Prana Pages

In 2008, a Nature year, we have endured a great year of transformation, change, and coming into the truth.  Now, as we step into the Mineral year of 2009, we will connect with the element of Mineral which holds the deep memories of who we really are, the light of the sun as we hold it inside ourselves, our life’s purpose.

As we draw very near to the winter solstice, Christmas, and the end of 2008, many yoga practitioners are reporting drastic changes occurring in their bodies and their lives.  As 2008 has been a year of transformation, of great change, of growth, we have been challenged by many things such as the economy, the political elections, the ongoing wars, the crashing of the housing market, and now the downfall of many big businesses along with the revealing of some pretty nasty scandals across the country.  As we emerge toward the end of the year, the energy is calling for the last bits of change to take place so that we can step into 2009 with the right energy and into the right space.

As yogis, we may be experiencing  injuries, illnesses, aches & pains in our bodies, but we also may be discovering ourselves landing poses that were seemingly impossible before.  As we are challenged by poses that were easy before, we are now able to find strength and flexibility in ways we never have before as well.  This is to be expected as we near the end of the year of change.  On a cellular and energetic level, our chemical make-up, or our energetic DNA is changing, resulting in some dramatic effects.  These changes are necessary as we prepare for 2009, a year of remembering our life purpose and living in it.

In the Dagara Cosmological Medicine Wheel, 2008 represents the element of Nature –  Change & Transformation to reveal the Truth & Authenticity.  2009 represents the element of Mineral  - Wisdom & Memories to express & communicate our purpose that lies within our bones.  It is no accident this year at the winter solstice that yogis across the globe will perform 108 sun salutations to celebrate the Nature number of 8, while numerologically 108 (1+0+8)=9, we will also be celebrating the Mineral number of 9.

Whether you plan to participate in 108 sun salutations, or some other winter solstice celebration, or you just plan to step on your mat this weekend as you normally do.  I invite you to reflect upon the changes that have occurred in 2008 and how this transformation has helped prepare you to connect with the deep wisdom within your bones in order to express your true calling.

To help facilitate this process on our mats, now is the time to focus on the transitions between poses more than the poses themselves.  For vinyasa yoga practitioners, 2/3 of our practice is actually transitions between poses, so it only makes sense to bring more awareness to those spaces in between.  It is that space between poses, that subtle pause between breaths, that stillness between the actions where we will find the deep truth that resides within our bones.