Sometimes Love Hurts (February 2024 Newsletter)
Photo Credit: Tai Pimputkar, taken in Connecticut
We celebrate in February the shifting sun which, it seems, is slowly approaching us, getting brighter and warmer, and at this thought the world rejoices. We notice the birds and the tiny shoots of early spring plants beginning to make their appearance along with so many other creatures. We are all eagerly waiting to see what Buckeye Chuck, Ohio's weather forecasting groundhog, will predict for the next six months on February 2. Will it be sunny and warm or wintry and cold? It appears that if the current trend were to continue, we might expect warmer than usual temperatures. What does this have to do with yoga or Yoga-Well-Being or your life? In fact, quite a lot.
The Isha Upanishad states, "Covet nothing. All belongs to the Lord. Thus working may you live a hundred years. Thus alone will you work in real freedom." Recognizing that all that surrounds us is provided by the Self, (That which is forever, the designer of nature and all life), for the self (I, who am the fortunate recipient of life). We must bow to nature and protect it. The world around us cannot survive the constant onslaught on nature and the environment. Deforestation, pollution of land and water bodies, the continued break down of the natural ozone barrier that protects us from the harmful radiation of UV rays of the sun, endless trash production resulting from packaged goods...these are some of the things hurting and killing natural life. Extinction is a sad word to have to use in this month's newsletter which should be full of love, but it has already started happening at an accelerated rate. Nature is love, nature is life.
Please nurture nature. Do the simple nature preserving things, and know your conscience is clear.
What can we do about it? We have heard about this repeatedly for more than half a century, yet we still continue to create garbage. Find simple ways to avoid all that packaging around foods, cosmetics, clothes and everything else. Stop using aerosol sprays. Can we not request stores and businesses to make it simpler? We can start small. Reuse what you can, turn down what you cannot. Learn to compost, use recycling when you can.
Learn what your locality recycles and how to properly dispose of hard to recycle items. (The city of Columbus has many useful resources for its residents; other municipalities have similar guides.)
Many enterprising individuals and businesses are successfully preventing further damage to the environment through creative use of stuff no one wants. Find them. Help them help make it better.
I'm excited to see the new series An Optimist's Guide to the Planet with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, on streaming starting February 8, as it promises to tell stories of people making a difference, all around the globe.
By making it a daily endeavor to live well, you will also love well. Feel secure, safe and nourished from the sweet contentment of doing the right thing and enjoying its fruit. That is love. Love yourself and all others. Be present, look around, see and hear. Be still and be silent now and again. Life is actually quite easy and simple and full of love. Lovely!
Sincerely and in peace,
sipra
Happy New Year from YWB!
Photo Credit: Tai Pimputkar, Rise of the full Super Moon over the ocean at Fairfield, CT
Happy New Year from all of us at YWB!
Namaste and Season’s Greetings!
As we look forward to 2024, we may find ourselves
already clear about the path we need to take, and the direction we need to go in the new year. But life is not so clear cut. Be open to possibilities and redefine the terms we take for granted. What is love, what is a relationship, how have these may have changed over the last year/years. Life is dynamic and future events are uncertain and unknown.
In the New Year may you be happy, healthy and safe. -sipra
After A While
by Veronica A. Shoffstall
After a while you learn
the subtle difference between
holding a hand and chaining a soul
and you learn
that love doesn’t mean leaning
and company doesn’t always mean security.
And you begin to learn
that kisses aren’t contracts
and presents aren’t promises
and you begin to accept your defeats
with your head up and your eyes ahead
with the grace of woman, not the grief of a child
and you learn
to build all your roads on today
because tomorrow’s ground is
too uncertain for plans
and futures have a way of falling down
in mid-flight.
After a while you learn
that even sunshine burns
if you get too much
so you plant your own garden
and decorate your own soul
instead of waiting for someone
to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure
you really are strong
you really do have worth
and you learn
and you learn
with every goodbye, you learn
Sincerely and in peace,
sipra
Halfway? No, never (December 2023 Newsletter)
A year filled with activity - some new endeavors, some that have become a way of life. You may have become more aware that much of the work was just busy work without any soul satisfying rewards. Perhaps you started on the path to Self Realization. Some days meditation is difficult, and we put it off for another day, and yet another day. Full commitment is what is ultimately important in the attainment of personal fulfillment and dream realization. This is commitment without compromise. Difficult but simple. There is no other way, nor half way.
