Practicing In-Between
Noticing the margin before turning the page.
Hello from the fine line between August and September –
I hope you're soaking up the end of summer. I blinked and the month was over. On Thursday, I taught my last outdoor offering of the season – a sweaty, sunny practice on endings and spending time in spending time in the moments before something new begins.
In my life, I've often experienced the compulsive thrust from one activity to the next, one commitment to the next, one job to the next, without taking any time to look back at where I'd just been or what was around me before tumbling onward. I never really noticed it was happening at the time, but looking back now, I can see the seemingly endless rabbit hole of ideas, projects and collaborations that kept me from standing still and noticing what was around me.
My sweet friend, teacher and colleague Sasha Sigel introduced me to the practice of looking around a space during yoga to encourage a sense of safety. This is a trauma-informed practice that triggers the parasympathetic nervous system to tell the body that it's safe and can rest. I often incorporate it into my offerings and the invitation I usually give is –
"Gently glance at the space around you. Perhaps, turn your head from one side to the other, up and down. Notice what colors you see, what shapes. Look at what's behind you, if you can. Can you notice the objects around you without judgment or association? Can you name what you see without attachment?"
You can try it now, if you'd like. If you did, how did it feel?
So that's what I'm practicing right now. As the equinox draws nearer and the days grow shorter I'm looking around me at the trees, heavy with rain and chlorophyll, the still water at the lake in the morning, and the fading flowers on my dining room table.
There is a new chapter, a new season, about to begin. I am enjoying swimming around in the margin between the two.
Speaking of new, I have a NEW online offering starting in September, so make sure you scroll down to take a look. I'd love to see you there.
What I'm Doing —
Yanyi and I went to Iceland this month – it was as spectacular as you might imagine (see below). You can swipe through a selection of photos from the trip on my Instagram.
I'm going back to school! Yes, I technically already am in yoga school, but always the overachiever I figured why not go deep. Thanks to socialism, I am about to start studying for a Certificate in Graphic Design at the Community College of Vermont. I'm so excited! My classes are going to include drawing, typography and digital photography – how cool is that???
I also joined the team at Tejal Yoga this month. You may remember Tejal from some of my previous newsletters, as she's one of my treasured teachers. I'm working as the Video Editor for the studio’s on-demand classes and YouTube channel. I'm honored to be part of this team and if you're looking for South Asian-led online practices, this is the studio for you!
Moving Image by HK Goldstein: Water tumbles over the edge of Gullfoss into an unseen chasm. Mist fills the empty space between the relentless waterfall and the mossy green banks opposing it. Cliffs stretch across the back of the frame giving way to a blue sky that hosts a handful of fluffy, white clouds.
Where I'm Learning —
Have you ever started reading something and thought, "ah yes, this is what I've been looking for"? That's how I've felt since I started reading the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali translated by Sri Swami Sachidananda. The Yoga Sutras is one of the foundational texts of yoga. In it, Patanjali lays out the entire practice of yoga in sutras or "threads". Each short sentence contains one small bite of the vast knowledge of yoga. I'm almost done with book one of four and have been enjoying reading it slowly, one or two sutras at a time.
A funny fact about me that not many people know is that I love webcomics. Specifically, I love the cartoons published by The Nib. They send out daily newsletters filled with political cartoons, in-depth journalism and biting strips. They also release several print editions a year, including this year's Drugs issue, in which my letter to the editor is published! So if you don't want to follow them to get a good dose of brain floss, do it to see a funky drawing of me stoned.
What I'm Offering —
PLAY PRACTICE* — Wednesdays 9/15/21-12/15/21 – 10am EST – Virtual – $8
A **NEW** weekly 45 minute yoga class dedicated to exploring playfulness in practice. Students of all bodies and with any or no yoga experience are encouraged to join. This class will be energizing and may move at a faster pace at times. There will be an optional 15min check-in afterwards to ask questions, catch up or get in some extra play time. Everyone who signs up for class will receive a recording of the practice and have access for 24hrs regardless of live attendance. Students interested in committing to the whole fall series can contact me for a 20% discount.
TRANS* YOGA — Saturday 9/4/21 – 3pm EST – Virtual – Free
A 60min yoga class for trans and non-binary people of all bodies to connect with each other, our inner physical ecosystems and our space in existence. Any or no experience is welcome. We ask our cisgender allies to support us by leaving the space for trans and non-binary folks. This practice will not be recorded. As of September 2021, this class is free - donations welcome via venmo @hk-goldstein or cash app $hkgoldstein.
Curious about the cards? Been stuck in an anxiety spiral? Want to know how to approach a sticky situation? Let’s do a reading. I offer sliding scale 60-minute tarot readings or Quick-Reads for $5 per card.
One-on-one yoga sessions with me are available on a sliding scale. I will work with you to understand the needs of your body and develop a practice that will help you move towards physical, mental, emotional and spiritual alignment.
Enjoy the margins.
Love you,
HK