Converting Oxygen to Energy

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Yoga as a Vocation Sol Center

I use to teach a lot of yoga, hours every day. I joked that, though it wasn’t all super physical, I was a marathon yoga teacher. I taught different things in those many hours. It was also in one facility, so I didn’t have to drive hither and yon. I loved what I did and I earned a good living in the days when teaching yoga wasn’t really known as a vocation.

It is said you teach what you most need to learn, maybe that is true. I guess I needed to learn how to be in my body, how to be myself and connected to something more. I also learned a lot about teaching, communicating, relating. For me learning is primarily about self-awareness, and secondarily about information. This is why I teach yoga and not history, which was incidentally what I studied as an undergraduate.

For some reason, my desire to talk about the breath today brought me back to reflecting on these early days of marathon teaching. I taught this morning, a short 75-minute class and everyone was very focused. It felt like many years of what it took for me to learn were transmitted and absorbed by everyone in the room. It was a bit of a time warp really, it felt like we must have practiced for hours to get that deep. At the heart of this story is the breath.

If you have practiced yoga with me, you will know there is a special way that we breathe. This comes from my teacher Rama and is the essence of her method, which she will not name. She calls it Yoga. There are lots of layers to this teaching, but in a nutshell it is a way of using the breath to create shifts and changes in our being without activating the ego or the will. It is a way of working within the yoga poses that takes you into deep states of meditation where subtle conflict is resolved. It is a way of converting the oxygen we breathe into the prana or energy we need to maintain our integrity.

How does all this happen through breath? I wish I could describe it here. I actually have been trying (and editing it out) but it is really something you have to experience. For now I will simply say breathe in and receive: oxygen, energy, light! Breathe out and move: do, allow, flow. And stay aware of the source of the breath as well, know that you needn’t give anything vital to your being away, to do what you are doing.

/by Natasha Korshak

In honor of our beloved Rama Jyoti Vernon

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Rama Jyoti Vernon painting

Rama is one of the names she was given by an Indian teacher. Rama is one of the mythological incarnations of the God Vishnu, The Preserver. He is the hero of the great epic The Ramayana. Rama alone is a powerful mantra, an utterance of surrender to God. “Hey Ram” were the last words on Mahatma Ghandi’s lips as he died of gunshot by a radical Hindu.

I remember talking about her to a Sanskrit colleague and he insisted her name should be pronounced Ramah, with the emphasis on the last “ah” sound. Sanskrit words are very sensitive to where emphasis is put, as the sound transfers the vibrational meaning. He said that was the correct feminine pronunciation, different than the male pronunciation with the emphasis on the first “a” sound.

I asked Rama about this and she laughed and said “oh no dear“. I don’t remember her correcting him to me, just deflecting the suggestion. I was entirely satisfied as if I had just witnessed her stand up to misogyny with the flick of her long dark hair.

Her other spiritual name was Jyoti, meaning light. She was a light. Most of us who knew her felt this light, saw this light, were literally inspired and illuminated by this light. She often told the story of the moth who immolated itself in the candle flame. It is a classic spiritual story about the tension of the lover for the beloved, the human for the divine. The lover of God is drawn to the light and ultimately allows the longing to be with God to overcome the fear of death. As sad as we are that Rama is gone, we know she longed for the full experience of the light and is now on her way.

None of us truly know what we are doing here. None of us truly know what will happen when we die, if there is anything else. Cultures and religions have formulated ideas and created rituals to help us shape our lives, as well as fathom our death. In the Yoga tradition there is the belief that the soul migrates. That we are born with a soul record and a particular heap of karma to live into and to potentially balance and resolve.

The spiritual practice of Yoga is considered a special means to balance, resolve, and dissolve karma. The Hindu Tradition, from which Yoga stems from and can be distinct from, understands human life to have 4 primary aims or interests: kama, artha, dharma, moksha. Respectively: the interest to seek pleasure and comfort, the interest to seek achievement and success, the interest to seek righteousness and contribute to society, and the interest to seek God and to be one with Divine.

It is said that we are all ultimately seeking moksha, but get caught up in the others. It is warned that we can even get caught up erroneously trying to seek moksha! It is taught that it may take many, many lifetimes to find moksha or liberation, to get it “right.”

Even Mahatma Ghandi knew his spiritual efforts to align with the great principles of truth and non-violence for the sake of the Indian people’s liberation to be inevitably flawed. Yet he devoted himself to the process nonetheless, like the moth to the flame.

Rama Jyoti Vernon was known to say “we can have our cake and eat it too,” in this case implying that we can honor all that life offers us: we can be comfortable, successful, of service, and in route to God.

Indeed, we loved Rama because she had it all. She was beautiful and joyous; she had accomplished so much without becoming a brand or institution; she did everything in the spirit of devotion and service to the highest principles; and she loved the saints and sages, gods and goddesses, she longed for and held to the oneness in all that she did.

Like any real person, she did not have it easy. She had many challenges and difficulties along the way, internally and externally. She did not hide herself yet she always put the power and positivity of the teachings first and foremost. She was clear she was not a guru but she was a truly charismatic woman and she had some of responsibilities of a guru put upon her.

