Namaste from Padma Yoga. This is a new page on the website and we are planning many topics for this page for your enjoyment or comments. The Affirmations and Offerings are for exactly that. No harshness or foul language or any suggestive material please. If you have a disagreement please do so with respect to others. Thank you Affirmations: Many thanks to my teachers who helped me by subbing and other duties during my recent bout with a nasty cold. Love to all of you. I'm very excited to announce that our "Free" Community Yoga resumes with the first class this coming Saturday, January 28th from 1:30 to 3pm. Our guest teacher is Michelle Kress, RYT 200. Please join her for yoga. Love offerings accepted. The second announcement is the beginning of "Yoga Basics" Series with the first of eight classes on Thursday, February 2nd from 6:30 to 8pm and continuing for seven more Thursdays to complete the series. Want more info? Go to Events,Specials and New Classes. Now for an Offering: Recently there was an article in the NYT (New York Times) magazine titled " All Bent Out of Shape, The Problem With Yoga" by William J. Broad. May I say "There is No Problem with Yoga" but with those who don't understand what yoga is about and how it should be practiced. While many of the statements are true it is also to be noted that most of us who teach come from highly trained and qualified backgrounds and teach with safety and concern for our students. We do not allow our students to go beyond their limitations and guide them appropriately when there are health issues. It is called balancing challenge with ease and going only to your edge of tolerance, not beyond. Yes, injury may happen but it is not coming from improper training or ego. We all know it is possible to injure yourself in almost anything you do so it is an accepted risk but doesn't have to be created by inexperience or force. Students who are guided by qualified, responsibly trained teachers are not ego driven and maintain a safe practice where over time deeper expression of postures may be experience but always with patience and safety on the part of the teacher and student. In this way the path unfolds naturally with body, mind and spirit experiencing healing. Yes,sadly, there are teachers who shouldn't be teaching (ones who force postures or say "see what I can do" or compare students in class and don't have proper training) and also students who must be the best at all costs to their health. These ego driven ones (teachers and students) should either quit or even better change their attitudes about yoga. It is not about ego or forcing one beyond their ability or belittling them in a class of their peers by comparing them to another student. They too may find a healing journey with an attitude change. I trust this will happen for their benefit. Unfortunately this may not always happen so those of us who teach responsibly must set the example and also caution against those kinds of classes. It is not about us but about the student and their healing journey into self. Peace and Love to all, Padma |







