Greetings fellow Yogis! Our August break is almost over. Live, online classes will resume after the Labour Day weekend! Read on to learn about:
- Fall Session details – Live, online classes via Zoom
- Pre-recorded classes coming soon!
- Kirtan on Sunday, September 12
- Yoga Philosophy: The time-box calendar
Fall Session details
The Fall Session starts on Tuesday, September 7 and continues through to October 29. This makes for eight weeks of classes in September and October, with two holidays (Labour Day September 6 and Thanksgiving October 11).
FALL SESSION SCHEDULE:
| Chair Yoga | Mondays 9:30-10:30 am | Sep 13 – Oct 25 (class will take place on Thanksgiving Day, Oct 11) | 7 classes = $84 |
| Yin Yoga | Mondays 4:30-5:30 pm | Sep 13 – Oct 25 (no class on Thanksgiving Day, Oct 11) | 6 classes = $72 |
| Hatha & Yin Practice | Wednesdays 7:30-8:30 pm | Sep 8 – Oct 27 | 8 classes = $96 |
| Hatha Flow | Fridays 9:30-10:30 am | Sep 10 – Oct 29 | 8 classes = $96 |
CLASS DESCRIPTIONS are available here: https://sageleafyoga.ca/yoga-classes/
NEW REGISTRATION OPTIONS: You have the option to
- register for a specific class or classes (prices shown above), or
- purchase a pass that will allow you to attend various classes (prices below).
I’m happy to introduce three kinds of passes: once a week, twice a week, and unlimited. The passes are valid for the Fall Session, i.e. September and October; unused classes will not be carried over to the next session.
| 8-class pass | Average 1 class/week | $96 |
| 16-class pass | Average 2 classes/week | $180 |
| Unlimited pass (Sep & Oct) | Up to 4 classes/week | $240 |
PAYMENT: Prices are as listed above (no additional taxes). Payment is by e-transfer to zofia@sageleafyoga.ca.
Pre-recorded classes are coming soon!
In lieu of recording live classes and posting them on my website, I will be offering pre-recorded classes for your personal practice. The first pre-recorded packages will be:
TRADITIONAL HATHA & YIN YOGA PRACTICE, SERIES 1 (6 VIDEOS)
- Neck & shoulders
- Shoulders & chest
- Spine
- Hips
- Legs and feet – hamstrings and IT bands
- Sun salutations
CHAIR YOGA, SERIES 1 (5 VIDEOS)
- All-round practice
- Upper body
- Lower body
- Sun salutations
- Tapping, breathing and meditation
INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION (5 VIDEOS)
- Preparing your space
- Preparing your body
- Preparing your mind: the alternate-nostril breath and guided relaxation
- The basic practice
- Reflections
Stay tuned! And please feel free to forward any requests as I move forward with this project.
Kirtan: Coming up on September 12th
Our Kirtan band SOULHUM had a wonderful time at the “Bhakti Bush Party” in Ladysmith, QC this past Saturday! A big Thank-You to all of our supporters! What a joy to sing together in person again!
Our next Kirtan is coming up on Sunday, September 12th, 4:00-4:45pm. Depending on weather, we may hold this Kirtan as an outdoor event in Chelsea, QC. Please RSVP if interested in attending in-person, as numbers will be limited. In the case of rain that day, we will continue with a live, online Kirtan via Facebook. More details to follow.
In the meanwhile, you can find our last online Kirtan here: https://sageleafyoga.ca/soulhum/ (Scroll down to “Our videos.”)
Yoga Philosophy: The time-box calendar
A few weeks ago, I happened to come across an online workshop called “The four keys to indistractible focus.” Offered by personal growth company Mindvalley, it features Mindvalley founder Vishen Lakhiani and best-selling author Nir Eyal. These two guys covered a lot of ground in 70 minutes, but what stood out to me most was the concept of “the time-box calendar.” This is the simple idea of deciding what you want to spend time on, and how much time you will devote to that thing – as opposed to looking at your to-do list and deciding which tasks to check off first. You can still have a to-do list, but it’s the time-box calendar that runs the show. It doesn’t sound that different, but it is. And it doesn’t sound related to yoga, but it is!
First of all, with this “time-box” approach, you are intentional in setting your priorities: you ask yourself, “What is important to me? How much time will I devote to these areas of my life?” Then, you systematically go through your day/week/month and decide, for example: “OK, from 7:00-7:30am I will do my morning self-care… from 7:30-8:00am, I will have a good breakfast and clean up… from 8:00-8:30am I will do some planning for the day… from 8:30-10:30 I will devote 2 hours to this project or activity… etc.” The difference is that your values and priorities are in the lead, not a jumbled-up, never-ending list of things that need to get done.
In yoga philosophy, we talk about the intellect reining in and guiding the chattering mind. The mind, pulled by the senses, shouts, “do this, do that, no do this first!” but it is the higher mind – the intellect, the buddhi – that we need to guide the mind. The intellect sets the direction based on its highest values and understandings at the time (of course, these evolve over time), and then directs and redirects the mind towards this vision. (Now, what is it that guides the intellect…? That discussion is for another day.)
Secondly, with the “time-box” approach, the focus is not on finishing tasks, but on dedicating time and energy to them. This has made a big difference for me personally. Instead of feeling disappointed that I didn’t finish something, I choose to feel satisfied that I’ve devoted a certain amount of time and energy to a certain area of my life.
In yoga philosophy, we talk about two core approaches to any aspect of life or yoga practice: 1/ showing up and doing our best (abhyasa) while at the same time 2/ letting go of expectations and judgements about what we’re doing or have done (vairagya). In the context of the time-box approach, it means that you don’t get caught up hoping that a project or activity will turn out a certain way, or that you will achieve a certain result… you just do your best at the set time, for the set amount of time, learning how to refine and adjust as you go along. You give yourself fully to the process, and let go of the outcomes.
I’ve been implementing the time-box approach for just over three weeks now. My main challenge is to plan and incorporate breaks between tasks! Also, I still tend to caught up in a task, hoping to finish it or to reach a certain point, rather than respecting the time limits I’ve set. I’m still exploring the balance here between the structure/discipline of the time boxes and the flexibility of “going with the flow.” It’s been a rewarding experiment thus far, and I intend to continue. I’ve learned lots about how I actually spend my time, and I’ve reflected lots on how I want to be spending my time. I’ve been clearer, more efficient, more relaxed… I’ve been taking better care of myself, as I’ve set a waking time and a bedtime, as well as time for valued but less ‘productive’ tasks like reading. All good things! The journey continues, and chances are I will report back with further insights in the coming months. In the meanwhile, if you’re interested in watching the workshop, it’s free and still available for some time right here.
Wishing you a good rest of the Summer and smooth transitions to Fall. Looking forward to seeing you on the mat soon!