BARBARA BORIS Yoga

We all have much to be thankful for living in the Woodstock area. I hope you add to your list how profound it is that we are able to freely practice yoga and to spend time on the spiritual path. This is one of our greatest blessings in life.

Have a great holiday, and I look forward to seeing you in this year’s

Post Thanksgiving Digestion Class
Friday, November 25
11:00 to 1:00 p.m.
Mountain View Studio, Woodstock
$20

(Mountain View Studio is just off of Rock City Road, opposite the Colony Cafe, behind the Main Free Public Parking Lot)

NOTE: Please bring your own mat if you have one, I usually run out in these big classes. Thanks.

This class is open to all levels and all students of all styles of yoga. But please, no absolute beginners or major injuries for this class. It will be moving too fast for your safety.

The Apana Vayu Prana is the main downward digestion energy of the body. Although most yoga classes and postures are done to stimulate the upward flow of Prana to lead towards Enlightenment, unless the downward Apana Vayu is moving correctly, congestion, blockages, sluggishness, constipation, and dullness will result.

It’s not: “You are what you eat.”  It’s: “You are what you don’t poop out!”

After a feasting holiday, it is good to work on asanas to stimulate this downward apana and the digestive circulating samana pranic flows. This will be a STRONG yoga class. Besides stimulating the Apana & Samana Vayu Pranas, we will work to stimulate the Agni Gastric Fire. Please let me know before class if you are having your period. Some abdominal asanas are not appropriate during menstruation. Alternate postures will be offered for you, so don’t let that be an excuse not to come.

We will work on the following:

* kriyas to stimulate digestion and elimination
* asanas to stimulate digestion and elimination
* jumpings in the various asanas and vinyasana
* inversions
* twists, compressions, and stretches to the abdomen
* a long expansive restorative pose to relax the abdomen and belly at the end

Regular 2 hour students can use their class card to pay the discounted $18 price. If you have an 1 1/2 hour card add $4. All other students pay $20.

Please be at the studio by 10:45 to sign in and get a space.
See the previous post “Be A Yogi, Be On Time!”

If you wish to register and pay in advance with PayPal you will reserve your space.

All levels / ALL students of all styles of yoga welcome!
We will work on broadening and softening the abdomen
to get you relaxed and ready to feast.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 23rd, 4:30-6:00 p.m.
Mountain View Studio, 20 Mountain View Avenue, Woodstock
$15

THIS COULD BE YOU! YOU DESERVE IT!
I promise to get you out the door so you can finish your grocery shopping before the stores close.

Hello Woodstock Yogis:  I just got an email from a student in today’s class:

“Just wondering if you might say something in class about beginning on time. To me, for a class that begins at 10, I need to be set up and sitting on my mat by 10. It seems that folks are arriving later and later. Is this just our class, or is this the “Woodstock Time” culture? I can let go if you feel c’est la vie, but somehow I don’t think this gets past you. I am confident BKS would not let folks get away with this.“

Well…. OK STUDENTS! PLEASE COMMENT! I’ve been on about this in the past, I’ve locked the doors, pleaded, etc. It is so disrespectful to everyone involved. Please be in your seat 5 minutes before class starts. There will always be exceptions, but I’m there 30 minutes early, and you are coming 5 minutes late…. Isn’t this supposed to be a spiritual practice… not some exercise class you attend?

With that, it’s time to go over:
THE BASICS OF ATTENDING A YOGA CLASS AT MOUNTAIN VIEW STUDIO.

“Be A Yogi, Be On Time!”
It’s not about strictness, but about the ethical principles of yoga. YAMA & NIYAMA.
(See Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras for more on the Yama & Niyama.)

YAMA

1. AHIMSA. NON-VIOLENCE. Coming late is a violent act, to yourself, to the other students in the class and to me the teacher. It is disruptive and disrespectful. Please be ready sitting meditating or quietly relaxing/ stretching on your mat 5-10 minutes before class. This allows you and the rest of the students to get into the mood for yoga class. You will be less rushed and calmer. This a good way to prepare for yoga.
2. SATYA. TRUTHFULNESS. I use Time-Warner Cable as my time piece and the main clock in the studio is atomic timed. Leave your house 5 minutes early so it’s not about a couple of minutes. Be truthful to yourself about how much time it takes for you to get out the door and get to class. You know how long it takes to get into town. Are you always 1 minute late when going to to see a film?
3. ASTEYA. NOT STEALING. Coming late is stealing the time and the quietness set up at the beginning of class from the other students. They came on time and are ready to go, the late student steals their time and space. You all know what it’s like to be sitting in meditation “OM-ing” and then hear the toilet flush. Am I to wait for everyone to pee, get their props, etc? They paid for class and came on time. You are stealing their yoga class from them and my attention from teaching.
4. BRAHMACHARYA. SEXUAL CONTINENCE. Well… unless you are having a *quickie* before class, I can’t figure out how to tie this one in to being on time. Any suggestions? Use your sexual continence to focus your energy to being on time for at least ONE THING today with out rushing.
5. APARIGRAHA. NON-HOARDING. Do you really need to get “one more thing done” before walking out the door? Aparigraha is similar to stealing, but much more subtle and pervasive. It’s about not believing that the time will be there when you return to do that errand, etc. Aparigraha also refers to “freedom from rigidity of thought” (BKS Iyengar). Do you have to arrive exactly the minute class is supposed to start? What’s that about?

NIYAMA (fill in the commentary yourself…)

1. SAUCHA. Cleanliness.
   
2. SANTOSHA. Contentment.
   
3. TAPAS. Self Discipline.
4. SVADHYAYA. Self Study.
5. ISVARA PRANIDHANA. Surrender to God.

AND NOW IF YOU HAPPEN TO ARRIVE LATE…

• If the door is LOCKED, please wait outside until I come to the lobby and unlock it. I will begin locking the door next week at the beginning of class after we go over this post in all classes.
• If the door is UNLOCKED, please wait very quietly in the lobby until I motion to you to come into the studio. This will be AFTER the OM, Invocation, and any introductory talk I might be giving.
• When you do come in, please put your mat down as efficiently and quietly as you can. Just put your mat down by the door or anywhere. Do not get any props. Sit down or join what we are doing in the class. You can get your props the next time there is movement in the room. You can move to another space later when we re-arrange the mats or at an appropriate time. If you are late, you can’t have your “favorite” spot in the room!
• If you must leave early, please tell me at the beginning of the class so I can make sure you get a savasana (final relaxation) and that the sequence ends for you in an appropriate manner. My classes are very planned to warm you up and cool you down on all levels. It’s not good just to walk out without savasana.
• If you must leave early, keep your clothes in the lobby, pick up your mat and quietly leave BEFORE the rest of the class takes savasana. Do not leave while they are in savasana. Put your props away before your own savasana or leave them in place. Next time pick up more props as a trade off.

Finally:

I will make every effort to END ON TIME IF YOU COME ON TIME!

Friday Level II-III Yoga Class will STAY at Mountain View Studio for the month of November.
10:45-12:45 a.m.
It will shift to my house in December.
More info about that soon.
Time will change to 10:00 – 12:00 noon starting in December.

SUNDAY CLASS TIME CHANGES TO 10:00-11:30 a.m.
STARTING THIS WEEK NOVEMBER 6th
It’s also the end of Daylight Savings Time…
don’t forget to change your clocks!