Now Yoga Begins - James Boag, 'The Chai Sessions'
I first met James in 2011 in Mysore, South India where I took some of his yoga philosophy classes. I was a little bit hesitant and reluctant but what James very quickly did was show me how practical and relevant texts like the Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutras could be in our modern practice of yoga. These texts and teachings are not completely separate from what we think of as yoga.
Over the years James has been a regular visitor to MCY. He also teaches on our yoga teacher training programme here at the studio each year. I was so desperate for people to hear what he had to share and for them to see the gift in these texts as well. He's helping us all see the wisdom in these teachings and how we can work with them, not only in our yoga practice on the mat but off the mat too as we go about our daily lives.
I start our chat by asking James what the teachings of yoga have to offer us in this time of challenge, change and uncertainty. James replies, "This is where yoga begins, when we know that we do not know. Yoga is made for times of change and uncertainty, times when we feel confused and unsure of ourselves."
In our chat we get into a lot of ideas that are practical and relevant to the lives we live today. Here are a few of my favourite points...
Ask yourself, "where am I in this?" I can't change the world but I can change how I meet it, how I interact with it.
Change in life is inevitable but with the tools of yoga we can stay centred even when the ride gets bumpy.
Yoga offers space for exploration and experimentation. Trust your own judgement. With time and practice you can become your own guide, your own teacher.
Obstacles are actually opportunities.
Yoga isn't a quick fix, we work with it all life long.
It's all yoga.
Pop the kettle on, get yourself comfy and come and join us.
I hope you enjoy our chat.
If you have any questions email me or find us on social media.
Judi x
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‘The Chai Sessions’
Anyone who has been to Merchant City Yoga on a Sunday knows how much I love catching up with everyone over a cup of my freshly brewed spiced chai. These Sunday chai sessions really bring everyone together, a true celebration of friendship, community and connection.
I want to try and capture some of that magic and share it with you at home. So I've invited some familiar and new faces from our MCY family to chat with me online over a cuppa. I'm affectionately calling them 'The Chai Sessions'.