Do Not Love Half Lovers by Kahlil Gibran
Do not love half lovers
Do not entertain half friends
Do not indulge in works of the half talented
Do not live half a life and do not die a half death
If you choose silence, then be silent
When you speak, do so until you are finished
Do not silence yourself to say something
And do not speak to be silent
If you accept, then express it bluntly
Do not mask it
If you refuse then be clear about it
for an ambiguous refusal
is but a weak acceptance
Do not accept half a solution
Do not believe half truths
Do not dream half a dream
Do not fantasize about half hopes
Half a drink will not quench your thirst
Half a meal will not satiate your hunger
Half the way will get you no where
Half an idea will bear you no results
Your other half is not the one you love
It is you in another time yet in the same space
It is you when you are not
Half a life is a life you didn't live,
A word you have not said
A smile you postponed
A love you have not had
A friendship you did not know
To reach and not arrive
Work and not work
Attend only to be absent
What makes you a stranger to them closest to you
and they strangers to you
The half is a mere moment of inability
but you are able for you are not half a being
You are a whole that exists
to live a life not half a life
With the holidays upon us, let’s not get caught up in the frenzy of shopping and cooking. Love and life can both be accommodated with a little buying and a little cooking. Do what feels right, and not because it’s expected of you. The recent pandemic has broken down the expectations of tradition somewhat. Lower your own expectations from your family and friends, and work. That is a good thing. Go fully in the direction you want to move, with new dreams to dream, and achieve the fullness of life now, through the holidays and into the new year.
Happy Holidays!
Sincerely and in peace,
sipra
Perception and Perseverance (November 2023 Newsletter)
Photo credit: Tai Pimputkar, taken a week ago at a beach in Fairfield, CT
Hello fellow yoga practitioners! My name is Karen Mastriani, and I am connecting with you all regarding Yoga-Well-Being and my own personal interest in yoga.
I never found an exercise routine that stuck! Over the years, I paid memberships and let them lapse, never completing more than a few classes.
In 2010 I decided to try yoga and started in a studio in Grandview. It had meaning and I felt a connection to the practice, the studio and the people there. As things often do, the studio changed, and I did stay away for a time due to outside circumstances with family.
I started back at the studio again and found a friend from the original studio was now a teacher at the newly owned studio! I was glad to start back up again and then proceeded to follow this teacher, Veda Cafazzo, wherever she taught. I have learned so much from her over time. One of the things I learned, through Veda’s teachings, is that Yin Yoga works for me! Veda is always learning about Yin and meditation and sharing these things with us. She makes class interesting with themes and new ideas in every class.
I now know that Yoga-Well-Being is my Yoga Home. I have tried many classes there, regular daily classes with sipra, Kris Wilson, SadaNam Singh, as well as many workshops. Always interesting, always instructional and filled with information, exercise and mindfulness. I love learning new things and this studio has many things to offer!
Mindfulness has been one of the main things I have learned over my years of yoga classes and find that mindfulness practice helps with all things; good, bad or indifferent! It has opened my eyes to yoga classes as well as how I approach my practice. I have met like-minded people through this studio and these classes, as well as have grown with my own knowledge of my body and well-being. As I continue to learn and be mindful of all things around me, I continue to grow and change and enjoy things in life so much more.
Karen Mastriani
Namaste,
Karen Mastriani
Practice and Community at YWB (October 2023 Newsletter)
Photo credit: David Ohmer, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Five years ago when I turned 65 years old, I started on a self care journey after a very long hiatus from any form of exercise. I was fortunate to wander into a yoga studio, Elevate Yoga, owned by SadaNam Singh. There with the teachers’ support, guidance, and patience I not only gained strength and flexibility, but also peace of mind. During this time I was in a very stressful job and didn’t realize how stress was affecting my physical and mental health as well as home life and work life. Yoga classes gave me the ability to free and rest my mind for total relaxation. Many of the breath techniques and meditation carried over into personal and work life. In fact, co-workers noticed the difference. No matter what was happening, I could remain calm. I no longer thought I had to control or worry about outcomes. With the knowledge and techniques learned from Kundalini I would have the strength to meet whatever challenges I faced.
As a result of the pandemic, the studio was closed and did not re-open. I felt lost and grieved missing the sense of peace and fulfillment to which I had become accustomed. As studios began to re-open I tried a variety of in-person classes. Something always felt missing. While the exercise felt good, most were inconsistent in intention setting, or practicing pranayama and meditation.
Fortunately, SadaNam reached out to me and said he would be teaching Kundalini at Yoga-Well-Being. He had known Sipra for years and had tremendous respect for her personally and for her philosophy toward yoga. He encouraged me to try classes at the studio. When Yoga-Well-Being re-opened I did start taking classes. I soon realized I had found a new home! Yoga Well-being offered what I had been missing—the meaning of yoga to “yoke the mind and body”. I re-found peace of mind as well as physical release.
While every class style is different, there are commonalities. Teachers encourage use of pranayama for centering as well as during performance of postures. Every class includes a component of meditation, sometimes guided, a reading, or quiet reflection. I appreciate how every teacher reaches out to those in class (in-person or virtual) and asks, “is anything bothering you today,” and either ensures inclusion of postures or offers modifications during class to address those needs.
