WELCOME TO

CLEAR SPRING STUDIO

Clear Spring News

16 February 2025

NOTE: Monday, 17 February is President’s Day.

There will be no classes at Clear Spring on this day.

No 9:30am-11am Zoom class
No noontime in person class.
We hope you will enjoy this one-day holiday too.

2025 is A New Year of Teachers’ Practices!

Beginning in February of this year, we have arranged with our generous friends at Castle Hill Fitness to hold our monthly Iyengar Teacher’s Practices in the Chakras Room of Castle Hill Fitness at 12th and Lamar. A central location that will make it easier for more of our community to participate!

If you are new to these practices (we have been holding these for at least a decade in different locations and forms), please contact Devon first to make sure it’s what you think it is.

There is no cost for this practice session. Castle Hill has however asked all participants to check in at the front desk and let them know you are coming to Devon’s practice in Chakras.

Below is the remaining list of scheduled sessions for our AUSTIN YOGA BIG PRACTICES, through the end of 2024

Note: these sessions are all on Saturday afternoons from 3-5pm.
January 11
February 8
March 8 (Note: Devon will be traveling, and will miss this session.)
April 12
May 10
June 14
July 12
August 9
September 13
October 11
November 8
December 13

An Informed Practice is a Better Practice:
In the Yoga Sutra Class Patanjali Explains What we Do

For some this will be an opportunity to examine this exceptional book for the first time; for some it will be the second, or even twelfth trip through, with new insights dawning each time. I encourage everyone with an interest in Yoga and how it works for everyone, to join us for a slow walk through what Patanjali and his ancient and modern commentators say about Yoga, its goals, its means, and its methods. Understanding even a little of what Patanjali is offering will give you useful insight into your own practice, and indeed your entire life.

The structure of the class is, how to say, semi-formal: some of us sit forward by the zoom microphone, and we read out loud and discuss; some others listen and practice asana instead. Some learn to think about things kinetically; some by reading along and asking questions; some by being still; all are welcome.

DEVON’S REGULAR SCHEDULE

Devon’s IN PERSON ONLY Classes
Mondays, 12 Noon- 1:30pm Asana Level 1-2
Thursdays, 6pm-7:30pm Asana Level 2-3, often hard work

Devon’s ZOOM ONLY Classes
Mondays 9:30-11:00am Asana L 1-3
Tuesdays 7:00am-8:00am Asana L 1-3
Tuesdays 8:00am -9:15am Philosophy and
Asana, All levels
Thursdays 4:00pm-5:15pm Restorative Yoga

HYBRID Live/Zoom Class
Wednesdays 9:30-11:00am Asana L 1-3
Thursdays 10:00- 11:30am Asana Level 1-2

Austin Yoga Tree Classes (IN PERSON ONLY)
Wednesdays 4:30pm-5:45pm (L 1-2)
Wednesdays 6:00pm-7:15pm (Wall Ropes class)

Castle Hill Fitness Classes (IN PERSON ONLY)
Sundays 12:30pm-2:00pm (L-1-3)

CANCELLATIONS and CHANGES

HOW TO PAY FOR CLASSES (PUBLIC AND ZOOMED)

NOTE: For Castle Hill Fitness classes, go to CastleHillFitness.com. For Austin Yoga Tree classes, go to AustinYogaTree.com. For my own classes, see below:

Venmo (at Devon-Dederich)
PayPal (at Jo Dederich)

single class: YBO* or $25
10 classes: YBO* or $200
20 classes: YBO* or $400
Note: each class or pass expires 6 months after purchase.

*YBO means Your Best Offer. Yoga is for everyone. People have troubles from time to time. It happens. So, pay what you can; Do come to class. I’m not asking questions. You are welcome here.

BKS Iyengar’s Immune System Sequence

For prevention of flu and other ailing-lung conditions, from BKS Iyengar, given years ago, during the worldwide Swine Flu outbreak. This sequence is often done with support under the head wherever the head is not already on the ground, which makes it helpful to maintain or increase quiet and stability in the mind and nervous system.

How to pay attention while practicing: The Immune System is actually an interlocking, interlinked, intercommunicating network of many other systems in our bodies. We think of it as the white blood cells and their proper production and function, but there is much more. Proper immune system response depends enormously upon the endocrine and nervous systems as well, which in turn are enormously responsive to our psychological state. And our psychological state affects everything, down to the circulation of blood and the decision of what to eat. We may as well call what we are working on here the psycho-neuro-endocrine-immune system.

This means you must work according to your capacity, and look to the response to the pose as you have set it up for yourself. An ordinary person in good mental and physical health, and with an established practice, does not need to take special support for any pose here. The sequence and the asanas do the job. When there is disturbance or fatigue, though, support can be helpful, if not essential. There are many ways to give support; ask your teacher for information if you have need.

Suggested Props:
1 sticky mat
1 belt
2 bricks
1 chair
4 blankets
1 bolster (optional)
*If you are taking the 2-chair sirsasana alternative, you will need some sticky mat padding for each chair seat under the blanket pad, and sticky mat padding to keep the chair feet from sliding. So prepare accordingly.

Morning Practice

5 min. Uttanasana

5 min. Adho Mukha Svanasana

*Alternate section to substitute for those who do not do sirsasana bearing weight on the head. You can use two chairs for the classical headstand, and add your own variations that are possible with this sort of support, but there will be limits in the sorts of variations you can do. You can use the rest of the available “sirsasana and variations” time doing some of these other alternates, in order:

2 x 1 min. Adho Mukha Vrksasana

3 min. Parsvottanasana on R side. Head down, shift to

3 min. Prasarita Padottanasana. Head down, shift to

3 min. Parsvottanasana on L side. Head down, shift back to R side and take

2 min R, 2 min. L. Ardha Chandrasana R, then L side, taking support as needed

Rejoin the sequence with Viparita Dandasana below. *

3 min. Prasarita Padottanasana

5 min. Sirsasana

10 min. Variations: Parsva sirsasana, Parivrtta ekapada sirsa, Ekapada sirsa, Parsvaikapada sirsa

5 min. Viparita dandasana on a chair

10 min. Sarvangasana

5 min. Halasana

5 min. Sarvangasana cycle: Ekapada sarvangasana, Parsvaikapada sarvangasana, Supta konasana, Setu bandha sarvangasana

5 min. Viparita Karani

10 min. Savasana with Viloma or Ujjayi pranayama

Afternoon Practice

10 min. Sirsasana