 Dear Friends and Family, Hoping you and your loved ones are safe and well during this continuing pandemic. I feel that there has been a palpable positive shift since my last newsletter (which I sent right after the failed insurrection in DC). We now have a new federal administration in place, and the Biden/Harris Inauguration Day events were beautiful, elegant, inclusive, and festive. I, and many others with whom I have spoken, feel that a heaviness has lifted from our collective shoulders as the toxicity of the past four years is now fortunately behind us. Although we can breathe a big sigh of relief, there is still much work to do in order to create and maintain a more just and ethical society with enlightened political leaders at the helm. We have seen too many times, in our nation and many other countries around the world, the human and environmental costs of incompetent, corrupt, and morally bankrupt leadership. I hope for the new occupants, including their beautiful canines, that the White House has not only been cleaned and redecorated, but also refreshed with a sage smudging! _____________________________________________ Please see below for a new class I am offering for Dorot – “The Sounds of Yoga”. I am excited to be teaching this class that will incorporate chakra sounds, toning, and the humming bumblebee breath. My first yoga teacher training course was actually a sound-based yoga system, and my initial class at that yoga studio profoundly changed my life. I had never intended to leave the practice of law when I took that first class on the recommendation of my ayurvedic skin care physician. But this slow and gentle yoga class that utilized various sounds during the poses, and was held in a candle-lit studio with futon mats and the aroma of incense wafting in the air, allowed me to find deep relaxation and peacefulness in a way unknown to me prior to that class. I felt energy moving in my body during savasana, and I was able to truly relax in that resting pose for the very first time. So of course, I was intrigued and knew that this yoga (which my inexperienced and skeptical self thought to be extremely strange) was exactly what my body and soul needed. It felt like it was giving me a necessary reset and providing an unwinding of my tightly wound, Type A, driven personality from my many years of training and working in the competitive fields of ballet and law. That life-changing class eventually led to me graduating from their last teacher training – offered before the studio permanently closed. I feel very fortunate that, almost 20 years later, I can now offer a version of this practice to Dorot students on Zoom. Throughout the years, I have incorporated this sounding practice into many of my asana classes, and it brings me much joy. I am inspired to share with you this yoga practice that personally means so much to me. |
 Photo by Melissa Elstein “Sounds of Yoga” – new Dorot Zoom Class In this fun new 45-minute Zoom class, we will explore various sounding techniques helpful for moving energy in our bodies, focusing our minds, uplifting our spirits, and expanding our awareness. From the humming sound of the yogic bumblebee breathing practice, to the sounds of the 7 chakras (energy centers), and more, we will join together in a harmonious exploration of yoga and sound. (Some gentle seated movement will be incorporated as well). All levels are welcome. |
