Red-Eye Flight, Third-Eye Sight

YOGA MONTH AND THE SENSE(S) OF ADVENTURE

Whether you've been practicing yoga for five years, five months, or five minutes, you've likely encountered the Ralph Waldo Emerson quote: "It's not the destination, it's the journey." No shade to the Instagram accounts captioning their handstand pics with these famous words of Transcendentalism – you do you – but the quote is only partially true. On the mat, we journey through a flow – a purposeful sequence of poses designed to connect with the breath, move the spine in every direction, and work toward a peak or "destination." Every pose and transition is a fresh opportunity to experience something new and learn about ourselves through the challenges, successes, and all the senses. Was I hard on myself when I wobbled? Was I angry with the teacher for cueing Revolved Half Moon? Was I comparing myself to others? Most importantly, how did the pose make me feel? Similar questions likely arise in difficult situations off the mat, and, through yoga, we train our bodies to breathe through the discomfort.

So, no offense to Emerson, but it's not as simple as journey > destination. In fact, it's often the destination that teaches us the most about ourselves. Although the peak pose is typically the most glamorous, challenging, and ultimately rewarding, it's neither the end of the road nor somehow inferior to the path you took to get there.  After the peak, there's still the cool down, the "death," and "rebirth" in the last 15 minutes of class, and the lessons learned that continue into our lives. What we're made of can be found in the moments of stillness and reflection, whether we're journeying on the mat or on a plane, whether we've arrived at the peak or at our final destination. Every piece of our lived experience is an opportunity to learn, find joy, or both, and how we feel at the destination makes this abundantly clear. How many times do you really need to learn that you're a nervous flyer or that a Red Eye flight is always a bad idea? Compare that to a lively discussion with someone of another culture, breathtaking natural scenery you've never seen, or the first bite of a local cuisine.

In short, yoga teaches us to appreciate diverse experiences and viewpoints, no matter where we are on our journey. Traveling to "find yourself" is a cliché for a reason.

YOGA MONTH HAPPENINGS

This Yoga Month, we celebrate how this practice allows us to appreciate everything life has to offer, whether on the mat or on the road, and to be okay leaving behind that which challenges our ability to appreciate the present:

• Yoga Month Special Class Packs: Our best deal of the year! A 9 pack at $25/class or 19 pack at less than $24/class will set you on a course for adventure with lighter baggage. Setting aside time just for yourself can lift a weight off your shoulders, and saving money on that time can lift a weight off your wallet!
• Retail Sale: Your journey could use a couple of cute outfits, so don't miss our Yoga Month 2024 retail sale from September 20 - 24 (get it? 20-24!) – take 24% off all items in our studio shops or online!
• Step into the Sun | Italy Retreat 2025: Embark on a literal adventure to idyllic Tuscany and a not-so-literal adventure through the chakras with your guides, Jessica Rosen and Dylan Wallace. Enjoy a cooking class, excursions, and, of course, daily yoga and meditation.
• 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training | Fall 2024: Go on an adventure self discovery, deepen your yoga practice, and meet lifelong friends along the way! There are just a few spots left for the training session that begins September 26th, so save your spot or wait until next year.
• Latine Flow with Steven Arcos: Your destination for connecting with other members of the Hispanic & Latine Communities. This class celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with a space all your own. We kindly ask that only members of the Hispanic & Latine Communities participate in this pay-what-you-can FLOW on Saturday, September 21 from 1-2pm in Echo Park.
• Prenatal Partner Yoga with Kim Ritley: Join a birth doula for an adventure through grounding sequences, breathing exercises, labor prep, and playful partner poses to help facilitate connection between the birthing parent and birthing buddy on Sunday, September 22 from 2:45-4pm in Eagle Rock.
• Our monthly workshops are like little side quests on your yoga journey:
  • Roll It Out with Julie Price: Adventure through the tender nooks and cranky crannies of the body with a full-body massage ball roll-out on Friday, September 6 from 7:15-8:15pm in Echo Park. Now at an earlier time, so you can give your nervous system some love at the end of the week and still make it to a celebratory dinner afterward!
  • Sound Bath w/ Joycie Weatherby: Immerse yourself in the soothing sounds of crystal alchemy bowls, percussion instruments, and a gong tuned to the frequencies of the moon on Sunday, September 8, from 5:30-7pm in Eagle Rock.
  • Sound Bath w/ Dylan Wallace: Continue on the scenic route with crystal bowls, chimes, and a gong tuned to the frequencies of Venus on Sunday, September 15 from 7:30-8:45pm in East Hollywood.
  • Inversions Workshop w/ Steven Arcos: This month is your last chance for an upside-down adventure, flipping your perspective, building confidence, and having a blast while working toward holding yourself up in different inversions and arm balances. Coming this fall – a whole new inversion adventure! Stay tuned!

