i am mightily content with our new home...

i am definitely in love with our new home in utah.

though our home is bare

i have enjoyed drinking tea with friends who have come to say hello

and we have found a strange comfort in hearing the dryer hum

as it warms our bed sheets.

i'm trying to completely embrace the peace in all its simplicity...

as the move has yet to happen.

we are back in california for our last week.

am hoping to head out to the coast

one last time

as the hills are erupting with a spring green.

$5 yoga...starting january 3rd...vote now for your preferred class times

i can hardly wait to start teaching in salt lake city!!!

i'll be teaching in our new home

{in the area of 2700 South and 2000 East}

each class is $5 {cash only please}

BUT your first class is FREE!!!

that's right. free for you upon your first visit.

classes will be for all levels of experience,

from those of you who have never even seen a yoga mat

to those who have been practicing yoga since your previous lives.

for years i have been perfecting my teaching style to accommodate

all of you, all levels, all ages, all genders

{that's right, boys are definitely invited}.

i teach an amalgamation of yoga styles:

combining ashtanga, flow, restorative, and yin yoga.

i'll be putting together the class schedule within the next couple of weeks,

and this is where you come in:

if you are in the SLC area, and are considering attending my classes

please comment here or email me as to which

class times would most suit you

{keep in mind classes will be 60 minutes long}

AM classes: 6:00, 7:30, 9:00

PM classes: noon, 5:30, 7:00

{or you can let me know if there's a time not listed here that you would like to see}

{also, let me know if you'd like to arrange a special class time for you and your friends...same price}

so, vote now via comment, email, or facebook

can't wait for classes to start!

you're gonna love yoga.

{p.s. posting will be rare these next couple of weeks, but i'll stop by now and then to say hello!}

planes and farewells and poesy

this morning cj travels again to the philippines for work.
boo.

last night we had mexican for dinner.
milk and cookies for dessert.
and watched a movie. "bright star."
so sweet. so bitter.

i said my airport goodbyes to ceej and gave him kisses,
and then watched him run away as we were running late.

so. for my morning yoga practice i moved to the words
of john keats.
i listened to the smooth british accent speak of
phoenix wings, saturn's neck, honey wild, faerie stories, and this living hand.
my breath rose and fell.
my arms rose and fell.
my heart opened and stretched.
my breath rose and fell.

"o thou whose face hath felt the winter's wind,
whose eye has seen the snow clouds hung in mist,
and the black-elm tops 'mong the freezing stars,
to thee the spring will be harvest-time.
o thou whose only book has been the light
of supreme darkness which thou feddest on
night after night, when Phoebus was away,
to thee the spring shall be a tripple morn.
o fret not after knowledge--i have none,
and yet my song comes native with the warmth;
o fret not after knowledge--i have none,
and yet the evening listens. he who saddens
at thought of idleness cannot be idle,
and he's awake who thinks himself asleep."
-j keats

hope your day is full of poesy.

a witness {part one}

my dear friend, sarah, has started a little series she is calling "the witness series" where she spotlights the good people she sees day to day and all the good things they are doing. i'm going to try to join her because i 1)think this is a fantastic idea and 2) know so many good people doing good things. so here we go!

here we have evelyn & sophie.
two very generous and kind women.
evelyn just completed her first yoga teacher training,
and she's giving a group of us free classes once a week!
it's a real gift indeed because evelyn has so much to give:
she is wise. she is enlightened. she is love.
sophie will give you anything you need,
drop everything to come save you from yourself.
she would literally give you the shirt off her back.
sophie is opening up her own yoga studio soon with
help from evelyn.
these two women have some serious good karma coming their way.

this is cori.
owner of asha yoga here in sacramento.
it's a lovely and safe place to be.
cori is kind and oh so flexible {in more than one way!}
she came to the rescue yesterday when our little group
needed a place to practice.
she opened her doors and her arms wide.

thank you evelyn, sophie, and cori
for being such wonderful people.
i see all the goodness you do for others,
and it makes my heart swell!

