Starting next Tuesday, July 27th, the Common Yoga studio will be opening for two hours of open studio time each week. This will not be a teacher-centered class, but an open practice opportunity, where you may use the space and resources to improve at your own pace, practice, and work towards your personal yoga goals. It is very important, especially when you are already taking teacher-led classes each week, to find time to practice on your own. Sometimes the pace of a group class is too fast or slow for your own natural rhythms, or maybe there is a pose you just haven’t been able to feel “right” in yet. Do you wish you could fold further forward or hold a high lunge a little longer? Or maybe you have not been able to truly relax in Savasana yet, and always wish you had more time to meditate. Open practice time is studio time for YOU and your needs. Here are some great ways to utilize open practice time:
Yoga Open practice is a great time to learn, explore, and grow in your yoga practice. The studio has several resources available for student use. Borrow one of the many yoga card decks and try out some new poses, or design a sequence for yourself by laying a series of cards out next to your mat and then following your own design. I will be available to answer questions about poses, help you to modify poses based on your needs, or advise you on sequences or practices which target specific chakras, muscle groups, or personal goals. You are also welcome to wear earbuds or headphones and follow a pre-recorded online class of your choice. The studio has a selection of mats, props, and accessories that you are welcome to use. If there is a specific pose you have been working on, spend your open practice time improving! This is a great opportunity to build confidence in your yoga skills, get in touch with your physical body on your own terms, and work on your poses at your own pace. If you have never taken a class, but you are curious and would like to check it out, this is a low-risk way to try out a few things, ask questions, and just get a feel for the space.
Meditation
Sometimes trying to meditate at home can be challenging; the distractions of family, pets, to-do lists, and a lack of private space can make relaxation near impossible. Even the “great outdoors” has its distractions, and for the beginner meditator, insects, rain, heat and humidity, barking dogs, and ticklish grass can derail your focus. Open practice time is the perfect way to remove yourself from these distractions, sit or lie quietly on your mat, and purely concentrate on yourself. The studio offers a quiet, serene, and distraction-free space where you can tune out the world. There are a variety of resources to help guide your meditation practice available. Borrow a card or three from the Namaste card deck, which offers guidance for mediations, help yourself to the chakra affirmation cards, practice a mudra from the mudras deck, or bring your own tarot deck, runes, or oracle cards. You are also free to wear headphones and take a Savasana as you listen to your favorite guided meditation recording or music.
Shadow Work and Journaling
Bring your journal to open practice time! One excellent way to improve your yoga practice is to write in a journal. “Dumping” intrusive thoughts, worries, or emotions out of the brain before yoga or meditation can be an important step in the success of your practice; it can be hard to focus on relaxation and physical form when your brain won’t let go of the heavy load it carries around all day. The studio also has a large selection of affirmation cards with writing prompts that are designed to help you get in touch with the hidden sides of yourself, release negativity and heal trauma. Sit or lie on your mat with your journal and enjoy a tranquil, judgement-free place to do your shadow work, write, doodle, and be creative.
Rest
Savasana, or corpse pose, is often called both the most difficult pose and the most important of yoga poses. While you would think that lying still flat on your back does not sound very challenging, it is, in fact, very difficult for most people to do successfully. The art of relaxation is much harder than it looks. Savasana requires a fully conscious mind, where you finally tame the whirling thoughts and surrender completely to just being. For many, being completely mindful for only a few seconds can be a huge achievement. Savasana is not just rest - it is purposeful rest. I cannot encourage you enough to find time for Savasana on a regular basis. This is the pose that can truly change your mental and emotional self. Come to open practice, take corpse pose, and stay in it for as long as you can. Rest; absolutely judgement-free, compassionate, gentle and mindful rest with no interruptions.
A note about Noble Silence
Open practice time will be held in noble silence, for the benefit of all. Noble silence does not mean absolutely no speaking, but it does encourage speaking only when communication absolutely needs to happen, and doing so in a hushed tone. Asking or answering questions and getting or giving practice-specific advice with your instructor is welcomed; socializing, chatting about the weather, texting, and playing music without headphones is not.
Noble silence is not just for those who are around you, but to also provide you with the benefit of being able to drop away from the daily masks we all wear. Noble silence removes the pressure we often feel to fill the silence. You are not obligated to talk, and therefore can focus on your own personal practice in a deeper and more authentic way without the veneer of social acceptance and conformity. Noble silence protects and respects the important inner work that you and your fellow practitioners are doing during this precious time away from the rest of the world.
------ “Silence isn’t empty. It is full of answers.” ------
Open practice will happen each week on Tuesdays from 3pm to 5pm, and will cost $10 for the two hours. You may book ahead online, or let me know (text, email, call) that you are coming so that I can save your spot, and you may pay cash upon arrival. Each session will have a cap to ensure personal space is abundant. You are welcome to use the entire two hours, or come and go as you please within that time frame. I will be fully present and available to you during this time. I am excited to open this third session each week, and I am truly looking forward to continuing to grow and learn with you.
~Namaste
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