Dear Friends and Yoga Family,
I hope you are all doing very well.
Lots of changes in the air this month - feels like everything is speeding up, running off, and out of our control. You can gradually shift this feeling of disconnection from the world, by opening one of your primary energetic pathways - the shoulders. As the shoulders open, the body energy flows freer. The feeling of constriction fades.
Please also understand that on a somatic level, most stiffness in the shoulders is related to emotional stressors that are not originally ours, but rather, other people's problems and situations. Energetically, we carry other people's stuff: just like the phrase, "shouldering other people's responsibilities."
Reconnect with your energy with this simple technique:
Shoulder Stretch and See-Saw Breath
From a seated position: Align your shoulders over your hips. Knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Inhale. Lift your arms up, interlace your fingers. Exhale as you turn your palms out, towards the sky.
Begin See Saw Breath:
Inhale 1/2 - 2/3 of your maximum breath capacity. Hold the breath. Send the breath all the way into your shoulders and let your low belly suck in while you do this. Hold it in the shoulders for a count of 2. Still holding your breath, send the breath down into your belly. Let the belly stick out, like a Buddha belly. Hold it there for a count of 2.
Send it back to the shoulders, and then back to the belly. Switch off, back and forth, as many times as you want to before exhaling.
Inhale again, and repeat as many times as you like.
Enjoy!
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Yoga Workshops: I am so excited about this (!)
Check out my Saigon Yoga workshops: http://saigonyoga.com/workshops.html
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Yoga NEWS:
I am heading out to Southeast Asia soon. We leave the last day of February, and get back on April 10th. I will be teaching four Prana Vinyasa Flow workshops in Vietnam, and a one-day yoga trance dance class in Bangkok. We'll also be traveling through Cambodia, Bali, Australia, and Hawaii.
Next week, I begin assisting Shiva Rea during the morning sessions of her advanced teacher training. I am so excited about this amazing opportunity to work with one of the most highly respected yoga teachers in our community. (yey!)
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Yoga Class Changes:
I couldn't find a sub for my Thurs night Silverlake class, so am suspending Silverlake donation yoga until I come back from our trip. For those of you more central or westside: I will probably have a sub for my Wed night Pico/Fairfax area donation yoga class.
For more info, subscribe to my donation yoga list. Comes out once/week to confirm class:
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Cool Happenings Around Town:
There are far too many quality events this month to really give them all justice.
If you are a dancer, I just heard that Nitin Sawney is playing at the Jazz Bakery tomorrow night. U.N.K.L.E. is playing at Zanza Bar, as I type. Create:Fixate is tomorrow night at 1530 Ivar. Marques Wyatt's b-day is at Deep on Sunday night, with Miguel Migs and Mark Farina. And, the last Saturday of the month- Yoga Trance Dance at Exhale Center for Sacred Movement, in Venice. (!)
So much to do (!) See if you can approach your fun time with the same balance that you approach your yoga. Save your energy not by becoming a hermit, but by choosing activities that feed you.
Don't live in a box. Breathe d-e-e-p as much as you can.
And when you feel moved by a funky beat, don't hesitate. Dancing is pure goodness for the body and the mind.
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ONGOING PUBLIC CLASSES:
Mondays 9:00am - 10:30am Level 1 at Yoga House, Toluca Lake
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 (Donation class, by invite only. e-mail me for address and info)
Thursdays 4:00pm - 5:15pm Core Yoga at Silverlake Yoga
Saturdays 5:00pm - 6:30pm Integral Yoga (all levels flow) at Bodies in Motion, West L.A.
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:
Wed:
Donation classes are ongoing Wednesday evenings, in the Pico/Fairfax area, from 7:30m - 9:00pm. Because Wed. evenings are at a private home, please e-mail me if you are interested in attending.
