.... and fly

 

Once, in my wanderings, I came to know a place that held within it the voice of the world like no other I had ever encountered. I don’t know why this place spoke to me so. It may have been the small brook that had, through gentle persistence, carved its way to the soul of itself with a sound like the whisper of grace in motion. Or the old and gnarled maples, still towering and stately, who gave their secrets only to those who sat with them long enough to understand the deep stillness that created and was created by them. I loved this place.  

The place though was less affected by the play of the human world than was I, and the time came when I was to leave it behind. At first I felt the recoiling that still accompanies the threat of loss even though the passage of time has taught me often that I needn’t be afraid; new possibility awaits on the other side. I came to understand that this loss, like so many others, was determined by choices and circumstance set in motion long before I had ever known it as a gain. It was never not to be.

This understanding gave me strength and I did not turn away from its heartrending beauty in my final days with the place that had grown into my soul. Instead I leaned in to hear the words this unlikely love of mine might say. She whispered in my ear: Truth and love were not meant to be held in place but to be carried and shared with those who have not yet known them. Take me with you. And fly.

~Kate Pousont Scarborough, RYT 500, 

Director Shelburne Falls Yoga~

Sweet and Steady

  

 

Early one morning, as the sun began to peek above the horizon, I settled into a seat yet again, ready to begin another day and another practice.  Recently returned from a stay at Kripalu Center  where some early morning teaching reminded me of the unique pleasure of rising before the sun, I've been inspired to try, yet again, to carve out a bit more time in the pre-dawn hour to prepare for the day ahead.   And my stay at Kripalu stirred something else as well, a long ago memory of my first teacher training.  On this morning, as I began to sink into practice, a long-forgotten phrase, a verse from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, echoed in my mind: Sthira Sukham Asanam,-may the posture be steady and comfortable.

                I recall well first learning this phrase.  After a month of intensive practice and study of some of the more profound yogic texts, these words seemed a bit of a letdown.   Steady and comfortable?  I dutifully memorized and chanted the words, but their meaning did not quite register.  In fact, I never did revisit these words until the moment they reappeared at the forefront of my mind.  This time their depth did not escape me.

                Having spent a fair amount of time in meditation of late, I have learned to appreciate the steadiness that comes as a result of deepening my capacity for contentment and concentration, my connection to awareness; but this is only a part of the picture.  Steadiness is not just a result of our practice, but also a starting point, a passageway into growth for us all.  On this day, Patanjali's words spoke to me of a vital need for a balanced, easeful, and steady foundation.

  

I often begin my Advanced Practice classes with a reminder about an important premise; one that is often overlooked by yoga students and teachers in the west.  There are in fact two distinct (though often intertwined) threads within the practice of yoga.  One deals with purifying and bringing the body into balance.  The other with inviting more energy into our systems.  When we invite more energy into a system that is taxed, ill, or out of balance, injury or further illness may result.  Even for healthy and experienced practitioners, incorporating both of these approaches is an essential part of our growth.

  

This is often a new concept, even for seasoned students of yoga.  How often we dive into a practice in the hopes of building more energy only to place those hopes on a foundation not secure enough to sustain the increase.  And how often we fail to take even a few minutes to determine what we REALLY need.

  

In recent years I've learned to begin each of my own practices with a question:  What is it that would best serve my system right now?  And whether I end up in restorative yoga, deep meditation, or a vigorous flow, I've found that my practice rarely follows the course I thought it might.  Sometimes I'm surprised to discover just how tired I am, and others I tap into new reserves of energy, opening into the vast possibility that accompanies each arrival on the mat.

  

The progression of a practice, like the arc of our lives, often begins and ends with sweet simplicity, and each of the varied and limitless expressions that appear between serve as an example of the essence that lies just beneath the surface.  When we build our practice on a foundation of balance we create an opportunity in both directions, to dive deeper inward and branch ever outward, exploring the full potential of our unique selves from the seat of steadiness and ease.   Sthira sukham asanam.  May your posture be sweet and steady!

  

  

~with deep gratitude to my first Kripalu Yoga teacher, 
Devarshi Steven Hartman~

Kate Pousont Scarborough, 
RYT 500, Director Shelburne Falls Yoga

Sounds of Winter

Sounds of Winter

     Perhaps it is living in an old house with the constant hums and rattles of radiators and aging appliances, or perhaps the fact that I live there with three delightfully energetic teen-aged boys, but, for some reason, the sweetness of silence has been on my mind of late.

     And what a rare event it is, an encounter with silence.  I had one deep in the woods after pausing to rest atop a thin blanket of snow.  For a few precious moments no wind blew, no creatures stirred.  All was still except for the gentle beating of my own heart.

     When the wind resumed, and, along with it the rustle of a nearby tree still holding the last of its leaves, the sound seemed surprisingly different than it had just a few minutes before.  It  grew louder, quietly thunderous, capturing my attention and opening a door to a world that always exists amongst the trees.  One I often miss.

     I've noticed the same thing in the yoga studio.  To my amusement, I've recently purchased three new clocks after our trusty (and silent!) clock fell from the wall.  Each time, armed with a battery in my pocket, I set out to test the sound of a potential purchase.  And, each time, I'm sure I've found the right one; the ticking is soft, almost imperceptible.   Until meditation that is...

