Yoga, Astrology, & Mentoring with Jessica Jewell

10/08/2024

Some of you will know that the work of Margaret Wheatley has influenced my thinking about who I want to become and what I hope to do with my time here.

In her writing and speaking, she addresses what do we can do to stay sane while the world is spinning ever more dangerously out of control.

She, along with others, are going to have a conversation next week that I'm going to attend and thought you might want to also. It's titled "Post-Doom Spirituality". In this brief video, you can hear more and find out how to sign up.

Hope to see you there!

This is "Bearing Witness | Meg Wheatley" by The Berkana Institute on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

10/06/2024

October is here and it feels like autumn, though a very warm one. During this time, as the nights grow longer, we are naturally drawn inward. It's a good time to ask the deep questions like, "Who am I? and "Why am I here? With curiousity and open mindness, you can spend a lifetime searching for an answer.

My very favorite place to be while pondering deep questions is a remote location, under a moon-less night sky. Observing the countless stars, listening to the hum of the universe, smelling the earth, and feeling the moving air is a spiritual experience for me.

This month, there are several opportunities to observe soul-stirring astronomical events without having to go far. Here's a sampling of what's happening.

Solar eclipse on October 2
An asteroid is circling Earth like a second Moon
A comet so bright, it will be visible with the naked eye
A potential nova explosion may be visible
Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn are forming a geometric pattern

If you want to listen to someone explain these, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vok8DkEi5PU&t=2s

Throughout all time, astronomical events have been linked to the unfolding of life here on planet Earth. This month's astronomy interpreted in the symbolic language of astrology suggests major events are afoot. Although you don't need astronomy and astrology to understad that we're living through historic times, these tools help us understand our time and put it in perspective.

In the modern era, it's easy to be out of touch with nature, to forget that we're created and sustained by natural forces. With the astronomical events occurring - and events like Hurricane Helene - perhaps it's a good time to remember. Perhaps it's a good time, an important time, to ask "Who am I? and "Why am I here?

As we walk through these times, we're going to need islands of sanity, places where we can go and remember our inherent kindness, creativity, and generosity. My hope is Yoga Together Lincoln will be one of those islands, a place where you can practice, learn, sing, laugh, cry, and remember who you are and why you're here.

Our many wonderful October offerings include:

Yoga - Back Care, Kundalini, Yin, Somatic, Restorative, and more
Kirtan
Shamanic Journey Group
Dream Nidra and Sound
Musical Medicine Jukebox - a great family event!
Spirit of Plants workshop
Mental Wellness Series
Groove LNK
Myofascial Therapy
Hypnotherapy
Let's Make Fire Cider

Please join us often! www.yogatogetherlincoln.com

Yoga Together Lincoln is a healing hub located in the College View neighborhood of Lincoln, Nebraska. If you're longing to live a healthful life and create more peace and joy for yourself, your family, and your community, then you'll find people and services here to help you along your way. Our offe...

09/25/2024

Hi Friends,

First-Plymouth Church is a welcoming and dynamic place and I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to teach yoga there most Wednesday evenings.

Everyone is welcome and it's free to participate. This class is mindful, slow-moving, and breath-centered.

If you need a way to wind down your day or to nourish your wellbeing mid-week, this is for you.

Please bring a mat and a blanket!

09/20/2024

Hi!

Here's what I wrote for the Yoga Together Lincoln newsletter. I hope it might reach someone who needs this information.

The statement, "as within, so without" works both ways: "as without, so within". Notice that as the outer season shifts from summer to autumn, your inner body is shifting too. You might notice the following.

*As the nights lengthen, you need more sleep or rest.
*As the temperatures drop, you'll naturally be drawn to heat the body with warm beverages and foods.
*As the plants dry out, you'll want to add extra moisture to your skin.

One of the most valuable practices rooted in the teachings of Ayurveda is a regular gentle cleanse. Ideally, at least twice a year, for a period of three days to three weeks, you'll clean your digestive system and give it a tune-up.

During a cleanse, you'll eliminate what's hard to digest including meat, dairy, and wheat. You'll also refrain from consuming stimulants like sugar, alcohol, and caffeine. You'll want to eat a maximum of three times a day, so that in the space between meals you can fully metabolize what's in your digestive system.

In addition, when you eat, you'll pay attention to the process of eating, perhaps trying to feel the stomach churning as it breaks down what you've put into it. You may want to say a prayer before you eat and take a walk after you eat.

During your cleanse, you can do less scrolling, take in less information through your senses. Choose to be quiet and observe life as it unfolds.

Asana's that are beneficial for this time include twists and forward folds. Slow, gentle movements, focused on alignment through the bones will serve you well.

Kapalabhati kriya will flame the agni in your system. And a simple three-part breathing practice or viloma will soothe your nerves and quiet your mind.

Finally, during your cleanse, why not increase your meditation time even by just a minute or two?

At the end of your cleanse, you're sure to feel lighter, brighter, and more confident because of your gentle discipline.

I've been doing these types of cleanses for a decade now. Each one is unique, an opportunity to observe what I'm attached to and for a short time, to shake loose the bonds of attachment, to make an effort towards becoming more comfortable with that oh-so-important yoga practice of detachment or vairagya.

If you'd like a hand designing a cleanse that will work for you, simply respond to this email and we'll set up a time to talk.