The sense of connection to my teachers continues to grow. I get something different and unique from each class I take. At this point I am enjoying six classes a week covering: Yin, Restorative, Flow, Mind/Body Healing, Kundalini, and Breath/Body. I appreciate how Veda is a continuous learner and brings background information and new techniques to her Yin and Restorative classes; no Yin class is the same! Kris makes every class fun and offers multiple modifications while encouraging one to “listen to your body”. Somehow she manages to give a great workout without seeming to---may feel a little “sore” next day and can’t figure out why as we didn’t do anything “difficult” in class! SadaNam will always be my Guru. He is a master Kundalini teacher known and recognized in the yoga community. Whether he is teaching Kundalini or Mind/Body/Yin, a sense of spirituality is woven into every class. His gong bath and music performance at the end of each class produce almost an indescribable sense of relaxation.
Cheryl Wolfe
I appreciate and am grateful for the sense of “community” within the yoga classes I take at Yoga-Well-being. The person on the mat next to you (in-person or virtual) is not just another student. Friendships are developed. We care for and encourage one another in our journey. As Kris always says at the end of class, “Individuals of like mind coming together to practice Yoga.”
Namaste,
Cheryl Wolfe
Pulse (September 2023 Newsletter)
In Yoga, there has always been a recognition of the power of the breath. We all know the benefits of a clean and clear flowing breath. When we breathe easily, we don't even think of it. When, however, we have allergies or a cold, or the weather is too hot and humid or freezing cold we begin to think about it because it becomes difficult to breathe.
Pranayama, the science and technique of breathing is a separate and distinct part of yoga, and yet it is not. Every movement in a yoga practice needs to be mindful of the breath. If you can stay with the breath and align it with your breath, you will find a natural, dance-like movement to your practice.
Here is a way to think of your breath. Instead of visualizing an inhalation as the expansion of the chest or belly, think of it as the expansion of your insides to its max, reaching into the cells of the outside skin. Suspend the breath on the completion of the inhalation (kumbhaka). Exhale slowly and visualize the physical body dissolving, while the breath travels inwards to the center of your being. Hold, on completing the exhalation (kumbhaka). The inhalation connects us to the environment, which is THIS, all that is recognized by the senses; the exhalation connects us to THAT, which represents the Ultimate Reality but one that doesn't really have any describable elements.
Notice how calm it makes you feel. Walk, sit or lie down comfortably. Close your eyes. Pay attention to each breath. Try is several times a day, if only for a few minutes each time.
Namaste,
sipra
Reason: Rational and Reasonable (August 2023 Newsletter)
We are Rational Beings. Under normal circumstances, our actions should make sense and appear logical to another person, as should actions that are based on that reasoning. But it is not quite as simple as that. We need look no further than our political behavior. Each one of us has given it careful thought based on our perception of what is rational. But our perception can be quite defective since it is based on what we already believe to be true, accurate, and reasonable. These so-called rational conclusions are those of the individual and not necessarily accurate. ‘Rational‘ thought is actually based on the individual’s own beliefs, learning, and what they have been taught to believe is true.
The Sanskrit word, ‘विचार’ vichara, or ‘तर्क’ tarka (sounded with short ‘uh’ sounds) means reason. It needs careful consideration of all aspects of any thought. Vitarka is a combination of the two words vichara and tarka and in Buddhism is a practical concept in the practice of meditation.
Vitarka is practiced in 5 stages of Buddhist meditation:
Vitarka is the name given to the first step in meditation. It is the active mind and active body attempting meditation under circumstances of daily stress. Sit quietly and pay attention to the personal body and mind
Vichara is step two in the meditation process. It is shifting one’s focus to the mind alone. The rational, thinking mind is at play. Sit quietly and comfortably and try to follow a thought to its conclusion. Use a physical or mental image for focus.
Priti is finding joy in meditation. There is sudden delight as the quiet mind shifts from feeling and thinking to stillness.
Sukha: Contentment in meditation and the meditative state
Ekagrata: Total Focus. Ekagrata means single mindedness. This is the state where one can simply be present in the present moment.
Sitting in stillness is hard to do, but this gradual teaching oneself how to quieten oneself is worth the effort. Try it for just a few minutes in the morning before plunging into your busy day's activities. Try it again at the end of the day. Don't set a timer, don't use your devices. There'll be days when it works and on other days it gets nowhere. Nevertheless, just sit still in silence.
Namaste,
sipra
Time to Check In (July 2023 Newsletter)
I have a busy schedule or at least that’s what my Google Calendar tells me. Running to work, doing things around my house, remembering I said I’d go to dinner with a friend after yoga. By the time I’m laying my mat on the ground, I have to remember to check in with my body before Sipra asks me the inevitable “what are you here for?” question. What hurts? What’s tight today? How do my shoulders feel? Before I started yoga in 2018, I wouldn’t pay much attention to my body unless it was very wrong. Now, I’m so much more acutely aware and each day is different.