      I can't help but wonder how my ears can deceive me so!  It's not that I'm not paying attention to my surroundings.  In fact, I usually am.  And yet, a momentary meeting with silence inevitably alters sensory experiences that I once would have labeled as objective.

     Through my practice, I've come to understand that this shift arises not because of the change in the auditory experience but through the quieting of brain waves that occur as a result.  Silence is just one of many doorways through which we can access a change in thought patterns and perception with the stilling of the mind.

     Have you ever arisen at the end of yoga class and noticed that the light seemed different somehow?  Or become absorbed in the activity of a beloved child or friend only to notice that the world seems a softer, gentler place? Or perhaps sat still for just a moment to discover a new idea or solution has materialized?

      We live in a complex world, and there is much to do.   Action, and lots of it, is a valued and inevitable part of being human, especially as we strive to ensure a safe future for ourselves and for our children.  To support our actions though, we might consider incorporating moments of deliberate stillness, moments that allow us to be guided by the quiet truth toward a more vibrant future.

~Kate Pousont Scarborough, Director Shelburne Falls Yoga 

Sloppy Journalism?  TALK BACK!

Did you see the article appearing recently in the New York Times Magazine discussing the dangers of yoga?  Below is my reply to the editor about this misleading and narrow-minded article.  Though it won't likely be printed, I wanted to share this with those of you who might have concerns about what you read:

Thank you for your provocative and informative article about the dangers of yoga, “All Bent out of Shape”, appearing in the January 8^th magazine.  As a full time yoga teacher and studio owner dedicated to helping students heal from and prevent injury, I appreciated the cautionary tales from students and teachers who suffered at the hands of overzealous and undereducated instructors.

However, I’d like to point out one important distinction missing from your article; as one might expect in a practice that has developed over a period of thousands of years, schools of yoga vary widely.  In fact, though they often use the same names for yoga postures, the approach in teaching and practicing these postures can be as different as night and day.  William Broad focuses his article on a particular approach to Iyengar Yoga, one school of many, and the practices and experiences he describes bear no resemblance to the gentle, awareness and safety based approach that so many teachers and practitioners enjoy today. 

The dangers he discusses are real but also very much understood by a large number of teachers from a wide range of traditions.  If teacher Glenn Black received a lukewarm reception to his talk about the dangers of yoga, I would suspect it was due not to the fact that “people don’t like to hear that” but to the fact that most of those in attendance wouldn’t dream of using the kinds of tactics that were so injurious to him. 

I was saddened by both the author and his subjects’ inability to distinguish between the many types of yoga available today but also a bit amused by it.  Black’s advice to avoid yoga sounded as inane as advising people to stop walking altogether simply because striding unaware over a bed of hot coals can cause a burn.  How about taking the time to look at where you are treading instead?

Kate S. Pousont

Director, Shelburne Falls Yoga

1 Deerfield Ave. Shelburne Falls MA 01370

413-475-2441

Greetings!

It's the season of thanksgiving and yogis everywhere are talking about gratitude.  Did you know that the simple act of choosing to view the world with gratitude and compassion creates an immediate and measurable change in brain and heart function as well as in the breath? With this choice comes an opportunity for synchronicity; an alignment of the oscillating systems of the body and an accompanying sense of relaxation and well-being result. Both science and experience continue to speak to the simple yet profound power of intention. 

I was recently reading an entertaining (and illuminating) 1950's copy of a farming and rural living magazine and, embedded in an article about old Maine woodsmen, found these words by Douglas Jerrold: "Troubles are like babies, they only grow by nursing". Those who have studied yoga philosophy understand the truth in this statement and in the opposite side of the equation as well; our higher capacities such as love, compassion, and gratitude are grown in the same way, through care and conscious attention. 

In the spirit of Thanksgiving I have a bit of gratitude of my own to offer:

Thanks so much to all of you, far and near, who've been an integral part of growing, shaping, and maintaining the community that is Shelburne Falls Yoga. To my teachers (and my teacher's teachers), thank you for sharing your studies, gifts, and experiences and giving me the tools to shape my own experiences into a unique expression of Kripalu Yoga. And, to those of you who have chosen to make my class a regular part of your weekly routine, it's been a joy to guide you on your own journey of growth and discovery.

If you haven't yet ventured into the studio, please do. There's always a space and mat available for you regardless of how long it's been or how often you can attend!

Thanks and Happy Holidays,

Kate

Bridging Form and Expression: A Workshop for Dancers and Movers with Paul Dennis and Kate Pousont, August 20 and 21

A tw0-day workshop of yoga and dance exploring our internal landscapes and the role of movement as a medium of expression and communication. Suitable for movers and dancers of all levels, the workshop includes daily classes in yoga, modern and contemporary movement modes, and exploratory ballet technique. Attend on Saturday for $75 or both days for $150. Classes will begin at 9:00 on Saturday and end by 5:00 on Sunday afternoon.

Please call Kate at 413-475-2441 to register. Visit Shelburne Falls Yoga on Facebook for more information about the workshop and presenters.

Monday Feb 7 fitness class canceled

Jody is sick so today's early morning fitness class is canceled.