Tree Pose In Spring

Dear Yogis

Cherry blossom is peeping through. ‘Meteorological winter’ is coming to an end. Lent began this week (and ends 9th April) and, along with the beginning of Spring, this feels like a better time to make New Year Resolutions than after Christmas chaos. This is a natural time of renewal after the darkness of winter. Yoga, and many eastern philosophies, reminds us that we belong to the natural cycle of birth and death and, crucially, rebirth.

Many, many yoga postures symbolise the blossoming and awakening of the spiritual self. Many postures are named after plants and flowers. They try to teach us about letting go of the past and renewing the soul, opening the heart, practicing forgiveness, letting go of grievances and negative feelings and a winterish view.

There’s no better example than Tree Pose. In Spring, trees blossom after a season of naked and empty branches. The tree withstands storms and gives shelter to others. It tolerates heat but gives shade to others. It even gives shade to its own woodcutter! It shows strength and generosity.

The tree and the forest are of great symbolic significance.  Many yogis, including The Buddha, took refuge in forests and lived in the simplicity of nature, free from worry about material possessions. The Buddha was enlightened under a Bhodi tree. In the Bhagavad Gita Krishna compares the material world to an upside down Banyan tree. The roots are with God and the branches and leaves extend downwards and outwards to the world of humans and attachment.

Ain’t that just like yoga! To take a normal idea, a tree, and turn it upside-down!

Training

Apart from Kythera with Kristina Karitinou Island and Ty Landrum’s Breathing into Alignment: An Ashtanga Yoga Asana Intensive in April, I’m really excited about having signed up for Yoga As Medicine with Dr Timothy McCall in Islington on August 8th to 12th.

Home Studio

There are a couple of weeks in March and May when the home studio will be closed. From Tuesday March 24th to Monday 30th I’ll be at Amaravati for a Winter Retreat. Then from Monday May 25th for the whole week I’ll be back at Amaravati for Ajahn Sumedho’s Retreat.  Other than that, book a class! There’s plenty of space next week - take a look at the attachment to see what’s available.

Yoga in the News

The Washington Post has: Meet the 62-year-old Marine veteran who planked for over 8 hours to break a Guinness world record. Look at this – it’s clearly his yoga practice: ““When I plank, I don’t have to sit in traffic. I don’t have to buy gas. I don’t have to sit and listen to anyone . . . complain about how tired they are,” he said. “I just plank, and that gives me all the satisfaction I need.” In fact, he said, planking has allowed him to work through personal issues.”

Forbes has: How To Leave Your Job Peacefully; Lessons From The Practice Of Yoga. Good advice!

THE Evening Standard has: Do you know your ashtanga from your acro? How to choose the right yoga practice for you. They explain: Yin Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Forrest Yoga, Dharma Yoga, Wheel Yoga (It’s not a class! It’s a prop!), Mandala Flow, Acroyoga, Hot Yoga, Ashtanga, Yogasana, Iyengar, Kundalini, Jivamukti, and Prana Vinyasa.