Hi Loves,
I hope you have been able to enjoy the beautiful spring weather. There is so much vibrancy. I love Spring. It's always been a time to feel sexy and alive coming out of the long winters we have here in Tahoe. I have been feeling in to those that are without partners right now and just want to wrap them all in a big giant hug. I want to tell them how incredibly courageous they are. To not have touched another in quite sometime is HUGE. The longest I have ever done is a week and I couldn't wait to wrap individuals in a big hug, especially my daughter. Big differences with our whole situation now is that I signed up to be in my aloneness and I knew when it was going to be over. I know what I have learned about myself in silent retreats and being in my aloneness has been invaluable. And I am sure that those that find themselves on their own through this are learning so much. AND we are social beings. We are wired for connection in all the ways that looks like. I also know that there are individuals that are going thru this that are in relationships that are very challenged and they too feel very lonely. We all want to feel taken care of in some way, that we are not going thru this all on our own. This is hard. As soon as we admit that, it all seems to get a bit easier because we know in our hearts we will get thru this however that looks.
When I came to yoga I had a lot of work to do around abandonment. And it wasn't until I started a daily sitting practice that I was able to start healing. I remember being about 6 months into a daily sitting practice and being in my hot tub ALONE on New Years Eve. Looking up at the stars and hearing the neighbors' cheers, the champagne corks popping, and feeling so happy. I was content to be right where I was, which was not what I experienced the 39 years before. This was when I knew something was very different. I realized this was my celebration. Finally. I was no longer abandoning my own heart and that felt like the greatest act of self-love. This inspired me to go deeper with meditation.
Once I immersed my self in meditation, I soon came to find that meditation is not something you do, it is who you are. It's your true nature. A sitting practice gives you time to tap into and remember your true nature, your wholeness, that which is not separate. Yoga gives us so many tools and teachings to bring us to the realization of our true nature. Many of you have heard of the yoga sutras of Patanjali. Really it's a meditation manual. Some of you have heard of the "8 Limbs of Yoga" with the first two Limbs being the Yamas and the Niyamas. This can all sound so esoteric or like my daughter says, "hippie dippie." So, I want to give you all a chance to explore the living practices of yoga; the "soul of yoga" beyond the poses.
First, I want to explore the Yamas in a 6 week series- "The Call to Love/Remembering Your Wholeness." And later, another series based on the Niyamas-"The Call to Freedom/Experiencing Your Freedom." I find the Yamas and Niyamas helpful in learning the Truth of who we are. And when we realize the Truth of who we are, we see we are never alone and we have always been taken care of. It's all about learning to rest back into the remembering. So, in this first series we will explore Self-Love, Truth, Generosity, Simple Living and Abundance; all which point back to the first Yama which I interpret as Self-Love.
I am seeing that these virtual series; where we go deeper with conscious company, to be extra valuable in these uncertain times. So, I am calling all those who are feeling lonely. I am calling all those who are wanting to go deeper. I am calling all those who want to know themselves to come together. Come; we will explore together.
I hope you will join me!
So much love to you all!
Namaste,
Shari
P.S. This is also the Call for, "The Practice," Friday morning. The theme will be Self-Love and the question is: How are you practicing Self-Love this week? For me this week, Self-Love is, being kind and gentle with myself and others.
Let me know if you will attend and I will send you the link on Friday morning.
The Practice
Fridays 8-10AM
Donation Based $1-$20
Respond to the Email and I will send you the Zoom Link
Venmo @Shari-Beard-1 or Paypal.Me/sharibeardyoga
