I love ancient languages. Studied Ancient Greek and Ancient Hebrew in college, and have enjoyed cultivating them since then.

When I found yoga, I became interested in Sanskrit, the ancient language of yoga.

‘How will I ever be able to study Sanskrit?’ I wondered, as there appeared to be no university classes near Cincinnati.

So I put it on my list, cycled it, as we say in the Bengston Method. (That three-part series begins tonight at 7pm.)

It seemed impossible that I would ever study Sanskrit deeply as an academic discipline, that I would need to stop my life and travel many miles to get in front of someone who could help me go deeply into this complex, ancient language.

And then a pandemic happened. And I had more time. And an ad popped up on social media for an online course being taught by the person who wrote the Cambridge Introduction to Sanskrit.

I signed up immediately, and am enjoying it immensely with my 155 classmates around the world. The instructor is in Germany. We all meet via Zoom twice a week. There are weekly quizzes, homework submissions, even midterm and final exams…all of which we can skip if we want, though the discipline has been helpful for me.

I am growing so much!

All the times I’ve embarked on a new study in my life, I’ve found myself drawn into more life, more growth. It certainly happened for me the last seven years through Movement Intelligence & Feldenkrais Method.

There’s something about a new venture that helps me to discover — very gently — my own prejudices, my own blocks to richer life…my sexism, my racism, my homophobia, my not being able to see and hear something or someone outside my usual daily life.

Cynthia Allen and I have been thrilled by the two Movement Intelligence / Bones for Life classes we are sharing with 100 people all over the world. And the number of people saying goodbye to aches and pains that have been with them for years — what a gift! And such a gift to meet with and get to know people of all ages — 20s to 80s — from all over the world.

Some of our participants are weightlifters and avid yogins, some of our participants are just beginning to move easily again after years of very little movement at all.

Perhaps you’re curious to check it out: click here Our next immersion begins on Aug 3…take it for your own health or as the beginning step toward becoming a teacher.

Here’s a short video I made yesterday to show you how playful Movement Intelligence / Bones for Life is: click here

Who will you be in 2021, 2022 as we emerge from this pandemic into a new world?

And could it be possible that your engaging a new passion or curiosity might help you to do the inner work that sets you and the world free(r)?

Peace, friends!
Brian Shircliff
program director
513.300.5174