GOODIES OF THE MONTH

Like a yoga class, the playlist that guides it can be its own adventure with peaks, valleys, epiphanies, and something to take away. Get inspired to take the road less traveled – even if it has potholes – with this month's adventurous playlist.

Click for a sonic journey.

I Wheely, Wheely, Wheely Like You

Urdhva Dhanurasana is our pose of the month, not just for the wheel and travel puns, but also for the benefits it can offer your body and mind, especially during travel:

• Opens the chest for improved lung function – perfect for all the walking involved in travel, higher altitude in certain locations, or even more strenuous hiking and climbing activities, if that's your thing
• Stretches the muscles of the chest, belly, hips, and legs, while engaging the muscles of the back body
• Stimulates the organs, helping to improve energy and even mood

Here's a Quick Guide to Getting into Urdhva Dhanurasana

1. IMPORTANT: You should be fully warmed up before attempting Wheel pose.
2. While lying on your back, bend your knees and place your feet parallel and apart at about hips-width distance.
3. Place your hands on either side of your head with the fingers pointing toward your shoulders and your elbows pointing upward.
4. Begin to press your shoulders and inner feet into the ground to lift the chest, stabilize the legs, and activate the glutes.
5. Inhale, lift the hips and stay for a couple cycles of breath.
6. Inhale, press into the hands to lift the rest of the body up so the crown of your head rests on the ground (with the weight still in your hands) or so the head is lifted and your arms are as straight as possible.
7. Scoop the tailbone slightly forward and lengthen the front body to protect your lower back.
8. Hold for a few cycles of breath, and release the pose by slowly lowering to the floor with chin to chest.

Simhasana Pranayama: The Not-So-Cowardly Lion

What we love most about Lion's Breath is how inherently goofy it is, forcing students to let down their guard and reap the benefits of this powerful roar. With your tongue out and eyes rolled back and up toward your third eye, this pranayama keeps us from taking ourselves too seriously while finding energy, courage, and clarity. Here's what you do:

1. Begin kneeling in Vajrasana, sitting on your heels with your toes pointing backward.
2. Inhale deeply.
3. On the exhale, stick your tongue out as far as possible while forcefully and deeply contracting the abs and pelvic floor.
4. At the same time as the exhale, focus your eyes up toward the space between your eyebrows.
5. The force of the exhalation may propel you slightly forward with your palms on your knees and fingers spread forward off the knees.

Perceptions Change, Objects Remain

At its core, Sutra 4.15 reminds us that perceptions of an object differ from observer to observer or even when one observer perceives an object while in different states of being. Ultimately, the object remains wholly itself, no matter who or how we look, and we can focus our minds to perceive objects in the purest and clearest form.

The deeper context of this teaching suggests that we must also understand and value a variety of viewpoints, as they're all relevant to a person's particular mind and state of being. We can see beyond what clouds our perception, whether that's past trauma, personality traits, or one's immediate surroundings, in order to find the truth of a situation and act with discernment. The truth, however, does not discredit the feelings we experience as we meditate, refine our approach, and arrive at our destination.

Food for Thought

Recall a moment when you disagreed with someone. Were you able to understand their unique viewpoint and come to a compromise that felt authentic to each of your experiences?  If so, how? If not, what stood in the way?