WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.700 --> 00:00:08.050 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I'm excited to be gathering for our office hours for this month of March. 2 00:00:09.050 --> 00:00:13.640 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and I wanna welcome you, and we'll take a moment to drop in. 3 00:00:14.130 --> 00:00:27.519 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): But first I'd love to invite folks to drop in the chat where you're here from, and maybe 2 words how you're doing in this moment. So just taking a moment to check in. 4 00:00:28.720 --> 00:00:30.350 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): How is it with me? 5 00:00:31.370 --> 00:00:34.050 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): What's arising 6 00:00:34.410 --> 00:00:45.080 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): in this time? Perhaps if there's a Yama or Niyama that you're practicing with, or that feels like present for this moment. 7 00:00:45.290 --> 00:00:48.420 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): For me it is 8 00:00:50.790 --> 00:00:52.420 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Brahmataria. 9 00:00:53.950 --> 00:00:55.370 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and 10 00:00:57.490 --> 00:00:59.979 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I feel present and grateful. 11 00:01:04.060 --> 00:01:11.010 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Justine. And Hello! From Massachusetts. It's so it's actually really nice to hear where folks are from, because I see you 12 00:01:11.050 --> 00:01:18.679 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): every every month, a couple of times a month, some of you more. And I don't always know where you are in the world 13 00:01:19.080 --> 00:01:34.750 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): grateful for Sangha. Yeah, I am, too such a special place to be able to gather with folks who care about these values and are working to apply Yogic values and Yogic tools to our lives. 14 00:01:36.110 --> 00:01:37.620 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Clarity! 15 00:01:38.650 --> 00:01:49.170 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): It will always be clarity, Anita. Hello! From the San Fernando Valley. Feeling grateful and inspired. 16 00:01:49.350 --> 00:01:58.190 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I grew up in the San Fernando Valley. That's so cool. Jenny, in Sacramento, resting and cold. Yeah. Glad you're here. 17 00:01:58.230 --> 00:02:00.460 Bonnie Hood River, Oregon. 18 00:02:00.700 --> 00:02:06.889 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): the confederated tribes of warm springs, excited and grateful, leaning into Brahmataria and tapas 19 00:02:07.220 --> 00:02:12.519 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Chico California Eileen grateful for sunshine and warmth. 20 00:02:12.540 --> 00:02:20.049 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Konstina. Hi from Costa Rica Cleo from Lanape and colonize land in the Bronx. 21 00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:46.709 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Constina, did you message me? I just wanna double check because I wanna make sure to get back to you about the retreat that Blair Amani and I are doing in Costa Rica. Let me know you can. You can message me in the chat. And if anyone else is interested, we have some spots and we have, we're gonna be doing scholarship spots. So I'm gonna send that to you all first, of course. So just letting you let me know wonderful. Okay, let me 22 00:02:46.710 --> 00:02:51.579 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): make sure I message you back. And then we're gonna take a moment and drop in 23 00:02:51.770 --> 00:03:00.230 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): So whatever you're doing, you can kind of put like, if you have other applications open. 24 00:03:00.290 --> 00:03:05.660 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): put those aside. Just give yourself some time to drop into time and space 25 00:03:05.750 --> 00:03:11.009 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and and presence together, and 26 00:03:12.410 --> 00:03:14.879 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I'm going to invite the bell. 27 00:03:16.850 --> 00:03:19.980 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and we'll breathe and explore 28 00:04:30.990 --> 00:04:35.200 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): in aware of your breathing, in 29 00:04:36.800 --> 00:04:38.399 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and breathing out. 30 00:04:38.560 --> 00:04:41.349 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): aware of your breathing out. 31 00:04:52.090 --> 00:04:57.330 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): taking a moment to feel the energy in your body. 32 00:05:04.960 --> 00:05:07.909 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): to teck in with your own energy source. 33 00:05:14.370 --> 00:05:26.450 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and then to open up, knowing that the practice of Yoga connects us always to everything to our interconnected nature. 34 00:05:27.640 --> 00:05:36.820 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And so, if you're feeling a little depleted or down, or just need some support, receiving that from the elements around you. 35 00:05:36.870 --> 00:05:40.659 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): from the earth supporting you and holding you up 36 00:05:41.610 --> 00:05:43.000 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): the water. 37 00:05:44.970 --> 00:05:49.649 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): the waters both in you and around you. 38 00:05:51.770 --> 00:05:53.050 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Fire. 39 00:05:54.620 --> 00:06:02.560 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): passion. inspiration, the electricity that allows us to connect with one another across time and space. 40 00:06:07.730 --> 00:06:09.860 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): air in your breath. 41 00:06:11.590 --> 00:06:13.060 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and all around 42 00:06:17.790 --> 00:06:18.910 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): space 43 00:06:23.730 --> 00:06:26.010 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): within you and around you. 44 00:06:40.870 --> 00:06:45.650 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): practicing your guest dog, ritdiduruda. 45 00:06:47.690 --> 00:06:52.500 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): the supporting, the calming of the fluctuations of our mental chatter 46 00:06:53.860 --> 00:06:55.310 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): of our minds. 47 00:06:59.070 --> 00:07:02.830 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): letting our energy rest in the present moment. 48 00:07:05.430 --> 00:07:08.800 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): marching with this moment, with life. 49 00:07:12.860 --> 00:07:14.090 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): with all 50 00:07:37.080 --> 00:07:39.719 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): checking in on 51 00:07:40.460 --> 00:07:49.269 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): what you do to practice Ahimsa, to practice. Care for yourself. to practice bromataria, to care for your energy. 52 00:07:50.990 --> 00:07:55.140 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): maybe what you need right now. 53 00:07:57.850 --> 00:08:02.670 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): It's different than what you needed last week or a month ago. 54 00:08:06.160 --> 00:08:17.040 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and as we pour into ourselves and care for ourselves, really like grounding and founding ourselves in a foundation of practice, we're able to show up 55 00:08:17.830 --> 00:08:21.190 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): as agents of spiritual possibility. 56 00:08:23.740 --> 00:08:25.649 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): as agents of change 57 00:08:27.750 --> 00:08:29.600 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): in our relationships 58 00:08:30.690 --> 00:08:31.610 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): with 59 00:08:32.700 --> 00:08:36.750 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): friends, our families at work. 60 00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:43.289 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And it doesn't have to be grand. It doesn't have to look like, you know. 61 00:08:44.690 --> 00:08:56.390 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): any kind of like big banner waving movement. It can just be one conversation, one pause, one breath at a time. one connection at a time. 62 00:08:59.430 --> 00:09:01.180 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): But what defines 63 00:09:01.970 --> 00:09:07.100 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): a Yogic change maker or an agent of spiritual possibility 64 00:09:07.410 --> 00:09:12.190 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): which we can become through to simply practicing Yoga is 65 00:09:13.770 --> 00:09:21.539 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): the connection to a spiritual foundation. and this can be multifaith any faith or no faith. 66 00:09:21.870 --> 00:09:25.729 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and a connection to our interconnectedness. 67 00:09:26.650 --> 00:09:31.239 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And then we act from that place moment to moment to moment. 