Thank you for continuing to support us through the temporary location changes in our yoga schedule.

We’re passionate about helping you grow your yoga practice and sharing kindness this summer!

Week of July 7th-11th

INNER CONNECTIONS
YOGA & WELLNESS CLASSES
at
Holy Cross Faith Memorial Episcopal Church
113 Baskervill Dr, Pawleys Island
(on Hwy 17)

All classes are in the CHAPEL
Enter through the double doors and we will meet you there.

(Please bring your mats and any props you like to use)

MONDAY
9:30-10:30 Yoga Therapeutics I
2:00-3:00 CHAIR YOGA
545-645 PM Mindful Yoga

WEDNESDAY
9:30-10:30 ALL LEVELS YOGA
2:00-3:00 CHAIR YOGA

FRIDAY
9:30-10:30 CHAIR YOGA
11:00-12:00 PM Yoga Therapeutics II

OTHER CLASSES WE OFFER

PAWLEYS ISLAND BEACH YOGA
with Inner Connections Yoga & Wellness
2nd and Atlantic beach access (off street and on street parking available)

TUESDAY
8:00 -9:00 All Levels Yoga

THURSDAY
6:00 PM-7:00 PM All Levels Yoga

LITCHFIELD BY THE SEA BEACH CLUB
Thursdays 9:30-10:30 All Levels Yoga

PATH TO FREEDOM

Freedom. Liberty. The pursuit of happiness. The ability to be who we are, without any social masks or expectations. When we feel we are not free to be ourselves, we often blame things outside of us, like our parents, spouse, work, government, and even God. It takes courage to look within and remember that the only limiting factor to our freedom is ourselves.

Our perception of ourselves and the world in which we live significantly impacts freedom by shaping our understanding of our own limitations and possibilities, thus influencing our choices and actions. A person's perception of freedom, which can be affected by factors like socioeconomic status, social structures, and personal beliefs, directly affects his or her sense of agency and the extent to which she feels empowered to pursue her goals.

Perception is our ability to understand or become aware of information received through our senses. This process is important because it helps us interpret and understand our environment – and ourselves. Yoga asks us to be aware of our perceptions, to examine how we interpret what we experience. When we realize this, it is liberating because we realize we have the power to choose and decide how we shape life’s events, and to release that which no longer serves us or that we no longer need.

The practice of yoga is a journey of unbinding, a process of feeling into space where we are stuck, burdened, or entangled—not free. The freedom we experience from releasing that which binds us may manifest physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually.

As we practice yoga, we lean into the challenges and discomfort where we feel bound. Is it a thought, a memory, a feeling, a conversation, a sensation, or something else? We breathe with awareness, go deeper, we allow our attachment to release, and in the unraveling or letting go, we experience freedom.

As you move through your yoga practice, notice the places of tension, of restriction, and breathe through them. Let go of things that no longer serve you and that you no longer need. Allow yourself to soften into freedom, to create a space for yourself of bliss, connection, and liberation.

Yoga is the discipline that allows us to find this freedom, to choose our thoughts and create a mind focused on peace, love, joy —and to let go of gripping, grasping, or holding on to things that tether us to limited behavior and thoughts.

ENHANCE YOUR YOGA PRACTICE THIS JULY

Yoga is a celebration of the freedom we experience in our minds, bodies, hearts, and souls. What is it that stirs your energy and ignites your soul as you consider the state of the United States today?

Every year, I revisit the things I love best about Independence Day: honoring those who broadly defined terms like freedom, liberty, justice, equality and the pursuit of happiness so that each citizen has a right to grapple with his meaning and explore our common ground as a nation; spending time with family and friends; enjoying the outdoors and appreciating the peace, tranquility, and beauty it provides; and connecting to special events that remind me of values that I hold dear, and we hold in high regard as a country: freedom, liberty, justice, equality, and the pursuit of happiness. To Thomas Jefferson and his contemporaries, the phrase pursuit of happiness is said to have meant “the pursuit of a meaningful life.”

Yoga invites us to examine these principles and ideals in a unique way. Freedom in yoga is often described as freedom from the thoughts and things that hold us back from feeling free and letting go of the chains that bind us to suffering. If you have ever suffered an injustice, have a right that you had taken away because someone thinks you are limited, aggressively pursued happiness or joy, love or another emotion, or experienced inequality, you know attachment. You wonder why justice was not served to you or your situation. You hold onto the pain from someone thinking less of you or insulting you or physically hurting you. In the pursuit of a meaningful life, you wonder why you did not have more money, a better car, the promotions you deserved but did not get, and more. We may form emotional attachments to people, places, circumstances, and perceived identities, making it difficult to let go and accept change.

Yoga teaches us that freedom and liberation come to us through unraveling old attitudes, beliefs, thoughts, and past pain. It is seeking nonattachment from things that tether us to the past or the future. Life has its own way of unfolding, often in contrast to our demands regarding how we think it should be.

Today I invite you to meditate on how you might bring these values to your life every day. How might we seek freedom within ourselves and support the freedoms of others? How might we bring a sense of justice to our communities and balance the scales for true equality?

Yoga is freedom—the stillness beyond thoughts and emotions. Here are some practices for the month of July:

• For five minutes, observe every thought and feeling that arises. See them as passing clouds, not yours to hold. In this awareness, taste the profound freedom that is already within you.
  

• Meditate on the meaning of inner freedom; consider what it means to be free from both external and internal limitations in your life.
  

• Practice non-attachment: Non-attachment allows us a life of happiness and freedom because we are not attached to thoughts, things, and people. Create a list of your attachments to material possessions, expectations, and outcomes. Now, let go of control. Allow the unfolding of the present moment. When we are experiencing true non-attachment, we surrender and let life unfold naturally on its own terms. Let go of clinging to thoughts, beliefs, and opinions on how things should be, and instead accept things as they are. Choose to co-exist with other people without using them as a means towards an end. On the deepest level of non-attachment, there is full engagement in life while remaining unbound by it. This means participating fully in experiences without being controlled by desires, aversions, or a fixed sense of Self.

• Connect with American values by      meditating on values like freedom, liberty, and justice. Use these words as seeds for your meditation, sending thoughts of wellbeing to yourself, loved ones, and even those you find challenging. Another practice is to embrace the principles of gratitude and connection by practicing gratitude for your freedoms and appreciate the interconnectedness of all beings.

• Connect with others:

  • Practice loving-kindness meditation: Send thoughts of wellbeing and care to yourself, others, and the world, promoting a sense of unity and compassion.

  • Engage in service or conscious advocacy: Use your yoga practice as a foundation for working toward positive change in your community and advocating for solutions that benefit everyone.

By integrating these practices and reflections into your yoga on the 4th of July, you can deepen your understanding of freedom and liberty, both individually and collectively.

Happy
Independence
Day!

Enjoy the discourse and celebrate history!

Enjoy the journey!

Namaste
Jeanne & John

Questions on how to join our classes?

Contact us

email us: yoga@InnerConnectionsYoga.com