Good Space Yoga

 

 

Fall 2017

www.goodspaceyoga.com

 

"...a clear and peaceful mind is the ground for joyful living." Swami Rama

Also In this issue

 Upcoming Offerings

 Home Practice

 Inspiration

 

 

Upcoming

Opportunities

 

Please click on title for more details.

 

Out of town workshop with K.O.

Yoga for Anxiety
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Sat/Sun Nov 4-5

 

In Studio
Rise and Shine Yoga
with Donna
Saturdays
9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

 

Yoga for Kids
with Donna
Saturdays
10:45 - 11:30 a.m.

 

Meditation Group 

Second Thursday of the month 6-7pm

 

Yoga Therapy

What is Yoga Therapy:

 

Yoga Therapy adapts and applies Yoga techniques and practice to help individuals who are facing physical or emotional challenges, or who want to expand their yoga/spiritual practice. It offers personalized practices that empower the individual to progress toward greater health by reducing symptoms, restoring balance, and facilitating healing on all levels of your being. My hope is to inspire and empower you toward greater clarity and healing.

 

Special Offer:

 

Sign-up for a 6-8 week class session and get your first  yoga therapy session for a reduced price of $80 (regularly $120)

 

More information about Yoga Therapy

 

Feature with Kathy Ornish

 

Shining the Light

 

 

No matter with whom I am working therapeutically, it's inevitable that we end up making our way to the subject of suffering – physical, emotional, spiritual – and a route to becoming free from it. The temptation to ignore our thoughts, feelings, or

physical discomfort or pain is strong, and seems logical. But, if you simply build unpleasant experiences into a narrative or sweep the unpleasantness under the rug, you've sent it into the dark where, I believe, not only will it not get better, but it will actually grow. Is there another option that might instead decrease our
difficulty? So…

 

-How do we "shine a light" on, i.e. see, what arises within us?
-How do we have mindful, present awareness and become an objective observer of our own sensations, emotions, and thoughts?
-How do we observe the story that might arise when we look (which we might use to justify the attachment to this suffering)?
-If feelings and/or stories arise, how do we look at, yet not identify them?

-How can we have compassion, kindness, and tenderness for ourselves in the face of this?

 

It is my strong belief, and my experience, that being an objective, compassionate witness to what is happening within ourselves not only doesn't make what we are seeing worse, but actually decreases our reactivity, decreases the physical and emotional distress, and ultimately decreases the power of what arises!

 

I have a process I have started calling "shining a light." Nothing out of our awareness (in the dark) will change. Only in the light will we become more aware of what causes our suffering and the truth of our divine nature.

 

Try this process:
1. Begin to notice when you have an uncomfortable bodily sensation, thought, or emotion that arises.
2. Then, "shine a light" on it – actively look at it with curiosity; try not to push it away.
3. See it, but don't identify with it. What does this mean? Look at what you see as if it's not yours – no judgment, no wishing it different, no diving onto the story associated with it.
4. As one of my students asked, "What do you do with the stinker once you see it?" The habit to respond and dive in to the feelings and the story is strong, so if you feel it growing as you look, relax further, step back and observe more, and – very important - have compassion for yourself.
5. It is through repeated looking with compassion that it begins to decrease its potency and reveal some insight.

 

This process takes time and practice, and perhaps a bit of courage, too! Each time you practice this, you will make your way, step-by-step, toward greater freedom.

 

 
Yours,in service,
Kathy Ornish

 

 

What's New

 

Schedule of Upcoming Offerings

 

 

ONGOING CLASSES:

 

The September - October class session will begin September 12/13. 

 

To see the schedule of classes at Good Space Yoga,and to register for all classes, please click the link:

 

SCHEDULE OF CLASSES

 

 

SPECIAL CLASSES at GSY:

 

We have some new classes offered this Fall at Good Space Yoga! 
Go to the Class Schedule if you want to register.

 

Rise and Shine Yoga
with Donna

Saturday, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
September 9 - October 14
COST: $72

Start your day by connecting breath, mind and body through a moderate asana practice. We will explore techniques such as chanting, pranayama, and meditation. All levels welcome!

 

 

Yoga for Kids

with Donna

Saturday, 10:45 - 11:30 a.m.
September 9 - October 14
COST: $60

Designed for kids 8-12 yrs to energize and release energy with yoga poses to create a calming effect. We will identify different energetic effects on the body and breath created by the postures, and end by connecting with a quiet mind. No experience required.

 

 

Second Thursday Monthly Meditation Group
with Jacob or guest teacher

Sept 14 | Oct 12| Nov 9 | 
6:00-7:00 pm, Cost: $2-5 donation

This will now be offered on a regular monthly basis - the second Thursday of every month!
Are you challenged by keeping a regular home meditation practice? Do you feel like questions arise from practice that you don't understand? Come join like-minded people for a monthly gathering to support and nurture you in your journey of meditation. Our time together will include a discussion circle followed by 25 minutes of meditation together.

 


UPCOMING WORKSHOPS OFFSITE WITH K.O. 
 

Yoga Therapy for Stress and Anxiety: Overcoming the Causes of Our Suffering with Kathy Ornish

Saturday, November 4, 10:00-5:00 and
Sunday, November 5, 9:00-4:00

Michigan Yoga Association
Transformations In Kalamazoo, MI
http://www.myaweb.org/workshops.html


 

 

HOME PRACTICE

 

 

This handwritten practice is a gentle way to relieve tension in your upper back. Always use the breath to help you both move the spine and deepen the pose without pushing. Enjoy!

 

Gentle Practice for the Upper Back

 

 

Good Space Yoga has new website with interesting resources: written practices, practice videos, receipes, links to useful things. Please check it out!


Resources from GSY

 

 

INSPIRATION

 

We Should Talk about This Problem 
from "I Heard God Laughing: Renderings of Hafiz" translated by Daniel Ladinsky

 

 

There is a Beautiful Creature
Living in a hole you have dug.

 

So, at night

I set fruit and grains
And little pots of wine and milk
Beside your soft earthen mounds,

 

And I often sing.

 

But still, my dear
You do not come out.

I have fallen in love with Someone
Who hides inside you.

We should talk about this problem - 

Otherwise,
I will never leave you alone.