Narrative Yoga, The Breath and the Word
In the still quiet of yoga practice, our inner selves come bubbling up. Narrative yoga combines journaling – writing down those moments of inspiration – with sharing the visions of that inner self. It brings the habit of communing into another dimension, in which personal insights let those deep moments of inspiration shine through.
Megan found narrative yoga to be a personally freeing experience – allowing her to share ideas and thoughts. Listening to her promotional video is like stepping into a gentle consciousness raising meeting. She is earnest, her voice only slightly hesitant as she explains her vision. Reading her blog on her Narrative Yoga page is a brilliant exploration of youthful escapades and the journey she is undertaking to free herself in order to become a strong and successful woman. She explains that yoga is not about focusing on personal singularity, but rather about making connections with the world.
Journaling, writing to prompts, and sharing the results with each other help develop a yoga group’s ability to connect with each other. By connecting and sharing with each other, they gain skills that can help them connect with the wider world, and they have the potential to produce work that is greater than any one of them could produce working alone. With daily news reports continuously covering incidents of violence, it does not take too much imagination to see how developing an outlet for pent-up feelings and teaching how to channel those feelings in positive ways could create a ripple effect of beneficial energy and activity. Like all such possibilities, her plan starts with a specific action.
Megan is a qualified yoga instructor, having completed a 200-hour training course. She is currently enrolled in a Masters of Arts in writing program, designed to promote writing as a healing art. Megan has been invited to teach Narrative Yoga at Lenior-Rhyne University.To do this, she will need to provide basic equipment, such as mats and bolsters, for at least ten students.
The materials will be purchased from companies that use responsible manufacturing processes and that pay decent living wages to workers. Any additional funds will be used toward educational expenses, as Megan is continuing to train in Yoga while working on her Masters’ degree. In August of 2015, she will have completed an additional 300 hours in yoga training, and will be halfway through her Masters’ degree. Expenses include lodging and food during training sessions. If there are funds beyond that, they will be used for the ordinary expenses of starting a business – such as licensing, office supplies, record keeping software and similar items.
Rewards for donations to this Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign are in keeping with Megan’s hope for the world. They include a “thank you” in the Yoga Narrative Newsletter, ten wood-grain paintings – done by Megan, and available as supplies last, personal thank you poems, and free workshop admittance to donors who contribute $100 or more.
While Megan’s immediate goal is to teach face-to-face narrative yoga classes locally, eventually, she would like to make it possible for people to practice yoga in unusual places. She notes that not everyone has access to studios or even to qualified teachers. She has a vision of narrative yoga helping people to examine their inner selves, to allow them to share their inner feelings in positive and healing ways, enabling them to help heal the external turmoil and conflict of our world. She believes that if we can share our stories through narrative yoga, we can heal ourselves. In so doing, we become more productive, kinder, and more caring. We open ourselves to understanding others as we listen to their stories.
Megan’s dream might seem remarkably ambitious – given the general state of the world. But she has already had a taste of trying to make the world better. She was an Americorps volunteer and a yogi before embarking upon her Narrative Yoga adventure. Perhaps if we all contribute a little to her dream, and dream a few narrative dreams of our own, we can tip the scale toward a better tomorrow.
About: Megan de Matteo is a licensed yoga instructor who is exploring a new kind of yoga practice. Narrative yoga (www.narrative-yoga.com) combines the healing aspects of yoga with journaling, using writing prompts and with sharing personal stories. It is her hope to teach classes in this art.
Megan de Matteo
Narrative Yoga.com
www.narrative-yoga.com
email us here
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
