The monster I kill every day is the monster of realism. The monster who attacks me every day is destruction. Out of the duel comes the transformation. I turn destruction into creation over and over again.
– Anaïs Nin –
Hello, fellow friends on the path,
The theme for the week is creation; in the LIVE class Saturday, I’ll share a bit about Brahma, the Creator of the Universe.
It seems counterintuitive, but how we create ultimately depends on what we can let go of or destroy. Transformation requires the polarity presented in creation and destruction; we cannot manifest new ideas or experiences without making space first.
To create, we need to establish a strong foundation for what we want to will into the world, be it a physical experience or a mental construct. As we move through March (in like a lion and out like a lamb), I’d love for you to examine your strength and how it contributes to your lifestyle in what you hope to create in the coming months.
Questions for you to consider:
▴ Where do you feel strongest in your body? Why do you think this is?
▴ Where do you feel strongest in your life? Why do you think this is?
▴ Who in your life brings out your strength?
▴ What actions enhance your strength, and what actions deplete it?
To create, we must have a strong foundation to stand upon, which is why the class’s focus this week is using the wall to build strength and stability. If you’re joining us at 9AM PST, have some space cleared at a wall for practice.
Join me SATURDAY, MARCH 13th, at 9AM PST
for a dynamic practice that uses the wall to build strength and stability
Create a Strong Foundation
Create a Strong Foundation
Brahma is known as the creator of the universe. He brought forth all that we see in the material world. All that is tangible is attributed to Brahma.
Join Clara for a 60-minute practice using the wall to help strengthen the base of our poses. We will be moving through a standard vinyasa sequence, using the wall as our guide to getting stronger in our practice. There will be no peak pose.
Props you’ll need: 2 Blocks.
SPOTIFY MUSIC PLAYLIST
6 Ways to Celebrate Spring Equinox
Spring Equinox takes place on Saturday, March 20th, with the invitation to shift with the seasons as the days get longer and lighter. Equinox is when the sun and moon are at equal points; it marks a transition into a new phase as we perceive changes in our environment. Trees blossom, flowers push up from the dark earth, birds return from migration, and wildlife is more abundant. It’s a time of renewal and a season to celebrate rebirth, be it physical or metaphysical.
Ostara is the Pagan festival for Spring Equinox when Germanic Goddess Eostre is worshipped. Eostre is the Goddess of Spring and Dawn. For centuries, people have recognized Spring Equinox with festivals and feasts, gathering as a community to mark the transition from darkness to light. Easter, which occurs Sunday, April 4th, is named for Eostre; the naming originates in the late seventh and early eighth century from British Monk Venerable Bede’s writings.
We may not be able to gather for festivals and feasts at this time, but we can still observe the rebirth and richness of life and create rituals to salute spring.
Here are the 6 ways to celebrate spring equinox at home:
1 . Feng shui your living space.
Declutter your home to shift the energy as we transition seasons. Feng shui is an ancient Chinese practice to balance the Chi (energy) of the living space. The goal is to create harmony in the physical realm to influence the more subtle realms of living.
General guidelines to feng shui include:
The commanding positions of furniture
Adding vertical lines and shapes
Maximizing light and space
Minimizing clutter and obstacles
Adding plants and aspects of nature
Check out this blog post for more feng shui tips.
2. Wake up 30-minutes earlier.
As the days get longer and temperatures increase in the Northern Hemisphere, we’re treated with the opportunity to make the most of our time. Waking early creates space to be productive and indulge in the leisure of doing what you love. It’s time to leave the slower-paced yin of winter and shift into a more solar-powered spring.
The Quick Class Before Work playlist provides 20-40 minutes yoga classes that get you sweaty and fired up for your workday.
3. Tend to your garden.
Spring equinox symbolizes new beginnings; it’s the time of fertility when the land ripens with nature and wildlife, signifying a transition and new life. Where winter invites us to slow down and become more introspective, spring asks us to tend to consider the seeds to plant and tend to our garden—be it physical or spiritual.
Here are 5 easy veggies to seed that thrive in cooler climates:
Broccoli
Kale
Lettuce
Radish
Snow peas
If you have a green thumb (or want one) now is the time to start considering what you want to plant if you want a pre-summer harvest!
4. Refresh your daily diet.
Springtime is one of the best times to do a detox or a cleanse. Ayurveda Therapist and Yoga Teacher Maria Garre advised on the benefits of a cleanse during the equinox.
“One way to create good Agni is to cleanse; you want to cleanse to get rid of ama twice a year in the fall and the spring. You cleanse and detox when the sun and moon are balanced. You don’t cleanse during other times of the year; you want to cleanse closest to the equinoxes. During detox, you’re purging the physical and also the mental ama. Mental fear comes out during a detox. It can be very emotional and well as physical.
We all accumulate ama throughout the year. Fall is a great time to clear and spring; spring is a time to celebrate renewal. Cleanses are a time to reset our mind, body, and spirit.” – Ayurveda Therapist, Maria Garre.
For more on how to better digestion and work with your constitution, listen to this podcast with Maria Garre.
For diet recommendations, check out the nutrition guides on Practice with Clara (Pitta, Kapha, Vata), and the practices to balance the elements in the Ayurveda Collection.
5. Reconnect with your community.
Springtime bestows gifts of light and warmth, which means we may gradually spend more time outdoors. Activities such as hiking, walking, running, and exploring nature with family and friends are a few activities to reestablish connections with the community that reduce screentime.
If you’re feeling skittish toward in-person events, there’s an increasing amount of virtual classes, workshops, and retreats to participate and gather with like-minded individuals.
Practice with Clara hosts a LIVE class every Saturday at 9am PST where yogis worldwide gather for myth, mantra, and a vinyasa yoga practice.
6. Join us for a Spring Equinox Weekend Retreat!
This self-led retreat is free for all members of Practice with Clara and boasts a weekend of yoga, recipes, and activities themed for the spring equinox.
The weekend includes 3 LIVE classes for you to attend, in addition to on-demand classes you may do at your leisure.
The LIVE classes include:
Opening Ceremony & Meditation
Vinyasa practice with Live Q&A
Closing Ceremony & Meditation
See the Spring Equinox Retreat Playlist.
❀ Invite your friends, family, and coworkers ❀
With open-level classes and various activities unrelated to yoga, you don’t need to be a yoga practitioner to enjoy the retreat’s festivities.
Living your yoga every day doesn’t necessarily mean making it to your yoga mat—which is one of the tenents we hope to convey at Practice with Clara.
New members receive 7-days free to PWC on-demand & LIVE class content.
Did you know...
Learn how to get into peak poses and prevent injuries on Clara’s YouTube Channel.
We post YOUR QUESTIONS on how to get into peak yoga postures, work with injuries and tight muscles, and discuss proper alignment in the Q&A videos on Clara’s YouTube.
Sending love and a virtual hug,
Clara & the Team.