68 00:09:39.080 --> 00:09:45.219 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): so moment we'll move a little bit and then move into some journaling. 69 00:09:47.240 --> 00:09:50.480 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): reflecting now in our movements. 70 00:09:50.580 --> 00:10:09.100 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): what might self care, self nourishment look like. So you can follow what I'm doing, and I'll guide you with my voice, and can also look at me if you want, or just check in with your body, so I'm lifting my arms up, placing my fingertips on my shoulders, rolling my shoulders back and around. 71 00:10:09.170 --> 00:10:16.709 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): You can stay here with your hands like this, or open your arms out, and give yourself your whole arm. 72 00:10:22.690 --> 00:10:42.520 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and gently clasping your hands behind one side, so I'm bringing my hands together and clasping them under my right ribs, and drop your left ear towards your left shoulder, left shoulder down towards the earth, face casing down 73 00:10:43.340 --> 00:10:45.510 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): towards the sky 74 00:10:47.070 --> 00:10:54.009 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and breathing here, maybe finding a spot to hang out and imagine that you have gills so you can breathe through 75 00:10:54.450 --> 00:10:58.089 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): the right neck and shoulder. 76 00:11:01.030 --> 00:11:04.429 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): What does Ahimsa look like here? 77 00:11:09.730 --> 00:11:15.250 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And then gently releasing on your next breath and clasping your hands. 78 00:11:15.300 --> 00:11:18.289 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): them up and around above your head. 79 00:11:18.510 --> 00:11:37.130 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): gazing up at the sky past your fingertips, and then arms come back and down, clasping them to the other side, so bring them to the right or the left side body, and even class them. Anyway, you want. Sometimes I just clasp my hands like, put them together. Sometimes I interlace 80 00:11:37.220 --> 00:11:46.680 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): my left side a little tighter. So this side. I'm just gonna kinda get my hands together. However, they go there and then relax my left shoulder. 81 00:11:46.910 --> 00:11:49.949 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): relax my right shoulder down and drop 82 00:11:51.420 --> 00:11:52.590 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): here 83 00:11:52.970 --> 00:11:58.060 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): right ear towards your right shoulder, right shoulder down towards the earth. 84 00:11:58.920 --> 00:12:04.689 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): looking down. looking up, softening your daf. You would like 85 00:12:07.390 --> 00:12:10.119 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): finding a spot to hang out here. 86 00:12:15.520 --> 00:12:18.969 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): How can I care for my energy 87 00:12:20.410 --> 00:12:23.880 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): in these times in this moment? 88 00:12:32.480 --> 00:12:34.679 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): One more breath here 89 00:12:35.770 --> 00:12:39.759 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): inhale, releasing your hands, stretching up. 90 00:12:39.800 --> 00:12:49.600 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and this time, as you bring your hands up, perhaps, if you'd like extending into a little bit of a back bend, so, arching your back, lifting up with your heart. 91 00:12:50.770 --> 00:13:04.149 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and then releasing, folding forward, and that folder can be a hug, or it can be forward fold, bringing everything down towards the earth from expansion to contraction. 92 00:13:04.370 --> 00:13:05.530 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and then 93 00:13:06.750 --> 00:13:10.780 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): just curling in. tending to yourself. 94 00:13:14.130 --> 00:13:27.710 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): because we practice for ourselves and other beings. expanding with your next inhale. lifting up and out, exhaling, maybe sending some care 95 00:13:28.050 --> 00:13:29.919 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): out to the world. 96 00:13:31.190 --> 00:13:38.220 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and then one more exhale curling down. If you were giving yourself a hug, other arm is on top 97 00:13:39.900 --> 00:13:42.300 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): receiving support. 98 00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:51.279 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): so you can give it. And just because there's no no one needs to earn or deserve support. 99 00:13:56.970 --> 00:14:03.300 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I am doing enough. just as I am perfectly imperfect. 100 00:14:05.450 --> 00:14:09.059 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): once more expanding out the option to 101 00:14:09.160 --> 00:14:12.430 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): cactus your arms or lift them up and out. 102 00:14:13.680 --> 00:14:21.930 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and then exhale hands together at Heart Center. We'll close our practice with a tent. 103 00:14:23.700 --> 00:14:31.310 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): The Santi Mantra. Boka, Samasta, Sukinovan, too. practicing 104 00:14:31.620 --> 00:14:34.440 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): the wish for peace. 105 00:14:34.490 --> 00:14:39.250 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): typing it in the chat in case you want to see it. 106 00:14:43.550 --> 00:14:46.090 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): wish for peace for ourselves. 107 00:14:47.170 --> 00:14:51.730 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and the first time we chant will be for ourselves the second time 108 00:14:52.120 --> 00:15:07.979 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): you can wish for peace. healing. freedom from suffering for someone in your life. and then the third time is for all beings, and you can hold all beings in your mind, or a particular community, or ecosystem, or 109 00:15:08.100 --> 00:15:09.560 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): group of folks. 110 00:15:10.670 --> 00:15:22.769 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): so we'll chance 3 times, the first for ourselves, the second for a specific person or being, and the third for all beings or a group of beings. Sometimes it's helpful to 111 00:15:22.870 --> 00:15:33.369 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): to think all people dealing with chronic pain, or all people suffering from State violence who could really really use some relief. 112 00:15:34.840 --> 00:15:44.750 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): We'll send this practice within and without, which is really the same thing. deep breath in and full breath out. 113 00:15:47.540 --> 00:15:49.430 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Inhale to tant! 114 00:15:51.560 --> 00:16:03.470 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Oh. summer star! Huh! Sukino. by 1, 2 115 00:16:06.660 --> 00:16:15.560 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): look. summer star. Sukino 116 00:16:25.970 --> 00:16:28.930 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): low da. 117 00:16:30.120 --> 00:16:35.430 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): so musta Sukino. 118 00:16:40.420 --> 00:16:43.310 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Oh. 119 00:16:53.120 --> 00:17:02.949 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Shanti, shanti shanti Shati, Shatti, Shatti, peace, peace, peace, peace, peace, peace peace. and power, power, power. 120 00:17:04.109 --> 00:17:06.700 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): power of liberation 121 00:17:07.280 --> 00:17:08.540 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): to you. 122 00:17:09.930 --> 00:17:11.940 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): to beloved to all. 123 00:17:16.740 --> 00:17:25.309 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And so an invitation to stretch, to move to your journal, or, if you wanna type into the chat. 124 00:17:25.550 --> 00:17:36.469 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Any reflections on this practice on your yoga at this time. and also on how it's showing up. 125 00:17:37.430 --> 00:17:44.790 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and Ramataria as well. So non-harm and energy. 126 00:17:49.690 --> 00:18:01.960 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): how it's showing up, and we'll take few minutes, maybe 3 or 4 min, just a journal. And also, if there's any questions percolating, we'll move into our discussion after we take some time to reflect. 127 00:18:03.000 --> 00:18:04.630 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I'll play some music. 128 00:18:04.740 --> 00:18:09.940 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and if you would like you can turn the sound down or 129 00:18:09.960 --> 00:18:12.070 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): listen music with no words. 130 00:18:13.150 --> 00:18:17.119 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): This is coffee by 131 00:18:17.310 --> 00:18:19.530 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): sarathi. 