Santosha- From contentment and benevolence of consciousness comes supreme happiness.

From contentment and benevolence of consciousness comes supreme happiness. – Sutra II.42, BKS Iyengar: Light on the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali

The sun has just broken through the deepest dark rain cloud. I am watching the leaves catch the last of the weekend sun. A dog barks way down the road welcoming home his friend. There is an immense stillness in the city after summer rain. It feels as if the buildings are blinking their eyes open again. Everything soft. Everything new. But things are not always this simple, are they? 'In times of uncertainty and insecurity, how can we achieve lasting happiness? How do we find contentment in our discontent? It is interesting to note that Patanjali lists santosha (contentment) as one of the five niyamas, implying that it is not just a state of mind, but something to be practiced and cultivated.' Jarvis Chan   Santosha, the word of the day. Contentment. Contentment with any situation. It is easy to accept things when there is so much obvious beauty in our world, when things float easily along. The real work starts when the rain starts to fall. The rain has just started chucking down and you're on your bike. You can't see the cars are beeping their horns for you to move out of their way. Buses go by too fast and soak you and you didn't think to bring a coat. Santosha is real when the swearing becomes a nod, a smile even. When you begin to enjoy the feel of your wet toes wrinkling into prunes your new sandals. When you are no longer thinking about the warm yoga studio you left or the cosy home you will soon arrive at, but stay with the fresh feeling of the rain on your face. This is my Swadhaya, this is my study most weeks. YOGA NEWS.... This week I had the pleasure to teach some incredible women at the Whitechaple Mission. The people who run it are angels, I have never seen such incredible work and generosity. The women there are some of the bravest, most straight talking, honest and grateful people I have had the pleasure of teaching. Please, if you have a spare fiver or a skill you'd like to share please get in touch! As usual I have classes at Stretch in Broadway Market and at Columbia Road, so get checking the old timetable for any changes. I have anew class on Friday lunch times on Columbia Road! Also I am running a retreat with Stretch in Marocco in early March 2015. I know it's ages away. But it's never too early to book these things. And I will be teaching a weekend intensive in Dorset in September. Dates and location to be confirmed. Email me with any questions. If you ever have any questions about classes, 121's or private and corporate sessions please drop me a line. Om shanti. Aquila. xxxxx

MONDAY .....7am @ STRETCH ADA STREET E8 4QU £12 .....9am @ 18 Belsham Road E9 £8 TUESDAY ....6:30am @ STRETCH COLUMBIA ROAD E27RG £12 ....12:30pm @ STRETCH ADA STREET E8 4QU £9 WEDNESDAY  ....6:30am @ STRETCH COLUMBIA ROAD E27RG £12 THURSDAY .....8:30am @ 18 Belsham Road E9 £8 .....6:30pm @ STRETCH ADA STREET E8 4QU £12 FRIDAY .....9:30am @ STRETCH ADA STREET E8 4QU £12 ....1:15-2pm Express @ STRETCH COLUMBIA ROAD E27RG £7 .....7-8:30pm Wind Down class @ STRETCH COLUMBIA ROAD E27RG £14 SATURDAY & SUNDAY NO classes  How to Make RAW Chocolate Tart- YUM I made this last night for my boyfriend because he is away for a week! This made up for his absence. Ingredients Base- 2 tbls of coconut oil 1/2 a pack of gingernuts Blend the biscuits with the soft/melted oil, press it into your tin and pop it into the fridge for half an hour.  Topping- 2 large avocados 1 banana 3 tbls of raw cacao powder 2 tbls honey/agave syrup 3 tbls of coconut oil Blend all this goodness and spread it on the base and pop it back in the fridge. Should take an hour to be perfectly set and cold. Maybe sprinkle some rose petals on the top for someone you love or eat with spanish peaches!

YOU HAVE TWO FEET TO WALK, ONE TO HOLD YOU STILL AND THE OTHER TO KEEP YOU MOVING

YOU HAVE TWO FEET TO WALK, ONE TO HOLD YOU STILL AND ONE TO KEEP YOU MOVING.

The idea of balance in my yoga practice has been a long and old conversation. At the start I was pushing and pushing myself further, finding extremes and when I found a barrier I would push beyond it and ask my teacher, what's next. I needed more, deeper back bends, longer holds, faster vinyasas. 

This is when he sat me down and explained BRAHMANA and LANGANA. Expansion and reduction, the hard and the soft, the inhail and the exhail. 

We have to find the BALANCE in our practice to understand ourselves. We cannot push push push, as everyday is different. Some days I like coffee and some days I like tea. Not every day I need to do 25 asanas and half and hour of meditation. But then some days I do. Some days I like to sit around and eat lovely food and not think about yoga at all. And those days are just as good as the days when I am up at 5:30am to practice and teach. 

My belief is that we need balance. We need to be expanding in every moment, but also turning in, retracting, reducing. The constant dance of the inhail and exhail through our bodies reminds us of our perfect harmony. 

NEW STUDIO ALERT!
I have classes at Stretch in Broadway Market and at Columbia Road, so get checking the old timetable for any changes. 
I am also teaching a Wind Down class at 7-8:30pm every Friday at Columbia road, which is a great variation from my normal sweaty vinyasa classes. 

Also I will be teaching south starting in July with an exciting new studio in Elephant and Castle. So keep your ears open for this little gem. 

Also, if you'd like to follow me on Instagram I'm right here-
instagram.com/aquilarose
And Facebook even have a yoga space for me-
www.facebook.com/aquilayoga

If you ever have any questions about classes, 121's or private and corporate sessions please drop me a line. 

Om shanti.

Aquila. 

YOU ONLY EVER TEACH WHAT YOU NEED TO LEARN

YOU ONLY EVER TEACH WHAT YOU NEED TO LEARN- Seane Corn
 

I have been thinking a lot about self study this week. Especially in relation to the sometimes daunting timetable that can greet a London yoga teacher on Sunday evening.

This is not to say I am not truly greatful for my luck at a busy working life, but it was more an observation about where my own personal study has time to flourish.

Self study is one thing that my first Indian teacher Vijay warned us about as we headed out into the world with our teaching certificates. He said, 'I have given you all I can, now you have to do the learning. The easy bit is the training, the hard bit is integrating this into your life.'

And, yes, these past almost three years have been a quiet and sometimes very loud battle with myself. To be more forgiving, of myself and others, to accept, to listen not talk, to sit and read the books, to be still and live with the best intention possible. This is my Swadhyay. My learning. And the difficulties that I come across, the rocky roads I go down in my practice I can learn from and bring to my teaching the best I can.

On class notes I have a few extra classes put in with Celestine Eleven's Yoga School. They've been so wonderful and couldn't let go of them quite yet. So I will be there only in two evening classes, Monday and Tuesday of this week. But Liz will also be there to guide you Wednesday and Friday.

And if you like a family vibe come see me at Stretch. The classes are normally pretty busy so please book before you come via their website, click here for more info. We are hotting up for the grand launch of something very special with Stretch at the end of the week so keep your eyes open. 

If you have any questions, interesting things to tell me or ideas for collaborations or projects please drop me a line. 

Om shanti. 

Aquila. x