Monday, June 8, 2009

Mini-Workshop, June 14

Metta Yoga


Touching the Heart of Practice

A 2-hour Mini-Workshop Exploring Loving-Kindness and Hatha Yoga

Sunday, June 14th, 2:50pm - 4:50pm

Offered as a fundraiser for the Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple Fund

Metta (Sanskrit for Loving-Kindness) is one of the sublime attitudes of an unlighted being. In this mini-workshop we will learn to use the transformative, beneficial energy that arises from Loving-Kindness practice to provide support for yoga postures. We will practice letting go of the fear and anxiety that manifest as physical tension and pain, while cultivating a sense of ease and happiness with our bodies.

Modifications, options and adjustments will be offered to make postures accessible to students at all levels and all body types.

Suggested donation $15 - $25

Portland Dharma Center
2514 SE Madison Street
Portland, OR 9714

This workshop is taught by Sherri Montgomery, Samatha Yoga

Please post a comment or send a message through Blogger if you are interested in more details.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

More to Come!


OK, I'm going to get around to actually sharing reviews I wrote from the classes I took around Portland during my second round of teacher training. Soon. And other stuff too.

My plan is to write one post here a week about yoga practice. Could be technique, might be thoughts on the Yoga Sutras, or just talking about my practice as a student & a teacher. The asana posts will all be updated to include technique and eventually photographs. I will be writing about the crowded, 45-minute class I offered at BarCamp last month!

Lots of stuff happening in June. I'll be offering a session at the Open Source Bridge conference in Portland on the 17th. Entitled, "Get Off Your Asana and Move!" the session will offer the types of yoga that can be done anywhere, especially at a desk! Little nervous about this, but am looking forward to it.

Looks like things are shaping up for me to do a mini-workshop the 14th called 'Metta Yoga'. This will do some focused Loving-Kindness practice then work to move through asana practice incorporating a loving mind, loving body into the practice. I plan to end with a long body scan that offers loving kindness to the whole body.

In April I attending a sesshin, a silent retreat in Zen Buddhist tradition, on the theme of Metta at Great Vow Zen Monastery. In the deep silence of that time I felt deeply connected to the lineage of Yoga. Although we work to settle the mind, as Patanjali taught us, I found my thoughts returning again and again to incorporating the power of Metta with my classes.

All that and plans underway to move this blog to a more permanent home. Gorgeous business cards have been designed by my marvelous partner and the proofs look great. She has also been working on the permanent home I mentioned. Soon 'Samatha Yoga' will be online! There's even going to be some professional photographs taken at the end of the month!