I am subbing for the 5:45-7pm Sunday, 11.29.09, Hot Flow All Levels Class at the Savannah Yoga Center. See you there for some HOT Yoga after the Holiday! Bring water and a towel!
Hey all! FYI:
I’ll be subbing tonight: 11.24.09….Tuesday….7:15pm-8:30pm HOT Flow Class at the Savannah Yoga Center. See ya there!
Cool Stuff to Complement Your Yoga… ON and OFF the Mat.
READING…
This is consistently my favorite magazine. 
The Week takes the news and articles from all over the world and condenses it into one magical magazine. Art, Music, News, Food and Wacky Info all at your finger tips. Perfect.
AUDIO…
Your Spanish Scarf …. Dan Blakeslee
Dan Blakeslee is a tremendous artist, a wonderful musician and darn it… just a really nice guy, who I came across while living in Portsmouth, NH. He is a fixture around the Seacoast of New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In fact, his concert posters are so coveted that as soon as he’s posted them, fans have snatched them up from telephone poles and framed them to put on their walls.
Art by Dan Blakeslee
You can listen to a sample of his song Your Spanish Scarf by clicking HERE. It’s a soft, warm song about traveling for a long time and all he wants to do is wake up in the arms of his wife. How dreamy. You can buy his art and his music on his website danblakeslee.com. I think we should convince him to come down to Savannah and play here!
Keren Ann is Israeli, Dutch and Javanese. She’s lived in France, NYC, the Netherlands, Israel and speaks fluently in all those languages. She’s got a uber cool vibe that is also laid back and unpretentious. Her albums are multi-lingual and can make you feel like you have your very own dreamy, slightly nostalgic, Euro-Movie soundtrack playing. You know… with subtitles, perfectly positioned angst juxtaposed with hope and everything!
Keren Ann
Granted, if you are in the mood to rock it out Iron Maiden style, Keren Ann wouldn’t fit the bill, but on those chilly rainy days when you want to cozy up and stare at the raindrops slipping down the window panes, a Keren Ann album is just the thing. … Lay Your Head Down, Ailleurs and Greatest You Can Find are a couple of my favorites of hers. Click on the song titles to listen/watch. And click HERE to listen to Keren Ann on NPR’s World Cafe.
LifeForce Yoga Nidra… Amy Weintraub
Yoga nidra is the practice of moving into a deep, deep, conscious sleep. It is beyond the usual awakened state, beyond dreaming, beyond guided imagery/meditation or relaxation. Those states of being are much-needed and should be practiced frequently. Yoga nidra however, is the state of being conscious while in what the body and brain would be monitored as deep sleep. Brain waves in deep sleep are Delta Brain waves and yogis in the state of yoga nidra who have been studied and monitored have been found to be fully conscious while in the delta wave zone.
Ok, so what does all this mean? It means connecting with the essence of who we are through this practice. The deeper essence that remains connected to the source of all things. The essence that remains pure- beyond changing moods, thoughts or actions.
NO! They didn't drink the Kool-Aid! It's a Yoga Nidra practice. Kind of like nap time in pre-school... with deep yogic consciousness added!
So, if that interests you, Amy Weintraub’s CD is a really nice practice to start with. The CD, LifeForce Yoga Nidra, has 3 tracks: a 41 minute practice, a 21 minute practice and an 8 minute (regular) sleep guide. I don’t usually use the 8 min. sleep guide, personally, but you may like it. Both the 41 min practice and the 21 min. practice are really wonderful. You do them separately. I do an asana (physical) yoga practice daily and a yoga nidra practice daily and just as my physical practice changes from day-to-day, my yoga nidra practice unfolds uniquely each day as well.
Know that yoga nidra isn’t like buying a ticket to a destination. So if you are expecting to pop in the CD and take a magic carpet ride, you’ll be disappointed. Yes, it may be pretty amazing and astounding at times, but remember it is a practice that is part of your journey to knowing yourself, to feeling connected again, and to deeper states of consciousness. Your experience will unfold for you as you are ready and as your expectations fall by the wayside. That being said, the first 20 times you might just end up falling asleep! hahaha. Don’t worry. If you do, it must mean you really needed it. Keep at your yoga nidra practice. You’ll find that each time you’ll be able to delve deeper inside while still remaining conscious.