As a true Yogi, she put her own practice to the test as often as she could. She did her upmost to bring unifying love and make peace all along her journey, to keep her eyes and ears attuned to the teachings she received and to transmit that fullness to others. She leaves a great legacy in what she was able to get down in writing, in her children and students, and the work that is still in motion.

The light of Yoga shines brightly in so many of us because of you Rama. You are forever with us and we celebrate your new freedom and bliss. Thank You for everything.

Om Tat Sat Om. Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

/by Natasha Korshak

Growing Your Home Yoga Practice

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Having a home yoga practice has a whole new meaning in this time of virtual yoga classes and social distancing.

Students have commented that while virtual classes aren’t quite the same, they have helped them create structure, practice more regularly, manage the stress of this extraordinary event; as well as, make, sustain, and renew connections with others.

There are also the privacy, convenience, and cozy factors.  You don’t have to drive across town for your favorite class, practice in your underwear if you want, and you have your pets nearby.

Taking all this into account, as well as some of the challenges, here are some suggestions about how to make the most of the virtual yoga experience.

  • Am I doing it right? Remember that Yoga is so much more than the poses and techniques; the process has its own magic. The way we endeavor to teach is extra awareness based so there is less chance of doing it wrong and more chance of learning from your direct experience.  *If you do have a particular question about technique, ask after class or email. 
  • What are we doing now? You can get lost at times….it may be that the teacher wasn’t perfectly clear or that you spaced out a bit….no big deal, just tune back in and find your way anew. If you have feedback for any of us in regards to clarity, tell us or email so we learn.
  • Is there anybody else out there? Sometimes it helps to notice the participant list of who is in class before we begin and recognize that you are doing this with other people at the same time. You are actually having a communal experience. There is a period before class and after class to say hello, and you can also just zoom in and out without socializing.
  • I really need to vacuum…It can be useful to create a dedicated space in your home. And to keep it clean and clear of stuff. This is a very classical recommendation for yoga, create the space that signals your brain that you are doing something special. If you can’t find that space in your home, or your device doesn’t allow that, it can just be your mat zone while you are on it.
  • Am I doing enough or am I getting lazy? Being physically challenged can be over-rated, you end up forcing it and creating pain rather than relieving it. And, it is hard for us as instructors to know what is safe and productive when we can’t see you. A good rule of thumb is to do 80% of what you think is doable. If you want to see how it is to challenge yourself with a particular pose, do it every day at 80% and see where you are in 1 week.
/by Natasha Korshak

COVID-19 and the Sol Center

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Sol Center Friends,

The Sol Center is temporarily closing in response to the COVID-19 situation.

As there is no recipe to ensure everyone’s safety in gathering at the Sol Center, this decision was made to protect us all within our community and the community at large as well.

More news about what is happening will follow via email and our website.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me for support, at any time, and phone me at 520-628-9642.

Take care

Natasha

Your financial stake in the Sol Center during this time will be respected, in whatever way you might require.

/by Natasha Korshak

Yoga Ministry

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I said goodbye yesterday to a group of Catholic clergy I have been working with for 7 weeks.  I teach a “Mind, Body, Spirit” Seminar for a clergy sabbatical program here in Tucson. 

Essentially, I give them an ecumenical model for how yoga, meditation, and mindfulness “work” and then we spend the majority of our time engaged in gentle, relaxing, and prayerful practice.

As a closure, I asked them to tell me what stuck with them from the practice experience, what they would be taking away into their lives and ministries.

Here is a summary of their list for all of us to remember:

  1. Breath.  How important it is to breathe consciously and to notice our breath holding patterns.
  2. Gentle Movements.  How much can happen with simple, mindful movement.
  3. Simplicity.  Stand against the wall for a few moments.  Fold forward ½ way with your hands on a table top.  Lie down and let your body open.
  4. Alignment.  Notice how the body contracts and rounds and the difference you feel when you adjust and align more with gravity.
  5. Respect.  Work with your body in this moment.  There is no need to force, strain, or effort for something particular.
  6. Relax.  Notice the way we rush, lurch, tense, grip as we are acting.  Consciously relax within the effort and notice how that also affects your mind.
  7. Grace.  In movement and in the whole experience.
  8. Space.  It helps to have the right environment and we become the right environment- our body/mind state.
  9. Focus.  The mind on the body, the body as a worthy focus for attention, prayer, communion, insight.

In truth- this isn’t their list exactly.  That arose on the white, dry erase board and then was dissolved as we talked about yoga styles out there in the wider world.  This list is what I remember and what I have embellished a bit.  Yet, it’s the same and different every time I teach.  What makes it different is the alchemy, the respect we have for ourselves and each other as we commune on this day.  Goodbye Fall Sabbatical Group, it was lovely to share my yoga ministry with you these 7 weeks.   God Bless us all.

If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time.  But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.   Aboriginal Activists Group, Queensland

/by Natasha Korshak

Years ago, I read an article by a teacher of the Vedic sciences, regarding the cultivation of Prana.