That's all for now!

09/01/2024

We're easing into autumn now. Soon, it will be time to prepare for cooler weather and shorter days.

A passage from "The Heart of Yoga" by T.K.V. Desikachar comes to mind. Referingto tapas, a foundational yoga practice, he says,

"... tapas refers to the activity of keeping the body fit. Literally, it means to heat the body and, by so doing, to cleanse it. Behind the notion of tapas lies the idea that we can get rid of the rubbish in our body."

The human being has three bodies: the physical body, energetic body, and mind body.

Rubbish in the physical body is removed with postures or asana.

Rubbish in the energetic body is removed with breathing practices (pranayama).

Rubbish in the mental body is removed with meditation (dhyana).
It takes effort to remove the rubbish, that's for sure. And it can be really wonderful to be engaged in the process.

Need a hand? Join us for yoga and other healing modalities to remove the rubbish from your precious self.

08/31/2024

It's a long weekend and maybe you have some time to tend to yourself. Please join me for yoga classes!

You might like my classes if you

*want commnunity and connection
*love to learn the how and why of asana
*value a slow asana practice

You can RSVP for a class @ yogatogetherlincoln.com or just show up!

08/26/2024

Hello!

Many people - including me - start a yoga practice for physical reasons. Maybe you had an injury and a medical professional suggested you try yoga. Or maybe you saw a photo of someone doing something you thought looked cool and you wanted to give it a try.

Whatever your reason for starting yoga, you likely stayed because you discovered there was something special about it, something you don't get from running, biking, swimming, or other forms of exercise.

You don't have to understand the how behind yoga practice, it will work. However, knowing the how and why can make your practice richer, deeper, and more intentional.

Please join me tomorrow at Yoga Together Lincoln if you're interested in learning more about yoga, especially from the point of view of The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

08/26/2024

Today is one of the most auspicious times of the entire year for spiritual practice. Spiritual life is not separate from your day-to-day life, no. Day-to-day, we learn to be more compassionate, kind, and courageous by connecting with spirit. Join us today and throughout the week to cultivate your connection to spirit by caring for your body, mind, and soul.

08/19/2024

On this full Moon day, your mind might be very busy. Notice when the mind pulls you into the past or pushes you towards the future. If you're not very intentionally needing to think about the past or the future, then the mind is stuck in a habit, one that keeps you from being fully present in the moment.

Japa is a form of meditation where you focus the mind on just one or a few words. Repeating them over and over again soothes the churning mind and brings you closer to the present. In this place, a feeling of peace arises - ah!!

If you could use a little peace, please join me this evening for japa!

08/19/2024

The week starts off with a full Moon in Aquarius and an uncommon and dynamic alignment of planets: the full Moon in Aquaris is opposite the Sun with retrograde Mercury in Leo squaring Uranus in Ta**us which is conjunct the fixed star Algol.

During the Full Moon your mind can be very active as it receives the full drishti or gaze of the Sun. You might think of it as your higher self shining light on a karmic pattern of thinking, speaking, or behaving. Retrograde Mercury passing through the heart of the Sun is a past experience likely resurfacing. The t-square to Uranus means the energy of the Sun-Moon-Mercury configuration will generate unusual and unpredictable experiences.

Pay attention! All this is happening FOR you so you can remember who you are and why you're here.

Yoga has the same purpose.
Asana teaches you how to care for your physical body.
Breathing practices teach you how to care for your energy body.
Mental focusing techniques teaches you how to care for your mind.
And finally, meditation teaches you who you are and why you're here.

08/04/2024

We've had a stormy start to August and that helps me remember what we're aiming to create at Yoga Together Lincoln.

Our goal is to be an island of sanity in the stormy weather we're navigating during these historic times.

We're aiming to create a welcoming environment where you can create a healthy body, peaceful mind, and loving heart. Where you can gather the courage necessary to meet life on life's terms.

Of this time, the Hopi Elders say,

" ... we must let go of the shore.
Push off into the middle of the river,
and keep our heads above water... see who is there with you and celebrate ...
All that we do now must be done
in a sacred manner and in celebration
For we are the ones we have been waiting for."

If this is something you're looking for, please join us.

08/01/2024

Keep your body healthy, mind peaceful, and heart leaning towards love with yoga!

07/29/2024

💙💙CALLING IN YOGA TEACHERS💙💙

I know there are a lot of folks who have gone through yoga teacher training in Lincoln! I'm trying to find those of you who are longing to teach yoga and want to join us at Yoga Together Lincoln.

We have a unique, collaborative studio that offers yoga and other classes to help people interested in cultivating a healthy body, peaceful mind, and loving heart.

If you're interested in learning more about what's possible, please dm me!

07/27/2024

Yoga is an ancient therapy that addresses the root cause of suffering - the churning mind. This churning makes it exceptionally difficult to remember who you are and why you're here. Through movement, breathing, and mantra, yoga practice makes it possible to sit still, be quiet, and remember.

Don't fret if you're not flexible - that's not a requirement!

Don't believe that you need special clothes - just wear something comfortable.

Don't stay away because you're afraid you don't know what to do - I'm here to help.

Join me for a welcoming yoga experience where you can learn to be comfortable in your body, breathe new life into your cells, and ease your way to a quiet mind.