Wednesday, December 6, 2006

December Shakti Newsletter

DECEMBER SHAKTI NEWSLETTER

Dear Friends and Yoga Family,

I hope that this letter finds you happy and well.

So many of us are traveling, this month. Be safe in your travels and make sure to drink lots and lots of water. I know - it's easy to think that we don't need to drink as much water in the winter time, but we still need to drink quite a bit more than most of us ever do.

Did you know that 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated? And in 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak, that it's often mistaken for hunger. Did you know that even mild dehydration will slow down your metabolism as much as 3%? Think about that, for a moment. If we think we're hungry, but we're actually just really dehydrated, then what inevitably happens? Weight gain, sluggishness, bloating, and all those things that most of us don't want to experience.

Bonus points: drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, can slash the risk of breast cancer up to 79%, and reduces the risk of bladder cancer by 50%!

Powerful stuff. Please drink up.

...Yoga news follows below, as well as cool happenings around town....

May you all enjoy this Holiday Season. Be Happy. Be Merry. Party safely. And May 2007 bring Health, Luck and Happiness for us all!

Namaste,
Aria
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Yoga News: All good, here. I am cutting out two of my classes to free up some more time for privates and for Westside teaching and subbing.

Dropping/Changing Classes: I am no longer be teaching my Tues night class at Yummy Yoga. And beginning 2007, I will be dropping my Thursday afternoon class at Yoga House, Pasadena. I'll also be switching out my Sunday morning 10:15 Level 1/2 class at Yoga House Toluca Lake to Monday mornings at 9:30am, instead.

Back by popular demand in 2007 - donation yoga classes at the Mayland pad. (Olympic/Highland area.)

Holiday Schedule: I will be out of town from December 20th - January 2nd. Please check out the schedule page on my website for a daily, updated schedule of where I might be teaching that week. yogawitharia.com/schedule.htm
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Yoga Privates - Holiday Special (!)

Interested in booking a private yoga session or gifting one to a family member or friend? My rates are very reasonable. $75 to come to your home for a 1hr. private (going rate around town is $100 and up), and $100 for a 1.5hr. private. And, I'm also offering a Holiday Special: 25% off your first 4 privates if you print out a copy of this newsletter and bring it with you to your first session.

The Holiday Special is valid for new and continuing students, for privates booked through January 31, 2007. No minimum number of sessions required. (Mileage fees may apply if you live more than 15 miles from me.)

For more info:
Aria
www.yogawitharia.com/private.htm
(310) 403 - 4438
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Cool Happenings Around Town:

Create:Fixate Five Year Anniversary. "Alive in Los Angeles"
4:00pm - 7:00pm (early preview - $5.00)
7:00pm - 2:00am - $15.00
1530 Ivar Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Do you love music, photography, visual art, design, sculpture, projections, video art, and more? Check out Create:Fixate this Saturday night. More than just a Saturday night hang, Create:Fixate is a series of gathering that brings together emerging talent, and mixes it up in a casual setting. Dance, browse, or just hang out. You'll be sure to have fun!
More info: www.createfixate.com


Sunday December 10th: Elevate Film Festival.
4:30pm - 7:00pm.
Pasadena Civic Auditorium
Nine Filmmakers get 48 hours to produce: documentaries, narratives, or music videos. Filmmakers in the house- this isn't your run-of-the-mill 48 hour film festival. Elevate differs because its focus is on works of social and global importance.
The last Elevate film festival premiered a documentary about the South Central Farmers and their efforts to save an urban community farm. Produced initially for Elevate, this documentary has been featured in more than 20 international festivals. Come be a part of the fun. Support a superb festival that intends to empower artists and to bring awareness to organizations and individuals that are making a positive difference in this world.
More info at: elevatefilmfestival.com
Buy tickets: celebrationofoneness.com/tickets.html
Directions: celebrationofoneness.com/directions.html


Sunday, December 17th: DEEP's Holiday Party.
10pm - Late.
Featuring L.A's Marques Wyatt, Miguel Miggs, Lisa Shaw, and Julius Papp. If you like to dance and if you like your house music funky, tribal, and magical, don't miss this amazing party. At L.A.'s Vanguard, on Hollywood Blvd. For anyone who's unfamiliar with Marques Wyatt - not only is he an amazing DJ, but a heartfelt yogi, and a truly beautiful human soul. If you've never experienced his magic, you're missing out on one of the most healing forms of movement meditation there is - dance. Did you know that dancing can increase your immune system? Come out and dance for love, for health, and for the joy of breaking it down to some funky tunes.
More info at: www.deep-la.com
On MySpace: myspace.com/deeplosangeles

