Sep 20, 2023 | Sedona Yoga
by Lisette Cheresson, SYF Communications Director
photo by Ty Dobbs
The autumnal equinox is upon us — the moment of equal parts light and dark, night and day; the moment when the world is in a state of balance, at least on its axis. It ushers in the changing of the seasons, a moment of transition from the levity and playfulness of summer to the beginning of a more introspective season brought on by those shorter days and nights.
Yoga is many things, of course, but can be at its foundation viewed as a practice of balance; both physical and metaphysical, in mind and in body, in philosophy and in practice.
The idea of balance is touted often in asana classes: classes are sometimes constructed entirely upon sequences that build to a peak balance pose. Instructors will often use postures such as Tree Pose to illustrate that the sense of inner calm necessary to hold the pose can be illustrative in other moments or challenges in life. The resiliency required by balancing asanas can be viewed in other contexts as lessons for living a more balanced life.
The more general teachings of yoga are also pertinent as we explore the idea of balance in practice. We seek the balance of integrated movement and breath. We aim to live a life in pursuit of service to others and in the knowing of our interconnectedness. When living in integrity of our dharma, we seek balance of personal goals with those of our human family as a whole. We are called to explore the balance of light and dark in our lives, and strive for living in the light even while acknowledging the shadow of our darkness.
Sutra 2.46, “sthira sukham asanam,” can be interpreted as a philosophical call to balance. It translates to an instruction that postures need be both steady and easeful; that when we come to practice meditation or asana, we are seeking that balance of effort and ease. We open our minds and hearts to meditation when we are able to sink into our breath, and be fully in the present, without being aware of pain or unease in our physical bodies. We are in the most expressive version of asana when we are steady and still in our expression — not when we hit the most “advanced-looking” version. The balance of ease and effort defines the way that we integrate our yoga into our selves, and informs the way these lessons show up in our everyday lives.
And so, on this autumnal equinox, may you find both comfort and inspiration in your practice, and in the natural world as we tip the scales toward winter. Happy fall!
Apr 18, 2023 | Programming Spotlights, Sedona Yoga Festival Teacher Feature
By Donna Schnoor, E-RYT500/YACEP owner of Yoga4Ullc
Lead image by Arin Pitcher
As yoga practitioners, most of us have heard the term sthira sukham asanam. It is one of the most often quoted aphorisms in Patangali’s Yoga Sutras, (2.46). In general translation it stands for steadiness and ease in your seat. So what does all this have to do with the term “hugging to midline”?
The “midline” is the imaginary vertical axis that bisects the whole body, from the crown of the head all the way down to the foundation. If you’re familiar with construction, think of it like a plumb line. In Yoga think of it as the Sushumna, the vertical axis or channel in the subtle body where your pranic energy flows. The midline is the foundation in which each posture is built.
Physically drawing or (hugging) into the midline will help make your practice stronger and more stable. Instead of using the outermost muscles to support the pose, we learn to engage the deep inner muscles, so the pose starts from the inside out, rather than the outside in.
On an emotional and spiritual level, finding your midline helps us to find that inner strength and stability to cultivate balance in our lives. This balance between action and stillness, or steady and comfortable. This balance supports you from the inside, just as the physical action of muscles hugging to midline supports our bodies in practice.
Eckart Tolle speaks of “feeling the inner body as a way of connecting to the present moment”.
When we come to our first seat of practice, we find our own physical space, we turn inwards to access something deeper within ourselves in which to build our practice.
As we start to move, we begin to learn to ‘hug-in’, to firm the muscles around the bone, to create a strong and stable foundation in our practice.
Learning to ‘hold our center’ gives us the support we need when being pulled off balance with life’s experiences, whether they be physical, emotional, or mental.
When we reach Savasana, our opportunity for relaxation and integration, we find our center once again, both physically and mentally, and from this center we can experience a sense of letting go.
Explore your midline and the foundation for functional asana with Donna at SYF2023, April 27–30! Passes are available here.
Apr 18, 2023 | Programming Spotlights, Sedona Yoga Festival Teacher Feature
by Nilanjana Banerjee, RDM Studio
Lead image by The Dreamy Pomgrn8
Odissi is a 2000-year-old dance from Eastern India. This dance is rooted in yoga, bhakti and spirituality. It connects the human spirit to the divine and was performed for centuries inside the temples by female dancers. These women were the equivalent of the priestesses in the temples using powerful Sanskrit mantras and dance movements to worship and invoke the Gods and Goddesses.
