2023 Valentine's Day Yoga Ritual!

This February join us at Astitva for a ritual in self love.

Our hope for this Valentine's day session is to cultivate curiosity, respect, and compassion towards the Self.

Even a little shift in attention and focus inward to our bodies, our breath, and with some effort our embodied experiences, can make a meaningful difference to our physical and mental wellness.

Akamsha, a yoga therapist and somatic healing practitioner, will be holding space for individuals (loved ones are welcome to join) who would like to reconnect with their compassion, forgiveness, kindness, and love towards the self. The session will include grounding, pranayama for nervous system reset, moving meditation that draws from Qigong and Thích Nhất Hạnh's mindful movement practice, Yin Yoga, and a guided Ho'oponopono meditation.

The 90 minute ritual will incorporate yogic movement, breath-work, and stillness for somatic healing and

therapy. Yin Yoga is a slow-paced and accessible movement practice that combines the principles of Chinese medicine with asana to gradually increase the body and mind's tolerance, and perhaps love, for stillness and introspection. Yin is also known as the Yoga of the joints. Unlike other styles of Yoga that focus on muscle, the emphasis here is on deep connective tissue—including the fascia, ligaments, and tendons, which surround and form our joints.

There are three principles in Yin Yoga:

1. Finding your body's unique, comfortable edge in each posture, without chasing sensation or pushing past the body's limits.

2. Finding both external and internal stillness in each posture, while being curious and forgiving about our tendency towards restlessness.

3. Holding each posture while staying connected to a mindful breath. Each pose may be held for anywhere between 1-10 minutes, depending on the comfort of each individual.

The practice of Yin Yoga is based on the theory that there are channels of Qi (energy), which run through our bodies. By stretching and gradually deepening into poses, we are opening up blockages in these channels, and releasing this energy to flow freely within us.

Yin is the slower, mindful, and more meditative counterpart to fast-paced or rigorous movement practices like Ashtanga. It helps the mind develop an empathetic and reflective relationship with the physical as well as energetic body, while helping us understand how we occupy space and our capacity for conscious stillness in everyday life.

There is immeasurable value in building a Yoga practice at every age—it can help us learn self-love, manage the natural (and unnatural) stressors of modern human life, and promote mindfulness in how we relate to ourselves and the world around us.

Join us as we find meaning, and perhaps joy, in our lasting companionship with the Self.