Holistic Yoga Days include active and restorative postures, breathing practices and meditation. The day runs from 10am until 4pm with a light lunch included (vegan/vegetarian).
Footprints Photo by Caleb Jack on Unsplash
Leaving Our Mark on the World: A Holistic Yoga Day
There are five organs of action in Vedic philosophy which are known as karmendriyas. They represent the ways we interact with our environment and leave our marks on the world. We use them almost constantly in our work, life and relationships. We can do this skilfully and with awareness or crudely and carelessly.
When the marks we leave on the world become careful, considered, intentional and ‘from the heart’ we can call it ‘karma yoga’. Karma yoga is not synonymous with working for free (or for exchange), though the term is sometimes used confusingly in this context. Karma yoga simply means you are making marks on the world consciously and from your heart (with our without payment). It is the yoga of action.
This workshop may be of particular interest to you if you are someone who is (or would like to be) working ‘from your heart’ as a creative, artist, therapist, carer (or parent), campaigner or activist. We will explore how to nourish and care for the karmendriyas so as to sustain ourselves physically, mentally and emotionally in our heart-centred work.
The five karmendriya are:
- Vāk (Voice): communication, speech, expression
- Pāṇi (Hands): grasping, giving, making and creating
- Pāda (Feet): standing, moving, leaving footprints
- Pāyu (Excretion): eliminating waste from the body
- Upastha (Reproduction): procreation and associated physical pleasure
The morning session will be an active session including movement, stretching and vocal exercises. By aligning mind, body and breath we will cultivate a deeper awareness of our voice, hands, feet and pelvic organs and link them to our heart.
In the afternoon we will practice soothing Vedic chanting, deeply relaxing restorative yoga and self care massage for hands and feet and belly.
Resting deeply we become radically present – the greatest gift we have to offer ourselves and others.
Make a Weekend of It
- Those travelling from further afield can make a weekend of it by arranging a retreat in our calm and uncluttered guest suite.
- Local students can also join us on Friday evening at 6pm for a restorative practice with supper and morning practice on Sunday at 8am.
Lucy Maresh
Lucy has been a holistic therapist and yoga teacher since 2005. She uses movement, relaxation, massage, and meditation to help people learn about themselves and make life easier. Her classes are grounded in traditional yoga philosophy and include a holistic balance of practices for body, mind and breath. She hopes to guide you home to your felt sense of what’s right and true, and your passion for a purposeful and intentional life.