Laura Masi will be giving a presentation about Yoga for Continuing Education on Thursday May 23 Christine Clarke.
To sign up please email u.w.c.cont.ed@gmail.com
Continuing Education Meeting Notes
Continuing Education hosted Yoga teacher Laura Masi for a conference on the origins, the
philosophy, the scope and aim of yoga. We discussed the fact that the perception of what yoga is has changed rather radically in the Western world during the past decades, with yoga studios, classes, workshops and teacher training opportunities sprouting in every major city around the globe. If some of us considered yoga a sort of mediation practice, the millenials focus more on the physical aspects of it, with hot yoga popular among those who try to (re)shape their bodies; the mental state of the exercise being a means to the end of physical wellbeing and fitness. Laura explained that yoga’s philosophy is focused on an equanimous mental state; a sound mind as the primary goal, with the added benefit of
helping to maintain a healthy body. We had a total epiphany when Laura let us in on the etymological common origin that the word and concept “yoga” shares with “yoke” (“yugo” in Spanish), the contraption put on two or more draught animals to harness their movements in such a way that they all pull and advance together in the desired direction. Similarly, yoga harnesses our 5 senses to become a coordinated effort towards a fruitful, healthy daily existence.