Yoga at OHM Newsletter Victor Cotto Vicyasa™ 5/5-5/11/2025: Learning to Stand. Learning to Stay

Learning to Stand. Learning to Stay
"Muddy water, let stand, becomes clear." - Lao Tzu

(This week's newsletter was composed by our dynamic on-demand teacher and full time writer Elinor Cohen. Check out her Instagram HERE and her amazingly empowering advanced & intermediate sessions on our on-demand archives.)

Spring is here, so why do I feel like mud? Good question.

Spring is finally here, for real this time. It’s warm, humid, and the flowers are in full bloom. But maybe you don’t feel quite so springy. Why, with this new season upon us, do you feel like mud?  

Maybe it’s because

• It’s been a long, hard winter.
• Growth is uncomfortable.
• You’ve planted the seeds of change but they haven’t yet come to fruition.

Patience is the one of the hardest things to master, and do we ever really master it anyway?

Yoga teaches us to move through what we’re experiencing but also to stay.

In springtime, it’s customary to reference the lotus flower. After all, we are in Kapha season in Ayurveda, yoga’s sister science. Kapha season is all about moving slowly and slogging through the heaviness. There’s warmth but there’s also weight, as moisture is weighing you down. As for the lotus flower, it quite literally blooms from mud, proving that beauty can come from the most unexpected and unassuming of places.

But the lotus isn’t the only thing that emulates progress, flourishing, and change. Think even simpler, all the way back to the real basics, and Tadasana (standing mountain pose) comes to mind.

Mountain pose isn’t necessarily associated with springtime but maybe it should be.  

From a practical perspective, the best time to take a hike or, dare I say climb a mountain, is when the weather is mild. Unfortunately, oftentimes when we climb mountains, when we reach for spaces, when we go for the literal top, the subsequent question is, “What’s next?” When we reach the mountaintop, typically we just think about how we’ll get down.

What if we chose to stay? What if we stood tall in Tadasana, mountain pose, and let our heels sink into the mud? What if it felt mushy and squishy and uncomfortable? What if our sneakers became muddy and our socks got wet but we stood in Tadasana anyway and just took it all in?

I suspect that once we’d descended the mountain, we’d be better off for it. We’d realize our resilience and we’d see that growth is incremental. It’s sticky, muddy, uncomfortable, and painful even, but eventually it’s beautiful.  

Here’s to spring. Here’s learning to stand in the mud.

A PEEK INTO MENTORSHIP WITH VICYASA™...
Many prospective teachers, graduates of teacher training(s) and a handful of you that have a desire just to dive deeper into the many aspects of a yoga practice and teaching yoga regularly have been impacted greatly by our bespoke mentoring program.

Mentorship sessions can include sharing the exact experience lived, the practical wisdom I and other teachers have gained from our journey in their domain. We are highly skilled at directing strategies and processes that can sometimes transfer across different contexts.

Yoga is a journey as much as a practice. In fact, it's a journey that should never end. Those of us on that journey should be open to learning new things. We should be open to new experiences. That is what mentorship offers. It's an opportunity for a more experienced yoga teacher to share their experiences with you.

I am willing to work with anyone on a 1:1 basis or mini-group. There will be suggestions for your practice/teachings, you get a catered to you manual with loads of vital information and to take notes and record your questions or concerns. I will curate a personalized practice for you, based on your interest, needs, questions and situation. You then take this practice into your own life. What you discovered, felt, experienced, or learned through the lens of our personal practice will then create the context for potential offerings or paths you take whether in your personal or business life. The practices may be adapted, changed, modified, or added to.

This relationship is important for professionalized yoga teachers. It’s important because as we dive into the industry we often muddy the waters between ‘teaching’ and ‘personal path.' Furthermore the environment of the yoga industry can be difficult to navigate. No one should try to do it on their own.

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: 5/5/2025
NO CLASSES

TUESDAY: 5/6/2025
NO CLASSES

WEDNESDAY: 5/7/2025
NO CLASSES

THURSDAY: 5/8/2025
NO CLASSES

FRIDAY: 5/9/2025
NO CLASSES

SATURDAY: 5/10/2025
NO CLASSES

SUNDAY: 5/11/2025
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.

REGULAR RATES:

• $65 for 30 days of UNLIMITED CLASSES! (includes on-demand)
• $17 for 1 pre-recorded class (24 hour access from purchase)

PAYMENT:
VENMO -- @Vicyasa
Paypal -- [email protected]

NAMASTE,
Victor Cotto
www.YogaWithVictor.com
Instagram: CottoVic
Facebook: Yoga With Victor - Vicyasa™