Dance movement is another somatic modality like yoga, breathwork, meditation and sound bath to open up your chakras, and create more space specially in your ribcage, and hips. These are areas in the body that are most stuck in todays modern world.There are senescent cells that form when someone undergoes trauma that holds onto the memories within their cells. It’s like they are frozen in time.
Odissi dance movements are unique in the sense that there is a significant movement of the neck, rib cage and opening of the hips. According to Dr Mima, who specializes in mind body connection,
“As a woman in modern day life, you spend very little time on these areas and in fact sitting at desks, driving cars actually keeps the hips and ribs closed. Over time this constricts proper airflow and the energy within the sacral chakra. By opening the hips and ribs in this dance you increase blood flow to your sacrum and oxygenation to your lungs and chest organs. Dancing barefoot also connects the body with earth’s energy. The earth carries an electromagnetic field and when we connect barefoot with the earth we literally ground our energy and rebalance ourselves. This relieves anxiety and stress and also helps rebalance the adrenal and endocrine glands in the body.”
Both masculine (shiva) and feminine (shakthi) energies are addressed in this dance. Once the strong masculine moves and softer feminine moves are mastered, the dancer begins to internalize the moves and their meaning. This is very similar to meditation. In dance you not only connect with yourself in flow, but you are also connecting with the divine. There is deep healing when this occurs.
Nilanjana says, “working with numerous adult students, over a period of time I realized the power of my dance, how I was not only teaching them an ancient art but also healing them with my energy, giving them the power and confidence of a Devi. Be it physical injuries or deep emotional trauma, most of their traumas came to the surface during the course of my regular teaching. There was an emotional release and sometimes continuing the practice helped many deal with traumatic life situations, empowering them to find and embody the strength of the Gods/Goddesses and even transform their outcomes to a point of reaching bliss. Of course this takes time, dedication and practice. But it’s the discipline and commitment that makes all the difference.”
It is believed that one can access the Anandmaya kosha by regularly practicing this dance and being immersed in this sadhana.
Please join Nilanjana and RDM Studio for Trauma Workshop 8.00 am on Friday April 28th and an upcoming dance performance at SYF2023. Passes are available here!
Apr 18, 2023 | Programming Spotlights, Sedona Yoga
by Judyth Shamosh, Ph.D., Systems Herbalist
Ayurveda
A philosophy for perfecting
through the art of the heart,
the timeless Truths of millennia
balancing Beauty
and graceful Goodness
to manifest our material matter
in harmony and healthful rhythm
to understand the Universe
to understand ourselves.
~J. Shamosh
Ayurveda is the earliest form of medicine on our planet originating in India well over 5000 years ago. It was, at first, a Vedic oral tradition before it was eventually written down. From northern India, the knowledge and wisdom of Ayurveda spread and was modified as it expanded throughout the world. Ayurveda is the Big Bang of medicine.
Ayurveda for over 5000 years has continually valued what modern physics has shown to be reality—the foundation of life is consciousness and body or energy-matter, but the essence of life is the spirit-awareness, the “heart of matter” –part of the living cosmic web of life. Our lives are physics and poetry, matter and expression, context and awareness. It is this fundamental understanding and wisdom of all aspects of life that renders Ayurveda so valuable in maintaining our health.
The vital science and system of Ayurveda provides guidance for living in harmony with our inner, microcosmic, and outer, macrocosmic, environments as well as other beings around us. Ayurveda’s way of teaching us is very poetic, because life is poetic, with much more going on between the lines than is readily apparent by just the material facts themselves.
Ayurveda is unique in that it clearly informs us how to live in harmony with Nature. One may call it the original ecological worldview where the fundamental interdependence of all living systems is primary. Ayurveda encompasses all aspects of life—our physical bodies, our thoughts and emotions, our spiritual connections, our relationships and inter-relationships to each other and the other living systems in our environment. Ayurveda teaches us how to maintain a dynamic harmony with these concepts to maintain and regain our health.
The Five Phases of Ayurveda precisely and poetically, describes the energetic processes that are inherent in the energy and matter of our bodies. The actions and experiential effects of the Five Phases transmit the chemical actions or potency of herbs and foods into our bodies to help us heal and maintain our health. Ayurveda’s foundational theory of the Five Phases combine in different ways to constitute our doshas. Learning the roots of the Five Phases gives us a more profound understanding of our doshas.
Explore more Ayurveda techniques, recipes, and foundational philosophy with Judyth and many more at SYF2023 April 27–30! Passes available here.
