summer PWYW

this is my new flyer for PWYW classes at the Drake this summer.
please bring your own mat, and come practice with me!
xO!aB

LET us LEARN to LOVE

spring has sprung

spring has sprung, a new season has begun!

hoping the bright green shoots, and blossoms of yellow and pink are energizing everyone.

there are some announcements to be made, with more to come soon.

firstly, i am very pleased to announce that beginning the first week of may, i will be leading a new weekly class on wednesday evenings from 7-815 pm at 99 Sudbury.  this class is a yoga flow class which is a vinyasa inspired class with focus on connecting the breath and movement, but with no strict series.  we will learn to listen to our bodies and discover the information that lives under the layers of ourselves.

i hope to see old and new faces at this class, and look forward to a wonderful new space.

more info coming soon on outdoor classes at the drake, lets pray for warm weather.

xO!aB 

"have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves.... Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer." -Rilke

its been too long!

hi friends, followers, leaders, busy bees and believers!

i have taken a few months hiatus from the blog and leading community classes.

i had a lot to tend to in my personal life that required me taking some time to myself, and thus made it not possible for me to give to this project, and the outward growth of practice.freedom.yoga.

but there is good news: underneath the surface of the past 2 months my internal self was doing a lot of learning, and work so like a bear in hibernation i have been rationing my energy and keeping my spirit warm ready to come out full and rested, ready to come out of my cave.

i will now be committing to updating this community blog as well as finding a home for more community classes to take place in (stay tuned for that). As of now i am teaching on sunday mornings in liberty village (danceology.org) - the class has grown from 2 regulars to between 6-10 students a class and we're having a lot of fun, and exploring new levels of our practice weekly.

i have personally begun fostering a new and warm relationship with octopus garden yoga studio in the annex, and through my time there i have been reminded of the beauty and power of community, support, and continued learning. 

i would like to shed some light on an event happening all around the city today: 'Yoga for Haiti' where the toronto yoga community has come together to raise funds for relief work in Haiti. several studios around the city, (Octopus Garden, Downward Dog, Spynga to name only 3) have donated their teachers time and space toward raising by donation funds for the cause.  so i encourage all those who read this to check out online if your favorite studio is part taking, and if not find one close to you that is, and participate in this coming together of like minded and hearted beings. 

it is a time of change
crisp air, colored leaves, warm scarves handmade with love
hot tea, new vegetables in season - autmn is upon us and it is a wonderful time to begin our prepearations for the winter. bears prepare for hibernation a time when they go inward and spend the winter with themselves in a deep state of stillness - nature in meditation.

another opportunity to learn from nature.... for the next few weeks, i strive to create a stronger connection to the foundation and base of my practice to flourish over the next 6 months. this relates to all areas of life from nourishment in the foods supporting our energy levels and our bodies, to the daily structures we put in place for oursevles to honnour our practice and our health. giving urselves the gift of a true practice.

just something to think about... stay warm, layer up, get ready for winter, breathe deeply in the fresh energized air.
xO!a

live aware

here's an interesting view of our perception, many of us think we are living with awareness throughout our days, but are we really?

_________________________________________________________________________

Perception

..something to think about...




Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:

The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:

A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes:

The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money, but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

Findings:

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world.

He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.

Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story.

Joshua Bell playing incognito in the Metro Station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and people's priorities.

The questions raised: "In a common place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?

Do we stop to appreciate it?

Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?"

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.... How many other things are we missing?.........

________________________________________________________
An interesting observation of how many people are rushed to live their lives under a tight schedule. we have become so used to the instant and quick way of living under the idea that "time is money" or however you wanna say it. Many people seemed to 'not have the time' to stop and listen because they didn't schedule an impromptu performance. That being said, it is a reminder that, it doesn't take a lot of time to stop and appreciate unexpected beauty. being open and present in all moments we flow through in our days will keep us open for discovery. of new things, beautiful opportunities, and a lot more happiness, and love around us.

stay open, breathe deep, feel out your moments. live with awareness.