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Interview with Rahel

Artemis Yoga Interviews it’s staff members. Below are my responses to their questions.


WHAT DOES YOUR YOGA PRACTICE LOOK LIKE DURING THIS TIME OF SOCIAL DISTANCING?

As we enter week 7 of confinement, I found myself practicing more, solo and taking classes  as well with teachers far away.  In my home practice, I started this period by focusing on my inversions. I found that inversions and chest openers were god sent  during this period. I have more time at home, so I practice in the morning, maybe teach a class and then take a class with one of my teachers. I also find that now the world is open on Zoom, so I am taking classes with teachers that I always wanted to meet. It is not ideal but it is an opportunity.

I see my yoga practice  as one off the mat as well. As I go through my day, I see my chores as an opportunity to practice mindfulness (with more or less success!). Overall I think that this period of retreating, pratyarah - moving me senses inward (in all the meanings of inward)- has been a fruitful one for me. It has forced me to see clearly some of my patterns and work with them. I am also facing my anger and stress regarding the pandemic and our political circumstances. I found that being of service, teaching is even more importune in this period.  For me the balance  of the quiet of my own practice and days is balanced by reaching out, taking classes and teaching online. I do miss the serendipity of meeting friends and being in the studio and teaching face to face.  I am grateful for what is in front of me each day, this period has brought me face to face with the fact that life changes so quickly. Be in the moment has taken a new meaning.


HOW ARE YOU STAYING INSPIRED TO MOVE, LEARN, AND TEACH?

Discussing the sutras with my philosophy buddies and my different yoga philosophy groups has been a powerful tool for me. Yesterday for example as we discussed pratyarah, the fifth limb of yoga, the limb that is for BKS Iyengar an hinge toward the more meditative parts of yoga, I came to understand its place in this moment of confinement. BKS Iyengar compares the process of pratyarah (moving the senses inward) as a flower coming back to being a bud. This metaphor was mind stretching for me, I asked myself what are the qualities of a flower bud? For me, a bud has freshness, purity and integrity. So retreating inside and being quiet might allow us to recreate freshness in our lives. As you come back from that state into your activities, you might see the world around with different eyes. A bud as well has purity,  it is the state before the flower has been touched by the wind and might have lost some petals. When you come quiet, you look into your heart. Actions following that place might be more in line with what is essential. When you know your heart, you have clarity.  For me as well a flower bud has integrity, it is in potential the beauty of the flower. As we retreat inside we can see clearly what is our  potential, our darma. We can maybe answer Mary Oliver’s question ”what is it that you are going to do with your one precious and wild life?”

Reading masters, poets and listening to talks by some master yogis, has helped me see my confinement as an opportunity. That of course does not mean that I am always happy and fine, but I know that by be being quiet, I might find what is important to me, what is my darma, what is it that I need to give in this period and beyond?