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ONGOING CLASSES through December 20th:

Sundays 10:15am - 11:45am Level 1/2 flow at Yoga House, Toluca Lake

Mondays 3:00pm - 4:15pm Mixed Level Flow at San Miguel Elementary School, South Gate
7:15pm - 8:45pm Level 2/3 flow at Silverlake Yoga

Wednesdays 10:45am - 12:15pm Level 2/3 flow at Silverlake Yoga
Wednesdays 1:00pm - 2:00pm Lunchtime Yoga at Hollywood Production Center, Glendale CA
Wednesdays 7:30pm - 9:00pm Mixed Level Flow at Wilenskys (By invite only. e-mail me for address and info)

Thursdays 4:00pm - 5:15pm Core Yoga at Silverlake Yoga
Thursdays 5:45pm - 7:15pm Level 1 flow at Yoga House, Pasadena
Thursdays 8:00pm - 9:30pm Mixed Level Flow at Studio A Dance, in Silverlake - Donation Class (!)

For an updated daily schedule of where I am teaching and subbing every week: yogawitharia.com/schedule.htm
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DONATION YOGA - WED and THURS:

Wed:
Donation classes are ongoing Wednesday evenings, in the Pico/Fairfax area, from 8pm - 9:30pm. Because Wed. evenings are at a private home, please e-mail me if you are interested in attending.

Thurs:
Donation Yoga classes Thursday evenings, in Silverlake, from 8pm-9:30pm.
Google Maps Link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=41.496446,62.402344&q=2306+HYperion+Blvd.,+Silverlake,+CA&ie=UTF8&dtab=3&cid=37062500,-95677068,1991591660551348692&li=lmd&z=14&t=m

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Words and Speech and Power

I found this article online, and am cutting out a portion, for your perusal.
Enjoy!
Aria
xx
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ALL OF OUR WORDS WILL BECOME A SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY

Words are like seeds – they have creative power. When we speak we are giving life to what we are saying, planting a seed. We are going to get exactly what we are speaking. We are who we are today because of the words we have spoken in the past. All of our words will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Listen to what you say about yourself. Negative thoughts don’t need to become negative words. The moment you speak something outright it takes on a whole new meaning and a whole new energy. If you don’t like what you’re experiencing start changing your words.

We prophesize the future by the words we speak in the now. Our words are always a self fulfilling prophecy. Don’t plant negative seeds – only prophesize the good and the intention of good. You can cancel out the Universe’s best laid plans by your own negative words and negative musings. Death and life are the power of your words. You will have what you say. Your words are going to give life to exactly what you’re saying.

It’s better to say nothing than to say something negative. ...You can use your words to curse your life or you can use your words to bless your life. ... Change the atmosphere of everywhere you go with your words – call in good, call in light, call in love and call in divine help.

Don’t talk about problems, talk about solutions. We are not reporters of our life but we are forecasters of our life. We should call to the invisible as if it already were visible. Call in to that which you desire, call it with faith filled words, call it with light. Change your world by changing your words. Death and life is in the power of your tongue. Are you birthing or are you destroying?

Circumstances line up with every word you speak – your words are a self fulfilling prophecy. You are the creator of your own circumstances. What you have created by your words you can change. When we act negatively to sudden changes and chaos in our life we are delaying the purpose of their creation. If we accept chaos as an opportunity for spiritual elevation then the pain will disappear. We alone determine the rate of which turmoil passes. There are countless futures which exist at the same time. Our own behavior determines which universe we enter in to. Prophecy is seeing the future in our present actions.


THE POWER OF COMPLAINING

When you complain you are poisoning your future. When we go around grumbling and complaining we are calling in more of that poison to every part of our life. When we complain about a pain, you’re calling in more pain. Try to do all things without grumbling, fault finding or complaining. See the good in every situation and be thankful. Find some reason in your day to be thankful – this will help dilute the kind of complaining that creates poison in your body and in your life.
There’s always something to complain about but you need to look very hard to find what’s to be thankful for. See good around you – be the one to make a difference. Leave it up to God, the Universe, to fight your injustices. Until you are at a point of gratefulness right where you are God is not going to help you change that situation. Be grateful for what is right in your life instead of complaining about what is wrong in your life.

... Do all things without complaining and you will find the magic and miracles in your life multiply. When you are in pain or worry immediately find a point of gratefulness about something in your life. Those thoughts bring you into higher vibration that will assist you and move you past any negative situation.

By Gillian MacBeth-Louthan

November Shakti

Dear Friends and Yoga Family,

The rush of the holiday season is upon us.