{first photo taken by me. second photo via asha yoga}

manifesto monday: meal sadhana

i grew up in a family that gave thanks for and blessed food before we ate it. usually that's all we did: thanks for it, bless it. amen.

there were a few other scripted lines that crept into our blessing over the food, but length was most important...especially when we were starving.

in the past few years as i've read books written by michael pollan and others written by "slow food" champions, i've began to say more sincere and far-reaching prayers over my food. thanks for the farmers who work so hard. thanks for the soil and the earth that bring forth such tasty and nourishing food. thanks for the weather, rain and shine, that play a part too. bless that we'll be more aware of our food and where it comes from. help us to support farmers, local farmers especially. bless the food to digest in an optimal and pleasant way. thank you for food nourished by the heavens and the earth. etc.

then i began going to an ayurvedic practitioner. she prescribed meal sadhana. what? sadhana is a sanskrit word that means to make an "everyday" or "simple" act sacred. not only should i offer a sincere prayer of thanks and blessing on my food, but i should take a deep breath before each bite, offering up the food to the altar that is my body (a temple of sorts). each flavor, spice, fruit, vegetable is an offering. no computer during eating/offering times. no angry conversations. slow eating, conscious chewing, and pleasant conversation.

food tastes much better. i am ever more grateful. this i believe.

photo by me. dining table. june 2009. strawberries from the farmer's market. bowl from grandma whittaker.

Manifesto Monday: Relax

photo by me 3.15.09 down by the river

As a yoga instructor, I often find myself repeating to the other students, "relax into the pose...you'll go deeper by relaxing rather than forcing." I say this aloud to others at least nine times a day throughout the different classes I teach.

Today I took a bit of my own medicine. I met with one of my professors to go over a rough draft of a term paper. We went over it, and I receieved some good direction on my project. However, the best part of the meeting was when I relaxed and surrendered...I spilled my guts. I exposed my heart, and let down my defenses. I sighed into relaxation, letting go of what I thought I was supposed to be in front of my professor. She gave me the best advice ever--which was what I already knew about myself, but was just afraid to let go and let it consume me.

As we let go of trying to be something else, and give in to be what we were meant to be (human!) then all things take their natural path. The grass never worries about being as tall as the trees. So I will not worry about being something I am not. I will relax. And I will find peace. This I believe.

Issue 2: Let Go

This is not my typical "issue" for Friday. But I think it is an important issue for all of us who live in such a "go, go, go" world. There is no time to observe, and notice what is really going on. We must take time to notice those around us, and to celebrate with them the wonders of life. I read this excerpt from Meditations from the Mat to my yoga classes this morning.

We Are the Ones We've Been Waiting For

The Yoga Sutras will set the course as, in our travels, we explore each tributary of the eight-limb path. The daily readings that follow are an invitation to get into the canoe of your practice and flow down the river of yoga. You may go deep, into uncharted waters; you will surely encounter challenges and delights along the way. But first you must get into that canoe and let go. In class I say, Let your practice be a refuge from the need to control. And I suggest the same to you: get out of the driver's seat for a while and enjoy the scenery. Let the river of yoga take you where it will. If you hit whitewater, stay in the canoe and keep paddling. When you enter calm pools, do the same.
At a Native American gathering in Arizona for the 1999 summer solstice, a Hopi elder said: "There is a river flowing now, very fast. It is so great and swift that there are thoes who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. They will feel they are being torn apart and suffer greatly. Know that the river has its destination. The elders say we must push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open and our heads above the water. See who is in there with you and celebrate. At this time in history we are to take nothing personally, least of all ourselves, for the moment we do that, our spiritual growth comes to a halt. The time of the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves; banish the word 'struggle' from your attitude and vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred way and in celebration. We are the ones we've been waiting for."

So, take a deep breath, and push off from the shore. Let go. Be still, and watch the scenery.

Read more about our classes this morning here.

Kirtan & White Mountain Yoga

Saturday night I went to a fantastic kirtan at White Mountain Yoga.

The band was AMAZING, and the crowd was sincere.

Hope you can make it next time.

And we can dance and chant together!

I'll be spending my entire day at White Mountain Yoga tomorrow. I can hardly wait. There are great things happening there...you should check it out!

$3-Dollar-Yoga

Staring tomorrow, Monday, January 26th, I will be teaching yoga for $3 per person, per class. The details are below:

WHERE: My mom's basement (in Sandy)

SCHEDULE:

Mon, Wed, Fri 6:00 AM, 7:15 AM, and 8:30 AM

Tues & Thurs 7:00 PM

We will be practicing astanga vinyasa, flow, and restorative styles of yoga. If you are interested, and need more info, you can email me at lady.of.lorien9@gmail.com, or leave a comment on this post with your questions.

Hope to see you there!

visit my yoga blog to get more thoughts on yoga.

