NEWSLETTER - FEBRUARY 2023
Dear One,
As the energy changes from Winter to Spring, snow drops pushing up and tree buds are showing.
Feel this lively light energy in yourselves and use it to practice.
Please include inverted posture in your practice, if not head or shoulder balance then Uttanasana, Prasarita Padottanasana, or Adho Mukha Svanasana where the body is inverted.
Benefits of inverted postures:
· Head and internal organs are fed with fresh blood (A tonic for the brain)
· It clears mucus in the sinuses and lungs
· As the pull of gravity is changed it lifts the internal organs
· Helps glands to function properly especially thyroid and para thyroid in Sarvangasana
· Soothes the nerves
· Recuperates – especially in Halasana
Please practice Sarvangasana:
Looking at photo 223, page 208, in Light on Yoga
Please see bottom of page 205 in L O Y
Technique for going up Page 208, follow instructions photo 232
Then practice Halasana, posture of tranquillity, in the ratio of 3:2 and please follow instructions as if you are a beginner. i.e. 6 minutes straight up and 4 minutes Halasana
The Joy of Living
The purpose of life is to live, and most often we are not!
When you were having breakfast, this morning were you spending quality time sitting tasting the food, or were you reminiscing or planning the day ahead.
On your next activity, say driving to work are you not planning what you are going to say or do?
The average person spends 5% of the waking day present.
You cannot live in the past or the future, where your senses don’t work.
This is not living. How strange that we should choose to live in the past or future rather than the present.
Come into the light of the present moment, out of the past or the future.
How do we wake up? When we have so many habits? These patterns we have learnt such as how to drive, to go online, to use cutlery, all are necessary of course. The first step is to see them. To see what is going on in our minds. Old habits die hard – look at them in an impartial way. Then turn our attention onto the present, wake up and be present without being absorbed by thoughts.
Does it not seem odd that we should prefer the dream world in the head and not life in the present, especially as, dreaming takes so much energy, whereas living in the present connects us to energy.
Energy is always present but sometimes is obscured by clouds.
Clouds formed by thoughts.
It’s like the sun’s rays or energy always shining but sometimes obscured from us by the earth or clouds.
· Bring your attention to what is in front of you.
Your body is your greatest ally, it’s always here and now.
· Your body is your tool, your mantra. Synchronise mind and body in the present.
· Come back into your body. Be at home.
· When practising, giving your full attention to the asana.
I was sorry not to be with you last week; I had a chest infection.
Thanks, Dear Tania who took the Wednesday morning class and Esme took my Thursday midday class.
Some of you are not receiving your newsletter. Please could you let me know if you did not receive an online Christmas card and you should have received newsletters on 11th November, 30th November, 21st December (Yoga students), and 17th January.
We may need to either send smaller batches of the newsletter or try a different system.
Please could you add our email address to your contacts or safe sender list.
Teachers, apologies if you have already received this info.
Don’t forget, our Aura Soma retreat is getting closer.
I know the cost looks high but it’s actually extremely good value considering what you will experience there.
The retreat will run from Thursday 11th to Monday 15th May 2023, with classes and meals on the day of arrival and departure.
All levels of ability are welcome and catered for from beginners to teachers in training. There will be a full programme from dawn until dusk. Select your own programme, there is a great choice of classes; please feel free to attend all or any.
For Early Bird’s enrolling – the cost of the 5-day residential is £980 and 3 days is £588. After 1st March the full price is £1030 & 3 days is £618.
Priority will be given to those booking the 5 days; however, we will have some weekend spaces available. This will be from 4pm on Friday until 4.15pm on Sunday.
The postal address is:
Dev Aura, Little London, Tetford, Lincolnshire, LN9 6QL.
Dear Teachers,
For our Yoga Days, please enrol for the first 3 of the 6 months. It is 3 months and costs £96 for students who have paid for the Wednesday morning class, or £165 for the 3 full days, 9.45am-3pm.
It’s important that you attend every one, however, if you must miss a day, we can send you a recording, as it’s important that you don’t miss any of the course.
A video introduction to anatomy for practitioners and teachers.
A practical talk on natural nutrition.
C.P.R session designed for yogis.
A practical talk in acupuncture.
They work on meridians as we do.
Congratulations to Nicky Dunk on receiving her 1st Teachers Training certificate, and to Marina Djurisic on receiving her 1st and 2nd Teachers Training certificates last week.
With love,
Ruth