Take some time out, this month to slow down, even if it means not doing everything you'd planned on doing. Sometimes that can be the hardest part. We all know this, but it's nice to be reminded of it, that's all. Because at the end of the day, we will always treasure the time we make for friends, family, and laughter over the time spent accomplishing lists or goals.

Enjoy,
Aria
xx

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NOVEMBER SHAKTI NEWSLETTER

Dear Friends and Yoga Family,

I hope that this month finds you happy and well.

So much change in the air. It's exciting. But sometimes, it can be overwhelming. If this happens, the body may interpret change as stress.

The first thing to go out of balance is your breath. Either you will breathe predominantly out of one nostril. Or, you will quicken your breath, breathing shallowly, out of both nostrils. If this pattern isn't halted, then the body continues to interpret the situation as increasingly stressful, and that's when tension, headaches, and tightness begin to take hold.

It any of this sounds familiar, next time pause and take a moment so you can break the cycle. All you really need is 3 minutes of focused breathing, and you can bring your body back into balance. I'm not just talking about yoga-hokey-pokey, stuff, here. Science has proven that alternate nostril breath balances out the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. And the beauty behind this exercise is that you can do it anywhere (in your car, if you're stopped in traffic. in a restroom, before a meeting, etc.)

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Alternate Nostril Breath: Using your right hand, your thumb is used to plug your right nostril. Your third and fourth fingers are used to plug your left nostril.

--Plugging your right nostril, inhale through the left for a count of 10.
--Plug both nostrils. Hold the breath for a count of ten.
--Keep the left nostril plugged and release the right nostril, exhaling for a count of ten.

Repeat, beginning your inhale, now, through the right nostril.
Do 2-3 rounds. Over time, you can increase the amount of seconds up to 15 or 20.
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Yoga News: All good, here. I am enjoying my new classes at Yoga House, and am looking forward to a brand new schedule in 2007.

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Cool Happenings Around Town, this Weekend:

Saturday, November 11th
Yoga Trance Dance and Trees for the Future Benefit with Shiva Rea and DJ Dragonfly at Golden Bridge Yoga. www.goldenbridge.com. Doors open at 6:30pm for yoga and classes. 8:00 - 11:00 - dancing. Tickets are $15 advance. $20 at the door. Click on for more info: http://www.shivarea.com/_ecards/trancedance1106/ecard2.html


Saturday November 11th
SOLIDS presents Momentum, a Sculptural Arts Exhibition. Pick of the Week in the L.A. Weekly in Dance. Art meets itself in a fusion of live sculpture, music, dance, and ongoing performance art. Doors open at 7:00pm. Performances at 8:00pm. Ends late. $5.00 suggested donation. For more info: http://www.causalagency.com/solids/

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ONGOING CLASSES:

Sundays 10:15am - 11:45am Level 1/2 flow at Yoga House, Toluca Lake

Mondays 3:00pm - 4:15pm Mixed Level Flow at San Miguel Elementary School, South Gate
7:15pm - 8:45pm Level 2/3 flow at Silverlake Yoga

Tuesdays 7:30pm - 9:00pm Level 2/3 flow at Yummy Yoga, Los Feliz

Wednesdays 10:45am - 12:15pm Level 2/3 flow at Silverlake Yoga
Wednesdays 1:00pm - 2:00pm Lunchtime Yoga at Hollywood Production Center, Glendale CA
Wednesdays 8:00pm - 9:30pm Mixed Level Flow at Wilenskys (By invite only. e-mail me for address and info)

Thursdays 4:00pm - 5:15pm Core Yoga at Silverlake Yoga
Thursdays 5:45pm - 7:15pm Level 1 flow at Yoga House, Pasadena
Thursdays 8:00pm - 9:30pm Mixed Level Flow at Studio A Dance, in Silverlake - Donation Class (!)

For an updated daily schedule of where I am teaching and subbing every week: yogawitharia.com/schedule.htm
---------------
DONATION YOGA - WED and THURS:

Wed:
Donation classes are ongoing Wednesday evenings, in the Pico/Fairfax area, from 8pm - 9:30pm. Because Wed. evenings are at a private home, please e-mail me if you are interested in attending.

Thurs:
Donation Yoga classes Thursday evenings, in Silverlake, from 8pm-9:30pm.
Google Maps Link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=41.496446,62.402344&q=2306+HYperion+Blvd.,+Silverlake,+CA&ie=UTF8&dtab=3&cid=37062500,-95677068,1991591660551348692&li=lmd&z=14&t=m

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

WATER, or COKE?