132 00:18:28.250 --> 00:18:30.770 you 133 00:19:02.650 --> 00:19:03.530 okay. 134 00:19:08.260 --> 00:19:09.440 the 135 00:20:01.810 --> 00:20:02.620 okay. 136 00:20:05.220 --> 00:20:07.760 and the 137 00:20:10.470 --> 00:20:16.330 the 138 00:20:36.830 --> 00:20:38.980 to 139 00:20:59.470 --> 00:21:01.460 the 140 00:21:03.260 --> 00:21:06.850 the 141 00:21:27.750 --> 00:21:29.530 to 142 00:22:07.350 --> 00:22:08.420 the 143 00:22:43.830 --> 00:22:44.840 to. 144 00:23:44.290 --> 00:23:49.530 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): hey? I wanna move into an opportunity for us to share. 145 00:23:49.560 --> 00:24:05.709 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and so inviting you to continue writing. If you want or finish up what you're reflecting on and to as we move into practice this practice of being in community and sunda to see if you can keep that kind of yogic awareness that 146 00:24:05.740 --> 00:24:22.710 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): maybe it's even 60% inward and 40% out or 50 50. However, you wanna do that awareness internally, and then externally, that awareness of Aimsa and Prometharia in action in real time. 147 00:24:23.890 --> 00:24:30.289 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Hmm! Would anyone like to share out loud into the space with the group? 148 00:24:32.420 --> 00:24:35.300 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yes, Bonnie love to hear from you. 149 00:24:35.780 --> 00:24:46.950 Bonnie Walker (she/they): Hi, thank you. yeah, I don't feel like typing. This is, and if I say it out loud, I may as well just say it out loud instead of dictating. So 150 00:24:47.350 --> 00:24:52.859 Bonnie Walker (she/they): I'm actually having a pretty amazing day today and 151 00:24:53.150 --> 00:25:03.820 Bonnie Walker (she/they): I was in a webinar on regenerative economics this morning, and there was a guest speaker. A woman from Mexico. I can't remember her full name. 152 00:25:04.020 --> 00:25:07.940 Bonnie Walker (she/they): I should, though it was just amazing, like 153 00:25:08.050 --> 00:25:21.690 Bonnie Walker (she/they): like regenerative economics, regenerative agriculture, and combining the 2, and then finding a way to meet current day investors where they're at so it was really powerful, totally amazing. 154 00:25:21.700 --> 00:25:46.670 Bonnie Walker (she/they): This is also turning out. It's a beautiful day. I can see Mount Adams or click a tat mountain from here, and things just fell into place with Yoga Wellspring. I was getting a lot of pushback from insurance companies. Apparently insurance wise. I'm not allowed to be a Yoga teacher, web developer and grant writer, but I found an insurance company that will 155 00:25:46.960 --> 00:25:55.950 Bonnie Walker (she/they): handle all 3, cause they know it's just me. It's not like I can actually do everything at once. So that was the other thing is, last year 156 00:25:56.980 --> 00:26:07.809 Bonnie Walker (she/they): I had to say No, as my friend, and just say no to everything. And this year I'm looking for that right balance, because I'm realizing spring is my 157 00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:25.420 Bonnie Walker (she/they): my weak point. It's when I tend to say yes to absolutely everything, and totally over commit myself. And so I'm finding that this practice has been really helpful in finding that right balance between yes and no and taking on the right amount of stuff. So. 158 00:26:26.120 --> 00:26:39.540 Bonnie Walker (she/they): and also all of that also led to me finding the local rally for Palestine rights and ceasefire. So I'm going to that on Friday. And I'm so excited. So yeah, it's like all of it's just coming together today. So 159 00:26:42.080 --> 00:26:59.759 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I love that Bonnie. Thank you so much for sharing, and I think a number of us can relate to that. Like. you know, we think that we're separate, but we're so flowing with the tides, with the seasons, with the elements. And so, as 160 00:26:59.930 --> 00:27:04.300 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): the world around us moves to those budding new shoots and seeing it all around. 161 00:27:04.390 --> 00:27:11.389 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I too often can like like all the new ideas, all the shiny objects, and and that's not 162 00:27:11.950 --> 00:27:34.130 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): bad thing, but it is helpful for me to remember ramataria and balancing of energy. And with activism to like my activism. Now, I just turned 47 is different than what it was when I was 27, you know, and like in a weekend, I might do 5 events 163 00:27:34.270 --> 00:27:37.640 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): in my 20 S. And now 164 00:27:37.780 --> 00:27:44.610 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): it's okay that I can. I can balance and and get to one or 2 right? And so 165 00:27:45.280 --> 00:27:48.240 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): that that season 166 00:27:48.460 --> 00:27:58.030 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): internally and then externally and and flowing with it. I'm resonating with what you shared, and and Bramatari as a container for holding it all 167 00:27:58.370 --> 00:27:59.550 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): me, too. 168 00:28:00.650 --> 00:28:02.880 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Anyone else 169 00:28:03.740 --> 00:28:05.570 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): want to share out loud. 170 00:28:11.530 --> 00:28:15.580 Constina: Hi! It's Christina! I'll I'll share out loud. 171 00:28:15.830 --> 00:28:22.500 Constina: So I posted my thoughts up here. But I'm glad you mentioned earlier that 172 00:28:23.240 --> 00:28:28.089 Constina: we're not alone. This magnificent world that we live in. 173 00:28:28.370 --> 00:28:43.679 Constina: we're connected in many different ways. And one of the ways that we're doing that is, through this zoom and also through social media, and also for these valleys going to and and and it still is triggering 174 00:28:43.840 --> 00:28:46.350 Constina: all of these things that are going on. 175 00:28:46.590 --> 00:28:56.210 Constina: partly because I'm I'm I'm truly aware that I'm holding on to the concept of what I want the world to be. 176 00:28:57.580 --> 00:29:00.199 Constina: and I'm not settling into what is 177 00:29:01.690 --> 00:29:06.610 Constina: and not to say that I have to agree with what is but 178 00:29:06.730 --> 00:29:09.400 Constina: just sort of honoring that. 179 00:29:09.790 --> 00:29:14.430 Constina: you know, like a puppy like a kitten like a baby. 180 00:29:14.580 --> 00:29:28.559 Constina: This planet is young and it is growing. and it's fostering into something that I did not grow up in. And Ahemsa is a way to keep me grounded. 181 00:29:29.040 --> 00:29:31.390 So it's not all doom and gloom. 182 00:29:31.430 --> 00:29:47.700 Constina: I returned to the practice. II really enjoy how you opened up this particular session with grounding and movement, albeit, and even as we were moving I was speaking to myself, Ahemsa is 183 00:29:47.710 --> 00:29:55.959 Constina: feeling. feeling. feeling, feeling, yes, feeling for those who cannot stand. 184 00:29:56.250 --> 00:29:59.449 Constina: I did this in a seat, and I was like, Oh. 185 00:30:00.220 --> 00:30:09.170 Constina: Hi! Golly! Yoga, for all! So That's how what Hamsta is showing up in my life. I'm I'm returning to 186 00:30:09.200 --> 00:30:22.210 Constina: the practice. I'm sharing the practice with others as much as I can. I, as I mentioned earlier, I'm in Costa Rica, and everybody's living is pure life problems in the world. 187 00:30:22.240 --> 00:30:32.420 Constina: People just walking around and and me and a few other people are sharing these, you know, sharing with each other, and it's a real real thing. And 188 00:30:33.510 --> 00:30:40.009 Constina: and I have to remind myself that I can't control everything that's going around and practices from within. 189 00:30:40.320 --> 00:30:44.829 Constina: So I wanted to share that and thank you for holding space. 190 00:30:48.570 --> 00:30:54.360 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Hmm! I'm just really feeling that and feeling the peace. There's like a piece. 191 00:30:54.600 --> 00:31:01.460 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and coming from you, and also in what you're sharing with us. I'm so appreciative. Yeah. 192 00:31:04.600 --> 00:31:06.150 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Anyone else 193 00:31:08.770 --> 00:31:09.930 wade: I can share. 194 00:31:10.250 --> 00:31:12.210 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yes, wait, bye. 195 00:31:12.630 --> 00:31:21.609 wade: Hi, good afternoon, everybody. I'm in a really interesting space right now. I wrote that I'm 196 00:31:22.020 --> 00:31:27.720 wade: like joining in from Las Vegas, and it's a fight for the Colorado River 197 00:31:27.920 --> 00:31:31.650 wade: that brought me here? And so 198 00:31:31.820 --> 00:31:33.830 wade: just to be in a space where. 199 00:31:34.020 --> 00:31:38.800 wade: knowing that this whole place exists because of the exploitation of my home. 200 00:31:38.990 --> 00:31:46.439 wade: and from the coal mining to all the extraction to the water and the theft of the water 201 00:31:46.580 --> 00:31:52.250 wade: up and down the river that enables the space to reflect on like what a him saw 202 00:31:52.570 --> 00:32:01.240 wade: looks like for me in this space is like. is it's really really like I feel like when I cry. It makes me so emotional? 203 00:32:01.560 --> 00:32:03.839 wade: But I think. 204 00:32:03.920 --> 00:32:09.459 wade: reflecting on that the need to rest. but also allow joy in 205 00:32:09.750 --> 00:32:17.500 wade: when joy presents itself and to embrace it because one of the things that keeps recurring to me. In my meditations is 206 00:32:17.560 --> 00:32:26.599 wade: to pray for peace, but also to prepare for war, like the coinciding of those things, and it can feel so heavy and so serious. 