Sangha Yoga Shala

I am no longer teaching at Sangha Yoga Shala on Mondays and Thursdays.   I am still everywhere else though and will be better at posting when I am subbing!

xoxo

Fighting Shadows

Every single bad (and good) thing we see in those around us are coming from us.  How else are you able to recognize them?  Your friend that gets on your nerves most likely gets on your nerves because she reminds you of yourself at one way or another.  Think about all those homophobic politicians that hate gays but end up having sex with their male interns... Although that is pretty extreme, this is exactly how it works.

The next time you want to judge someone, think about that quality they possess and OWN IT for you have it too.  

Come to this to hear more.

Weekly Schedule Amendments

Hello All!

School started, summer has ended, and for most of us, this means settling into our schedules in preparation for the colder months.

My schedule remains pretty steady, still teaching at Pablo Fitness, Quick Fitness and Sangha Yoga Shala.  I am also subbing at Go Yoga on a regular basis as well.  Below is my set schedule:

Monday 10:30 and 12:15 pm at Pablo Fitness in Midtown, 7:15 pm at Sangha Yoga Shala in Williamsburg.
Wednesday: 7:00 am at Quick Fitness
Thursday at noon Sangha Yoga Shala
Friday at 7:00 pm Quick Fitness
Sunday at 11:00 am at Quick Fitness

If you are interested in privates, please do reach out!  It is a great way to get started and get familiar with yoga.

Hope You are having a great week!

Hugs,

Patricia

"Healing the Second Chakra" by Carly Sachs

ARTICLE: Healing The Second Chakra

Trickster Energy I currently live at a former ashram a few hours north of the city where bramacharya was a common practice. Bramacharya is translated as celibacy or sexual continence in the yamas or if we want to be looser, energy management. In my teaching in NYC studios, this practice is commonly understood as energy management because we can’t fathom the idea of celibacy or abstinence. Bramacharya also posed its challenges for this ashram. Some people couldn’t do it. Rather, they were doing it. There was a scandal. Sex is electric and essentially creation so how do we confront it in the modern world as yogis and yoginis? For me, I know that I am more conscious of my energy and how to manage it because of my yogic practice. And I think this has stemmed from the physical changes that yoga produced in my body. I am more confident and have watched my physical body transform, losing about 30 pounds and two cup-sizes. Before I began my daily practice, I was five feet tall and a 34DD.  My chest was the first thing people would notice about me.  I hated my body and thought that it attracted unwanted attention. Yet, I was simultaneously craving that physical attention and resenting myself for those cravings. So there it was, the cycle of attraction and aversion that we yogis consciously try to break. Yoga helped me cultivate compassion and awareness of my sexual patterns, offering me tools to find grace and beauty within and so I wasn’t looking for approval or love from sources outside myself. It has helped me to stay present and laugh which is great - on the mat and between the sheets. This got me to wondering how others felt about how these two energies - yoga and sex - worked on and for them. Andy, a 50 year old yoga teacher, explained that it is the breath that brings us in connection with the present moment and through physical intimacy, we are able to yoke or connect our breath to another being’s breath. And this is essentially what the vibration of the universe is, constant inhalation and exhalation, expansion and contraction. “Sex erases the lines between people,” he says, “it is the divine dance of Shiva and Shakti, a union of two, which can’t be experienced alone.” Rebecca a 25 year old dancer and yogini said consistent yoga practice made her feel “divinely feminine.” She’s comfortable exploring sexual relationships without emotional connection, though she admits “that part is nice too.” Rob, a 40-year old yoga teacher, who identified himself as having an addiction to sex (as well as other addictions) decided to practice bramacharya for a year. He also cut out sugars, wheat, caffeine, and dairy. He reported more clarity at work and learned how to play the guitar. Now, he’s working on the integration, the practice of finding joy and pleasure without going to that place of over-doing and going into hedonistic free-fall. He’s just entered into a new romantic relationship in which he reports how different it is to have sex with the lights on and sober. “It’s not easy,” he says, “I’m much more self-conscious than I was before, but I’m OK with that. I know it’s part of the process.” Susan, a 32 year old yoga student, spoke about how a year of a more regular yoga practice helped her feel more attractive and then she felt more attraction to others. Eventually it was this sense of empowerment that enabled her to leave a ten-year abusive relationship. She looks me in the eye when she says, “yoga was the catalyst that enabled me to change my life.” A few days ago I took a yoga class where the teacher played Al Green’s “Sexual Healing.” First she had asked our permission, saying if it offended anyone, she wouldn’t play it. She made a joke about replacing the phrase with “second chakra healing.” Many of us store pent up emotions of fear, anger, and shame in our hips. The second chakra is also home to creativity and it’s right above the first chakra of feeling rooted and safe and below the navel, the home of power and self-confidence. So it seems only natural for our yogic practice to address our sex lives. And when we shine the light on it, it becomes something to inquire about instead of something to judge. The root of the word yoga means to yoke or connect and that is essentially what we are learning to do in our intimate practices. --Carly Sachs

The Six Perfections

The Buddhist teachings give us six qualities, or Six Perfections, in which we should live by.  They are as follows: 

• Giving/generosity
• Ethical living
• Patience
• Joyful effort
• Meditative concentration
• Wisdom

This week, my classes are focused on all  6 Perfections as they relate to our asana practice.  Being patient with your breath, being kind with your body, and calming your mind in preparation for meditation are some of the many benefits of a steady asana practice.  

The Six Perfections, however, are meant to be used for outside of the yoga mat.  As I have applied the Teachings to my personal life, I have been overwhelmed by the amount of goodness that has come into my life by using them to make my life more fulfilled. 

And how exactly do make the 6 Perfections work for you?  By taking a look at each one of the Perfections and making them happen for the people around you every single day.  For example, be generous by giving away your time or money,  live ethically by never doing wrong to others, be patient for everyone around you for  their actions are teaching you something, be happy, MEDITATE, and be wise about your choices you make. Know that every single thing you do has a karmic response, so when you do good, all the goodness will come back to you.   It works. 

With love,

Patricia 

Friday Class at QF

Heya Yogis,

I won't be able to teach this Friday's class at Quick Fitness.  Once again, Katherine Colla will be teaching for me.  Please swing by to give your core some TLC.

Sunday class remains as it is, hope to see you QF peeps there!

Patricia 

Guess who's back

I am back!  I am tanned, relaxed, filled with good energy from hanging out with my mom and my cousins.

I am teaching LOTS!  Come get your sweat on this week and get away from the heat wave.

Monday
Pablo Fitness, 10:30 and 12:15 pm (Open level)
Sangha Yoga Shala, 7:15 pm  (Open level)

Tuesday
Go Yoga, 8:15 pm (Beginner)

Wednesday
Quick Fitness, 7:00 am (Open)

Thursday
Sangha Yoga Shala, 12:00 noon (Community open level)

Friday
Quick Fitness, 7:00 pm (Core fusion yoga)

Sunday
Quick Fitness, 11:00 am (Open level)

Please email me if you have any questions or if you're interested in private sessions!