My brother sent me this, and it's quite a good reminder about hydration. Enjoy!
xx

WATER:

1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.
4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzz short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

And now for the properties of COKE:

1. In many states (in the USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of coke in the truck to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.
2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke and it will be gone in two days.
3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous China.
4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.
5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.
6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.
7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.
8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains.
9. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

Interesting Info:

1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.
2. To carry Coca-ColaCoca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the Hazardous material place cards reserved for Highly corrosive materials.
3. The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years! Now the question is, would you like a coke or a glass of water?

October Shakti

Wow,

I can't believe how quickly this month has flown by. I have been busier than usual, with my two new classes in Pasadena and Tocluca Lake, and with my weekly preparation for my Core Yoga class. But I'm enjoying it all, which makes it well worth it.

Now, I feel like it's time to take my own advice and slow down a little - set a good, healthy pace, one that will keep me going through the end of the year. It's important, I think, to remind ourselves not to get caught up in (reacting), and instead, be in the process of (creating).

I hope that you are all healthy and well.

May you all have a Lovely Week.

Namaste (!)
aria
xx
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OCTOBER SHAKTI NEWSLETTER

Dear Friends and Yoga Family,

I hope this letter finds you well.

Seems like the days are speeding up - I can hardly believe we're almost mid-way through October. Soon we will be fully engaged in the Holiday Season - a wonderful time for remembering to keep ourselves in balance by taking time to enjoy the outdoors, go out dancing, spend quality time with friends, and just as important - create quality time for ourselves.

If yoga is on your menu this month, I have added Two NEW classes:
- Level 1 on Thursdays, 5:45pm - 7:15pm, at Yoga House, in Pasadena.
- Level 1/2 on Sunday mornings, at 10:15am - 11:45am, at Yoga House, in Toluca Lake.

Donation Yoga Classes - Wed & Thurs:
Wed:
Donation classes are ongoing Wednesday evenings, in the Pico/Fairfax area, from 8pm - 9:30pm. Because Wed. evenings are at a private home, please e-mail me if you are interested in attending.

Thurs:
Donation Yoga classes Thursday evenings, in Silverlake, from 8pm-9:30pm.
Google Maps Link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=41.496446,62.402344&q=2306+HYperion+Blvd.,+Silverlake,+CA&ie=UTF8&dtab=3&cid=37062500,-95677068,1991591660551348692&li=lmd&z=14&t=m


ONGOING CLASSES:
Sundays 10:15am - 11:45am Level 1/2 flow at Yoga House, Toluca Lake (NEW!)

Mondays 3:00pm - 4:15pm Mixed Level Flow at San Miguel Elementary School, South Gate
7:15pm - 8:45pm Level 2/3 flow at Silverlake Yoga

Tuesdays 7:30pm - 9:00pm Level 2/3 flow at Yummy Yoga, Los Feliz

Wednesdays 10:45am - 12:15pm Level 2/3 flow at Silverlake Yoga
Wednesdays 1:00pm - 2:00pm Lunchtime Yoga at Hollywood Production Center, Glendale CA
Wednesdays 8:00pm - 9:30pm Mixed Level Flow at Wilenskys (by invite only. e-mail me for address and info)

Thursdays 4:00pm - 5:15pm Core Yoga (NEW!)
Thursdays 5:45pm - 7:15pm Level 1 flow at Yoga House, Pasadena (NEW!)
Thursdays 8:00pm - 9:30pm Mixed Level Flow at Studio A Dance, in Silverlake - Donation Class (!)

For an updated daily schedule of where I am teaching and subbing every week: yogawitharia.com/schedule.htm

Upcoming Cool Events & Happenings:
Raga Lounge - a cultural groovy evening of Indian Music, dancing, Sitar, and food - October 20, 9pm - 12am at Shakti's Elements, in Santa Monica.

Yoga Trance Dance Benefit with Shiva Rea - Nov. 11th, 8pm, at Golden Bridge. www.goldenbridgeyoga.com

Hope you all enjoy your week.

Namaste,
Aria
:-)
www.yogawitharia.com

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Shiva refers me to Yoga House (!) + Fall Equinox + New Moon

So much changing in the air right now, I don't know if you can all feel it or if it's just me, but not only is fall in the air, change is absolutely in the air.

Last night (well, actually, at 12:03 am this morning) was the Fall Equinox. We also had a new moon, and somewhere not visible from CA was a Annular Solar Eclipse. All in one day - no wonder the energies have felt so shifting, so different - things are shifting, hiding momentarily, and then coming back into light. On top of that, the fall equinox brings both light and dark into balance.

Hope you have all fared well.

I have some lovely news - Shiva referred me to a wonderful studio in Pasadena named Yoga House. They have a second location they just opened up in Toluca Lake.