Sipra often says to not worry about anyone else and worry about our own practice. It’s something I take to heart. Instead of focusing on how deep someone can get in their stretch, I check in with myself and why I was able to get deeper in a fold yesterday but not today. Am I sitting on my tailbone? Is my lower back tight or hips? Some days I can get lower. Some days I need a modification. Having practiced for so long and gone through different injuries, with Sipra’s guidance, I’m so much more empowered to advocate for my body and its needs in practice. It doesn’t bother me to take a knee or use a block when my hands can’t make it all the way to the ground. It’s what my body needs that day or every day and that’s what makes my practice unique. It makes it easier to listen to my body in other places like the doctor’s office or working out. It’s the best gift yoga has given me. The ability to be present in my body, feel and listen. To do that, I have to stop, breathe and check in.
Namaste,
Alex Cook, YWB Student
Welcome Summer! (June 2023 Newsletter)
Welcome Summer! A time of growth and transformation! One of my favorite summer rituals for the past 6 years is practicing yoga with sipra at The Park of Roses in Whetstone Park in Clintonville. Rain or shine we practice in the gazebo near the amphitheater every weekend. Sometimes we will practice on a grassy area under some of the large trees if the gazebo is not available. Often, we go into late October, as long as the temperature is above 55 degrees. Every single class with sipra is customized and unique, and practicing outdoors adds another element of magic to her classes. I find that being out in nature allows me to be truly present, relax, release stress, heal, and to feel that “oneness” with The Universe. Amongst the trees and roses, I am transported to a magical place of peace where my senses are sharpened. It’s amazing to see and to feel the transformation of this very special place as the weeks go by. After class, I like to slowly wander around the park, taking in all the sights, sounds, and smells--a walking meditation. It’s a time to listen to my heart, to dream, and to grow. This poem by Mary Oliver speaks to the magic of The Park of Roses...
WHEN I AM AMONG THE TREES
When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.
I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.
Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.
And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”
Come and practice yoga with us at The Park of Roses with us starting Friday, June 2nd, so that we can shine together!
Namaste,
Julia Whittington, YWB Student
Bit by Bit (May 2023 Newsletter)
In early April of this year, I celebrated my one year “yoga-versary” at Yoga Well Being, and paused to reflect on the past year. I came to YWB as one tiny step toward wellness after 2+ years of professional and pandemic anxieties and minimal physical activities. I was a little bit broken, a lot overwhelmed, and I knew I needed some change but wasn’t sure where to begin. YWB was one of the first and only places I began going aside from home and work as we emerged from pandemic restrictions. Thursday nights in Sipra’s class I found moments of peace and of strength. At some point in every class, we share an affirmation out loud, “May I be happy. May I be healthy. May I be free of suffering and in a safe space. May they be happy. May they be healthy. May they be free of suffering and in a safe space.” At first, I found my fragile and dwindled energy pouring into the first portion of the affirmation: “May I be happy. May I be healthy. May I be free of suffering and in a safe space.” Over the course of the year, I discovered that in yoga, and in life, my “self reserves” were rebuilding, and, with great joy, I found that I could pour more energy into the second part of the affirmation each week: “May they be happy. May they be healthy. May they be free of suffering and in a safe space.” Moreover, I saw this transition in my day-to-day life. I gradually had the time and mental space to re-connect deeply and meaningfully with family and friends, and to care for those I love in ways that are core to who I am and who I want to be. I saw other changes in myself too. In August 2022, I joined and rode in the Pelotonia bike ride for the first time. In January 2023, I started regular cardio and strength training classes. I am physically and mentally stronger now than I have been in a very long time, and YWB is what catalyzed this change.
In 2022, I remember starting yoga with the vague idea that it could help grow my physical strength and flexibility. While this did occur, I have also grown in so many more ways including in resilience, mental strength, and connectedness with myself and others. YWB allowed me to come as I was, with no judgement, no pressure, no competition. My yoga classmates, now friends, came grappling with their own challenges and celebrating their own wins. I will forever be grateful for this yoga family who accepted me as is and built me back up. My journey will continue, and wherever you may be on yours, may you be happy; may you be healthy; may you be free of suffering and in a safe space.
Namaste,
Vanessa Hale
Vanessa on her very first day at Yoga Well Being (April 8, 2022), pictured with yoga instructor sipra. (This photo was coincidentally taken to share with a mutual friend.)
Vanessa Hale is an Assistant Professor at Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine who studies the microbiome and its role in health and disease. Outside of work, she lives with a very funny partner, Jeremy Hale, and 3 constantly shedding fur kids including a dog and 2 cats. Vanessa loves cooking, baking, hiking, travelling, and house plants.