“The state of your surroundings tells the condition of your soul.” - unknown Shaucha/Saucha is the first of the five niyamas [personal observances], which form the second limb of yoga as described in "The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali." The term literally means purity, cleanliness and clearness. It refers to purity of mind, speech and body.
The habits we pick up throughout life off the mat may or may not serve us, and the idea of our practice is to recognise what doesn’t help us and what does, coming towards a state in which everything we do aids us towards being happier, healthier and more awake and aware in life. If we take our ‘bad’ habits on to the mat with us, then our practice becomes a lot harder, we have to sift through the ‘impurities’ or negativity we’ve picked up before reaping the benefits of Yoga. Impurities we try to shed can be mental & physical. Practicing cleanliness of body, mind, spirit and surroundings will help direct us towards a pure and positive life. Some ways to "cleanse": Neti - nasal cleansing Dhauti - cleansing of digestive tract Nauli - abdominal massage Bhasti - colon cleansing Kappalabhati - breath of fire Our environment can reflect our state of mind. You’ll probably identify with the fact that when our bedrooms or homes are messy, our minds can often feel a little messy and cluttered too. When we’re surrounded by a clean environment however, with clear surfaces, possessions that we need – and not possessions we’ve hoarded over the years and can’t bear to get rid of – and the sense of having space to breathe, then we’re likely to feel a whole lot better and clearer in our minds. Not only does having a clean place to practice in, and a clean mat to practise on feel good, it shows a sign of respect towards our practice. MENTORSHIP WITH VICYASA™... Yoga with Victor's mentorship program... for teachers looking to sharpen their tools and hone in on varying skills that will make you more proficient at sequencing, teaching anatomy, or widening their skill set to become a successful instructor and craft your own business model. What if you're not a teacher and would like to prepare for training or enhance your ever-hungry-desire to absorb all things yoga? Holla' at me. Feel like your 200 hour training ended with you needing more questions answered? Want to expand on those teachings? Do you feel like there are areas of your teaching repertoire that need enhancing? Contact me for more info and enrollment. PRIVATES: ONE-TO-ONE WORK! If you want to set up any private sessions or events, please contact me through email. You can learn more about privates: CLICK HERE! SINGLE CLASSES We've added single class purchases to our on-demand offerings. How does it work? A $17 payment will give you access to a single pre-recorded class with Victor or anyone on his staff. The private link with unique access code will give you entry to that class, which you can load anytime you want. You'll have 24-hours of unlimited access to that class. No refunds, returns and you must use that class within 24-hours of receiving it before it expires. You can request a teacher on our on-demand options... featuring Demetra Kentrotas (@d_meetch), Leanne McDermott (@leannerays), Elinor Cohen (@elinorraerigby) and others. YOGA AT OHHHMMM LIVE VIRTUAL SCHEDULE: MONDAY: 10/21/2024 NO CLASSES TUESDAY: 10/22/2024 NO CLASSES WEDNESDAY: 10/23/2024 NO CLASSES THURSDAY: 10/24/2024 NO CLASSES FRIDAY: 10/25/2024 NO CLASSES SATURDAY: 10/26/2024 NO CLASSES SUNDAY: 10/27/2024 NO CLASSES *ALL CLASSES EST *SESSIONS 45/60 MINUTES *WAIVER STATEMENT: I understand that I must be in good physical health to participate in these classes, that my participation may cause an injury and that I should consult with my physician before I take a class. I am taking these classes at my own risk. I waive any claim for personal injury and any other damages that I may have against the school, studio and/or the teachers who are offering these classes. *NEW REGULAR RATES:
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On Tuesday night, the vibe and energy at Earth Yoga was just REAL! I had the pleasure of leading a power hot vinyasa class that just kept me buzzing days later. There is nothing like seeing a community of asana practitioners cultivating high levels of awareness, smiling and taking themselves to their limits with great recognition and profound focus. Was it hot? Yup. Was it sweaty? Absolutely. Did any of that take these yogis away from their "atha," their NOW? Nope. With every inhale and ensuing exhale, I felt the power of breathing and absorbed their intensity. Earth yogis… as I told you after class, there's no other place I would rather have been than there with you. Thank you. Namaste, Vic Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in. Remember this when you step onto your mat. Asana practice is not about the ideal form. Nor is it about mimicking what's on a cover of a magazine. Or, what droves of people think is beautiful on Instagram or Facebook. It's about feeling, which is individual and each one of us owns it -- that is beautiful. Falling out of pose, trying to get into the next one, holding onto the frustration and making-up for the last pose… let it go. Move onto the next "atha." The next now. As I stated in another blog post, those are the necessary "cracks" that let the light in. Every breathe is a now. Every pose is a now. You fall trying to get into Bakasana… you move on. The cracks are necessary. The light truly illuminates once it penetrates complete darkness. So embrace the falling, the toppling over, or the times where you perceive the "perfect offering" is not attainable. Smile. Laugh. And then go towards your next "now" and remember that cracks truly let the light in. Why be in darkness? "Now through the teachings of Yoga."
During asana practice there is only one moment … "Atha." NOW! What matters most than being in your now? A very important teaching and the reason why this is one of my favorite of Patanjali's sutras. It is the first one of the first pada! Every time you inhale… that's your now. Every time you exhale… that is your now. Whenever we fall out of a pose… our now is to move onto the next. If we're in an posture that just feels masterful or just dreading … embrace the now, but are we gripping onto that and savoring every atha thereafter? How could we adopt this away from our mat? |
AuthorVicyasa™, your full-time dopamine dealer ... don't allow my confidence to offend your insecurity. Archives
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