207 00:32:26.660 --> 00:32:31.000 wade: Especially in the community that I come from because I reside 208 00:32:31.190 --> 00:32:38.930 wade: on the Navajo nation. And I'm kind of like a front lines person in terms of like I'm on the land there, I care. Take 209 00:32:39.020 --> 00:32:50.490 wade: my family's livestock out there and do everything I can to maintain and protect our traditional life ways, and it's, you know, to be on the front end of that can be so exhausting. 210 00:32:50.690 --> 00:32:57.009 wade: And to tell myself like, it's okay to take a break from that from time to time. 211 00:32:57.040 --> 00:32:59.380 wade: And allow for joy. 212 00:32:59.510 --> 00:33:09.200 wade: Even though it's such like important work, and that's why I do it. You know, II know the importance of it. But just really like 213 00:33:09.320 --> 00:33:16.749 wade: taking that in. But yeah, it's heavy, it's really, really heavy, and it can feel just exhausting and draining and 214 00:33:16.760 --> 00:33:25.160 wade: having those boundaries with like organizing, and all of that. But to really take in the time to like have joy 215 00:33:25.480 --> 00:33:27.530 wade: and like laughter. 216 00:33:27.630 --> 00:33:34.690 wade: Laughter is good medicine, as they say. It's really really good medicine and just kind of 217 00:33:35.500 --> 00:33:51.779 wade: you know. Just be able to breathe and know that you take in the air, and the ancestors and all of the courage and the wisdom that's what I was writing down is like. It's dealing with fear and finding the courage to move forward by like embracing joy. 218 00:33:52.480 --> 00:33:54.640 wade: Oh. to happen! 219 00:33:57.830 --> 00:33:58.770 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Hmm! 220 00:33:59.040 --> 00:34:04.979 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Thank you for sharing with us, and also for what you are doing and caring 221 00:34:05.050 --> 00:34:11.880 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and also celebrating. I reflect a lot on that interconnectedness of 222 00:34:12.460 --> 00:34:14.620 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I don't remember who said, like. 223 00:34:14.630 --> 00:34:18.559 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I wanna make revolution irresistible. 224 00:34:18.630 --> 00:34:28.090 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): That idea of like dancing and feeling. Joy is is part of the revolution, and it doesn't 225 00:34:28.230 --> 00:34:35.700 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): mean we're not doing our part or take away from it. In fact, it may nourish it and feed it. 226 00:34:36.070 --> 00:34:39.509 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): So I'm just feeling that 227 00:34:40.120 --> 00:34:47.679 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): that inspiration, and and also like. sometimes I think the piece that I'm 228 00:34:49.210 --> 00:34:54.439 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): that's feeling I'm feeling moved to share is like sometimes the activists in my life that I've kind of 229 00:34:55.199 --> 00:35:04.880 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): think of as comrades or people. II work alongside, even as we're working on similar or different issues. Many of them are so joyful 230 00:35:04.980 --> 00:35:22.979 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and like the work super hard, right, and super focus. But then at night they're like kicking up their feet, watching some, you know, like whatever the show is, or making food and laughing, and just having the best time, and that that medicine, as you said of 231 00:35:23.490 --> 00:35:30.240 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): of bringing in our our joy cause it helps us sustain, and these practices help us sustain. But thank you. 232 00:35:33.310 --> 00:35:38.769 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I'm seeing some notes in the chat that I want to read. And 233 00:35:40.390 --> 00:35:41.340 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): yeah. 234 00:35:43.270 --> 00:35:50.179 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and just highlighting and Stina, what you said about the connection between 235 00:35:50.380 --> 00:35:55.749 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): holding all of these like absolutely intolerable things 236 00:35:56.360 --> 00:36:03.150 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and the practice that then continues to let you come back 237 00:36:03.450 --> 00:36:11.340 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): to addressing them in your own life and and the world. I've really been reflecting on that 238 00:36:11.980 --> 00:36:14.409 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): as someone who's been an activist 239 00:36:15.420 --> 00:36:31.089 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): for a long time and definitely burned out and come, you know, like gone in and out and and participated in various ways. I feel like the Prac. These practices really help me sustain. They help me continue showing up, and 240 00:36:31.380 --> 00:36:39.799 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): also give myself the grace to show up differently, and to lean into Sangha and comradeship, and know that, if you know, like the times of my life, when I've 241 00:36:40.080 --> 00:36:57.419 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): needed to kind of move in in a different way because of physical health or other things that other people are are moving forward in ways that I used to be doing, you know. So we kind of can lean on each other as well, and that's part of the gifts of these times. 242 00:36:58.540 --> 00:37:04.470 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I'm just looking to. Justine says my mind is like a mosh pit. 243 00:37:05.340 --> 00:37:08.860 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Let me read this. This is like a last bit. 244 00:37:09.420 --> 00:37:13.270 I just laugh at that. Oh, so funny! 245 00:37:13.500 --> 00:37:20.490 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): After trump got elected. I was just the word mosque made me think like I was with one of my best 246 00:37:20.510 --> 00:37:52.760 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): friends, high school friends, and my kid over at the time is very young. When was that? I can't remember 2016. So maybe there were 4 or 5, and we were so upset that we just put on like hard whatever music and how to moshpin. So it's just like 5 year old a couple, whatever that was, we were probably like late thirties, for like banging against one another, moshing, and it didn't obviously change anything, but it changed everything for us as we were processing in that moment. 247 00:37:52.940 --> 00:38:00.439 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yeah, accept it and have compassion, for where it's at the harming is in the judging and fixing. Yeah. 248 00:38:00.490 --> 00:38:15.280 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I feel it is learned condition of the culture, homework, home work, culture at large. I want to continue to unlearn harmful cultural practices and uncover standards that are just right or right in a fit for my brain and nervous system. 249 00:38:15.390 --> 00:38:23.060 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And Carly resonate, I think a lot of us resonate. yes. 250 00:38:26.270 --> 00:38:31.189 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): yeah. If there's anyone who has challenged the educational system curriculum policies. 251 00:38:31.560 --> 00:38:41.100 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I think so. There are people like one of my again, I'm thinking of like the folks who are doing the work right like 252 00:38:41.700 --> 00:38:47.049 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I'll I'll ask but one of my colleagues from forever ago, and and activist allies 253 00:38:47.710 --> 00:39:00.819 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): is working in Ucla, which is an educational institution here and in La. And it's like, Yeah, my job is basically to lovingly dismantle the system from within, you know, like. 254 00:39:01.070 --> 00:39:12.710 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): She didn't say that in her interview, of course, but that's what she's doing. So there are. There are people and there's books that she shares with me, and since with, you know. So 255 00:39:12.790 --> 00:39:22.409 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I'll follow up with you, Justine, but I see other people dropping some some notes, and with questions like something specific in mind. 256 00:39:22.750 --> 00:39:27.919 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I wanna go to the 2 questions that came in. We had 2 questions this week. 257 00:39:28.250 --> 00:39:38.940 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): only. And that's okay. Because, you know you all can share if you if you have other questions, too. The first question was. 258 00:39:40.100 --> 00:39:45.009 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I'm hoping to get suggestions for further reading 259 00:39:45.130 --> 00:39:47.269 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): on the Yoga sutras. 260 00:39:47.690 --> 00:39:51.480 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And so I wanted to share 261 00:39:52.500 --> 00:39:59.649 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): this. and I should go through and hyperlink all of these haven't yet done it. Let me 262 00:40:00.320 --> 00:40:09.179 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): let me do that eventually, but I'm still just gonna kind of share it half done, not fully hyperlinked. And I'll share this in the chat. 263 00:40:09.280 --> 00:40:18.909 This is my trainings resources aid org's that I love and recommend right? So there's a lot of different links here, but under resources for further learning. 