“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” – Lao Tzu
There is a wonderful little Dru Yoga book called “Dru Yoga For All Seasons” that is now out of print and I have been trying to obtain it for a while now. A secondhand copy popped up on a website so I purchased it a while back and it finally arrived from the UK in this time between Christmas and New Year. Perfect timing as I contemplate and plan a theme for yoga classes in 2025. So I had a thought, why not make the whole year a theme of moving with the seasons! Of course our seasons don’t reflect that of that northern hemisphere so much but there are still cycles of nature and life all around us. Working with the six Noongar seasons makes more sense for us here in the South West region of Western Australia.
Particularly in Dru Yoga we learn that there is an innate connection between the cycles of nature and our state of well-being and health. The practice of yoga emphasises the right time and right place as well as taking yoga off the mat and making your practice more than a weekly class. Each season brings with it a sense of energy and different people resonate with different seasons. I am not a fan of summer here in Australia and find it a time that drains my energy as I don’t thrive in the heat and sunburn easily. I find I am more active in winter when it is cooler, particularly when winters in this part of the world don’t get that cold. I love sitting in the sun on a cool day feeling a light breeze on my skin. My favourite season is probably autumn or maybe spring, it is why if I offer a retreat it will generally be held around the equinoxes as there is a sense of balance of the seasons (I am a Libra so balance is very important for me!).
The seasons can also support us to understand and cope with change, growth and life cycles. Change occurs all the time in the natural world and we are part of that cycle. If we aim to live in harmony with nature and the seasons our life may flow with more ease and grace. By embracing the seasons we can also learn to listen and honour our changing needs as well. Today we are much less aware of the seasons as we live, work and play more often than not indoors in climate controlled environments. We also have electricity and lighting so we can stay active after after the sun sets. Yoga and a focus on moving with the seasons can support us to feel that connection back to nature and wholeness.
Dru Yoga is very inspired by nature and focuses on a soft, gentle approach to the physical movements or asanas. The movements are done slowly, with full awareness, with repetitions and synchronised to the breath. Dru Yoga is based on Hatha Yoga but sequences them in stages and offers options so they are a more accessible and inclusive than other traditions of yoga. I recently took a couple of Vinyasa classes and while I enjoyed the dynamism and can see the cardiovascular benefits it is not my preferred approach to yoga. There are many people who may experience less resistance to gentle, flowing sequences than stronger, more demanding postures. In yoga the heart centre is known as the centre of transformation and Dru Yoga is often called the ‘yoga of the heart’ as the sequences are designed to stimulate the nadis or energy pathways around the heart centre. So while it is a gentle or subtle style of yoga don’t underestimate its power of transformation for mind, body and spirit!
Dru Yoga is a style of yoga that leads us to stillness through mindful movement, calming the mind. The word Dru comes from the Sanskrit word dhruva, meaning still and unchanging. Awareness is directed to that place inside ourselves called the dhruvakasha which is still and spacious. A bit like a mountain that stands strong and stable as the seasons come and go. Or the eye of a hurricane, while the winds of life blow all around us. Or a tree deeply rooted into the earth yet flexible to bend with the wind or knowing when to let go of its leaves. Historically, Dhruva is the name given to the North (or Pole) Star, which remains fixed while all other stars appear to move around it. This is equanimity, the mind coming into harmony with the laws of nature and of impermanence.
So come along and give a Dru Yoga class a try in the new year and give it some time to see if it resonates with you. You may feel at first that you are not working your body deeply or strongly enough to impact your physical health. Do remember the aim is ‘innercise’ not exercise (I get my exercise walking in nature, bringing some hand weights into my practice and a weekly floor Pilates class). With more experience of Dru Yoga (and meditation!) you will come to realise you are actually working the body at deeper levels impacting all layers of your being or the koshas. You can find all my offerings on the class calendar as well as ability to register as a participant, book and pay for sessions. Please reach out for a chat or to ask any questions about whether Dru Yoga might be good for you.
Stand tall and proud
Sink your roots deeply into the Earth
Reflect the light of a greater source
Think long term
Go out on a limb
Remember your place among all living beings
Embrace with joy the changing seasons
For each yields its own abundance
The energy and birth of spring
The growth and contentment of summer
The wisdom to let go of leaves in the fall
The rest and quiet renewal of winter
Enjoy the view!
Ilan Shamir, Advice From a Tree
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