October 2024 Newsletter – Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 11.30
Ahimsa-satya-asteya-brahmacarya-aparigrahāh yamāh

Non-violence, truthfulness, not-stealing, moderation in our actions and not accumulating are the five social constraints which are part of the Eight Limbs of Yoga that help us in our search for a meaningful and liberating life.

At Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre this month we have been deeply ensconced in the philosophy of yoga, reminding us that yoga is not just an exercise system but a philosophy to help alleviate suffering. Those of us involved in the 10-day yoga therapy course with Dr Kausthubha Desikacar have chosen a Yama: to live it for the next six months until we meet again in March 2025 (although as yogis we should be constantly living the yamas) and to see how it changes us, to live it in terms of thought, word and action…. Why not join us?

Last Saturday Derek Thornes and Vedantarama captivated us by taking us on an enquiry into the true spiritual nature of ourselves. “From the unreal to the real. What am I and what is this all about?’ By applying the Advaita Vedanta vision in a modern setting, we had an inspiring, emotional, thought-provoking and joyful discussion. Beginning with and concluding that we and the world we live in are stunning.

For those of you interested in any of these philosophical topics, you can join Sarah Ryan with Patanjali’s monthly Yoga Sutras, Christopher Matthews monthly Conversations with Chris or Marj Snape’s new 3-year Vedanta Course that starts this month.

As Autumn approaches we look forward to the rest that the darker evenings bring, to walk in the beauty of nature, to our yoga practices that help us to slow down, withdraw and to enjoy the coziness of the fire.

Enjoy the beauty of Autumn, practice one of the yamas, and know how stunning you are.

Warm wishes,
Sharon

Looking ahead to November

For those of you interested in expressing your body in a different way we are excited to have Melanie Philip (who does Bowen and Energy healing in our therapy room) offer a dance workshop: Lose Yourself to Dance. No dance experience necessary, this is a small group (limited to 10 people) exploring movement to rid the body of numbness and dissociation. More information on our website.