Autumn and the Art of Letting Go

Here in California, our change of seasons are subtler than in other parts of the world, but they still impact us.

Photo: strogoscope

Last Friday, I sat outside the DMV as my daughter applied for her driver's permit. There were oak leaves on the ground - beautiful splashes of yellow with orange and brown singing the edges. I picked one up and crumpled it, feeling the rubbery texture of the innermost part of the leaf, the part closest to the stem. Maybe this leaf wasn't quite ready to be released, yet here it was.

Are we ever ready to let go?

As my "baby" begins her rite of passage towards independence, I keep thinking of the rubber part inside, and I wonder if the leaf protests, or just accepts the truth of the season: Fall is for letting go.

The change of the seasons varies year to year and place to place; our ability to accept change varies, too. As a teacher who works primarily with populations that are dealing with change, I see variety in how people let go and accept their new reality. Everyone has a different timeline - some leaves hold out until the very end of the season, after all - and I see my role as helping my students understand what is available to them, no matter the circumstances.

I'm leading two different workshops to round out this very full year. One is geared towards yoga teachers, but is open to practitioners, too; the other is geared towards yoga students, but is open to teachers, too. Both are offering tools to let go of what can't be done, sowing seeds of what can be done, instead.

Break it Down: Adapting Classical Yoga Postures For All Abilities with Talya and Lorien
Saturday, Oct 4, 1:00-4:00pm at MindBody Zone in Fremont, $45
Pre-register HERE


Yoga for Cancer Survivorship Workshop with Lorien
Saturday, Nov 8, 1:30-3:30pm at Samyama Yoga Center in Palo Alto, $35
Pre-register HERE

Whether you are a teacher or a practitioner, you will gain insight on how to use yoga as a tool to let go of what was and work with what is. I hope to see you there. Until then, enjoy the leaves!

Growing Past Being Wrong

My husband and I have a long-running joke about how neither one of us can be wrong. After 14 years of marriage, we've come to the understanding that just because one of us is right, it doesn't make the other wrong. But recently, I've become aware of some hard truths that led me to the realization that I was wrong. (There, Aaron, I said it.) I was wrong about some fundamental things that were really making my life unhappy. Even after I realized these truths, my ego stuffed them down to protect itself. I became defensive and angry as my ego reacted in fear. I was convinced that my life was a power struggle and to admit my mistakes would diminish my power. On this, I was truly and sadly wrong! Admitting my mistakes not only helped my situation, but also empowered me to move forward without the weight of these misconceptions. I am always advocating letting go of the ego in my yoga practice, but it's important to take that off the matt, too. During this process I asked the question "what does the ego do for us?" and the answer that came back was, "it gives us the opportunity to grow." The next time you are faced with a situation - on or off the matt - that makes you defensive, ask yourself if this is an opportunity to grow...

Schedule updates and special events; please see Special Events page for more details...

• Lorien will be on retreat Nov 6-11, but classes will continue with subs.
• Nov 11-12: Lorien's teacher, Tias Little, will be at Breathe Los Gatos for three weekend workshops, and Lorien will be assisting him! Check out his offerings here. You don't want to miss these!
• Special classes: Lorien will be subbing the following classes at Breathe Los Gatos: Tuesday, Nov 29 10:30am Foundations of Flow and Wednesday, Nov 30 noon Gentle Yoga.
• Saturday, December 4th 1:00-3:30om: Sweet Surrender Restorative Workshop at Willow Glen Yoga Studio
• SAVE THE DATE: April 27-29, 2012 Weekend Retreat with Lorien and Marti Foster at Mayacamas Ranch in Calistoga... more info coming soon!

Fall Changes

It's hot - well into the 90's during the day. The leaves are falling and the wind in blowing. Welcome to California's Fall. This time of year brings about change; in fact, it's the only thing about a California Fall that you can accurately predict. Change can be wonderful, but stressful to most of us. It is more important than ever that you listen to your bodies, ground through your feet and find quiet moments of stillness. I am not immune to the stresses of change myself, so I am extra vigilant this season about getting enough sleep, rest and relaxation. Use your practice as medicine; remember the tools of meditation, pranayama and asana to keep or improve your quality of life... it's what yoga is all about.