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When considering what to share from my practice this month, the idea of pace came to mind as a relevant theme.

As I tried to write about it, it became overly complex.  So I am going back to basics and simply sharing some personal thoughts that I hope are useful for you.

Years ago, I read an article by the excellent teacher of the Vedic sciences, Robert Svoboda, regarding the cultivation of Prana.  Prana is the Sanskrit term for subtle energy, similar to the Chinese term Chi.

The article had a wonderful effect on me during an especially difficult period of life.  I felt stuck and thwarted in many ways then, and was undoubtedly being hard on myself.  Why was I so slow?  Why did I have no energy?  These were constant, semi-conscious questions I circulated in my mind.

I share with you the first paragraph of this article and a few reflections about how it helped me and informs me to this day.

Whoever you may be, and wherever you may live, you live your life well when you live it at the right rate. Plow your way through life and life will wear you out; poke your way along and your life will grind to a halt. Find a pace that suits you, though, and amble along it accordingly, and your world will spontaneously level a path for you.

The article goes into some depth about yogic matters that I jive with, but what struck me right away was the possibility that slow was my pace.  That being upset about my pace was perhaps the drain of energy.  That maybe it was time to surrender to a deeper understanding of my rhythm, and to life’s rhythm for me.

This insight paradoxically allowed me to slow down more, to drop down deeper, to rest and rejuvenate, to ask different questions, to hear from my heart, and to follow my heart.

In this period since, about 5 years now, I understand my pace more and I do my daily best to honor it and amble along accordingly.    I don’t expect the world to spontaneously level my path but I do seem to understand more what is meant by such a statement.

Our pace connects us to our heart.  Our heart emanates our unique emotional and spiritual longing.  This is what influences the course of our path.

May you know and honor your pace.  May your heart illuminate your path.

May our practice and our healing be of benefit to the whole world.

Here is a link to the entire article for those that are inspired: Prana

/by Natasha Korshak

Reflections from my practice

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Here are some reflections from my practice and hopefully some inspiration for yours:

This winter and spring I have been concentrating on getting stronger through hiking.  It has felt important as I enter into middle age to not just move more, but to be in nature and to be reminded that my body is a vehicle for connecting with the wilderness.

My asana practice is simple and sweet these days.  I don’t try and get much out of my body- rather I attend to it so it feels good and balanced.  This attitude has been distilled from years of practicing in ways that were not necessarily simple and sweet.

Even though I have always gravitated to gentle styles and found teachers who understood the meditative and spiritual dimension of yoga, I still pressured myself to do more and more.  I imagine I thought that was my duty as a professional yoga teacher.   It took some time to realize I was inflicting pain upon myself rather than resolving it, and that was serving no one!

This is really a lesson regarding the Mind.  I didn’t know I was being aggressive.  I didn’t know I was off track.  My teacher Rama always emphasized a will-less way of progressing and I loved the message.  It just took years to bear fruit and flowers. Perhaps there is much more to come.   Meanwhile, I am pain free, at ease, and in awe with the way my practice has evolved.

This brings me to the concept of Mind/Body that I am playing with lately.  In the new brain science we see more than ever that the mind and body are integral, not distinct.  The mind is the body, the body is the mind.  Awareness and sensitivity are keys to integration, thinking and dissecting are disturbances.  Yogis and Buddhas and Mystics of all stripes have essentially agreed upon this- now there is a modern wave of contemplative science and study that affirms and explains the phenomena of integration.

It is an exciting and exhilarating new way of conceiving of self and human potential.   What does your body tell you?  How does the thinking and judging mind distort the information?  How do we enter into the energy and information of the mind/body, learn from it directly?  How do we translate this integration of being into our lives and world? What might it mean for the future?

In regards to your practice, I hope you have the opportunity to move more and the wisdom to will-less from your body.  I wish you the enjoyment of nature and the opportunity to touch into wilderness.  I pray that your own mind/body journey flowers into good health and spiritual integration.  And that each of our practices aids to the healing of the world.

Blessings and Light, Natasha

/by Natasha Korshak

Tips

For many years I ran a yoga, meditation, and mindfulness program for Miraval: Life in Balance, and was regularly asked by our sales and marketing team to speak with journalists about our programs and what we do.  Inevitably I was always asked for “tips”.

I can do tips of course and it is good way to get very clear, very quick.  In the beginning it was exciting to be asked and a fun challenge and I always felt pretty good about what I offered up.  It was nice to see my name in print as the expert or authority and to get comments from friends, family, and colleagues about the publicity.  I’m happy to say that my name and advice popping up in an article in Woman’s Day was a particularly thrilling experience for my mother-in-law.   Yet more and more I felt dissatisfied about what ended up in print.

It was never quite what I said or meant, not the right context, it seemed banal and superficial.  The idea here was of course to simply get mentioned, to get attention to your cause, but it never felt quite right seeing the tips end up next to tips for removing cellulite or losing your belly fat, or having the perfect bath.  It’s like seeing the woman on tv who teaches yoga to professional athletes and swears by Advil for the days she is too sore or sick but the game must go on. It’s simply not the right message about these subjects.  It’s static rather than substance.

