Meditation Course. Week 1: What does kindness really mean?

Yoga, Meditation & a Journey Through the 8 Limbs of Yoga
Week 1: Let’s Begin!
Hello dear friends,

What if Yoga was much more than the poses we practise on a mat?
Most of us are familiar with yoga as physical exercise — stretching, strengthening, breathing, finding a little more balance. But in its traditional understanding, Yoga is a much broader journey: a way of exploring ourselves, our relationships with others, our minds, and the world around us.

Over the next eight gatherings, we'd love to explore the 8 Limbs of Yoga — an ancient framework described by Patanjali that offers eight interconnected dimensions of yogic practice and living.

We'll take one limb each week, gently introducing its ideas and discovering how they might relate to our everyday lives. No previous knowledge of Yoga philosophy is needed, and there won't be any lectures or complicated homework! Just a little inspiration, some interesting questions, different perspectives, and space to share whatever resonates with us.

✨ What will our gatherings look like?
- 30 min — Asana practice: gentle physical yoga to move\, stretch\, and reconnect with the body.
- 15 min — Dynamic meditation: an active practice to release some of the mental noise and bring ourselves into the present.
- 10 min — Guided meditation: a quieter moment to settle and turn inward.
- A little time together: relaxed conversations inspired by the eight limbs of Yoga. No right or wrong answers\, no pressure to speak — just curiosity and an opportunity to explore together.

🧘‍♂️For our first gathering: What is Yoga? And how do we bring it into everyday life?

We'll start with a little introduction to Yoga as a much broader practice than physical postures — a journey that extends into the way we think, act, relate to others, and experience the world.

Then we'll dive into our first topic: Yama — our relationship with the world around us.

Yama is the first of the eight limbs and explores five principles that can guide the way we live and interact with others: kindness, honesty, non-harming, moderation, and non-possessiveness.

But rather than treating them as rules to follow, let's explore them with curiosity:
What does kindness really mean — including kindness towards ourselves?
Is it always easy to be honest? And can honesty coexist with kindness?
How do we find a balance between our own needs and the needs of others? What does it mean to live with less attachment?

No need to have answers prepared! Bring your experiences, thoughts, questions, and different perspectives. We'll simply explore, exchange ideas, and perhaps discover something new along the way.

What to actually bring? :)
You can bring your own yoga mat or use ours! Please come in comfortable clothes.

If you want to help us cover the rent of the studio, 10-15 CAD would be appreciated. 🫶

Let’s breathe, laugh, explore, and create a space where we can feel a little more at home — within ourselves and with each other. ✨