Ama Yoga Blog

FYI: I'm blogging daily again on my yoga blog. Come on over for a visit.

Not So Long Afterall...

Yes, I found a job...yesterday afternoon. An hour after I posted yesterday I received a phone call from a business that I applied at long ago, but had given up on. I went in for my second interview in the afternoon, and found it to be the most enjoyable interview EVER. So what's my new job? Working as a Yoga Instructor and part-time receptionist for this amaing health center/spa called Fountain of Health. This is the perfect job for me! It combines yoga, food, and people! They offer nutrition classes for people wanting to try things like a raw diet. The owners are so generous. Money is not their bottom line...they just love what they do and want to help people. How fast was that miracle delivered?! I'll tell you more about it later. Until then, you should visit their site here.

Things Keep Opening Up

This weekend I met with some of my most favorite and beautiful yoginis to touch base with our teaching careers. It was so indescribably wonderful. If only those conversations could happen more often...every time I am amazed at the unexpected releases and epiphanies. Thank you to all of you. Loves to you.

On Tolerance

It seems these days that though we see much of religious prejudice, there is also an overflowing of religious tolerance as well. There must be opposition in all things, yes? I found this quote by Rumi that I really love:

"There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground."

I love the photos above. I love that there is so much devotion, faith, and love that is moving through our earth and universe. I am oh so grateful for our connectedness.

Here Would Be Nice

I would really enjoy doing some yoga in this studio. Nothing fancy. Just simple and clean. I like how the props are arranged so neat. Windows are a very good thing too. And one more thing, I like white walls for yoga.

A MUST Before Bed

This combo is a never-fail sequence to a pre-bed routine that delivers a good night's rest. Try it.

Let it flow

I'm now in my second week of Tai Chi classes. I am already in love with its grace and mindfulness.

This photo makes me think that the perfect place to do Tai Chi is under an ancient and blossoming tree. (And it makes me a little anxious for spring, but not too much yet).

I call it REVELATION

25 minutes of

+

25 minutes of
+
25 minutes of

So many things came to my heart and mind this morning as my yoga practice consisted of the above recipe. Indeed there is much wisdom in being STILL. Everything became clear, and all was and is possible. Here's to allowing the body, mind, and spirit to speak to us.

Death and Rebirth

This is a photo of the flame nebula, near orion. A nebula is the first stage of a star's cycle...when the material of a nebula collapses under its own weight, massive stars form at the center. The nebula dies in order to give life to new stars. (At least, that's how I understand it).

Today I am feeling some intense emotions coming from knowing that the death of this part of my life is about to come to an end. But I am trying to find joy in knowing that it is simultaneously the birth of many new and wonderful things that I am not yet aware of.

Isn't it strange, but perfect, that we truly must know sadness to know joy?

To a beautiful goddess...

Last night I attended the grand opening of a dear friend and teacher's yoga studio. It was absolutely beautiful...especially the picture of Shiva and Shakti together. The company, the food, and the air was simply lovely.

I am oh so grateful to know such a beautiful woman who helps all of us on our journey. Namaste, Syl! Syl has catapulted me into the world of yoga and beyond. It was with Syl that I finally found union between my body, mind, and spirit.

Syl once shared the following quote with me and it has started a stampede of growth.

"I am not afraid of storms for I am learning to sail my ship."-Louisa May Alcott

NAMASTE!

Yoga + Part + Whitman = Awe

This morning I decided to accompany my yoga practice with the music of the Estonian composer, Arvo Part (my absolute favorite, hands down), Tabula Rasa album with Gil Shaham on the violin. I couldn't believe the movements I was getting from my body: spontaneous undulations, unexpected movements in my fingers and toes, breaths as long as the ocean. To add to all of that, I had visions of my blood swimming through the vessels, and my cells changing with every breath and movement. As I finished up with svasana I could literally see the solar system within my own frame. Truly, a moment of awe. Do we have any idea?! Our bodies, minds, and spirits are so much a part of this earth, but they are beyond it as well. After svasana and a bit of pranayama I ended by reading this passage from Whitman:

One touch of a tug of me has unhaltered all my senses but feeling

That pleases the rest so, they have given up to it in submission

They are all emulous to swap themselves off for what it can do to them.

Every one must be a touch

Or else she will abdicate and nibble only at the edges of feeling.

EVERY ONE MUST BE A TOUCH! It's brilliant.