264 00:40:18.920 --> 00:40:34.540 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): there's books, and I hyperlink to the 3 that I go to all the time the different Yoga Sutra translations I really like, and it was money to good nights. Yoga Sutras, the secret of the Yoga Sutras. 265 00:40:34.740 --> 00:40:44.029 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): it holds. It's it's pocket size, but also has a bash commentary that goes very deep. 266 00:40:44.620 --> 00:40:56.649 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): maybe not pocket size, but it's not huge. Each one is, is bigger with a lot of bash, a lot of commentary. And Dr. Shamwang and Athens is 267 00:40:57.390 --> 00:41:02.109 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): is more academic. And what I appreciate. So 268 00:41:03.130 --> 00:41:19.420 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Each one is past is is gone. But these 2 teach, I believe, actually don't know. I should look that up, but they're more contemporary, and Dr. Ranganathan is a a 269 00:41:19.570 --> 00:41:34.940 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): scholar, a living scholar in Canada, who works a lot on the connection between Yoga and social justice and dismantling fundamentalism, kind of pushing back against fundamentalism and white supremacy. And so I really respect and appreciate 270 00:41:35.050 --> 00:41:38.860 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): his work and his scholarship. 271 00:41:38.970 --> 00:41:44.389 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): obviously, what I see missing. Here are queer translations, right? 272 00:41:44.730 --> 00:41:52.449 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Translations that are coming from a different perspective. Then these are all Indian men, and 273 00:41:52.490 --> 00:41:56.440 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I appreciate their there are readings. 274 00:41:56.610 --> 00:42:13.070 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): but the commentary is going to come from their lived experiences. So I also tried to choose someone coming in. I tried to choose books that carry that depth where, you know, kind of stop sharing for a second. Where there's like a depth 275 00:42:13.270 --> 00:42:21.559 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): of practice, you can feel that they're not just analyzing and translating, but they're in practice with 276 00:42:21.620 --> 00:42:27.210 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): the Sutras. and where they, as a 277 00:42:27.290 --> 00:42:38.240 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): person are also living the values of Yoga. So I used to recommend some other translations, but because of the actions of the translators or the commentators. I no longer recommend them 278 00:42:38.260 --> 00:42:45.050 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and and so you may. In other things I've published just naming it. You may see other 279 00:42:45.070 --> 00:42:57.569 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): other text names, but I don't recommend them anymore. Because of that to me that it disqualifies them as a teacher. So I wanted to offer you those, and then also just say, like. 280 00:42:58.330 --> 00:43:06.570 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): it can be helpful to have a few different translations and to go like Sutra by Sutra and pull, you know, like 281 00:43:06.880 --> 00:43:13.310 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): maybe just reading through. Say, like. like Potter books. you know, book 2 282 00:43:13.350 --> 00:43:37.799 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): that talks about them as Indianas, and reading like one person's translation of, you know, Sutro 2, 15, another person's translation, and then reflecting and finding your own meaning. It's not that we need to go in the Yoga switch from cover to cover. It's more a meditation or a reflection that we can go deeply with in our lives. 283 00:43:38.510 --> 00:43:42.730 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And yes, okay, great. So 284 00:43:42.920 --> 00:43:46.959 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): let me just make sure. Yeah, looks like you all can get into that. 285 00:43:47.070 --> 00:44:02.069 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): The other question that came in let me pull it up and actually, really wanna talk this through with you all? There's no wrong answer. It's not that I have a answer in my mind. I always think it's important to say that it's not like I'm testing you. This is not a test. 286 00:44:02.110 --> 00:44:05.259 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): but I think it's an interesting question to explore. 287 00:44:05.360 --> 00:44:10.999 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): a studio owner has a question about appropriation 288 00:44:11.550 --> 00:44:20.450 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and Goat Yoga. On the surface it looked like a kitschy thing and minimized Yoga's authentic intent and should be avoided. 289 00:44:20.480 --> 00:44:39.709 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): But a class was held in their city, and they were sent video and images. And, to be honest, people looked so happy they were practicing centosia. The laughter and playfulness were so real, and people were interacting with the goats like emotional support animals. And it looked like a really beautiful community gathering. 290 00:44:39.790 --> 00:44:47.239 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): People did Yoga. They got a unique experience. They were bonding and having so much fun. I found it hard not to feel positive about it. 291 00:44:47.590 --> 00:45:00.020 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Some folks were there who hadn't practiced in a long time because it was a unique experience, and then ended up coming to the studio after it was a free event. So not about making money, and I found myself wanting to be open to it. 292 00:45:00.310 --> 00:45:02.390 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I was wondering if you could share thoughts. 293 00:45:02.860 --> 00:45:08.680 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And they also had someone 294 00:45:08.710 --> 00:45:23.859 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): reach out about at their studio, about Puppy Yoga, and they felt themselves not wanting to minimize practice with Kitschy things that there was a part of them that wondered if there was something that could help the puppies get adopted and bring 295 00:45:24.230 --> 00:45:44.779 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and bring new folks to the studio. So they're asking like, if we're a studio that wants to focus on speaking to the 8 limbs and working on decolonization, does that mean any of these classes with external themes should be avoided, and how can they balance decolonization and playfulness around and making that accessible? 296 00:45:45.540 --> 00:45:53.090 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): So I thought this was like, this question goes to the heart of a lot of what many of us are 297 00:45:53.690 --> 00:46:06.470 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): asking, perhaps not about Puppy yoga, or go yoga right like it. It takes it to the extreme in a way. But there's a lot in here. So I wanted to see what folks thought. 298 00:46:11.550 --> 00:46:12.620 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Hmm. 299 00:46:17.450 --> 00:46:18.750 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): 10. Yeah. 300 00:46:21.240 --> 00:46:28.009 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): no, you just your hands is close to gotcha. Yeah, no worries. 301 00:46:28.980 --> 00:46:30.090 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): hmm. 302 00:46:35.280 --> 00:46:37.670 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): yeah, they are really great questions. 303 00:46:39.940 --> 00:46:41.029 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And I think. 304 00:46:42.360 --> 00:46:43.410 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): hmm. 305 00:46:45.200 --> 00:46:46.519 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): yes, bonnie. 306 00:46:48.140 --> 00:46:58.090 Bonnie Walker (she/they): So this is sort of stream of consciousness. I recently left a 300 h training that was centered on yoga biomechanics. 307 00:46:58.210 --> 00:47:02.070 Bonnie Walker (she/they): I kind of had gotten what I needed out of it. 308 00:47:02.350 --> 00:47:10.800 Bonnie Walker (she/they): It helps me displace a lot of unhelpful narrative from a method that I had been previously really entrenched in. and then I realized 309 00:47:10.810 --> 00:47:24.879 Bonnie Walker (she/they): I was kind of falling on the other side, where unhelpful narrative from mainstream. Vinyasa was kind of taking over, and I didn't need that. So I think there is a balance here. 310 00:47:25.650 --> 00:47:31.810 Bonnie Walker (she/they): I think also, people are kind of getting burnt out on only Asana like they. They don't 311 00:47:32.030 --> 00:47:52.549 Bonnie Walker (she/they): maybe not know it, but it's like. But there's been such an over-emphasis, and it's practically synonymous. Yoga and Asana. That we do these things to compensate like. Bring in the puppies. Bring in the goats. Make it more interesting rather than you know, going deeper or expanding by using the 8 limbs. So 312 00:47:53.200 --> 00:47:57.049 Bonnie Walker (she/they): I think in terms of meeting people where they're at, if it. 313 00:47:57.200 --> 00:48:10.169 Bonnie Walker (she/they): you know if it helps the puppies right? If we're just like abusing or exploiting the puppies, then no, but if it's helping the puppies and it gets people involved, and maybe we can bring them to that point of. 314 00:48:10.500 --> 00:48:18.560 Bonnie Walker (she/they): you know, expanding the Yoga practice as an 8 limb practice. Then, yeah, II also have been on that balance of 315 00:48:18.680 --> 00:48:28.159 Bonnie Walker (she/they): playfulness versus you know everything else. The method of Yoga that I was previously trained in was really not playful at all. So 316 00:48:28.590 --> 00:48:37.139 Bonnie Walker (she/they): I actually put little Kitty cat statues on my altar to remind me to be playful in my practice. So 317 00:48:37.790 --> 00:48:45.280 Bonnie Walker (she/they): there's definitely a balance here, and I don't think it means we have to exclude it, but we just do need to be mindful of how we are including it. So 318 00:48:49.300 --> 00:48:51.230 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): thank you, Nicole. 