Finding Ease through Cycles
The next Intuitive Yoga is coming up on Sunday, September 8th!
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With the start of the new semester and the hint of fall weather in air, I’ve been thinking a lot about cycles — cycles I’m starting, cycles I’m ending, and cycles that I’m in the middle of. There are some cycles we go through collectively, like the changing of seasons, the cycles of the moon, and the start of a new school year. And there are some cycles we navigate on our own.
One of my private yoga clients is taking big steps to end a cycle of workaholism. Due to childhood trauma, she always felt like she had to prove to herself by putting in countless hours of extra work beyond what was required of her job. She’s now experiencing some health issues that are showing her how her decades-long workaholism cycle has been harmful to her body and mental health. She’s using yoga and other modalities to break free of that pattern and begin a new cycle where she prioritizes her wellness over her job. It’s been really inspiring to work with her!
When I think of everything around me as cyclical, it helps me put things into a more neutral perspective. You’re going through your own unique cycles and so is everyone you come in contact with. Our country is going through its own cycle, and so is the Earth, the sun, and our solar system. It doesn’t mean you’re not in control of your own destiny or that you can’t liberate yourself from a cycle that no longer serves you, but it does mean that there’s a rhythm and a pattern to everything around us. And, as painful as it is, we sometimes have to give our loved ones the space to move through a cycle we know isn’t healthy for them.
Yoga gives us an opportunity to practice the cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth. A yoga session often begins with bringing awareness to our body and mind. We might chant an invocation or do some breath work. Then we transition into a warm up, leading to sun salutations (which is another cycle) and/or some other sequence of postures. All of this might lead to a peak pose or peak sequence. Afterwards, we usually slow things down with longer-held poses and perhaps an inversion or a spine twist. We end our practice with shavasana, or corpse pose, so that we can release and surrender before resuming the rest of our day. For me, the magic of a yoga practice has a lot to do with connecting to the cycles of the breath, the movements, and the overall arc of class, which calms our nervous system and allows us to find the beauty in the present moment.
Reflecting on the cycles that we’re either in or affected by allows us to be more intentional about how we want to interact and move through them. If you have some time journal, consider the following prompts:
What cycles am I in the middle of?
What cycles am I ready to begin or end?
In what ways can I support myself through the transition of summer to fall?
Feel free to share your reflections in the comments!
Online Intuitive Yoga - Sunday, September 8th
This month’s theme: Spirit + Body Communication
Yoga means union and when we practice yoga, our body and spirit naturally comes into communication, or union. In this session, we’ll dive deeper into this by clearing resistance between our body and spirit so that they can communicate easily and harmoniously, on and off the mat.
The next Online Intuitive Yoga is on September 8th from 10am - 11:15am PT/1pm - 2:15pm ET via Zoom. All levels are welcome! The cost is $20. Upcoming dates are 10/6, 11/3, and 12/1.
About me
Hi! I’m Veronica and I created Finding Ease as a way to share thoughts and resources for connecting authentically to our mind, body, and spirit. I’ve been practicing and teaching yoga for over 10 years. Because of my academic background as a librarian, I approach the world of yoga, spirituality, and wellness with appreciation and joy, along with an interest in critically examining the ways in which systems of power affect our access and ability to find ease.
You can join me for classes online through Intuitive Way or in person at High Country Yoga. In addition, I created a small library of YouTube videos and I offer private and small group sessions.
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