I don’t mean to sound cynical, I have benefited from the mainstreaming of these practices.  I am sure we all have benefited from these casual tips at some point and that we all need a little something different to get information across our filters.  We all deserve a good bath after all!  I will indeed keep giving tips and receiving tips.

Rather than cynical, I am curious.  Can I find a way to get clear, quick, and still transmit meaning?  Can tips be experienced as ideas, reminders, sparks that energize the reader or listener rather than concepts we mistakenly impose upon ourselves?  In my mind one tip truly received could change our lives’, it’s that simple, yet not that easy!

Three Tips for Maximizing your Experience of Tips:

  • Your breath is more important than anything you are reading or hearing or doing.
  •  You are already whole and complete, no improvement necessary.
  •  Let life live through you. (poem fragment from “Hokusai Says”, by Roger Keys)
/by Natasha Korshak

You won’t teach normal things

When I was in my early 20’s a friend and her mother recommended I see a psychic they thought highly of.  I had already finished my undergraduate degree in history, was practicing yoga, and working in the food service world to get by.  The main question was what would I DO with my life?  What would I be?  It was a pressing concern.

The psychic was serious, lived simply, a devotee of Siddha Yoga, an astrologer , a lesbian, her house had a certain smell- old, a bit musty, like an old book.   I liked her and trusted her for some reason right away.

What I remember most was that she said clearly that I would be a teacher.  I flinched.  I had never particularly enjoyed school and never saw myself as a teacher.  I had a Bachelors of Arts degree and everyone always asked, “What are you going to do, teach?”  “NO” was my immediate response.  I had nothing affirmative to offer next.

“You won’t teach normal things, academic things, not a school room teacher.” I still had no idea what she was talking about and remember feeling deeply disappointed that there wasn’t something else offered up as a more appealing possibility.  Teach?!

Then my yoga teacher, Priscilla, asked me to teach for her one day.  She was going away and wanted me to simply fill in for her.  I was surprised and honored and felt that if she thought I could do it, I could and simply would.  I remember mapping out how a class might unfold together at the table in “Delectables” restaurant and thinking “here we go”, but not knowing what that meant.

I was probably nervous and undoubtedly self-conscious, but I have no recollection of that.  Only that I did it and would continue doing it and then suddenly Priscilla was saying that a teacher training program would happen, her first in Tucson, and that it was me who was begging for it.  I was?

I won’t share the whole story right now, only that the psychic was right and the journey into that truth, its realization, is the essence of what I am doing here with Yoga at Heart.   It is about me and it is about you and it is about the world.  I say that not to be grand, quite the opposite.  Utter humility is what I hope to embody as a teacher and give birth to in my teaching.  It’s about the teaching, it’s about you, it’s about the flow of the life force.  These are not normal things after all, not academics, not a school room…

The word ‘education’ is derived from the Latin root ‘educare’. While education refers to collection of worldly facts, educare is to bring out from within. Education is for a living while educare is for life.

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba

/by Natasha Korshak

Mindfulness Motivation from the Past and Present

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Our normal daily life creates a pattern of mental focus that often takes us out of our physical, present moment reality.  Our attention goes away and in many directions, often for long periods of time.  This way of being, while it may seem necessary, productive, and even creative has many limitations.

The primary limitation is that it accentuates the mind/body disconnection- our body is doing one thing, our mind is doing many other things.  This disconnection makes us highly susceptible to physiological stress or sympathetic nervous system arousal.  That means our bodies are revving up to prepare for danger and emergency, its information is based on our conscious and unconscious thoughts and feelings, and in most cases there is no danger- the threat and thus the stress is in fact, unnecessary.  This unconscious and unnecessary ‘’revving” of our nervous system agitates, confuses, and exhausts us creating less productivity and more vulnerability to illness and accident.

The secondary limitation of our attention moving around constantly away from the present moment, is that we do not get to live our moments fully.  We in fact feel less because our senses are not activated and our emotions are not integrated into what we are doing.  While this can be a relief sometimes to just “do” life, if this doing prevails we are more prone to over-indulge the senses- which in turn exacerbates physiological stress, and we are easily overwhelmed by our feelings.

With the Mindfulness practices offered below, you can begin to gradually shift your attention back to the present moment reality.  This simple act of harnessing your attention, will help you develop your mind body connection, reduce and manage stress, and bring more beauty and balance to your life.  With practice, you will see that learning to attend to yourself is an act of intelligence and self-worth and that you are better able to attend gracefully to all that is needed in your life.