319 00:48:52.230 --> 00:49:02.899 Nichole Beiner (she/her): Thank you. I really like that last part of what you said Bonnie, about. We don't necessarily have to exclude it, but we have to be 320 00:49:02.950 --> 00:49:07.840 Nichole Beiner (she/her): okay. I would add the word extra mindful when we include it. 321 00:49:08.310 --> 00:49:10.460 Nichole Beiner (she/her): I 322 00:49:10.670 --> 00:49:12.280 Nichole Beiner (she/her): I guess if 323 00:49:12.390 --> 00:49:18.669 Nichole Beiner (she/her): the way I think about it is, if part of the purpose of Yoga is to go inward. 324 00:49:18.720 --> 00:49:27.600 Nichole Beiner (she/her): And so I it does make me wonder like, are we really just giving into kind of capitalist? 325 00:49:27.940 --> 00:49:46.370 Nichole Beiner (she/her): Distractions when we include these other things. And are we kind of catering to the way that society. you know, likes distractions? And so I would wonder. I guess my question would be like, okay, if you're 326 00:49:46.600 --> 00:50:07.320 Nichole Beiner (she/her): you know, it's a intent over impact kind of question. If your intent is the playfulness. And you're saying, Oh, well, we're focusing on Santosha. And we're also doing like this good by getting the puppies a home. Are you communicating that intent 327 00:50:07.390 --> 00:50:13.889 Nichole Beiner (she/her): and that actual? Those limbs like are people learning that. Where are you just saying like, I know this as the teacher. And 328 00:50:14.110 --> 00:50:27.110 Nichole Beiner (she/her): and you know we're everyone else. Just thinks they're going to puppy yoga and I think II mean, I guess that is some way I'm trying to be open and mindful to it. I think what's 329 00:50:27.120 --> 00:50:28.610 challenging 330 00:50:29.300 --> 00:50:37.369 Nichole Beiner (she/her): is that I don't see very many studios or teachers who go those extra steps and actually 331 00:50:37.410 --> 00:50:41.889 Nichole Beiner (she/her): figure out, how do I incorporate the teachings here? 332 00:50:42.300 --> 00:50:45.360 And so it's just. 333 00:50:45.750 --> 00:50:51.099 Nichole Beiner (she/her): you know, an experience. That maybe some people really like. But I 334 00:50:51.170 --> 00:50:54.959 Nichole Beiner (she/her): really struggle. And I'm really grateful for virtual realms. 335 00:50:55.090 --> 00:50:59.900 for this reason, because, like these are where I do get that enrichment. 336 00:51:03.040 --> 00:51:05.670 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Thank you. Farah. 337 00:51:07.020 --> 00:51:08.970 Farrah Khan (she/her): Hi! And 338 00:51:10.960 --> 00:51:15.860 Farrah Khan (she/her): I don't know if I remember everything you said about the like context of the situation. 339 00:51:16.080 --> 00:51:22.460 Farrah Khan (she/her): But I think you know, because there are so few studios that 340 00:51:24.440 --> 00:51:32.030 Farrah Khan (she/her): engage in a practice of decolonizing Yoga. We do have to like stopping question and push back. 341 00:51:32.190 --> 00:51:36.660 Farrah Khan (she/her): not saying that like, Oh, you must stop this right now, like, you know. 342 00:51:36.940 --> 00:51:38.640 Farrah Khan (she/her): in that kind of way. 343 00:51:39.420 --> 00:51:50.710 Farrah Khan (she/her): I don't know that I'm I'm not the best person to say how one would, you know, push back, or you know, just like you know, critique it 344 00:51:50.760 --> 00:51:53.219 Farrah Khan (she/her): and ask questions, and 345 00:51:54.910 --> 00:52:04.750 Farrah Khan (she/her): because I feel like, just like I don't know my emotions would get in the way. So I'm not the best person for that. But I do think we need to push back 346 00:52:04.920 --> 00:52:09.360 Farrah Khan (she/her): cause there are so few spaces, and if we're not doing it, who is going to do it? 347 00:52:11.200 --> 00:52:12.540 Farrah Khan (she/her): So I don't know 348 00:52:12.980 --> 00:52:13.890 that. 349 00:52:17.060 --> 00:52:18.400 Farrah Khan (she/her): Thank you. 350 00:52:19.080 --> 00:52:20.250 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Thank you. 351 00:52:21.750 --> 00:52:26.700 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yeah. Really appreciating the perspectives here and and 352 00:52:27.170 --> 00:52:31.280 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): think I end up feeling protective 353 00:52:31.310 --> 00:52:34.770 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and sort of defensive of 354 00:52:35.650 --> 00:52:41.010 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): South Asian folks. And Yoga practices. So I'm just noticing that 355 00:52:41.750 --> 00:52:44.719 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): impulse and feeling 356 00:52:46.720 --> 00:52:49.960 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): because it's almost like I could often say 357 00:52:50.010 --> 00:53:01.630 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): when I'm teaching in in Yoga teacher training like, learn a structure for teaching, and then you learn it, and then you can improvise. You can change, you know. But learn the structure first. So it's almost like 358 00:53:01.960 --> 00:53:07.830 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): we're saying, if we understand decolonization, and we're really practicing. 359 00:53:07.840 --> 00:53:13.620 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): then even something like bringing, you know, puppies, or whatever in 360 00:53:13.880 --> 00:53:21.059 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): can still be going into the limbs. But but we're II think I feel like we're not there yet 361 00:53:21.250 --> 00:53:24.450 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): as a Yoga community. 362 00:53:24.500 --> 00:53:25.650 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And 363 00:53:27.710 --> 00:53:37.189 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and so I think my impulse is to say. you know, could they be separate right? But in the same events? So perhaps, like 364 00:53:37.320 --> 00:53:47.279 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): we gather with puppies or goats, or whatever, and then we have an ass in a class, or we have a meditation class or printing on a class separately. So it's not. 365 00:53:47.370 --> 00:53:50.130 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): you know. I don't. Actually, it would be like 366 00:53:50.410 --> 00:53:58.790 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): fun with puppies or goats, and you know Yoga like. For me, it would be helpful to 367 00:53:59.650 --> 00:54:08.060 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): still have the energy of playfulness and fun, but separate the 2 things, because the thing, the thing I often say. 368 00:54:08.470 --> 00:54:22.290 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and I do think this is like Yoga's, complete in itself as a system like it doesn't need things added on. Maybe we, though, need things added on like, that's what I'm hearing from what some of you are sharing 369 00:54:22.320 --> 00:54:33.889 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): to help us in. But I still think we can, especially if the studio is, is honoring, and it is trying to decolonize and really take that to heart. 370 00:54:34.400 --> 00:54:41.939 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I think it does mean going that extra step to do it differently, and to do it more intentionally. 371 00:54:42.470 --> 00:54:43.750 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and 372 00:54:43.990 --> 00:54:54.659 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): to even take that as a opportunity to educate the community about why, it's not puppy, yoga, or go yoga, but it's, you know, fun with puppies or fun with goats. 373 00:54:54.720 --> 00:54:58.610 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): connect with goats and have fun, or whatever it is, you know. 374 00:54:58.670 --> 00:55:05.020 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and then go basin us separately. yeah. 375 00:55:05.160 --> 00:55:06.270 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Nicole. 376 00:55:07.890 --> 00:55:22.440 Nichole Beiner (she/her): do you have any sense of like? Do these things exist in Asian countries that are practicing yoga like if I went to, you know, like, if I actually went to where people are practicing and where it originated 377 00:55:22.440 --> 00:55:40.499 Nichole Beiner (she/her): and asked for like a goat. Yoga class? Are they going to be like, you know, like, is that something that has made its way back? Is that something that doesn't exist. People are like, Oh, my God, those Americans like, where? Where does it rank in like actual? When you trace back Yoga's roots? 378 00:55:40.900 --> 00:55:44.410 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yeah, I mean, I can say culturally, like my family 379 00:55:44.530 --> 00:55:56.669 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): who are SMS and Bengali, it's gonna be different in different regions but in general, animals are not. They're they're respected and revered, and they're seen sometimes as like symbols of the divine. 