You can listen to samples of LifeForce Yoga Nidra on CD Baby or Itunes. Click on highlighted links above for more info.
FYI: I’ll be subbing tonight 5:30pm (Thursday 11.19.09) for the Level 2-3 Class at the Savannah Yoga Center. This class is geared for those who have a strong and regular asana practice with understanding of general poses. This class is a more advanced asana practice and is not recommended for beginners. Ok… with all the disclaimers now said, hope to see all you yogis and yoginis there!
I know it might be a “school night” or past your bedtime, but in the wee hours of the morning Tuesday, November 17, 2009 the Leonid Meteor Shower will be visible.
Leonid meteors spotted the sky over Beijing in November 2001, AP
Between 1 am and dawn Tuesday morning, weather permitting, we will be able to see this celestial show. Click here for more details. Happy sky gazing!
2 hour Dynamic Flow Yoga Class
at Savannah Yoga Center w/ Kelley Boyd
November 27, 2009
Suggested Donation of $20
10am – 12pm
The proceeds from this 2 hour Dynamic Flow class at the Savannah Yoga Center will be split between the two organizations: Youth Yoga Initiative and Georgia Organics. Register online, over the phone or at the Savannah Yoga Center.
Small Works Exhibition
Nov 20th-Dec 24th
Gutstein Gallery (formerly Red Gallery)
201 E. Broughton St. (next to Jen Library)
912.525.4735
Gallery Hours: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sunday, 1-4 p.m.
Savannah Yoga Center’s very own Catherine Moore will be one of the artists showing at the Gutstein Gallery’s Small Works Exhibit. Catherine’s drawings in the show were inspired from her time working for the Cheyenne River Youth Project in Eagle Butte, South Dakota.
Reportage Drawing by Catherine Moore
The project provides activities, healthy food, educational resources and family services at The Main Youth Center and the Cokata Wiconi Teen Center on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation.
Please check out their website (click on link above) and consider a donation of your money or time to this important program. And check out Catherine’s work that the exhibition to support local artists and a fellow yogini!
Oh, stop being so lascivious! I’m talking about three artists of different mediums who will be exhibiting their art Saturday November 14th, 2009 from 6-9pm at Blank Space Gallery.
Lynn Ashworth’s MA jewelry exhibit entitled “Loss” will be headlining along with paintings by Tara Loughlin and photos by Imke Lass. Come by to enjoy and buy beautiful and powerful art from beautiful and powerful women and to support creativity in our community.
Fellow Yogi, Tom Cook will be part of the prestigious Telfair Art Fair: Sat. November 14th and Sun November 15th. Tom is a regular student at the Savannah Yoga Center and is a tremendous artist. The Fair itself is free and is held outside under tents and runs 10am to 5pm Saturday and 12-4pm Sunday. There is also the Telfair Arty Party held Friday November 13th. The Arty Party requires reservations and cost $75 for members and $100 non members.
So, spend some time listening to jazz, bring the kids to have a blast at the kids art station and maybe even pick up a one of a kind piece of art. Not only will you be supporting our community by being a part of the festivities, but you’ll also be supporting a fellow yogi!
I will be out of town for the next couple of days enjoying some time down at the Hostel in the Forest in Brunswick, GA.
Hostel in the Forest, Georgia © Arjun Mehta
A little respite from cell phones, laptops and such. I will not be teaching my Saturday 11 am class at the Savannah Yoga Center, but the class will be taught by the lovely Amanda Westerfield! I’ll be back to teach my Sunday night 7:15pm Level 2 class as usual.
If you haven’t been to the Hostel in the Forest yet, check it out soon. It really is a gem of a place. Time to be still, to be in nature, to just BE, is sorely needed in our hectic daily lives. Places like the Hostel in the Forest help you remember who you are beyond the things you do or have.
LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD and RECYCLE AT THE SAME TIME!
Got old electronic equipment that you don’t know what to do with? How about boxes of old paperwork or financials that you don’t want to dump in the trash, but want to get rid of? Well, Chatham County and WSAV are sponsoring the Document Shredding and Electronics Recycling Event to be held Nov. 7, 2009 from 10am-2pm at 1320 Eisenhower (the Resource and Conservation Center.)
