Sunday, September 19, 2010

Tapas





Mac Pains

Learning my Mac hurts.
I will learn to be clever,
or I’ll die trying.
first haiku on my new Mac
Catharine Larsen September 09, 2010


I must admit, my haiku is a bit melodramatic, but sometimes it does feel that way.  I have been a Microsoft/Word user for all of my computer life, and now I've switched to a Mac.  I did it when my former laptop kept freezing up on me.  I went to Mac, because I've heard so much about them, and because I use photos and photo presentations in my work, and I heard it was great for photos.  At this moment, however, my photos are not really usable, which is frustrating.  I'm waiting for the Geek Squad to return and download/transfer them from my old computer in a different way (I hope they can).

I am not very computer literate, but I use one all the time.  I am finding that I am on the verge of becoming overwhelmed, or irritated and impatient.  Tapas is the 8th guideline in the Yamas and Niyamas, the ethical guidelines of yoga.  They show us the pathway to competent living.  Tapas means self-discipline and, literally, staying in the fire until the blessing (in this case, Mac competency).  Alchemists believed they could turn base metals into gold (think treasure) by burning them in a fiery crucible.  I keep reminding myself to hold fast and to stay in my learning phase without getting all upset and crazy (I could go there).  I want to stay in the "fire" of not knowing as long as it takes.  There is a blessing to come--competency I hope.


Wednesday, September 8, 2010

New Yoga Class starting this Fall!

Managing Transition: Life Changes with



THE YAMAS & NIYAMAS

6:30pm- 8:00pm one Sunday a month for 8 months
Oct 17, Nov 21, Dec 19, Jan 16, Feb 20, Mar 13, Apr 17, May 15
$175, program includes book and materials (pre-registration required)


Yoga North is excited to offer a second Yamas &
Niyamas course applying the wisdom of the ethical
guidelines of yoga while focusing on dealing with life
changes, such as the effects aging can have on one’s body
and mind, whose medical issues have compromised their
normal ways of coping, or those who have suffered a
significant loss that has impacted their lives.


The five Yamas (nonviolence, truthfulness, nonstealing,
nonexcess, and nonpossessiveness) guide us in dealing
with our relationship to the outer world, while in the
Niyamas (purity, contentment, self-discipline, self-study, and
surrender) we turn inward to develop a right relationship
to ourselves.

We will use The Yamas and Niyamas, Exploring
Yoga’s Ethical Practice by Deborah Adele, co-owner of
Yoga North, to explore and apply to our own lives the concepts and questions raised in each chapter.
Certain meditation and yoga practices will also be introduced to enhance our explorations.


Your instructor is Catharine Larsen, MA, Licensed Psychologist, whose life has been enriched by studying
and teaching The Yamas and Niyamas, and who is dealing with the effects of ageing in her own life. Those
who have studied these practices have found them life-changing and life-enriching each time they explored
them. We look forward to you joining us as we explore and mine the gold of yoga’s ethical practices.

REGISTER TODAY FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY
Find Your True North at the Northland’s Premier Teacher Training Studio
4628 Pitt Street, Duluth Minnesota 218.722.YOGA