380 00:55:56.670 --> 00:56:20.800 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): But they're not even like pets or in our houses, in the same way that they are in in the West like my family do not like. I adopt 2 dogs, and they don't like the dogs. They're not happy about the dogs being around and in our lives it's it's seen as a white thing, or more like Western thing, like just to be real from from that II don't know. I mean I haven't. 381 00:56:21.090 --> 00:56:39.899 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): It'd be really interesting. I don't know if anyone here is more tuned into what's happening in India or in parts of South Asia, like in Sri Lanka, or Nepal or Bhutan. I don't think there's Puppy Yoga, or or Goat Yoga. Now there may be goats around or dogs around. But they're not a feature of the class. 382 00:56:40.070 --> 00:56:49.409 Nichole Beiner (she/her): Yeah. So I guess that's where my, that's what I was anticipating. But I guess my question is how much of that reality should inform 383 00:56:49.540 --> 00:57:08.759 Nichole Beiner (she/her): the decision here in the West to do it or not. So if that is like yes, you can make things your own. But how? When does it start becoming appropriation? Knowing the climate that we live in, and knowing that we are trying to build upon and expand the 384 00:57:09.220 --> 00:57:16.810 Nichole Beiner (she/her): the offering that we have already taken from another culture. 385 00:57:18.840 --> 00:57:20.090 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Great question. 386 00:57:21.840 --> 00:57:23.890 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Okay? Alright. 387 00:57:24.950 --> 00:57:29.900 Farrah Khan (she/her): Oh, it is cultural appropriation, is it not? I mean. 388 00:57:31.290 --> 00:57:34.010 Farrah Khan (she/her): I think you know, like 389 00:57:34.360 --> 00:57:37.360 Farrah Khan (she/her): you want to have goats around and 390 00:57:37.700 --> 00:57:40.750 Farrah Khan (she/her): bring joy. You don't have to call that yoga. 391 00:57:42.680 --> 00:57:47.280 Farrah Khan (she/her): you know, like just don't call it yoga, cause that's not what Yoga is 392 00:57:48.630 --> 00:57:53.050 Farrah Khan (she/her): period. and if you want to do asymptotic. 393 00:57:56.660 --> 00:57:58.909 Farrah Khan (she/her): I don't know. I mean, I think. 394 00:58:05.150 --> 00:58:08.979 like they don't they? It doesn't need to be together. And I think, like. 395 00:58:09.780 --> 00:58:11.129 Farrah Khan (she/her): if if that's 396 00:58:11.970 --> 00:58:16.199 Farrah Khan (she/her): like, I get like, Hey, like, that might be an access point to someone 397 00:58:16.740 --> 00:58:29.759 Farrah Khan (she/her): getting into like learning more about Yoga. But no, it's it's not. It's like, yeah, you don't need that like. So then I like what you said. It's it's complete, like on its own. 398 00:58:30.250 --> 00:58:34.710 Farrah Khan (she/her): So yeah, that's definitely in my mind, cultural appropriation. 399 00:58:35.200 --> 00:58:37.720 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yeah. thank you. 400 00:58:40.410 --> 00:58:42.210 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Konstina. Yes. 401 00:58:43.690 --> 00:58:51.169 Constina: I'm just gonna add to what was just said. By far, it is definitely cultural appropriation. I 402 00:58:51.460 --> 00:58:59.810 Constina: I do hear. I heard what you said as well, Susanna. I think that there are people who have good intentions and who are trying to attract 403 00:59:00.110 --> 00:59:04.380 Constina: different people. Maybe those who 404 00:59:04.470 --> 00:59:11.130 Constina: may not have tried yoga, but they're like really into animals. I think that's great. 405 00:59:11.500 --> 00:59:27.779 Constina: But coming from a person who is in a section of Costa Rica where you're sitting down and having lunch, and while you hear is, you know, I'm like, I'm already immersed in it, and the chickens are loosing, and all this kind of stuff, and and it's beautiful and in its own way. 406 00:59:28.460 --> 00:59:33.930 Constina: And I would say to somebody who is trying to start a practice like that? 407 00:59:34.060 --> 00:59:49.500 Constina: there are farms. There are struggling farmers out there who are looking to have visitors to help them with their animals, and the animals need their help. And that's one way to do it. 408 00:59:49.840 --> 01:00:15.220 Constina: partnering up. And that's that's a beautiful way. It's like, if you're maybe you're a studio that wants to show people where you know far food to farm armed, you know, table to whatever that is right. Farm to table. Kind of thing. It's like, take people as a as a, as a retreat to a farm, and say, Let's bond with nature, you know, and let's get into the earth and think to that nature. And that could be sort of like Yoga with 409 01:00:15.860 --> 01:00:21.110 Constina: fill in the blank for animal, and that's great. But to actually bring it to a studio, I don't think it's 410 01:00:21.140 --> 01:00:26.449 Constina: II agree. I think it's a cultural appropriation in many different ways, and I mean from a person who is 411 01:00:26.480 --> 01:00:36.549 Constina: who was born in America and is obviously black brown. By pop! I've seen it all the time, and people would say, Well, it's just, for 412 01:00:37.440 --> 01:00:43.429 Constina: I don't mean any harm. It's it's why are you taking it so hard? 413 01:00:43.620 --> 01:00:51.980 Constina: It's for fun, anyway. It admits it's kind of crunchy after a while, but you know, so we just own, I say. 414 01:00:52.110 --> 01:00:54.729 Constina: I just will not attend that particular studio. 415 01:00:54.800 --> 01:00:57.680 Constina: so I'll say that as my final comment. 416 01:00:58.190 --> 01:00:59.190 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): yeah. 417 01:01:01.910 --> 01:01:14.829 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): yeah. Oof, we've got some interesting perspectives here. It's like, and I appreciate what Bonnie said and wait said in the chat, it sounds like we agree. It's not authentic. Yoga. We have a different approach to handling it. 418 01:01:14.930 --> 01:01:26.540 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And then we says, good intentions without conscious awareness of appropriation, ultimately disguises, white supremacy and colonial mentalities of taking without question. Yeah? 419 01:01:26.650 --> 01:01:28.390 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And 420 01:01:29.750 --> 01:01:37.130 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): where, as we explore to me, it's even more useful for us to share ideas like this. 421 01:01:37.350 --> 01:01:43.230 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): then any one of us like have an absolute answer, right? Because then 422 01:01:43.330 --> 01:01:48.440 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): we can go and apply our critical thinking. 423 01:01:48.570 --> 01:01:57.350 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): 2, to how we would handle these situations. And and I do think more and more. 424 01:01:59.940 --> 01:02:01.850 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): There's just so much 425 01:02:02.120 --> 01:02:04.880 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): more we can do to practice 426 01:02:05.470 --> 01:02:11.560 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): like the heart of Yoga and and authentic Yoga in the ways that we each are aspiring to 427 01:02:11.610 --> 01:02:31.610 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): that. I also think of what, like the Buddha said around substances, which is like the mind is confused enough, as it is right, like we don't need to be doing, and that like again, everyone's mind is different. Right? So take that with a caveat on that as well of how we engage. But for me it's like 428 01:02:31.680 --> 01:02:44.840 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yoga is already so watered down. We don't need to be adding to that's my perspective. And I also probably I mean, I chose in Florida there was a really the one like closest thing to a a more aligned studio. 429 01:02:44.890 --> 01:02:57.779 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): had a lot of puppy and and Kitty yoga. And so I just I didn't feel like personally like I wanted to teach there or even really practice there, and that was 430 01:02:57.800 --> 01:02:59.110 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): hard. 431 01:02:59.290 --> 01:03:13.480 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And also I understand that, like, we have a way to go, and that we can create change. You know, in the ways that we do, and sometimes that means divesting. And and I did talk to the studio owner. Sometimes it means advocating. 432 01:03:14.450 --> 01:03:16.560 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): it's not always easy. 433 01:03:16.730 --> 01:03:26.920 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): So I'm really grateful. The person who asked us didn't want to be named. I'm grateful for the honesty, right? Because it it allows us to really all explore. 434 01:03:27.560 --> 01:03:49.559 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): yeah. I really hope this changes over the next few years. I think we are. I do have hope that we are changing it. There's a lot of us now, you know, in various ways, like out there doing the work that we do 435 01:03:49.830 --> 01:03:59.169 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): suffering through practice. Yes, and then I know we're a little bit over, but II wanna honor this request, and so if you need to go, please do. And then we'll close. 436 01:03:59.250 --> 01:04:00.620 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Cleo's comments. 