Sept. 2023

Written By Lara Estrada

“Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.”
~ Pablo Picasso


Dear Lara,

Happy September!

One of the reasons I fell in love with yoga is the philosophical component, and discovering it to be a holistic lifestyle practice. Like many others, I first tried yoga as a physical exercise. Over time, and through study and training, I’ve learned more about yoga as a conscious and connected way of living.

In our current teacher training, we are reading the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. I’ve read this book many times now, in trainings I’ve taken and in trainings I’ve led as well. No matter how many times I read this book, I always find inspiration in these texts.

Within the Yoga Sutras is an outlined set of practices and steps of the path to hopefully one day reach enlightenment and liberation. It includes philosophy on how to treat others and how to treat yourself. There is also a lot of emphasis on the power of our thoughts and our mind.

One sutra that always stands out to me is Sutra 33 of Book 1. It provides specific advice on how to keep the mind calm:

  • Be happy for those who are happy, without jealousy.

  • Be compassionate for those who are suffering, without delighting in the pain of others.

  • Be inspired by those who do admirable things, without comparison to self.

  • Don’t mind or judge the wrongdoings of others, as they’d likely make those choices no matter what you think or say.

It’s not a way of being passive in life, but a way of helping to keep a serene mindset. In my own life, I know my yoga practice is working when I’m able to face both challenges and joys with a sense of balance in my mind.

I hope that you continue to discover inspiration and growth in your yoga practice, for years and years to come. We have lots of special classes and workshops to try this month— check them out below!

Take care and stay healthy!

With Love + Gratitude,

<3 Lara

Workshops & Events:

Special Classes:
On class schedule. Use class pack / membership to sign up.

Retreats:

Lara Estrada
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