What Is GRIT And Grace?
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, an ancient and seminal text on yoga, states that we should practice according to the complimentary principles of Abhyasa (this is a Sanskrit word that means to practice regularly with consistency over time) and Vairagym (non attachment to an immediate particular outcome).
At Yoga Home Sligo, we translate this into a style of practice that means the discipline of showing up consistently but a devotion to showing up without the drama of demands!
We have the Grit to show up on the mat regularly BUT once we are there we have the Grace to meet ourselves where we are on any given day. This means we practice without forcing ourselves to feel a certain way or “perform”. We get real and we commit to staying real. Once we meet reality, all kinds of interesting things become possible!
This kind of authenticity is a fierce practice, but in the long run, it saves a lot of energy because pretending to be other than who and how you truly are is exhausting and deeply depleting. Once we free up this energy, we can restore, rebuild and revitalise on multiple levels.
Meeting yourself where you are does not mean “slacking off” or mean that you don’t grow in strength, endurance, flexibility and skilfulness, but it does mean that these capacities evolve gradually in authentic and therefore sustainable ways. By inviting ourselves into a GRIT and Grace practice we are stepping into a dedicated, curious and fundamentally friendly and appreciative relationship with our bodies, minds and hearts. As as my teacher Judith Hanson Lasater puts it, we
“embrace challenge but drop struggle!”
Dr. Martin Luther King Junior, probably the most prominent civil rights activist of the 20th Century, was not a yoga teacher, but he certainly knew something about meeting reality with discipline and devotion. He was deeply inspired by the Indian leader Gandhi’s Satyagraha movement (means staying grounded in Truth). To me. MLK sums up the essence of Grit and Grace when he wrote this;
“Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic.”
In GRIT and Grace classes, we embrace the challenge of tapping into the power of our bodies and minds in a way that is fully informed by a loving and appreciative relationship with the life force itself—in yoga we call this Prana—so that we channel the power of Prana in ways support our own flourishing as well as the flourishing of our families, our communities and whole tapestry of life.
There are three levels of Grit and Grace practice and you are encouraged to practice at the level that serves you. The levels reflect increasing degrees of challenge in physical postures and sequencing, breath work and meditative practices. Level one is most gentle (suitable for those with some basic familiarity with yoga), level two is moderate (suitable for those with some regularity of practice), level three is more vigorous (suitable for those with regular and consistent practice).
Who Is This Class For?
This is a Level 3 class which means is suitable for those with a regular dynamic yoga or other movement practice, who are interested in going a little deeper in terms of challenge and complexity. We will work with certain breathing techniques and poses that are more rigorous than a level 2 class and we explore the nuances of subtle body anatomy as well as muscular skeletal physiology. It is a nearly two hour class so that we can warm up and cool down appropriately, especially given that it's an evening class and we want to be able to sleep peacefully afterwards, so we allow ample time for Savasana (deep rest).
Dates, Times, Pricing
Time: This Class is on Thursday 6:15pm-8:00pm
March 14-April 25 NO CLASS APRIL 11
At YHS we try hard to balance the necessities of covering business costs with keeping yoga accessible for all. Therefore we implement what we call fair trade pricing. Pricing Summary Below but For Full Explanation Of Fair Trade Yoga Pricing visit www.yogahomesligo.com/fairtradepricing
Supported €75 for those negotiating financial challenge (breaks down to approx €12.50 per class)
Standard €90 for those experiencing financial stability (breaks down to approx €15 per class)
Supporter €108 for those enjoying financial security (breaks down to approx €18 per class)
Furthermore, if you are unable to pay in one instalment and smaller payments over time would be workable, please inquire about a payment plan. This can apply to any of the three rates. The payment plans will be worked out on a case-by-case basis upon request.
* If a course had already started, it may still be possible to join if the course is not sold out. You Can still choose your tier (supported/standard/supporter) The fee will be pro-rated accordingly (€12.50/15/18) for every class missed.
Drop-in attendance may be possible if course is not sold out. Drop-in is €18 per class.
For Terms and Conditions, visit www.yogahomesligo.com/tscs
Financial challenge will not be a barrier to practice at Yoga Home Sligo so if you cannot afford the pricing outlined above, please contact me and we will work something out.