437 01:04:01.690 --> 01:04:09.810 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Didn't see that in a conversation I was having earlier today, someone was saying how they met another Yoga teacher that 438 01:04:11.140 --> 01:04:23.639 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): the loves to make the students suffer. We're discussing how they're mislabeling the class as yoga. That's not what Yoga is about, even if the class is successful, but that doesn't make it. Yoga Union alignment. 439 01:04:23.720 --> 01:04:30.289 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): This is big and Body says, that sounds like my entire time in the younger method. 440 01:04:31.190 --> 01:04:40.839 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): So this is complex and we can open it up. I will have to go in about 5 min, so perhaps this will be a to be continued. 441 01:04:41.140 --> 01:04:50.350 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): because there is a historical precedent for dupus practices, meaning practices of choosing to suffer 442 01:04:51.160 --> 01:05:01.299 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): for a higher purpose. Like I forgot the name of the bubba, but the he would hold his right hand up and left his hand up for 443 01:05:01.580 --> 01:05:03.489 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): think it was a couple decades 444 01:05:03.620 --> 01:05:09.940 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and it just atrophied and stayed there right? So this is a practice of suffering for 445 01:05:10.210 --> 01:05:13.170 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): the spiritual attainment for spiritual growth. 446 01:05:13.620 --> 01:05:27.600 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I do think that's very different than what we're talking about here, which is like fitness, culture, or like no pain, no gain. You know that kind of fat phobia, diet culture, all of those things. 447 01:05:27.610 --> 01:05:39.100 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): So I just wanna again say, like, there's depth, and there's nuance. And sometimes people misunderstand that. Oh, suffering is part of Yoga because of that. But that's 448 01:05:39.410 --> 01:05:44.600 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): specifically, for, you know, a a purpose practice not like 449 01:05:45.110 --> 01:05:47.079 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): fitness. Culture. So yes. 450 01:05:47.330 --> 01:05:55.099 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): what did you want to right? Isn't that his choice to choose the suffering? Exactly. Yes. 451 01:05:55.670 --> 01:05:56.750 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): that's right. 452 01:05:58.480 --> 01:06:02.380 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yeah. I wholeheartedly agree. It's like 453 01:06:02.570 --> 01:06:11.220 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yoga should be guiding us to agency, self agency, not not to like suffering, because the teacher said so. It's really disturbing 454 01:06:11.710 --> 01:06:13.810 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): to me. 455 01:06:15.810 --> 01:06:24.119 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yeah. And I think students need to know what they're walking into and make that choice. Right? So perhaps. And this is also where it gets tricky. 456 01:06:24.230 --> 01:06:29.710 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Someone might want a teacher to bring them into a state of 457 01:06:30.120 --> 01:06:38.100 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): having to tolerate something in order to move through right, but because of the power dynamic. 458 01:06:38.610 --> 01:06:47.819 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): What I see happen in a lot of Yoga classes is we're just. We come to take Yoga, but no one says, you know, follow your body or trust your body or move with your edge. 459 01:06:47.980 --> 01:06:49.849 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and they just guide 460 01:06:49.860 --> 01:07:00.740 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and say things like, you know, suffering is part of the practice, or whatever it is. So it's it's not trauma informed. Does anyone want to comment on this. Yeah, not from 461 01:07:01.920 --> 01:07:02.670 yeah. 462 01:07:07.010 --> 01:07:08.559 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Wade. Yes. 463 01:07:10.040 --> 01:07:17.169 wade: Yeah. It makes me reflect on practitioners. And like medicine people. And like. 464 01:07:17.710 --> 01:07:23.150 wade: ultimately, you're there to help help people heal to enable healing. 465 01:07:23.350 --> 01:07:27.719 wade: and that requires like also knowing 466 01:07:27.800 --> 01:07:31.719 wade: When people have had too much 467 01:07:31.790 --> 01:07:36.759 wade: like observing and folding, that you know, knowing when to say, Okay, like 468 01:07:36.780 --> 01:07:39.619 wade: I'm gonna use the context of like ceremony 469 01:07:39.730 --> 01:07:45.689 wade: and like, in particular, poly meetings, any native American church services like 470 01:07:45.810 --> 01:08:00.379 wade: the old school way you stayed up all night. You didn't go. You had to ask for permission to go, go to the bathroom and stuff. But even like the way it's administered, it's ultimately that practitioner's responsibility to know when it's time to let people out 471 01:08:00.820 --> 01:08:06.729 wade: and like when medicine is administered, like how much medicine people can handle. That's 472 01:08:06.980 --> 01:08:14.309 wade: all of that initiation and protocol that that practitioner has gone through to be able to hold that space 473 01:08:14.410 --> 01:08:21.499 wade: hold that container so that the healing can come through, but if it gets conflated by ego 474 01:08:21.670 --> 01:08:25.089 wade: it gets distorted, and then harm 475 01:08:25.470 --> 01:08:26.789 wade: can be caused. 476 01:08:26.819 --> 01:08:41.579 wade: you know, and so it sounds like if someone's just trying to push people push people that that's ego driven. And that's not like acknowledging your responsibilities as a practitioner holding a practice to take care 477 01:08:41.720 --> 01:08:43.820 wade: of those who are coming to you. 478 01:08:48.600 --> 01:08:57.650 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yes, thank you for bringing that perspective in. And it. It is very similar in like the model. 479 01:08:58.130 --> 01:09:00.479 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): complicated also by 480 01:09:02.500 --> 01:09:09.600 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): the lack of ethics exhibited by many teachers within those models because 481 01:09:09.710 --> 01:09:12.890 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): of systemic trauma. So 482 01:09:13.010 --> 01:09:14.900 wade: my, my thought. 483 01:09:15.160 --> 01:09:17.180 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): this is like 484 01:09:17.500 --> 01:09:19.510 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): for us today. 485 01:09:21.689 --> 01:09:29.770 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): It's I feel like my role as a as a teacher of teachers or someone that people look to is to say. 486 01:09:29.850 --> 01:09:36.500 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): our our job is to be trauma-informed, and not to to ever be the kind of teacher that says like 487 01:09:36.720 --> 01:09:42.020 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): unless we're realized or trained in other ways, right or come from wisdom traditions that give us that 488 01:09:42.210 --> 01:09:53.800 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): that space that our job is to really guide folks to their their own agency in a trauma informed way, just because of seeing so much that has gone awry 489 01:09:53.830 --> 01:10:00.450 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): within. Also the traditions that i've that the limit yoga lineages, that are around. 490 01:10:01.650 --> 01:10:02.500 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): yeah. 491 01:10:05.130 --> 01:10:07.980 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): yeah. 492 01:10:08.620 --> 01:10:18.639 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): wow I was so appreciative of each of you, and for the folks listening, you know, the depth and the nuance that we can have here 493 01:10:18.980 --> 01:10:20.459 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): is like 494 01:10:20.520 --> 01:10:29.049 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): it's really really powerful, and I'm very grateful for this Sangha and to each of you 495 01:10:29.460 --> 01:10:32.409 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and I just want to invite us to 496 01:10:32.810 --> 01:10:38.840 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Take a moment to anchor in whatever it is that you need to connect back to your energy 497 01:10:40.160 --> 01:10:41.690 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): self-care. 498 01:10:48.300 --> 01:10:49.560 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Thank you. 499 01:10:49.570 --> 01:10:57.120 Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Deep bow to each of you, and if you'd like, we can unmute and say goodbye. I'll see you in a couple weeks. 500 01:10:57.450 --> 01:11:02.830 Nichole Beiner (she/her): Thank you. Thank you so much. Have a beautiful day evening. 501 01:11:03.060 --> 01:11:06.490 Constina: Thank you. Everyone. 502 01:11:07.330 --> 01:11:08.130 Justine (she/her): You 503 01:11:09.200 --> 01:11:09.950 jen green (she/her): right. 504 01:11:11.810 --> 01:11:15.179 Farrah Khan (she/her): Hi, Suzanne, I'm gonna email you? 505 01:11:15.400 --> 01:11:19.539 Farrah Khan (she/her): Oh, yes, yes, you emailed me. And I meant to email back. But I.