May Newsletter
Reconnecting with my friend, Noah Maze, at the conference was a special joy.
Dear friends,
I am, as you can see, a few days late with this month’s missive. I had planned to get some work done during the Anusara Yoga gathering at the end of April, but as it turns out, those intentions were a bit ambitious. What I did do was have a truly wonderful time, and I’ve returned home with a full heart—and a very full inbox.
Swiss psychologist C.G. Jung spoke of the outer layer of life and the prevailing cultural mood as the Spirit of the Times, while describing the inner life—and the archetypal patterns underlying both personal and collective experience—as the Spirit of the Depths. For many of us, the spirit of our current times feels increasingly chaotic and unsettled. In that context, spending a weekend tending to the inner life through shared study, practice, and conversation felt like true nourishment for the soul.
A recurring theme in Carlos Pomeda’s talks on the Bhagavad Gita echoed this movement toward the depths: the importance of acting from one’s center. He distilled the idea into a simple inquiry: What helps you find your center? And then he offered an equally simple invitation: do more of that. If asana helps, do more asana. If mantra resonates, deepen your mantra practice. If meditation steadies you, spend more time there. It is a straightforward suggestion, but one that feels both timely and essential—a practical way of orienting toward the Spirit of the Depths in the midst of an often unsteady world.
My takeaway is that movement toward the center and contact with the depths—whether those moments come in small glimpses or great waves, in fleeting experiences or enduring remembrance—expand one’s frame of reference in such a way that the heart-breaking and glorious circumstances of life can move us deeply without defining the entirety of who we are or what we believe life to be. This is an equanimity rooted in an expanded humanity. This vision is not a fantasy of yogic life that flattens or numbs us to pain and suffering but one that allows for skillful engagement in the midst of life as it is.
Speaking of skillful engagement, one of the many definitions of yoga offered by the Gita is “skill in action.” While the truths of yogic scripture operate on many levels, I do not think the skill Krishna refers to is mastery of advanced postures, professional competence, or even polished interpersonal communication. My understanding is that the “skill” points toward the capacity to remain anchored in the Self—in the center, in the depths—while participating fully in the ever-changing vicissitudes of ordinary life. The real practice is maintaining connection to those depths even while navigating uncertainty, grief, joy, responsibility, beauty, and loss. Perhaps this is part of what it means to live yoga: not transcending the conditions of human life, but inhabiting them with increasing steadiness, tenderness, and awareness.
I could continue reflecting on the many insights the gathering offered, but I should move along to announcements and allow you to return to the rhythms of your day. As always, I welcome your emails and reflections about the ways you are staying connected to the spirit of the depths while navigating the spirit of the times.
Announcements
Online classes are underway as usual. Please keep an eye out for a few cancellations and substitutions later this month due to the upcoming Asana Intensive.
Speaking of the intensive, interest has been a bit greater than I anticipated, so I’ve moved the event back to Bellingham Yoga Collective, which opens up a few additional spaces for anyone still hoping to join us. Register through me as the event is not listed on their website.
Also, Kula Yoga is hosting Carlos Pomeda for a Bhagavad Gita study group on Wednesday evenings this summer from 6:00–7:30 PM Pacific Time. I’ll be participating and wholeheartedly encourage you to consider joining as well. Carlos consistently offers teachings that are thoughtful, grounded, and informed by both practice and academic scholarship—all delivered with warmth, humor, and compassion.
I do my best not to flood your inbox with too many marketing emails. That said, I’ll be sending out an additional announcement later this month with more details about several upcoming events, including a weekend workshop in Buena Vista this July, a Holotropic Breathwork program in October, my yearly asana retreat in Colorado, a year-long sequencing program in Tucson, a retreat in Austin with Gioconda Parker, a return trip to Rochester to collaborate with Douglas Brooks, another visit to Iowa, plans for the Anusara community to gather again in May 2027, and more. There is much to look forward to, and I’m excited to share more soon.
Love,
Christina
