đ Life is in the transitions đ
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Lisboa⌠itâs still too soon to say I love you but Iâm starting to appreciate you. Yesterday, upon returning after a few days away, for the first time I felt happy to land back here.
Iâve been reflecting on the topic of transitions a lot lately, and TRANSITIONS will be our main theme in class for the month of June.
One of my teachers used to say that âitâs usually during transitions that we get hurt, rather than in the posesâ and that makes total sense! In yoga, between 2 poses, just like in life, between 2 phases, transitions are the âmessy middleâ (as per Bruce Feiler). We are usually less focused, eager to leave a pose/phase behind and to move on to the next one. Weâre no longer here but weâre not there yet. Itâs easy to get lost, to lose sight and to injure ourselves in that process.
đ Iâm still in transition here but Iâm learning to appreciate this weird, in-between state and trying not to rush onto the next phase. Letâs practice that together this month.
2024 RETREATS
The second edition of the Namastrip retreats at Villa Epicurea last month was delightful !
A wonderful group of 6 women joining from France, Switzerland and Belgium all gathered here in Portugal for 5 days and 4 nights of wellness and taking care of themselves.
What exactly do we do during a retreat ? We practice Yoga, some dynamic and some more restorative classes, we eat delicious homemade vegetarian food, we rest, we reflect, we slow down and we reset. It was a very windy week everywhere in the region but we still enjoyed the nearby beach and the beautiful scenery from that magical place on top of a hill with a panoramic view on the ocean below.
The next retreat is confirmed for August 10-15, and then there will be two more in the Fall: October 16-20 and November 7-11. If youâre interested in joining one, feel free to ask me any questions you may have! NB: These retreats are in French .
WORDS OF YOGA
Vinyasa
Vinyasa is the name of a particular style of yoga, one where we dynamically link the movement to the breath (inhale to rise up, exhale to fold forward, for instance), but originally the Sanskrit word âVinyasaâ derives from ânyasaâ, or âto place,â and the prefix âviâ, or âin a special wayâ. Like a sequence of asanas linked together, all the different steps or the connections between postures. For the late Maty Ezaraty, Vinyasa meant âa gradual progression or a step-by-step approach that systematically and appropriately takes a student from one point and safely lands them at the next pointâ. Which kind of reminds me of our dear transitionsâŚ
Nowadays this particular sequence of asanas: chaturanga, upward facing dog and downward facing dog, is often referred to as a vinyasa in a flow class. You may hear teachers say âtake the vinyasaâ or âskip the vinyasaâ, but the original meaning goes a little further than those 3 poses linked together.
A FEW THINGS I ENJOYED LATELY
I first read Life is in the Transitions by Bruce Feiler about 2 years ago, a few weeks before leaving my life in California and embarking into a massive transition, and Iâm revisiting it now that Iâm on the other side of it.
This book tells the stories of dozens of people living through âlife-quakesâ and âdisruptorsâ (we all encounter some, a dozen on average for each person) and explains how life no longer follows a linear pattern. Did you know that we spend half of our life-time in a state of transition (from jobs, relationships, careers, homes) ? This is a good read if youâre looking for perspective and reassurance. And remember, this too shall pass !
Lastly, if youâre curious about life in Lisbon, each month I write a short essay on my Substack page (both in English & in French). You can subscribe below for free. Next article should be coming out this weekend.
GROUP CLASSES IN LISBON
Our theme for June is Transitions, and how can we be more present and mindful as we navigate the in-between.
đââď¸đââď¸ Yoga for Surfers
Every Wednesday 9h at Studio Organic Flow
đ¤°đŠâđź Baby & Me - Prenatal & Postnatal (babies welcome!)
Every Wednesday 11h at Studio Organic Flow
đ§ââď¸đ§ Mindful Flow - Open-Level Vinyasa
Friday 12h30 at Yoga no Bairro
Each class is limited to 8 students, so remember to book your spot beforehand.
PRIVATE CLASSES
If youâre working with a specific condition, if youâre not a fan of the group class setting, or if you would rather practice yoga in the comfort of your home, consider trying out a private class. Private sessions allow for highly personalized sequences based on what you need and want. I come to your place and we focus on just you for a full hour :)
If you are not in Lisbon, I also teach Private classes online.
Hit reply with any questions about that, or even to just to say hi, I love hearing from you !
FROM LISBON, WITH LIGHT â¨
