On Pattern, Paradox and Katonah Yoga by Abbie Galvin
This article is by Abbie Galvin, one of my teachers at Katonah Yoga. [Featured on Yoganonymous, January 2015] I am constantly asked to describe Katonah Yoga. Although there is no handy answer, Katonah Yoga is a Hatha practice with Chinese Taoist philosophy deeply embedded. In fact, it’s the main ingredient. Don’t worry it’s not as heady as it sounds. While most yoga practices reference Hinduism and Indian culture as their philosophical matriarch, we filter our practice through Taoist concepts. Hinduism is a religion whose teachings advocate devotion to gods whose mythic dramas guide us through moral and ethical tribulations. The myths of the Hindu gods are meant to offer a set of stories with which to navigate life. Peppering the yoga practice with Hindu references seems to have become the norm. However at Katonah Yoga, we reference Taoism. Taoism There are three main principles found in Taoism. The first is yin and yang, the second is that nature reveals its intelligence through pattern, and the third is that pattern repeats. Repetition of pattern develops our capacity for having a new insight. For example, the repetition of a wave hitting a rock over and over, changes the nature of that rock. …
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