  1. Be aware of your breath.  Simply notice.  No thinking necessary.
  2. Be aware of your body sensations.  Simply notice.  No thinking necessary.
  3. Move your body mindfully, focusing on the experience of sensation. No thinking necessary.
  4. Shake.  Rattle.  Roll.  Rub.  Hop.  Yawn.  Sigh.  Stomp- whatever connects you to your body now.
  5. Be aware of raw feeling states.  The feeling of yes.  The feeling of no. The feeling of maybe-so.
  6. It doesn’t matter what you feel.  It does matter that you notice how you are feeling.
  7. Notice your thinking, imaging, inner dialogue.  Is it true?  Is it helpful?  Is it skillful?
  8. Notice that awareness- this faculty that can notice- is bigger than thinking.
  9. Sensations, emotions, thoughts drive impulses, actions, behaviors, consequences.
  10. The future is shaped moment by moment- be intentional and notice when you’re not.
  11. No judgment necessary.
/by Natasha Korshak

Yoga and Breathing for the Billionth Time

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I used to teach a lot of yoga, hours every day.  I joked that I was a marathon yoga teacher.  I taught different types of yoga practices in those many hours, it wasn’t all super physical.  It was also in one facility, so I didn’t have to drive hither and yon.  I loved what I did and I made a good living in the days when yoga teaching wasn’t really a profession.

It is said you teach what you most need to learn, maybe that is true.  I guess I needed to learn how to be in my body, how to be myself and connected to something more.  I also learned a lot about teaching, communicating, relating.  For me learning is primarily about self-awareness, and secondarily about information.  This is why I teach Yoga and not history, which was incidentally what I studied as an undergraduate.

For some reason, my desire to talk about the breath today brought me back to reflecting on these early days of marathon teaching.  I taught this morning, a short 75 minute class and everyone was very focused.  It felt like what it took me many years to learn were transmitted and absorbed by everyone in the room.  It was a bit of a time warp really, it felt like we must have practiced for hours to get that deep.  At the heart of this story is the breath.

If you have practiced yoga with me, you will know there is a special way that we breathe.  This comes from my teacher Rama and is the essence of her method, which she will not name.  She calls it Yoga.  There are lots of layers to this method, but in a nutshell it is a way of using the breath to create shifts and changes in our being without activating the ego or the will.  It is a way of working within the yoga poses that takes you into deep states of meditation where subtle conflict is resolved.  It is a way of converting the oxygen we breathe into the prana or energy we need to be both transformed and to maintain our integrity.

How does all this happen through breath?  I wish I could describe it here, I actually have been trying (and editing it out) but it is really something you have to experience.  For now I will simply say what I have said billions of time by now, breathe.

/by Natasha Korshak

Meditative Yoga Practice Series – Saturdays 9:30-4:30

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Meditative Yoga Practice Series

Saturdays 9:30-4:30

Saturday, February 20 – The Fifth Chakra: Heart’s Desire

Saturday, March 26 – The 5 Flows of Prana

Saturday, April 23 – The Third Chakra: City of Gems

Saturday, May 14  – The 5 Mind States & the Breath

 

This series of practice days grows out of a desire to support our continued healing, growing, and awakening.  The beauty of Yoga is the experiential process;  this strengthens our connection to inner knowing, the inner teacher or Guru.  Longer practice sessions, well-paced and designed, are an important part of our development. These sessions are open to both new and experienced practitioners.  Each Saturday will have a similar format yet there will be distinct themes and practices.  Here are some other thoughts about how a day of practice can benefit you:

* Extended practice increases your concentration and stamina, which will translate into all you are doing.

* This meditative way of practicing will help you stay in and expand your comfort zone, you will be invigorated rather than exhausted.

* I have taught Days of Mindfulness Practice for many years and see how profoundly it affects people; there is even research that indicates that a day of meditation can affect gene response in a positive and measurable way.

* You will explore and refine your general practice, so you understand anew how Yoga works for you outside the class structure.

$100 for the day or $325 for the series.

Please contact me to register.

 

/by Natasha Korshak

Full Day of Meditative Yoga Practice January 23rd 2016

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Full Day of Meditative Yoga Practice

9:30 – 4:30 $100

This is the first of what will be a series of practice days designed for students who love Meditative Yoga and want more than the 90 minute class experience. The day will include a variety of movement, breathing, sound, and meditation practices; while most practice is solo, there will be some interactive components as well. Pace & sequencing will match the natural flow of the daylight and guide you effortlessly to the deeper healing and regenerative dimensions of Yoga. In honor of the Martin Luther King holiday this month, the theme of our practice day will be ahimsā (non-violence). This is an important principle in Yoga that inspired Ghandi and then King’s civil rights philosophy’s.

Please contact me to register.

 

/by Natasha Korshak

Vedic Astrology Highlights and Super Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse

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Vedic Astrology Highlights Fall 2015 & Super Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse September 27th

 

We have a Solar and Lunar Eclipse this month.  Here are the Highlights of what is UP.

The Solar Eclipse will occur later this night that I write.  It is partial and will not be visible to us in the USA.  Yet the energy of an eclipse effects the whole planet, perhaps more so where they are visible.

This occurs in the sign of Leo, in the later section of the constellation called Purva Phalguni- it is associated with wealth so there is some buzz in the astrology community about this having impact on the global economy.  Some say the wild ride the stock market just took is indicative of this energy fluctuation.  Particular effects may be felt for 6 months.

Eclipses are considered inauspicious periods to initiate new endeavors.  They are auspicious for spiritual attunement and refinement.  As we know, life often insists we do things in spite of the signs and omens.  Truly, the key is to have a daily practice that purifies your heart and mind in some way.  This is the key to weathering whatever will come.

