THE CALENDAR OF WEEKLY CLASSES, CLINICS AND WORKSHOPS.
Break between teaching terms
The world seems to be upside down in so very many ways; our social interactions, quarantine/staying at home, commerce, social change, politics, family life, our healthcare during this pandemic, and much more.
As we approach Thanksgiving Day it occurred to me that many of us will be unable to share what is typical during Thanksgiving. Life will be upside down during this most social and family-oriented days of the year.
So . . . I thought why not choose to make this a day unlike any other Thanksgiving? To celebrate it in a full, unbridled and unique way. Rather than being the victim of things being upside down and trying to recreate the holiday into a pseudo-version of what we expect, why not reinvent and reclaim this day on purpose?
Rather than fuss with a tradition that is broken, why not venture into the territory of the heart of the meaning of this day; thanksgiving, gratitude, and offering from the inside out? Following this thread of meaning for the day, the word fasting’s linguistic roots in prehistoric German point toward “to keep, hold firmly and be observant.” Offer a day of fasting, contemplation, and contribution to what we are grateful for, and prepare sacred ground for the immense challenges before us during the season ahead; the next few months of immense social and probably personal transformation as we meet the challenges ahead. So, let’s offer a grateful presence toward ourselves during the day.
This will not be a day of adherence to any particular method of fasting or deprivation. Find your path during the day. You may be sharing meals or FaceTime conversations with loved ones or otherwise. The invitation will be to “to keep, hold firmly and be observant” in a way that serves you best. During the morning session we will share stillness, poetry, and make time to contemplate how to hold firmly during your day. Then in the evening be still with one another, reflect, and acknowledge our unique ways of holding fast and being observant during the day.
It will be a day of fasting (being observant and present in some way and not necessarily about food but about whatever might hijack life and offering to hold firmly and be observant as a commitment during the day), meditation, contemplation, sharing poetry and blessing, acting to offer something generous to our loved ones (past, present and future) who may not be with us physically, heart-felt conversation, avoiding the obsession with food or other distractions, and much more.
We will meeting once in the morning from 9 until 10am
and then again from 4 until 5pm.
In the morning from 9 to 10am we will begin a preparation of the day with gentle movement, a period of stillness and meditation, contemplative readings or poetry, and then, as we wish, some visiting about the day’s commitments for how each of us might create the day of thanksgiving and gratitude in our own unique way. We will then be on our own during the day to embody our day of offering, activity, stillness, and fasting. Then in the early evening from 4 to 5pm we will check in with one another with more stillness, contemplation in the form of poetry, meditation, acknowledgement, while sharing of thoughts and reflections of the day. Afterward I am sure we each will be on to some nourishment after our time together.
I will send along a summary of our shared reflections for supporting ourselves, our loved ones, and one another as well as acknowledgements of ways we’ve uncovered for offering gratitude and embodying courage during this period of immense change our lives.
This is nothing fancy. Just a simple, straightforward day of commitment, reflection, and gentle transformative action shared with two sessions; 9-10am and 4-5pm. Do register if you wish to attend. Book Here. You will be sent the Zoom link automatically at 8:30am Thanksgiving morning if you’ve registered. And of course free for anyone who wants to book and attend.
Questions about fasting? See this.
I hope to share some time with you as we encourage one another that day. — Brant
Reach out if you have questions.
A safe and friendly introduction to yoga, appropriate for those wanting to try an accessible form of yoga or for those who have had injuries in the past. We will practice movements that teach yoga alignment in ways that are available to most everyone. We will practice relaxation as well as develop strength and flexibility. Easy and modified yoga poses will be explored. Your physician should release you for general physical activity.
Register anytime through Yoga Hillsboro: Registration, costs, and other details and then Book Online
The general form of poses, simple flow, introduction to yoga breathing and the practices of mindfulness.
Register anytime through Yoga Hillsboro: Registration, costs, and other details and then Book Online
Sharing stillness, embodied and attentive presence, openness, poetry and readings with one another during this contemplative practice each evening, seven days a week. Designed each evening to work with who arrives and how we might best encourage, nourish and support ourselves and one another. No special prerequisites. Show up as you are and we’ll support one another and ourselves as we practice meeting this difficult era. About 30 minutes each evening on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings.
If you are ready. Book Now
The general form of poses, simple flow, introduction to yoga breathing and the practices of mindfulness.
Register anytime through Yoga Hillsboro: Registration, costs, and other details and then Book Online
A safe and friendly introduction to yoga, appropriate for those wanting to try an accessible form of yoga or for those who have had injuries in the past. We will practice movements that teach yoga alignment in ways that are available to most everyone. We will practice relaxation as well as develop strength and flexibility. Easy and modified yoga poses will be explored. Your physician should release you for general physical activity.
Register anytime through Yoga Hillsboro: Registration, costs, and other details and then Book Online
We introduce a physically more lively practice including Inversions, backbends, rigorous flow. Mindfulness during practice emphasized.
Register anytime through Yoga Hillsboro: Registration, costs, and other details and then Book Online