I am starting there October 1st, teaching Thursday afternoons in Pasadena, and Sunday mornings in Toluca Lake. The Thursday afternoons, I hope will work out. I may have a time conflict, and we talked about this during my interview. Yoga House was willing to try it out and see if it worked. (Basically, I finish my Core Yoga class in Silverlake at 5:15pm on Thurs. I'm supposed to teach in Pasadena at 5:45pm. Could be tight. But we'll try. And then, regardless, I'm back again in Silverlake that night, teaching at Studio A Dance at 8pm. (Whew! Gonna be quite a night.)

But it's all good.

Happy Weekend!
aria
xx

Saturday, September 9, 2006

Between the Eclipses

My friend, Elizabeth, forwards me these wonderful planetary musings. If you're into astrology, check this one out.
aria
xx
------

We are now in a two-week space between an eclipse of the Moon and an eclipse
of the Sun. The space between eclipses is a landscape in motion, and a
hidden dimension of time. Eclipses seem to work like cosmic magnifiers. They
can either exaggerate the usual effects of life, raising them to something
of a crisis that we can finally see clearly enough to work with; or they can
amplify the activities and choices we are experiencing at the time,
establishing them into a new pattern of living that can last for years.

Eclipse phases are one of the best times to do psychic maintenance and make
major adjustments, and often, these are the things that become inevitable --
so obviously it's best not to resist, but rather, to go with the flow and do
what you need to do to clear blockages and establish constructive designs
for your life.

The next eclipse is a somewhat peculiar one, occurring on the last day of
the Sun's transit through Virgo, and moments before the Libra ingress of the
Sun (autumnal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, Vernal Equinox in the
southern).

Eclipses always occur near one of the Moon's two nodes. This is a South Node
eclipse, suggesting it's a release point, that is, more oriented on letting
go of the past than on embarking on the future. Appropriately, there have
been quite a few planets gathered around the South Node lately: Mars has
just crossed the point and made an ingress to Libra; Mercury is about to
cross the South Node; and the Sun and Venus will get there soon. So we have
a fairly rare situation where all of the personal planets will be working
through both Virgo and over the South Node.

This is valuable since Virgo is the archetype of our mental habits, some of
which are productive, some of which are hang-ups, and many of which rarely
see the light of day. So with all this inner planet activity coming through
Virgo, including two New Moons (one of which is an eclipse), we're getting a
guided tour of both what we think and how we think. And while what we think
tends to magnify itself and take on dimensions beyond the original, it is
indeed thought, and thoughts can be rethunk, re-evaluated and decided upon.
It helps, of course, to know what one is thinking, but I trust the current
astrology is revealing that if nothing else.

Meantime, remember the patterning function of eclipses. It is wise to do
what you want to do the most on the day of eclipses, or at least not do what
you don't want to do more of. As the partial solar eclipse occurs just hours
before the equinox, it promises to be particularly influential.

taken from: www.planetwaves.com

September Shakti Newsletter

Hey Everyone,

Hope you are all super well. Here's a copy of my September Shakti Newsletter. If you're not on my yoga list but would like to be, please e-mail me at: info@yogawitharia.com and put "Subscribe" in the subject line. Newsletters come out once/month. Occasionally, I will send a mid-month reminder about special classess or workshops.

Thanks!
Aria

September Shakti

Thanks to the lovely folks at Silverlake Yoga, I am starting up a class I've been super excited about for a very long time. (yey!) Core Yoga starts up next Thursday, Sept. 21st at Silverlake Yoga. For more info, see class description below.

If you are new to yoga or would like to explore yoga at a slightly slower pace, with more instruction and attention to alignment, please check out my Mixed Levels, Yoga by Donation class at Studio A Dance. Every Thursday, 8pm - 9:30pm. (Heads Up - no class this Thursday, Sept. 14th because I will be out of town.)

Please check the Schedule page (www.yogawitharia.com/schedule.htm) of my website for a daily update of where I'm teaching that week.

Thanks for your support.

Namaste.

Aria


NEW CLASS:
Core Yoga - Starts Thursday Sept. 21st at Silverlake Yoga, 4:00pm - 5:15pm
Explore a uniquely different approach to yoga through ancient strength-building exercises. Class begins with an awakening of Prana - Life Force, through pranayama (breathwork), followed by a hybrid of inversions, arm balances, core-strengthening vinyasa, twists, and abdominals.

The stronger your core, the more vibrant your practice and fewer your injuries, both on and off the mat.

Core Yoga is for students with at least 6 months of yoga practice, or athletes, dancers and those with a strong physical background. Core Yoga is NOT appropriate for pregnant women.


