By Jayna Turchek
This morning I joined my children at their school for their all school sing of "Maple Sweet", a 1858 Vermont folk song, about the sugaring season. There was excitement in the air as talk of warmer temperatures this week will start the flow of sap from tapped sugar maple trees and with it opportunities to bring in the buckets and taste it's sweetness.
As we move through this last week of February, I feel and observe all kinds of sweet anticipation.
There will be new births. Within the next two weeks, two babies will be born to parents who regularly attend the Yoga for Growing Families class. As a community we breathe and pray for their beautiful entry into the world. As winter winds down and we move into spring, we will continue to hold classes for growing families on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month from 9-10am at the First Unitarian Church of Worcester.
We will also be planting a new class. Over the winter some of my VIP (Visually Impaired Persons) friends honored me with the opportunity to guide them in their first ever yoga class. The descriptive yoga class (with social hour) was so much fun we have planned another class for March.
This class gave me an opportunity to gain a deeper appreciation and experience of Pratyahara, the 5th limb of Ashtaanga yoga. Encouraging the senses to draw inward is pratyahara. It is the subtlest aspect of Hatha Yoga. Nischala Joy Devi, author of "The Secret Power of Yoga: A Woman's Guide to the Heart and Spirit of the Yoga Sutras", writes: "Glimpsing the inner light, the senses contentedly dwell within."
For most sighted yogis, our sight is by far the most dominant information gatherer of the external world. As a consequence, redirecting that vision inward can take effort and practice. VIPs in class have a different kind of experience and relationship with their bodies and senses. They shared that effort was required to listen, feel into their bodies, and trust in their surroundings and the guidance provided. Because there are no visual cues or mirroring to be done for asanas, many positions are at first awkward. Slowly the body learns and moves with greater ease and comfort. The breath ties it all together.
I am grateful for the opportunity to make yoga accessible to more people in our community. Everybody can benefit and we have so much to learn from one another.
As you practice, may you be aware of your senses, move freely, feel and breathe deeply,
and may you be guided from your vision and wisdom within.
Sat Nam, Jayna
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