The Open Vessel Part 2- A series of movement, breath and guided rest Part 1

About this event

Six Sundays, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM | $20 Community Rate Series Overview The Open Vessel is a six-part seasonal immersion exploring the art of non-doing. Drawing from somatic movement, Taoist inquiry, downregulating breathwork, and the evidence-based practice of iRest Yoga Nidra, each two-hour gathering offers a deliberate counterweight to modern hurry and performance-driven wellness. Every gathering follows an unhurried rhythm: settling in with warm herbal tea and reflective inquiry, moving through slow, floor-based somatic unwinding to release deep muscular tension, shifting into gentle breathwork, and resting in an extended, fully supported 45-minute Yoga Nidra. No prior movement or meditation experience is required—simply arrive in comfortable layers ready to rest. Part 1: Pouring Out Sunday, September 27, 2026 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM As the autumn equinox turns our attention inward, this opening session centers on Nan-in’s classic Zen inquiry of the overfilled teacup: to receive anything new, we must first make space. We explore slow, intuitive somatic unwinding to discharge lingering summer restlessness, downregulate through extended-exhale breathwork, and clear internal sediment through guided, witnessing rest. Part 2: Cleansing the Mirror Sunday, November 8, 2026 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Arriving at the threshold of winter and the approaching holiday season, we work with Chapter 10 of the Tao Te Ching: "Can you cleanse your inner mirror until nothing obscures the light?" A mirror reflects everything that passes before it without clinging to the reflection. This immersion invites you to step out of daily roles and social performance, using grounding floor-work, steadying breath, and deep Yoga Nidra to rest in the quiet, untouched awareness beneath seasonal demands. Part 3: The Silent Valley Sunday, December 20, 2026 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Held on the eve of the Winter Solstice—the longest night of the year—this gathering honors peak Yin. Rooted in Chapter 6 of the Tao ("The valley spirit never dies; it is woman, primal mother"), we step completely off the wheel of productivity. Supported by blankets and bolsters, we yield to gravity, soft diaphragmatic breathing, and 45 minutes of profound physiological restoration in the dark stillness. Part 4: The Uncarved Block Sunday, January 31, 2027 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM In the heart of midwinter, nature rests without apology or anticipation. This session centers on the Taoist concept of Pǔ—the uncarved block, representing our original, untouched nature before the world shaped us. Through slow, low-to-the-mat rolling, calming pranayama, and an extended iRest practice, we explore the deep simplicity of midwinter, remembering that baseline completeness is already present without needing to fix, chisel, or improve a thing. Part 5: The Middle Way Sunday, March 21, 2027 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Marking the Spring Equinox, when day and night sit in precise balance, this session explores the Middle Way and the meeting of opposites. Through gentle somatic unwinding and balancing breathwork, we welcome contrasting sensations—effort and ease, darkness and light, heaviness and weightlessness—resting in the steady, neutral center that holds both polarities without preference or resistance. Part 6: Without Effort Sunday, May 2, 2027 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Closing the seasonal cycle as early summer approaches, we rest in Wu Wei—effortless action and natural unfolding. The body does not struggle to breathe; flowers do not strain to bloom. Through expansive, fluid unwinding and our final Yoga Nidra, we practice meeting the warming world with soft front bodies, clear presence, and an open, receptive vessel.

From Plot Twist Yoga Studio (at Page & Palette)