It is also considered helpful when the solar eclipse happens before the lunar.  We always have eclipses in pairs and this time the lunar eclipse will follow and be fully visible for us in Tucson.  It is quite powerful as it is a total eclipse and the moon is close to the Earth in its orbit- this is called a super moon.  It is also interesting as it happens early in the evening- it will be fully eclipsed around 8pm Tucson time.  Easy to witness and meditate upon.

Again, there is lots of lore regarding everything and it is said that it is not good to be outside during an eclipse- that you are personally negatively affected by it.  But in this day and age, when we are disconnected from so many natural rhythms, I sense it is a remedy; a way to honor the subtle and the shadow element of life, to witness the celestial phenomenon and strengthen our commitment to light.

The lunar eclipse occurs Sunday night, September 27. It occurs in Pisces, in the section called Uttara Bhadra Pada.  It is associated with the flow of water, purification, renewal, and release from long held patterns.  It is the water that smooths the stones.  I hope you get to experience and enjoy this event in some way.

Lunar Eclipse Tucson

Mars in Leo: September 16-November 3

Mars is leaving its 2 month sojourn through the sign of Cancer, which is its sign of debility/ difficulty.

This is a big shift for Mars energy.  In anyone’s chart Mars signifies raw energy, courage, power, brothers, and land.  In the fire sign of Leo the King it regains its sense of being a spiritual warrior.  This is very significant if you are Aries or Scorpio Rising or Moon by birth. You will feel empowered again.

Sun in Virgo: September 17-October 17

The Sun will soon change signs- from Leo to Virgo.  There is quite a bit of intensity in this yearly visit as Rahu is here and Mercury turns retrograde this same day. September 22-24 are very intense Solar days.  Be extra mindful and curious.

Mercury Retrograde: September 17-October 8

Mercury is retrograde in its own sign of Virgo, that is good in ways as it spends more time in one of its places of power and amplifies all kinds of Mercury and Virgo related things:  intellectual and organizational activities, service and healing matters especially.  It backtracks right into the Sun, full combustion, September 29-30. These are days that Virgo or Mercury people could feel inspired yet depleted.  It retrogrades into Rahu October 7-8 and then goes direct.  These could be interesting days for Mercury’s mental energy- creativity and innovation abound.  But be careful with important decisions.  Rahu is a trickster energy!

 

/by Natasha Korshak

Sleep of the Yogi: Finding the Rest & Recovery We All Need

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Wisdom speaker Natasha Korshak, will be at Sacred Space with Stephen Pedone accompanying on gutiar Sunday 8/9/15 at 4:15pm

Natasha will explain to us the foundations, guide us, and help us practice Yoga Nidra also known as iRest (not an apple product). This traditional Yoga practice helps heal ills such as anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, and PTSD. Yoga Nidra is a simple and doable meditation that reminds us of our intentions and our potential to break through limiting perceptions that generate stress and tension. Natasha’s teaching will also help us understand how this practice can be applied to daily life.

Sacred Space, 3202 E 1st Street Tucson …click for map.

Natasha Korshak is an Interfaith Contemplative Minister, Yoga Teacher, and Director of the Mindfulness Programs of Tucson.

Stephen Pedone is an aspiring accountant, musician and renaissance man.

/by Natasha Korshak

Kala Purusha, 2 Free Mindfulness Classes & December News

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As we approach the Winter Solstice I am reflecting on the last six months since Summer Solstice.  This is the waning phase of the year, the days growing shorter.  Traditionally, this is an auspicious time for planning and preparation.  What have you been up to? What is the theme of your past 6 months?

The Vedic understanding of time is vast and incorporates eons. Our individual lives are part of an enormous whole.  We come from the invisible womb of being and return there, again and again until the soul’s journey is complete.  We are made of stars and possess the innate intelligence of the universe.  This is a theory of course, an ancient way of framing the unknown, a poetic contemplation.  It is true that we are literally made of stars, the same substance of the universe.

Time is personified as Kala Purusha. The word Kala contains sounds related to the beginning, middle, and end of all manifested things.  Purusha is the essence of consciousness, beyond manifestation.  The implication is that we each have a time limited opportunity to express our essence.  We are all bound by time and go through cycles of time; natural, collective, and personal.

Classically, yoga practices are designed to work with natural cycles, to help us be in harmony with the deeper pulse of the planet and cosmos.  For instance, dawn and dusk are the considering the most powerful times to meditate and pray.

Collective cycles relate to our family, our peers, our place on the earth.  Consider your family’s cycles,   your generation’s expectations of life (boomers, x’s, millennials), the cycles of your neighborhood, your city, state, country?   Can you sense how this contemplation of time turns us towards the complicated subject of karma?  Why me?  Why not me?

There is a great Hindu story regarding how personal time cycles affect even the mighty Shiva.   It is believed that we all go through regular periods where the harsh gaze of Saturn tests us and transforms us.  It is called Sade Sati, the 7 ½ years of Saturn, and occurs every 23 years or so in a person’s life. When you are in Saturn’s gaze specifically, depends on personal birth factors.

