September: Tapas

Welcome to September! On our exploratory journey we now reach Tapas, the third Niyama, or ethical observance of yoga.  Tapas is Sanskit for heat.  Please see below after this month's News!

NEWS:
 
In August I returned again to Calgary, Canada to began the accredited yoga therapy certification program that has been my dream for the past 18 months.  This program offers a path to health and healing that I wholeheartedly believe in--one that goes more deeply than a typical ‘treat the condition’ therapeutic approach, and instead starts with seeing and uncovering the unique movement and holding patterns in each individual - with recognizing bracing, gripping, tensing in the body or holding of the breath - and helping peel back those patterns to begin the strengthen where there is ease and build stability without pain.  There are no templates to follow. There is simply serving each person in their own personal journey to greater wellbeing and ease and supporting their own life practice and transformation.  I couldn’t be more grateful to have been accepted into this exclusive program and to be training alongside an inspiring group of gifted fellow teachers.
 
Let me know how I can help support your own practice and journey towards healing. 
 
September brings some exciting new announcements:
 
--Therapeutic Yoga Group and Private Session Package:  This is a ‘best of both worlds’ blended yoga package to advance your personal health and healing:  two therapeutic group classes to guide you in moving in a way that is pain-free and connected to your natural breath, coupled with two private yoga therapy sessions to address your unique needs and progress toward your desired goals.  Group class dates are September 17th and October 1st from 2:30-3:45 pm, held at Body Grace Fitness and Yoga in Vienna, VA; private sessions scheduled to meet your needs, held in the privacy of your own home.  All props provided.  This package limited to just 6 participants and is filling quickly. Reserve your class spot with Jan at bodygrace@verizon.net.
 
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Great news!  I can come offer a customized workshop or interactive presentation to your group, office or organization.  See below for examples of such offerings coming up in September, and contact me to schedule something for you. 
 
--Featured speaker:  This month I am sharing with a local church women’s group ways to bring greater balance to mood using breath, movement and stillness.
 
--Corporate luncheon workshop series.  I will also be starting a monthly luncheon corporate workshop series on relieving stress and improving mental focus, using "mini-break" yoga tools for self-care in the office. 
 
 
Looking forward to October: Amy Weintraub has invited to me again to assist her when she returns to Yogaville to offer a weekend workshop: LifeForce Yoga to Manage Your Mood: Depression and Anxiety.  The workshop will take place from October 14-16 and will be held at the Yogaville Satchidananda Ashram in Buckingham, VA.  Learn more here. 
 

September:  Tapas
 
At first glance, an ethical yoga observance called "heat" might seem odd.  No, this is not an ancient and subtle instruction to practice hot yoga.  Thankfully again we can find clarity in guidance offered from Deborah Adele’s work The Yamas and Niyamas: Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice.   Tapas, or “heat",  Adele tells us,  “can be translated as catharsis, austerities, self-discipline, spiritual effort, change, tolerance, or transformation.  Tapas then has the sense of “cooking” ourselves in the fire of discipline to transform ourselves into something else.

Folks, basically to me is sounds like where the rubber meets the road.

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