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CLEAR SPRING STUDIO

Clear Spring News

20 November 2023

Ahem. Back again— the same ClearSpringStudio, but at a new web location. There was an unfortunate mishap with my original domain name…

No Class on Thanksgiving, and While We’re Planning…

There WILL be a regular Zoom class on Wednesday morning 22 November, but no live classes at the Austin Yoga Tree on Wednesday afternoon.
Also, no classes at all on Thanksgiving Day, morning, afternoon, or evening. Enjoy the day and find all the ways to be thankful.
Planning ahead, There will also be no classes on Monday, December 26 and Tuesday December 27.

A New Hybrid Class Has Begun

On Thursday mornings from 10am-11:30am, I am beginning a hybrid, all-levels class. You can attend via Zoom or in person. Contact me for information on the location in South Austin.

We’re Restarting the Teachers’ Practices!

I am delighted to announce that we have begun our Teachers’/Hard Work Practices again, after a long Pandemic hiatus, and a certain amount of laziness. To accommodate everyone’s schedules, we will have some practices on Sundays, and most on Saturdays, averaging once every other week, sometimes more. Dates are listed below, sorted by Saturdays or Sundays. All sessions begin at 3pm, and are at least 2 hours long. Please bring one or two extra blankets and a strap. I think we have the rest of what is needed.

We meet at Devon’s house, and you will need to contact me directly for the address. I don’t want to post it online, thank you very much. There is NO FEE attached to this, although any donation you feel like would be much appreciated. This session will be not exactly a class with teaching happening, but rather a practice with a sequence we all do as we are able, and where we help each other learn.

Here is the loong list of dates, running through the end of 2024:

AUSTIN YOGA BIG PRACTICES
SATURDAYS SUNDAYS
July 22, 2023 August 20
September 16 October 22
September 30 December 17
October 14 FEBRUARY 18, 2024
November 4 April 21
November 18 June 23
December 9 August 18
JANUARY 6, 2024 October 20
JANUARY 20, 2024 December 15
February 10
March 9
March 23
April 13
May 4
May 18
June 1
June 15
July 6
July 20
August 3
September 7
September 21
October 12
November 2
November 16
December 7

An Informed Practice is a Better Practice:
In the Yoga Sutra Class Patanjali Explains What we Do

For some this will be an opportunity to examine this exceptional book for the first time; for some it will be the second, or even twelfth trip through, with new insights dawning each time. I encourage everyone with an interest in Yoga and how it works for everyone, to join us for a slow walk through what Patanjali and his ancient and modern commentators say about Yoga, its goals, its means, and its methods. Understanding even a little of what Patanjali is offering will give you useful insight into your own practice, and indeed your entire life.

The structure of the class is, how to say, semi-formal: some of us sit forward by the zoom microphone, and we read out loud and discuss; some others listen and practice asana instead. Some learn to think about things kinetically; some by reading along and asking questions; some by being still; all are welcome.

DEVON’S REGULAR SCHEDULE

Devon’s Zoom Classes
Mondays 9:30-11:00am Asana L 1-3
Tuesdays 7:00am-8:00am Asana L 1-3
Tuesdays 8:00am -9:15am Philosophy and
Asana, All levels
Wednesdays 9:30-11:00am Asana L 1-3

NEW Hybrid Live/Zoom Class
Thursdays 10::- 11:30am Asana Level 1-3

Devon’s LIVE Classes
Mondays, 12 Noon- 1:30pm
Thursdays, 6pm-8:00pm; including one half hour of Yoga Sutra review and discussion

Saturday Workshops: TBA

Austin Yoga Tree Classes (LIVE IN PERSON)
Wednesdays 4:30pm-5:45pm (L 1-2)
Wednesdays 6:00pm-7:15pm (Wall Ropes class)

Castle Hill Fitness Classes
Sundays 12:30pm-2:00pm (L-1-3) IN-PERSON classes
Thursdays 4:00pm-5:30pm (VIRTUAL Immunity & Restorative Yoga)

CANCELLATIONS and CHANGES
THANKSGIVING: NO AFTERNOON classes (AYT) Wednesday, 22 November. 9:30AM ZOOM class WILL happen.
NO classes all day Thanksgiving 23 November.

CHRISTMAS TIME: NO classes on 26 or 27 December.

HOW TO PAY FOR CLASSES (PUBLIC AND ZOOMED)

NOTE: For Castle Hill Fitness classes, go to CastleHillFitness.com. For Austin Yoga Tree classes, go to AustinYogaTree.com. For my own classes, see below:

Venmo (at Devon-Dederich)
PayPal (at Jo Dederich)

single class: *YBO or $25
10 classes: $180
20 classes: $350

2-Hour Workshop Prices: $50 or *YBO
Always leave a note saying what dates and classes you are paying for!

*YBO means Your Best Offer. Yoga is for everyone. Pay what you can; come to class. I’m not asking questions. You are welcome here.

BKS Iyengar’s Immune System Sequence

For prevention of flu and other ailing-lung conditions, from BKS Iyengar, given years ago, during the worldwide Swine Flu outbreak. This sequence is often done with support under the head wherever the head is not already on the ground, which makes it helpful to maintain or increase quiet and stability in the mind and nervous system.

How to pay attention while practicing: The Immune System is actually an interlocking, interlinked, intercommunicating network of many other systems in our bodies. We think of it as the white blood cells and their proper production and function, but there is much more. Proper immune system response depends enormously upon the endocrine and nervous systems as well, which in turn are enormously responsive to our psychological state. And our psychological state affects everything, down to the circulation of blood and the decision of what to eat. We may as well call what we are working on here the psycho-neuro-endocrine-immune system.

This means you must work according to your capacity, and look to the response to the pose as you have set it up for yourself. An ordinary person in good mental and physical health, and with an established practice, does not need to take special support for any pose here. The sequence and the asanas do the job. When there is disturbance or fatigue, though, support can be helpful, if not essential. There are many ways to give support; ask your teacher for information if you have need.

Suggested Props:
1 sticky mat
1 belt
2 bricks
1 chair
4 blankets
1 bolster (optional)
*If you are taking the 2-chair sirsasana alternative, you will need some sticky mat padding for each chair seat under the blanket pad, and sticky mat padding to keep the chair feet from sliding. So prepare accordingly.

Morning Practice

5 min. Uttanasana

5 min. Adho Mukha Svanasana

*Alternate section to substitute for those who do not do sirsasana bearing weight on the head. You can use two chairs for the classical headstand, and add your own variations that are possible with this sort of support, but there will be limits in the sorts of variations you can do. You can use the rest of the available “sirsasana and variations” time doing some of these other alternates, in order:

2 x 1 min. Adho Mukha Vrksasana

3 min. Parsvottanasana on R side. Head down, shift to

3 min. Prasarita Padottanasana. Head down, shift to

3 min. Parsvottanasana on L side. Head down, shift back to R side and take

2 min R, 2 min. L. Ardha Chandrasana R, then L side, taking support as needed

Rejoin the sequence with Viparita Dandasana below. *

3 min. Prasarita Padottanasana

5 min. Sirsasana

10 min. Variations: Parsva sirsasana, Parivrtta ekapada sirsa, Ekapada sirsa, Parsvaikapada sirsa

5 min. Viparita dandasana on a chair

10 min. Sarvangasana

5 min. Halasana

5 min. Sarvangasana cycle: Ekapada sarvangasana, Parsvaikapada sarvangasana, Supta konasana, Setu bandha sarvangasana

5 min. Viparita Karani

10 min. Savasana with Viloma or Ujjayi pranayama

Afternoon Practice

10 min. Sirsasana