ONGOING CLASSES:
Mondays 7:15pm - 8:45pm Level 2/3 flow at Silverlake Yoga

Tuesdays 7:30pm - 9:00pm Level 2/3 flow at Yummy Yoga

Wednesdays 10:45am - 12:15pm Level 2/3 flow at Silverlake Yoga
Wednesdays 8:00pm - 9:30pm Mixed Level Flow at Wilenskys (by invite only. e-mail me for address and info)

Thursdays 4:00pm - 5:15pm Core Yoga (new!) Begins September 21st
Thursdays 8:00pm - 9:30pm Mixed Level Flow at Studio A Dance, in Silverlake - Donation Class (!)



Yoga with Aria recommends
Charity Class: Jamie Elmer's charity class for the Alzheimer's Association.
Jamie is a wonderful teacher, gentle, detailed and precise. Her background in movement includes yoga, pilates and dance. This is a Level 1/2 class and all proceeds will be donated to the Alzheimer's Association. Thursday, September 21st, 7pm, at Exhale, Center for Sacred Movement, in Venice. www.exhalespa.com

Deepening Your Practice: with Brad Keimach
Brad approaches yoga with honest enthusiasm. His classes are guaranteed to make you smile, and what you learn will extend off the mat and into your life. Mondays, Sept. 11th, 18th, and 25th, from 6-7:30pm.
For more info, contact: Brad Keimach

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Yoga's Rock Stars

Hi Everyone,

The L.A. Times printed an interesting article on Yoga's Rock Stars - Shiva Rea, Bryan Kest, Ana Forrest, and Duncan Wong. Funny enough, the first three are amongst my favorite teachers - I've studied with Shiva and Bryan for 8 years, now. And my formal training is with Shiva and Ana. Duncan Wong is the only one I haven't experienced, yet, but am VERY curious about how he teaches.

So if you'd like to know a little bit more about the lives of those who have influenced me, check out the complete article:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-yogistars21aug21,0,1207508.story?coll=la-home-health

Have a lovely week (!)

Aria
xx

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Getting Out of Being Stuck

Dear Yoga Crew and Family,

I found this online, today, and sent it out to a few friends; but then, I realized that I wanted to post it on my site. None of this is anything different from what we all /know/ and feel, deep, deep down in our gut. But so often, it's something that we completely forget.

So if you're feeling stuck in any kind of situation, join me, if you will, and let's have fun by changing it.

After all, who wants to experience the same ol' shite over and over again?

xx
Aria

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"Tools to Shift Your Prosperity Set-Point"

Indulge me for a moment.

Think of an area of your life that is not working in the way that you
would like to see it work.

You can focus on a relationship that is problematic, a work challenge
that is not yet resolved, a financial situation that seems to be
getting worse instead of better, or a physical illness that seems to
show no signs of improvement.

Now that you are focusing one particular subject, ask yourself - on a
scale of 1 to 10 - how much do you really expect this situation to
change?

If the 'challenge' is not new but has been going on for a time (and if
you are very truthful with yourself) you'll likely come to recognize
that you don't really expect this particular situation to change.

From a vibrational perspective, once we decide that something is a
'problem' we immediately shift our energetic field into a position of
resistance and, simultaneously, we freeze the energy around the
situation -- thus creating the condition known as 'stuck'.

According to Universal Principles there is no such thing as 'stuck'.
Energy is constantly in motion and the law of attraction is never
acting in response to the energy of the past, only to the energy of
the present moment.

The reason we experience certain situations as 'stuck' is that we
continue to respond to the situation -- energetically -- in the same
way over and over again, thus attracting to us the same energetic
by-products -- over and over again.

For example, if you have a problem with a debt, more likely than not,
every morning you wake up and you focus on the feeling of being in
debt. You think about money and you tighten up. You think about the
future and you tighten up. You try to think about what you might do to
change the situation but, being as tight and constricted as you are,
you find yourself without fresh inspiration and you tighten up some
more.

Then you announce to yourself (and the Universe) that you are 'stuck' in debt.

Or, in a completely different vein, say that you have come the
conclusion that there is a problem in one of your relationships.
Whether you feel that: your mother criticizes you too much, your
husband is aloof, your child is belligerent or your boss is a tightwad
- by holding that perspective and bringing the conclusions from
yesterday to bear in your relationships of today, you will most
certainly find these people acting in much the same way - today,
tomorrow and next week. Applying 3rd dimensional logic to the
situation, you'll come to believe that this is just the way things
will be between you and the other party. In other words, your
relationship is 'stuck'.

Well I don't buy it -- about the money, or the relationships, or the
illness -- or whatever. On the contrary -- I'm a firm believer (based
on my experience and the experience of hundreds of my students and
clients) -- that 'Nothing is Ever Stuck'.