The story goes that Saturn was the student of Shiva, yet still had to do his duty and cast his terrible gaze upon his guru.  Shiva tried to outwit him by submerging himself in the River Ganges for the entire 7 ½ years.
When he emerged he was delighted with his feat and cried,
“Oh Saturn! What could you do to Me?”
Saturn replied,
“You call that doing nothing to You?”

Where ever you are in regards to Saturn, in regards to your personal cycle, may the new phase of the year bring you deeper peace, greater wisdom, and fruition of your current hopes and dreams.

Happy Solstice, Happy Holidays.

Natasha

 

 

There are 2 Free Mindful Meditation classes in December

December 8th we will honor the mindfulness methods of Thich Nhat Hanh.
Present Moment, Wonderful Moment: Experiencing Mindfulness

December 15th a mindful practice related to the change of seasons.
The Fruitful Darkness: An Evening of Mindfulness Practice

All are invited to attend either or both classes:
Simply register 
No experience is necessary.

 

Ongoing Class

Meditative Yoga Sundays (Class continues uninterrupted thru the Holidays)
10 – 11:30 am at The Movement Shala 435 E. Ninth Street

Class happens every week without fail.  You never have to wonder.  On the rare occasions I am away, one of our regular students, who is also a trained teacher, subs and you get to experience someone else who appreciates meditative yoga.  Downtown is flourishing too, with great places for Sunday brunch- come to class, stay and play!  First time students are always free.
$10 class or $32 for a 4 class pass

 

Upcoming

Winter 2015 MBSR Schedule

MBSR Free Information & Introduction Session For Winter 2015 – Monday January 5th

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program MBSR Winter 2015 – Monday January 12th

Please see the full Schedule and Complete details here

/by Natasha Korshak

Vedic Astrology Highlights: January 2014

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Hello and Happy New Year!

Here’s the current planetary information for the next several weeks.  Please remember this is all viewed from the sidereal perspective- all planets fall back about 24 degrees from the Western astrology placements.  You’ll hear from me again in early March for great news about Jupiter!

Mars’ long transit of Virgo

If you are Virgo Ascendant or have birth planets in Virgo you may want to pay attention here.  Mars began transiting Virgo in late November and will continue along as usual until February 4 when it enters Libra.  This would be its usual transit through a sign, taking about 2 months; but in this case it will stop at 3 degrees Libra and then move retrograde back into Virgo.  Retrograde motion means that the planet appears to be moving backwards through the zodiac.  This will take Mars back into the middle of Virgo until May 20th and then it will move forward again and through leaving finally July 14th.  This means the whole first half of this year Mars is affecting this one area!

Mars in Virgo is a volatile transit in general. Virgo is the sign related to perfection, our urge for things to be done properly.  Mars here could generate an extra dose of frustration and annoyance about how things and people are performing.  Virgo is the sign of health as well, and Mars here can create health disturbances.  The volatility has to do with the fact that Virgo is a sign ruled by Mercury- which is the spark like energy of our mind.  Mars is like a flame to Mercury’s spark thus, handle with care.

I have Ketu in Virgo and have been watching as Mars just transited the exact point.  Like I tell you to do, I note the dates and watch what arises, both within my body/mind and externally.  The first day of the transit I experienced an intense confrontation with someone I work with.  Even before it started I sensed something was going off.  When it was happening I was also aware of the energy and did what I could to be clear and non-defensive.  When it was over I did a little extra to clear up the disturbance between us.  This was my way of being responsive and proactive and keeping the impact minimal.  In addition to this situation I ended up with extra responsibilities during a meditation retreat I was supposed to simply attend, and then got the dreaded chest flu and passed it on to my husband too!  The good news is that I feel like the transit really escalated my meditation experiences and I hopefully now have my immunity in place for the rest of the season!

Ok, there’s a personal story, but the thing for us to remember, is that Mars now is a warm up for Mars later this year!  If you are curious how this affects your chart feel free to contact me for a check in.

Venus Retrograde

We began the year with Venus moving retrograde back through Capricorn.  It will continue this direction all through January.  When any planet is retrograde its energy is disrupted in some way.  It will express itself in a more obvious and yet unusual manner.  *This same principle applies to Mars retrograde discussed above.   Venus’s usual energy is about enjoyment, pleasure, relationship, creative connection so we could say that while retrograde this month you might explore finding enjoyment in something unusual or that it is a good time to reconnect with something or refine something rather than seek out something new.  If you are Taurus or Libra ascendant this retrograde affects you most- things seem to be going a bit slow.

One interesting moment in the transit occurs at the end, on February 1st Venus will station, which means it stops moving backward or forward, and it will be almost exactly opposite Jupiter in Gemini.  These are both the benefic planets, related to what we desire and cherish in this life,  yet they represent different avenues for fulfillment.  Venus is more about material satisfaction, Jupiter intellectual or spiritual fulfillment.  Some astrologers say this opposition can trigger a sense of opposition in us personally regarding these paths, and also some indulgence.  Last time this transit occurred in November I was with 3 great yoga teachers- and there was some opposition going on regarding their teaching methods!  It was interesting to see it through the planetary lens and it was all fine.  Again, February 1st is the upcoming date, see what it brings you!

