Dear Yogis & Friends,
Are you feeling what I’m feeling? I am really maxed out on zoom and social media. I’ve had enough of the flat-screened, two-dimensional world we’ve been living in for so many months. I am longing to connect with you, my students and friends, in real time and space, for a spiritually and socially uplifting gathering.
This past summer it was such a refreshing change to practice yoga together in Stewart Park, where we could spread out on the grass and take off our masks, and just be together with other human beings.
We can’t practice yoga asana outside right now, but we CAN walk together. We are blessed to have so many beautiful trails and parks in our area. I propose that we get outside for mindful walks where we can move and breathe together, and share from the heart.
Starting in 2021, I will be leading a weekly Dharma Walk on Saturdays in Ithaca, NY that will be part exercise, part meditation, part study group and part satsang (meeting in community). So there will be some structure to our time together, but also plenty of opportunity to talk and share, and just enjoy each others’ company. We’ll stay 6 feet apart and wear our masks. Please note that we will walk at a moderate to brisk pace, to stay warm and get our blood and Prana flowing.
Here’s what I envision we will do while we’re walking (timing may vary):
10 min: walking meditation (silent walking to connect with breath, nature, get centered)
20 min: dharma discussion. Sharing on a topic related to spirituality, the yoga of life, etc. I will give a prompt for discussion, and depending on how many of us there are, we might break into small pods.
20 min: Open sharing about something in your life that’s inspiring or uplifting (gratitudes, dreams & visions, successes & challenges, etc.) I want to keep the conversation from devolving into complaining about politics and the pandemic, or just superficial stuff.
The walks will be about 50 minutes, maybe shorter if the weather is really cold. If it’s nice, maybe we’ll go a little longer. We can play it by ear and tweak it as needed, so you may want to plan for an hour. Please dress accordingly. It is said that there is no such thing as bad weather, only insufficient clothing. So let’s bundle up and get outside!
With that said, if the weather is really unpleasant (like freezing rain or bitter wind) I’ll cancel. Please check my calendar for an update to confirm on Saturday mornings if you are unsure.
This week we will return to the South Hill Recreation Trail. We'll meet at 11 AM at the trail head at Burns Road, which is near the intersection of Burns and Coddington. That side of the trail is very beautiful, with flowing creeks, and and abundance of wooded area and shade to keep us cool.
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For these walks, I request that we leave our four-legged friends at home, to avoid distraction.
These gatherings are FREE of charge, and you are welcome to invite anyone who you think would enjoy them.
Looking forward to connecting with you on the path, in body, mind and spirit!
Jyoti
