Aesculus hippocastanum
Our March newsletter is a celebration of the two wonderful Horse Chestnut trees that have graced Dorchester town centre for many years, companions outside the Yoga Centre since it opened.
They have guided us and our practice through the seasons for nearly 8 years.
From the excitement of the vibrant green new shoots in Spring, the glossy mature darker leaves of Summer, and the exuberance of the amazing white flowers with a yellow to pink blotch at the base of the petals. The fruits that develop from these flowers are green spikey capsules containing nut-like seeds which of course we know as conkers.
With the trees being eye level to the yoga centre it was absolutely fascinating to see the flowers slowly turn to these seeds, and fatten into hard shiny conkers. Then there were the beautiful Autumn colours, and watching the leaves fall to finally the stark bare branches, occasionally covered in snow.
I know that many of you will really miss these magnificent trees, but even in their ending they continue to teach us.
As well as the cycle of Spring to Winter it teaches us the cycle of life. We feel sadness, grief, we have to practice non attachment as we let them go, and then we look forward to new life, of the new trees that will be planted by The Town Council and that we will have the delight of watching grow.
Spring Equinox
A moment of balance will occur this month. On the 20th March the earth will be half in shadow, half in sunlight. We are all looking for balance in our lives, but the spring equinox reminds us that balance is not a stable state, the moment of balance is brief in any extreme, a tiny sliver of time. Moments later the energy of Summer will get stronger, the evenings longer, the bursting of shoots more vigorous.
Like standing on one leg, we have to concentrate our mind, we have to work at it, practice and more practice, and always adjust to the constant changes.
As ever, the details are below and in the calendar – please check it!
With best wishes from Sharon and all the teachers and therapists at Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre
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