The 8 Limbs of Yoga

Yoga is classically divided into eight aspects, or limbs. The physical postures many people associate with yoga are only one of these limbs (#3 - asana). To truly practice and study yoga we must explore all of the eight limbs.

The 8 Limbs of Yoga are as follows:

1 - Yama (universal ethical principles)
2 - Niyama (rules of personal conduct)
3 - Asana (the practice of yoga postures)
4 - Pranayama (the practice of yoga breathing techniques)
5 - Pratyahara (control of the senses)
6 - Dharana (concentration of the mind)
7 - Dhyana (meditation)
8 - Samadhi (absorption in the Infinite)

In our classes we use the postures as a gateway to explore the other limbs of yoga, from concentration, to breathing, to ethical principles like truthfulness and non-harming. As our understanding progresses this full practice of yoga becomes more a part of our lives off the yoga mat.

If you've been coming for awhile you probably know something about these eight limbs. If you're new to yoga don't worry...the practice is a lifelong one that can be started at any time!

July 4th Schedule

We are open for all of our morning classes as usual on Friday, July 4th (including the 12:00 core class). We will be cancelling hot yoga on Friday at 5:00 so everyone can enjoy the fireworks.

We are back to our regular schedule all weekend.

Enjoy the holiday!

Jordan & Clayton's workshop with Tripsichore

Here's Jordan and Clayton being held in the air by Edward Clark of Tripsichore Yoga!

Jordan and Clayton drove to Chapel Hill over the weekend for a wonderful workshop experience with Tripsichore. Tripsichore is known for innovative vinyasa techniques (mixing inversions into the sun salutations, transitioning between poses in different ways), but what we really took away from the workshop was how unimportant all of the yoga poses actually are in the grand scheme of things. As Edward Clark kept saying, "There are lots of trained monkeys in the west who can do all sorts of crazy yoga poses." That's not really the yoga and focusing too much on the poses misses the whole point. We really learned how important it is to keep energy moving in your body with your breath and attention as you practice, and when we came up against a wall it was usually a limitation in our focus and energy, not our tight hamstrings or shoulders.

We also were reminded how wonderful it is to be a beginner in yoga, because we really felt like one much of the time! There are so many possibilities and each little "a-ha" moment means so much. If you click this link you can see a promo video for a dance piece made up of yoga asanas that Tripsichore performed on the first night. Enjoy!

PS. Some students wanted to see how it was possible to float your feet off of the floor into a handstand. Here's some video I shot from the workshop showing a couple very brief demonstrations (note the speed of the video has not been altered...this shows a great deal of control in lifting off slowly).

June Events

June brings two different events to Serenity Now.

Try something new with "The Five Tibetan Rites" and "Kundalini and Yoga Numerology."

The Five Tibetan Rites will be practiced as a daily practice Monday - Friday June 9-13 from 5:30-6:00PM. The practice only takes about 20 minutes and this is a great way to chart your progress. You can come to as many sessions as you like, all sessions not required. Please sign up in advance, the cost is $6/session.

Kundalini and Yoga Numerology is a process of using your birth date to calculate your soul number, karma number, gift number, destiny number, and path number. We use these numbers to understand our human experience and journey toward enlightenment. The practice includes reading and poses, so bring a yoga mat and your reading glasses. Friday June 27th at 7:00PM, $15 to drop in or one class pass on your card (free for unlimited students).

May at Serenity Now

May is always a fun month...Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day, and the start of our summer weather. The studio is open as usual for all of May's holidays including Memorial Day, Mother's Day, and Cinco de Mayo. So you can celebrate by taking class with someone you love.

See you on the mat,
Jordan

Earth Day

Tuesday, April 22nd is Earth Day!

In celebration, I wanted to share a link I found very thought-provoking. Visit www.storyofstuff.com to see a creative 20-minute video about all the stuff that drives our economy and lifestyle. This video shows the big picture of what happens with all the stuff that gets produced, bought, used, and discarded or recycled in our economy. And it tells the story in a compelling way.

I've heard it said that yogis, with the heightened awareness they learn through yoga practice, have an obligation to bring their awareness off the mat into the world. This earth day let's share ideas on how we can help do more good or at least less harm to the earth.

-Jordan

Thank you Andrey Lappa!

Hosting Andrey Lappa was an incredible experience for all of us at the studio. He shared so much knowledge during his short time here. This picture was taken after his last class here on Wednesday night. He's now off on more travels but will be back in the southeast in North Carolina for a teacher training later this year.

We're thrilled that he has asked to come back to Serenity Now Yoga again during his travels next year!

Details of his travels and teachings are online at www.universal-yoga.com.