the beginning
In celebration of this being the 10th anniversary of the summer yoga program with Melanie Whittaker, a medicine wheel mandala was constructed in the meadow this last week and everyone attending Yoga Week was invited to collect and place 108 objects in it. The 40 participants were also encouraged to complete 108 sun salutations (Surya Namaskar) during the week. The sun salutation is a flowing series of yoga poses (asanas) that begins and ends with the pracititioner standing in mountain pose with the hands held over the heart.
Sunday ~ Day 1
Why 108? The number 108 is a sacred number in mystical traditions around the world. In the practice of sacred chant, it is said that repeating a mantra 108 times completes a cycle. In somewhat the same way, the passage of a decade is also considered to be the completion of a cycle.
Monday ~ Day 2
Tuesday ~ Day 3
A Short History Lesson
The Yoga Week’s longevity is not unusual for summer programs. Joel & Michelle Levey have been leading a summer program annually since 2000.
This year, family week, celebrated its 18th anniversary. This popular program was developed by RoseAnn Dolan and Sally Blumenthal-McGannon. It began as a single week in 1995 and expanded to two weeks in 2003. Helen Bee and Barbara Bellamy began Deep Singing as an every other year program in 1998. It became an annual gathering in 2010.
Rolf Eriksen was the lead contractor in building the new Orcas Island Fire Station in 2001 when we sat down in his trailer at the construction site and talked about the possibility of a summer work week celebrating Indralaya’s 75th anniversary in 2002. The work week continued for a few more years before being renamed Connections in 2005.
There are many elements that keep these programs alive and vital. A key factor in their continuing popularity is that they continue to develop and evolve and over time.
Wednesday ~ Day 4
On Wednesday, a small group gathered around the mandala and chanted the Gayatri mantra 108 times.
Thursday ~ the end ... or is it?
Yoga week was a serene way of ending my summer of fellowship, which was, again, too short. I enjoyed being involved in creating the healing mandala, and thank Melanie for her teaching, and Minor and Leonie for their expert leading of Indralaya to another successful summer. Thank you, Alise
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