Happy election day! I hope everyone will get out and vote today. Apparently, according to the Tibetan calendar November 6th is considered an auspicious day when our positive and negative actions are multiplied ten million times. Sounds like election day to me!
And although this is a very emotionally charged year, please be kind to one another, regardless of political affiliations.
And that’s as political as I’m going to get. Now let’s talk about yoga.
Recently, we celebrated the birthday of my friend and yoga teacher, Madelyn. Her boyfriend put together a surprise celebration for her – a silent class!
About a dozen of us yogis showed up at the studio when there was not a regular class scheduled. We got all set up in the hot room and wrote celebratory things on the mirror.
Then, we waited for Madelyn to be lured to the studio under false pretenses and we surprised her!
The class was totally silent, which was something I’d never experienced before. I’d been to classes where the dialogue was dramatically reduced and the teacher only said things like “half-way though” or “change” but this was TOTALLY silent. We had a teacher there, who kept time and did the practice while everyone else just followed. She was not on the podium, she was just part of the tight little cluster of yogis near the front of the room.
It was super cool.
It required me to rely on my own instincts with the practice. I made my own corrections and really watched myself in the mirror. Yet, I also felt deeply connected to the other people in the room. I released out of a posture when I could feel that they had moved. The group energy felt more connected than in any other class I’ve ever had.
At first, the meditation aspect was more difficult without the dialogue to anchor my attention into the room. However, when I got that in-the-moment vibe…it was absolutely divine in the silence. It was magic.
After all the blissed out posturing, we enjoyed a bit of a potluck — including a little bubbly, which goes directly to your head after yoga! It was a beautiful afternoon and I am so grateful for my yoga family.
This was totally my kind of party.
Do you have any experience with silent/almost silent classes? What did you think of them?
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That sounds beautiful! I’ve never been able to catch a silent class. My current studio does not do them… one day, in the future 🙂
It really does have a whole different feel to it. Hope you can try one sometime! Namaste!
We did a silent class with Craig Villani at his Yoga Retreat in Maui. It was one of the high points in a great week of yoga.
Well, that sounds absolutely wonderful! I’ve not had the chance to do a yoga retreat yet, but I’ll have to check that one out. Back bending in Maui sounds alright to me!
It was. Check out his web site Mana Living.
I’ve never done a silent class, but once I participated in a very small class that included 6 people. My cousin taught, and my aunt and uncle participated. The familial energy full of love and light in that room was astounding. We all felt changed afterward.
I love that!! Beautiful. Namaste, my friend!
such a beautiful birthday gesture. i love silent classes. so so meditative and movements are enhanced by fellow yogis flowing in unison 🙂
Absolutely!
I’ve never been part of a totally silent class, but twice I have been in a small class where the instructor would line us up on the front row while she would put a mat down behind us and practice with us with no dialogue and VERY little correction. Nothing more than a word or two whispered to anyone. They remain two of the most inspiring, successful classes I have ever been a part of. In each case, there seemed to be almost boundless positive energy in the room despite there being only four or six people. I can still recall how light and connected I felt in those instances. Just amazing!!
That’s wonderful! It’s amazing what a different feeling those classes have, isn’t it? So glad you’ve had that experience. Namaste!
so cool! would love for my studio to do that some time!!! thanks for the blogs… they keep me yoga-minded in my chaotic work environment!!! namaste
I’m so glad you enjoy the blog -it’s so important to be able to take a breath in the middle of chaos. Thanks for reading! Namaste.