 Thanks to the lovely yogis and yoginis who joined me on 12th February for my yoga day - after a morning yoga practice and a shared lunch, we got out for a beautiful Spring walk in the Sussex countryside, and in the afternoon explored inversions a little deeper than a single yoga class allows. The weather was really kind to us, and during the meditative part of the walk we spotted and followed a pair of young deer who kept peering back at us. Thanks to everyone who attended (and to the weather!) for making it a beautiful day. I created an altar to Saraswati at the studio for February. We tend to think of February 14th, St. Valentine's Day, as a modern, commercial creation, but like many modern festivals it has been superimposed upon festivals that arose long ago out of a natural connection with the earth and the seasons. At this time of year, the earth is stirring and creatures are looking for mates. In India, the goddess Saraswati is celebrated on Vasant Panchami (this year this was on Feb 8th). People wear yellow and offer yellow fruit and flowers to celebrate the onset of spring. Saraswati is the goddess of music, knowledge and the arts, so musical instruments are placed on altars to the goddess for her blessing. Vasant Panchami continues with honouring of Kamadeva, the Lord of Love, who has a bow and arrow, like Cupid.... If anyone has been admiring my beautiful new rose quartz mala, it's from Bali Malas - click on the image here to go to the shop. Rose quartz has qualities of heart-opening and of healing emotional wounds. On the subject of heart-opening (this is Love month!) I attended a really beautiful workshop on heart-opening and back-bending at the new Life Centre in Islington on 13th Feb. Thanks so much to Lisa Sanfilippo. I've been really happy to share some of the love and inspiration during classes this week. Love is invisible except here, in us. Sometimes I praise love, sometimes love praises me. Love, a little shell somewhere on the ocean floor, opens its mouth. You and I and we, those imaginary beings, enter that shell as a single sip of seawater. ~ Rumi See you all after half term break! Om maha saraswatiye namaha. Love love love Donna |
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