Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodhah

“Yoga stills the fluctuations of the mind.” Patanjali

Patanjali’s second Yoga Sutra resonates in this challenging time. Replete with rushing streams of arduous, quintessential and existential lessons, life as we have understood life, has changed. Let’s pause, and exhale. Yoga is a sturdy raft. Let’s inhale, and Yoga is a dry, sun patch on the bank - stream swooshing past. Yoga is a way to still fluctuations so that we may see all the Beauty. Stilling the mind creates space so that we may choose to see life as it is, accepting all challenges and gifts.

I have practiced Yoga over half of my life; I start again each morning when I take my first awakened breaths. My yoga room is a nest, an aerie, atop a hill, east facing. Glass doors frame enormous blooming cymbidiums on deck, the waters of San Francisco Bay, a cityscape, hills, mountains, the sun rise. East is the direction of beginnings, and this is my direction each day when I roll out my blanket. Begin again. Over 34 years I have accepted the gracious invitations of Yoga in my life. Pranayama, Yamas, Niyamas, Sutras, Asanas, Vedic texts and fairy tales, laughter, students, teachers, loss, change and more. Practice. Repetiton is the spice of life! Yoga as an everyday occurrence, symbiosis.

I am a teacher. Have taught Yoga for 26 years. Teaching Yoga is one of my life’s greatest blessings. No Student, no Teacher. I thank you all for being here today. I love you!

Let’s sit together now, and breathe, let’s still the fluctuations. Nadi Shodhana. Alternate Channel Breath. Breathe in thru your left nostril, breathe out thru the right. Use your right thumb to close the right nostril; use right ring finger to close the left. Alternate.Use your fingers to press gently and close off the nostril you are not using. Breathe out right, pause. Breathe in left, pause. Rest your index and middle fingers on your forehead. (Use left hand if right hand not available) Close your eyes, turn your gaze inward and enjoy 20 breaths. This, a step toward stilling the mind’s fluctuations. Now, open your eyes to Beauty.

with love & Namaste

Susannah