Also, note that Venus will move forward from there and be in some of its most auspicious zones for the next several months.  This is good news for Taurus, Libra, Capricorn, and Aquarius ascendants.

/by Natasha Korshak

Heart Chakra and the Holidays

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Hello and Happy Holidays,

It is getting cooler, the day shorter and the holiday season is upon us. Being part Jewish and part Catholic by upbringing, the holidays were always a bit complicated. Peter though plays a good Interfaith husband. Early in our friendship he crafted a menorah for me which we light every year much to my beloved Jewish’s grandmothers delight and his Catholic mother’s chagrin. He also enjoys Chanukah Radio (Ch 111 on SiriusXM begining on the 27th) and gives interesting Christmas gifts.

I mainly love the feeling of the season, particularly the waning of the Sun’s light and the beauty of ceremonial light. Privately we will soon light our menorah, decorate our Christmas bush, string LED lights on the house, and await Santa Pietro. Publicly I invite you to join me for the Circle of Light event December 2 and a Sunset Solstice event December 22. Meanwhile, if you want a good dose of planetary light, Jupiter is currently very bright in the early evening as the Sun sets. Jupiter in Sanskrit is called Guru the dispeller of darkness.

In my yoga practice, Fall has brought some deeper reflection.  My back has been a bit off and I have had to listen more.  Where is this coming from?  What is my body telling me?  What is the message here?  My teacher Rama has always emphasized that the back represents our unconscious, our past; and Yoga is about linking the unconscious and the conscious, the past and present have to be integrated in order to transform our future.  So in this light, I have been taking some time to feel back and process more.   I am slowly coming into a new rhythm.

Next week many of us long time Rama students will gather in Albuquerque to be with Rama and her teaching colleagues Angela Farmer and Victor Van Kooten.  They are pioneers in the modern development of yoga in the West and are now in their 70’s.  While they are vital, there is also a sense of their handing over the torch. In fact, the image of a torch, or flame, is one of the great images of Yoga; symbolized in the heart chakra it is the seat of our intelligence, our soul, and our connection to the eternal truths that can never be corrupted or commodified.

In the middle of the heart is a great fire (Mahan Agni) that carries all light and looks to every side. It is the first eater and dwells apportioning our food, the undecaying seer.          Narayana Sukta

 

 

 

/by Natasha Korshak

Synergy and Balance: Sukha and Sthira

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The word synergy is a fabulous word isn’t it?   Synergy is the combination of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects.  Synergy implies dynamism and flow.

The word balance is similar in meaning but we could say it has a different tone or quality- it is two or more things or components that come together and create a state of equilibrium or equipoise.  Balance is used to imply physical, mental and/or emotional stability and sound judgment.  In design, balance refers to placement of elements that produce an aesthetically pleasing, integrated sense of whole.  Balance infers steadiness and calm.

I played with these two terms and gave ideas about how to experience and accentuate them in a talk I gave in New York City several years ago when I was there representing Miraval.  Looking back over my notes of the talk today, I’m noticing how the terms bring to mind one of my teacher’s favorite statements from Patanjali, the ancient codifier or yoga philosophy.  I hear her voice now in melodic Sanskrit- “Sthira Sukham Asanam.”

“Sthira” means steady, firm, immovable.  “Sukham” means comfortable, pleasant, willing, sweet.  “Asana” means posture or attitude.  (There’s more to this word for another time)

My teacher Rama used to translate this as “Find comfort in any pose”- which was not a typical translation.  More often it is something dry and literal like, “Posture should be firm and comfortable.”

What does this have to do with Synergy and Balance?  Synergy to me feels like sukham- sweetness and flow.  Balance feels like sthira- that quality of steadiness and calm.  What does it mean in terms of practice and life?  I remember when Rama used to talk about it, it gave me a deep sense of what I was “doing” when I was doing yoga asana.  These 2 qualities equally engaged created a sort of holy state for me that has informed the way I practice and guide ever since.

She meant a lot with that statement though, more than yoga or meditation postures- she was also suggesting that we were learning how to flow with life.  To not effort, control, inflict our will upon certain situations we would find ourselves in.  That there was a way to find comfort anywhere, with anyone, under any circumstances. This was the realization of the sutra, the deepest meaning.

Consider for a moment right now, where or with whom in your life are you being too rigid or static or serious?   How might you find comfort in this pose, circumstance, relationship, situation?

One last thought here:  In Vedic Astrology the term “sthira” shows up again, it is used in reference to the signs of the zodiac that have a fixed quality:  Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius.  On the positive side “sthira”  gives stability, endurance, consistency to the matters these signs govern in your chart and on the difficult side it can cause inertia, resistance, stagnation.  In Astrology when a lot of your birth planets end up in fixed signs you learn a lot about both sides of the “sthira” equation.  I will tell you I have 5 planets in fixed signs, so I know of what I speak!

/by Natasha Korshak
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