A new resource

Instead of my monthly What we are practicing now... write-up, I will be posting class sequences on a separate blog. You can access that blog here, or reference the link to the left. I hope it informs and assists you. Please feel free to comment!

Schedule updates

• Thursday nights are happening in Campbell! Move with us at the 5:30 Hatha Flow class or sink deeply into the 7:15 Yin class at The Yoga Studio.
• Wednesday Yin classes at GGBC in Campbell are now 6:00-7:15pm, and the suggested donation is $12 (or volunteer to help with props). Please spread the word about this great opportunity to go deep into the tissues, no matter your level of health or wealth!
• Coming soon: cancer support and therapeutic classes on Tuesdays in Los Gatos; more details TBD...

Riding the Vata wave...

Dearest yogis and yoginis,

I had something completely different written up for this month's newsletter, but when I tuned in to the frenetic energy these past few weeks, I realized I needed to address it, instead. For those of you who came to the fall yoga workshop last month, this will be a bit of a repeat, because our society is definitely experiencing the swirling change of vata energy!

For some of you, our country's economic state may be very destabilizing for you, and you may be experiencing some feelings of betrayal, uncertainty or insecurity. This is a good time to get into your body and move some of that energy out. Do slow, consistent exercises and stretches with a steady breath. Connect with your heart beat, the earth, your breath, and the pauses between your breaths. Find a routine and stick to it. Avoid over-scheduling, rushing, loud noises and depleting your energy reserves.

If you are looking for options to keep to your budget, I have several for you. First, the Monday evening yin and yang class in Campbell is a donation-based class, so feel free to drop in and pay what you can... even if that's a karmic transaction! Second, Willow Glen Yoga offers work exchange options for a variety of jobs, so if you're looking to come to any of their classes in exchange for some time, check out their website for more details. Lastly, if you absolutely cannot make it to class, please see my website for podcasts of classes, including one for those of you stuck at a desk all day long. These podcasts are a great way to supplement/substitute your practice until you can rejoin a class. To find my podcasts, go to www.yogabylorien.com, click on Join a Class, then click on the Podcasts link.

Keep practicing, especially when you don't think you have the time or money - that's when you need it the most!


Namaste,
Lorien

Remember, if you would like to be removed from the newsletter distribution, please let me know. Simply reply with the text “remove from list” in the subject line.

MONTHLY POSE
Anahatasana (heart melting pose)

This pose, affectionately called by some students the "butt in the air pose", is a wonderful release for the back, especially the sacrum. I like the restorative version, where you place a bolster (or 2, if you're more flexible in your back) under your hips and a folded blanket under your chest, allowing your head to "hang" off the blanket to relieve any compression, if it arises, in your neck. You can stay here for up to 5 minutes, turning your head halfway through the pose. Here's a picture of me in the restorative pose:


For a more active version of the pose, check out yinyoga.com. This is a big chest opener! Remember to pad under your knees and only hold the pose as long as your neck feels comfortable.

Moving into Fall

Dearest yogis and yoginis,

I am sending this newsletter out a bit early this month, because I wanted to give you ample notice about this Labor Day weekend's classes (see below). I hope to see you in one of the three I will be teaching. Also, there are two new podcasts available for you to practice with: You can listen to the files from my website (go to yogabylorien.com, click Join a class, then click Podcasts), or download the files from Ourmedia. It's important that we reconnect with our practices this time of year, to really solidify our routines as life becomes more hectic. It will serve you into the holiday, too. For more information on how our practice changes in fall, and to set up for a natural state of meditation, come to the Fall Yoga Workshop on Sept 13.


Namaste,
Lorien

Remember, if you would like to be removed from the newsletter distribution, please let me know. Simply reply with the text “remove from list” in the subject line.

MONTHLY POSE
Supta Padangusthasana (reclining big toe pose)
I chose this pose for its grounding elements, so try to find a sense of stability within the pose. It is also a great pose to shake off fatigue at the end of the day!
Click here for pictures, variations and instruction.