult feelings and justride the waves of bliss, we feel good in the moment but it doesn't lastlong. Sometimes in our relentless pursuit of "bliss" we careen headlongpast the other layers—including pain, discernment, true presence.
I hope in the winter to offer a class that combines SATYA followed by astrong hatha practice, as I ultimately see my own practice as a skillfulblending of both, and I want to share that with interested students.Stay tuned!
In the meantime, I will likely be including a little bit of this work inmost of my classes, in the first few minutes of class. I hope those ofyou who study with me will let me know how it works for you.
Finally, I can never truly express how much gratitude I have for you—theUpper Valley Yoga Sangha, as well as the uniquely talented and kindteachers who grace my roster at the studio, and my own many teachers.Happy Thanksgiving—may your own hearts fill with gratitude and love andmay we all keep radiating that love and gratitude out into our troubledworld.
Love,
Leslie