Apr 15, 2023 | Sedona Yoga
Nature Beyond Thread‘s activewear are original designs curated by founder Noelle Kristine’s captivating photographs of stunning natural landscapes, encountered during her global travels. The images evoke a sense of tranquility, serenity, and harmony. Scientifically, looking at pictures of nature speeds up mental restoration and improves cognitive functioning — as well as restoring focus, reducing depression, and improving our overall mood. This means that stepping into NBT’s activewear will not only help you remember to ground throughout the day; gazing at the intricate patterns of nature on your body will also help put you in a better mood and help restore focus. Their activewear also serves as a much needed, gentle reminder that you ARE nature — fashioned from the very same particles as the powerful ocean, grains of sand, ridged mountains, starry skies, and rippling plains.
Their distinctive clothing line transforms these mesmerizing landscapes into wearable masterpieces that allow individuals to showcase their love for nature while embodying a sense of adventure and exploration. Through NBT’s extraordinary creations, you’ll discover the perfect fusion of art, fashion and sustainability brought to life in their stunning active wear collections. Immerse yourself in the beauty and serenity of nature, masterfully woven into every garment and join their mission to create a world where style, nature and ethical practices unite to leave a lasting impact.
We caught up with Noelle to learn more about how this incredible brand came to be. Read on for more!
So cool that you drew inspiration from your travels to create NBT clothing. Is there a particular space or story that stands out to you?
I had been traveling alone with my camera for years, capturing the intricacies of remote regions and environments that were only visited by others, occasionally. The photos from these solo adventures are filled with excitement, enjoyment, and fond memories of all that I have experienced and the people that I have met along the way. Nonetheless, solo travel is, inevitably, an isolating experience. My landscapes invariably capture that isolation. Much like my own approach to life, landscapes that we see in places like National Parks are content with themselves, fearlessly independent, and unafraid of changing on their own time, at their own pace. They change slightly, slowly and cautiously, yet never make an excuse for their own growth and transformations. I am hoping that our designs will inspire exploration for others and for them to create their own personal connections to nature, people and art.
What’s a way nature / nature-inspired beauty has fostered a sense of connection or calm in your own life?
When I was younger at my family’s cabin in Lake Tahoe, my dad introduced me to skiing at Heavenly Mountain and that forever changed my view of the natural world. Even though I was terrified at the time, I was so mesmerized by the superb beauty of the jagged granite snow-capped mountains that surrounded me. I was in absolute awe of the epic setting and from that moment on I began to have a love for the outdoors and the feeling it gives me. I am at peace when sporting yoga pants and a backpack on an outdoor adventure. Beyond capturing its natural splendor, outside — among the dirt, trees, rocks, sand, water, grass, and flowers.
What inspired you to create “wearable nature?” Was there an “aha / eureka moment” for you?
After learning about the positive effects that nature and nature photography have on the brain, it sparked a sense of hope + inspiration when looking at my landscape photographs in the darkest depths of 2020. I decided to take this inspiration in my work to pursue it further. It’s important to recognize the power that nature has in our lives, and to find ways to incorporate it into our daily routines. Sustainable fashion became a passion of mine after researching the impact that fast fashion is having on our planet. I loved the idea that this seamlessly blends some of my other passions such as landscape photography and the great outdoors. I also love that it has relived my adventures while inspiring others.
What do you want people to feel when they wear NBT clothing?
Our imaginative approach offers customers an opportunity to stand out from the crowd and showcase their passion for art and nature. Wearing NBT is not just about style; it’s also about sharing a story and connecting with a global community of like-minded individuals who value the planet and its diverse beauty. Not only do we want them to feel calm and grounded throughout the day, but we also want women to feel empowered – Nature is Art, so we want them to become the art and unleash the artist within them.
Do you have a personal favorite piece or collection?
Of course, all are a personal favorite but when deciding which designs to choose for our launch, my Death Valley photographic collection stands out. The stark beauty of the landscape provides compositions, textures, patterns, and shapes that are both subtle and striking. In this collection, you can see how the landscape changes depending on the time of day and how the shifting light can transform the scene from ordinary to extraordinary with colors and shadows that dance across the landscape and the details within. For example, our designs named Mesquite and Sand Dunes sets are taken at the same location but at different times of the day. Mesquite was taken at sunset while Sand Dunes was taken at sunrise.
How often do you come out with new patterns/series?
We launched at the beginning of 2022 so it’s been a year pushing the first 11 designs to bring brand awareness and sharing our story. Nature Beyond Threads will be coming out with new patterns and collections this year.