If you find the same situation appearing over and over again - the
repeating external circumstance is merely a mirror that you are
bringing an old set of expectations and vibrations to bear in a
potentially new situation.

If you wake up today focusing on debt, you'll attract more debt for
tomorrow. If you wake up today affirming an illness, you'll have that
same diagnosis tomorrow - and next week. If you expect your
unappreciative spouse to forget your anniversary again this year,
you'll be setting the stage for a similar confrontation on your 50th
wedding anniversary.

As Abraham explains: 'Sometimes we hear you say 'I'm stuck' and we say
'No you're not stuck, because you cannot stand still. You cannot stop
emitting a vibration so it is not possible you are stuck. Instead what
is happening is that you are creating the same thing over and over
again. It's changing but it's changing to the same thing...'

So what do you need if you feel 'stuck'? You need to make room for a
'breakthrough'. Notice I did not say you need to 'create' a
breakthrough. That is not your job. You work is simply to let go of
the way that you've been holding your vibrations so that you can offer
a more open/less resistant vibration today -- thereby allowing the
Universe to bring you a slightly different shade of experience
tomorrow.

Begin by making a list of the areas in your life that feel stuck.
Acknowledge that you have been, inadvertently, holding these
situations in place and then acknowledge that you have the power to
create internal vibrational shifts that will free the circumstances to
show up in a new form.

While you are doing this, try this Abraham phrase on for size: "That's
how it's been but tomorrow it will be different, and I like the idea
of changing to something different."

So what would you like to see change? The majority of you would like
to see your money situation change - and we're all for that!

For once you recognize your innate power to shift your financial
situation you'll realize that that is just the beginning.
-------------------
taken from: Prosperity from the Inside Out

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

August Shakti Newsletter

Dear Friends and Yoga Family,

Welcome into the full breadth of the summer season. I hope you are all happy and well.

Teacher Training News:
Just last week, I finished 120 hours of advanced yoga teacher training with Shiva Rea. Her style of Prana Vinyasa Flow has always been very close to my heart, and the experience was absolutely amazing (!) I've become more deeply conscious of sequencing - within the lunar and solar sequences that we worked with, we created variations that emphasized chakras and the elemental nature of Water, Fire, Earth, and Air.

I am now combining Shiva's sequencing and her emphasis on working with Prana - breath, vital life force- with what I learned in my 225 hour foundation training with Ana Forrest (emphasis on alignment, core strength, and injury prevention) and my Power Yoga background with Bryan Kest.

For me - the end result is a highly energized practice that emphasizes Shakti, the creative life force within us all. I am excited to share these teachings with you. :-)

Schedule: Days, Times, and Info updated daily at: yogawitharia.com/schedule.htm

New Class:
Check out my new All Levels Flow at Yummy Yoga*, Tuesday evenings, in Los Feliz.

*Contrary to what their website says, I am NOT playing hip hop in my classes. Repeat. No hip hop. Dub, maybe. Reggae, funk, soul, house, maybe even some breaks, but current radio play hip hop? Sorry. No can do.*

All-Levels Donation Classes:
Wed evenings in the Pico/Fairfax area, and Thursday evenings in Silverlake.

No Weekend Donation Classes:
Due to our heavy weekend travel schedule, I will not be able to offer donation classes at our home on Saturdays or Sundays on a regular basis. If you can't make any of my other donation classes and are interested in a weekly morning donation class at our home (south of Hancock Park area), I currently have available Mon mornings, Tuesday mornings, and Friday mornings. If I can get at least six people interested, I will start up a new class; so email me your preferred days and times, and we will go from there.

Until we meet again - May you all experience abundance, health, laughter, love, and joy all around.

Thanks for your support(!)

Namaste,
Aria
:-)

Tuesday, August 8, 2006

August Full Moon

Hola Friends and Family,

I am almost finished with my 120 hours of advanced teacher training with Shiva Rea. I'm very excited by this training. It's alivening what I already know and showing me how to create new seqences based on chakras, elements, and both solar and lunar cycles.

Starting up this Thursday, August 10th, I'm happy to return to my regular schedule of classes. For those of you on the Eastside of L.A., I'm starting up at a brand new studio that prides itself not only on the strength of its classes, but the fact that every instructor plays groovy music during class. Although most of the classes play R&B and hip hop, I'm going to start my own little dance revolution with some choice house, funk, soul, classics, and maybe even some breaks. Check it out - 7:30 - 9:00pm, Tuesday nights at Yummy Yoga in Los Feliz.

