“Yoga Extras:” Resources for : Fri 5/24-Tue 5/28, 2024

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I am creating these "Yoga Extras" blog posts for those of you resonating with the public yoga classes & Yoga Teacher Trainings I am leading. Inside of these blog posts you will find extra resources that support our weekly class theme. The weekly classes I guide are themed according to the season & collective energetic "weather"–This is of course influenced by many things; for instance, not only national and global events but how masses of people are feeling about and reacting to those events. It is also influenced by space weather (see spaceweather.com) & the current movement/placement of celestial bodies ie: the sun, moon, planets, nodes, stars, etc. You can find me teaching currently at Black Swan Yoga (North-Anderson) in Austin, TX. I am on the schedule as "Erika K." Mention this webpage for a free class.

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Text 561-703-9150 (or email erika@erikakluthe.com) with your email if you would like to get your name put on the growing waiting list for this potential fall training. You will then receive further information in the occasional video & copy newsletter with further information.

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Hi!

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Thank you to those of you who take the time to check out these class resources. It takes a pretty good amount of my time and energy. & thank you for your patience with delays…life threw some unexpected curve balls these last few weeks. I had to put my feline soulmate Pauntoufle down last week and the torrent of grief it unleashed really took me aback. I suspect that when I had to say goodbye to Pauntoufle, I also said goodbye to some precarious bandaid that was keeping me from experiencing the totality of the loss of my mom a few years back. It is my understanding that all of the losses we experience in life create a sort of daisy chain, and one loss can stimulate those that came before it. I've heard from so many of you this week about the loss of your beloved animal companions as well as human. It leaves me shaking my head and wondering how we all do it. The other week in class I had read the line: "All spiritual growth comes from letting go." I've been thinking about that a bunch. I've also been thinking about that "crossroads" that a life crisis (intense difficulty) presents us. This week's phenomenal poem, The Invitation (below) gave me some insight as to what exactly these crossroads might be. The poem reads: I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain. So, perhaps there is an essential crossroads or choice of direction presented by life to each of us…open, or close. I feel this not only in my personal life, but the collective. It seems to me that we are all being asked to let go of old systems & old world views as so much is of our world and humanity is evolving every day, right in front of our eyes. This is stuff I used to read about and research, but now I'm witnessing it daily online and in other public spaces. I'm willing to bet, if you are reading this, you are noticing this too. It's almost like we are all tadpoles that are sprouting little legs, as we must also lose our tails, in preparation for a complete environmental change from water to land. Or in our case, lower consciousness to higher. Old ways of being and believing, to new. In my eyes, we are inside of a massive growth spurt. It's like we're all experiencing some collective puberty. Oof. Remember that?? Bless us all.

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I hope to continue to open. I hope that for each of us.

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Readings, music and writing prompts are below. I myself came up with some good insight from writing on those prompts just now.

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Love to you all.

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PS, I'm going to begin to add extra videos to my newsletter. If you would like to receive that, add your email on the "Landing Page" tab at the top of the homepage of erikakluthe.com.

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Click the image below for the music from this week's class:

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For this week's reading, see below: (below this are images of the sections I read in class).

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The Invitation

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It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

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It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.

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It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain.

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I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it, or fade it, or fix it.

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I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own; if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, remember the limitations of being human.

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It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. If you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.

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I want to know if you can see Beauty even when it is not pretty every day. And if you can source your own life from its presence.

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I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand at the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, ‘Yes.’

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It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children.

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It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the centre of the fire with me and not shrink back.

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It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away.

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I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

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By Oriah Mountain Dreamer

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Below are writing prompts based on the above readings.

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"The Invitation" by Oriah Mountain Dreamer is a poetic work that delves deeply into themes of authenticity, vulnerability, and the human spirit. Here are several writing prompts inspired by the poem:

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Writing Prompts

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1. Authenticity and True Self: Reflect on a moment when you felt completely authentic. Describe the situation, your feelings, and the impact it had on you and those around you. How did embracing your true self change your perspective?

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2. Vulnerability and Courage: Write about a time when you had to be vulnerable with someone. What did you share? How did it feel to open up? What was the outcome, and what did you learn about yourself in the process?

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3. Passion and Purpose: Explore what you are passionate about and how it aligns with your purpose in life. How do you pursue your passions despite challenges? What drives you to keep going?

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4. Embracing Pain and Joy: Reflect on an experience where you fully embraced both the pain and joy of a situation. How did this duality affect your growth and understanding of life?

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5. Dreams and Aspirations: Write about a dream you have that you are willing to strive for, no matter the obstacles. Describe the dream in detail and the steps you are taking or plan to take to achieve it.

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6. Relationships and Connection: Think about a relationship that has deeply impacted your life. How did it begin, and what makes it significant? What does this relationship teach you about love and connection?

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7. Facing Fears: Describe a fear that you have faced or need to face. What is this fear rooted in, and how does it hold you back? What steps can you take to confront and overcome it?

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8. Living Fully: Imagine a life lived fully, without reservations or regrets. What would this life look like for you? What changes would you need to make to live more fully every day?

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9. Solitude and Inner Peace: Reflect on a time when you found peace in solitude. Where were you, and what were you doing? How does solitude help you reconnect with yourself and your inner truths?

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10. Commitment and Dedication: Write about something or someone you are deeply committed to. How do you show your dedication? What sacrifices have you made, and how do they shape your sense of purpose?

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11. Navigating Darkness: Discuss a period of darkness or difficulty in your life. How did you navigate through it? What inner resources or external support did you rely on, and what did you learn from the experience?

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12. Living with Integrity: Explore what living with integrity means to you. How do you align your actions with your values? Provide examples of when you have had to choose integrity over convenience.

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13. Transformation and Growth: Write about a transformative experience that led to significant personal growth. What triggered this transformation, and how did it change you?

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14. Joy in Simple Moments: Reflect on a simple moment of joy that you have experienced. Describe it in detail and explain why it was meaningful to you. How do you find joy in the everyday?

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15. Invitation to Life: Imagine writing your own invitation to life, similar to Oriah Mountain Dreamer’s poem. What would you invite others to do, experience, or be? How would you encourage them to embrace life fully?

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