Welcome to Spring, and Happy Mother's Day!
I hope you are well and moving with renewed energy in your step! Still no Jazz Fest, but friends and family are finding ways to gather once more. Live music is easier to find. Nothing puts a bounce in my step more than enjoying live, in-person performances. "No dancing" has been challenging for me, but NOLA is moving in the right direction, and I'm still in rhythm … heart and soul!
Teaching Update
Regardless of your circumstances, I hope you're moving and finding ways to take care of yourself. My teaching primarily continues online. I have private students participating, in-person, at my home studio, where we follow responsible social distancing guidelines.
Other practitioners continue virtually, as it's so easy to roll out your mat in the comfort of your own home and not deal with drive time, the weather, the morning or afternoon rush, and all those past behaviors that negatively influenced our lives. Our sense of community continues online and has even strengthened, as our practice has become a regular social touchstone and connection, flowing through this shared experience of living through a pandemic.
My public classes continue for Ochsner Fitness Center, and the Metairie Jewish Center has asked me to return in the fall. I am still awaiting news regarding the availability of returning to Christ The King Lutheran Community Center in Kenner.
If you've been hesitant to join in one of my online classes for whatever reason: new to yoga, too stiff, technologically challenged, sick of zoom, etc. I invite you to reach out to me for one free group class, no strings attached. You can check my online schedule to see my current offerings. A new daytime beginners class starts May 20 at 10 a.m. and will continue every Thursday, if there is enough interest. Additionally, I am running a Mother's Day special, one (1) private session discounted 25% for you, your Mom, or anybody special that you want to offer the healing benefits of the practice.
Speaking of Mother's Day …
I want to take a moment to recognize the divine feminine energies that exist in all of us regardless of sex and gender. It is these beautiful giving and caring qualities that lend themselves to mothering.
Humans are complex energetic beings, with a mix of both masculine and feminine energies. Both energies are necessary for the balance and longevity of life here on earth but can easily fall out of balance.
Zoe Schaefer @dirtjoy on Unsplash
The balance of the male and female energy is the goal of yoga and life. This union is sometimes called the union of Shiva/Shakti or male/female union. Even the word Hatha in Hatha Yoga means the balance of the Sun - masculine energy - and the Moon - feminine energy.
We know that the root of Yoga is the word yoke, to unite the positive and the negative, and an uneven relationship exists between the seeming duality of feminine and masculine energies, which is of utmost importance. Society, in general, honors and elevates masculine energies – reasoning, strength, action, etc. – while diminishing and undervaluing the feminine – emotional, nurturing, receptivity, etc.
Though you can understand gender on a fluid spectrum of experiences – for example, you may express more femininity in your daily life while your friend demonstrates more masculinity and others somewhere in between – these expressions have implications for our lived experiences and overall identity. As you strive to understand the ever-changing relationships with others and within yourself, keep in mind the value, validity, and ubiquitous presence of both masculine and feminine energies and how they influence you on a deep, emotional level. This wisdom will serve you well.
On Mother's Day, while we honor mothers, it's good to recognize the divine feminine energies in all of us, including fathers, and honor that which helps our children become more balanced beings.
Check out the Mother’s Day private class gift special.