I also return to my regular Wed morning classes at Silverlake Yoga. 10:45am - 12:15. And donation yoga is coming back to West Hollywood/Pico/Fairfax area. (yey!)

Would love to see you all soon. You know I'll be incorporating and expanding upon what I've learned, and bringing it to you.

In the meantime, in honor of the lunar cycle which is upon us tonight - the full moon - I am posting this bit of info, forwarded to me via moontribe:

Full Moon in Aquarius:

The full moon in Aquarius shines a light on our sense of community,
basic connectedness, and humanitarian instincts. In opposition to
the sun in Leo, the dynamic tension of the full moon rests in a
foundation of precious individuality. The aristocrats in the
castle join with the masses of common folk with no apparent
difference, except that which allows their union.

As this bright sun connects with the planet Saturn, the opportunity
to ground our egos in a satisfying structure connects with the
bright moon and Neptune in Aquarius -- the rich and heavy moon
reflecting the fullness of our souls lifting, stretching and
expanding limitlessly from the vital foundation of spirit and
spine. Neptune dissolves our boundaries, while Saturn reaffirms
and stabilizes structure. The two planets are facing off with each
other calling into question our ability to make our dreams reality
– or risk the dissolution of our very being with the intoxication
of escapist excess.

The opportunity to set an intention to make our ideals real, to
manifest them in the real world -- body, soul, individual, and
community will come from the place of an open heart and an expanded
mind, grounded by the wisdom of healthy limits while truly loving
ourselves and others unconditionally

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Yoga Health Links

It occurred to me today that I haven't posted any basic yoga health links. I know, it's a bit elementary, but there are some great factoids in here. Check 'em out.

Hope you are all loving your week.

aria
xx

From the Yoga Alliance website:

Yoga and Weight Management
www.yogaalliance.org/documents/YogaWeightMngmt03-06_001.pdf

Yoga and Stress Reduction
www.yogaalliance.org/documents/YogaStressRelief03-06_001.pdf

Top Ten Reasons to Try Yoga
www.yogaalliance.org/documents/YogaTopTenShortened03-06.pdf

Thursday, July 6, 2006

It's All About Energy

For me, life comes down to a simple concept: Energy. Of course, energy isn't so simple at all. If it were, we wouldn't feel like we had to take other people's energy in order to feed ourselves (energy vampires): or, conversely, we wouldn't feel like we had to give away our energy until we become depleted in order for us to feel "good" about ourselves (co-dependants.)

If energy were really that simple, on a global scale, we certainly wouldn't feel the need to go to war to secure our energy portals, either. What if energy really were that simple, though? Interesting thought. But an entirely different conversation.

Please, shrug that off for a moment, and take a step back and within.

Take a deep breath. Maybe even close your eyes. Begin to see your life. Begin to notice your energy level right now. Now go back and feel your energy level from yesterday. Last week. Last month. What about last year, or even many years ago? Begin to remember when you had the most energy in your life and when you had the least. Take a step back and begin to critically examine, what is energy to you?

An easy example of Energy is how it feels to be around little kids. They are chalk full of energy. Enough to make most of us wish we had a fraction of their energy. For the most part, most adults are on the opposite end of the energy spectrum and seem to operate at a constant state of energy deficiency. We see it in the manner in which we caffeinate ourselves up, seek out energy altering activities, energy-boosting drugs (be they perscription or illegal), and subjugate ourselves to jobs which drain us of our energy, so that we have to keep artificially boosting our energy all over again. The cycle continues until, at some point, we crash. And then the next day, we wake up (barely), load up on more caffeine, and start the cycle all over again.

For the record - I'm not anti caffeine at all. My personal belief is one of moderation with all things, which is why yoga is so helpful for me.

Yoga is a great balancer of energy. It also helps us become more aware of how we expend and regulate our energy. In the process of becoming aware, we create internal tools to moniter that energy.

So my question to you, then becomes: how do you spend your energy?

If you're not sure what I'm talking about, begin to notice how you after doing something around other people. Some people naturally "boost" us up. We feel great after talking to them. Others seem to do the opposite. We feeel drained, sluggish, or even, a little angry or depressed after hanging out with them. The same holds true for activities and hobbies. Begin to notice when you feel drained and when you feel filled and energized.

And then, begin to ask yourself before you go into that situation - is this feeding me? Or draining me?

The things that are draining you are most likely toxic to your energy level because they are toxic to your body and mind's way of functioning. That doesn't mean that you have to drop everything toxic and flee to some remote mountaintop to escape it all. But, it does mean that you ought to watch out for toxic activities. And when you are around toxic people or situations, make sure to replenish your energy in positive ways afterwards.

Just a thought,...

enjoy your day (!)

aria
xx