This is a great way to recycle electronics safely and to get rid of all those old papers that clutter your home without worrying about private information landing in someone else’s hands. So clean out the old closets and lighten your load! See the flyer below for full details. And THANK YOU again to Jackie Teel for passing this information on! We are lucky to have folks like her working in our interests here in Savannah!
Cool Stuff to Complement Your Yoga…
On and Off the Mat!
MUSIC:
There Are Too Many Birds by Arthur & Yu
Arthur & Yu
Soft and slightly groovy. The kind of song for sitting kind of days where you just want some music that brings on a tiny little foot tap or head bob every now and then. Sometimes a little tap of the toe and a nod of the head is all you really need to do anyway. Trust me.
Feeling Good by Nina Simone (Joe Clausell Remix)
Nina Simone
When you go to an amazing restaurant, where the service is outstanding, the ambiance is impeccable and the food is simply sumptuous, you can’t TALK about it. Words are meaningless… you just have to savor it. That’s what Nina Simone does for music and this Joe Claussell remix holds you in that delicious space.
BOOKS
Hope for the Flowers by Trina Paulus
THANK YOU to Dawn Tanis for reading me this book during one of our breaks while teaching yoga in the Savannah Schools. I often ask people to read me stories, but that request doesn’t always get fulfilled. (There is nothing weird about reading a story aloud to another literate adult, in my book!) So when I asked Dawn Tanis to read me a story, she happily complied and what a doozy it was!
The story of Stripe and Yellow, two caterpillars making their way through life. Oh, don’t poo-poo this because you think ‘yer all growed up’ and don’t need to hear stories like this. Find a copy of this book and read it. Then read it to a child. Then read it to an adult. And see what happens.
Just a little reminder that this Friday Oct. 23rd 6-8pm I will be hosting the Vegetarian Potluck at the Savannah Yoga Center along with fellow teacher Betsy Powers. After vacillating back and forth about what I might bring I’ve finally decided and made it official… I will be kickin’ it Lao Style for the Potluck! Oooooooo snap!
Rice Paper Rolls with Peanut Sauce
If you’re not familiar, Lao food is somewhat similar to Thai, with some Vietnamese similarities as well. (Mom, don’t worry I’ll make you proud.) For those inquisitive types, you can watch this clip of King of the Hill for a nice little explanation of where Laos is (hahahaha.)
So bring a veggie dish or non-alcoholic beverage to share and join us for some good company and good tunes. At 7pm I’ll be showing a short video that you won’t want to miss!
Savannah Yoga Center 1321 Bull St. Savannah, GA 31401
3 Blocks South of Forsyth Park…… Entrance on Anderson St.
Saturday, October 17, 2009, Savannah, GA residents can come together to help clean up Hayner’s Creek as part of the Rivers Alive Project. Rivers Alive Project is Georgia’s annual volunteer waterway cleanup event that targets all waterways in the State including streams, rivers, lakes, beaches, and wetlands. The mission of Rivers Alive is to create awareness of and involvement in the preservation of Georgia’s water resources.
Photo Courtesy of River's Alive Georgia
This is a great way to give back to the community. Clean water is a precious resource that we all need. Cool drinks of clean water when we are parched, hot clean water for showers and clean water for our pets and plants are all needed to keep us healthy (and not so stinky to boot!)
Clean up starts at 8am, Sat. October 17, 2009. Kayaks, clean-up materials and lunch will be provided for all participants thanks to the City of Savannah Water Resources Department.
For full details click HERE.
Thank you to Jackie Teel, a Savannah Yoga Center regular, for spreading the word about this great project!
YOGI RAVES
Stuff to complement your yoga ON and Off the mat…
The Duderinok’s Channel on Youtube
Coast to Coast AM is actually the source of these interesting interviews and I encourage you to check out the site. You can also listen to most if not all the interviews right on Youtube as well. Below are three episodes to get you started, however there are a plethora of other interviews by fascinating people with fascinating info.
The shows on Coast to Coast AM range from subjects like Astral Travel, 2012, Sacred Geometry and plenty more. There are interviews on this show that might seem trippy and perhaps ‘way-out-there’ for many. But I say, keeping listening! Perhaps not all of it will resonate with you, but take a listen anyway… and see what shows up in and around you in the weeks to follow.
Laurie Nadel is one of the interviews. With dual careers in both psychology and journalism, Nadel has been researching psychic phenomena since the 1970’s. This is one of her interviews with Coast to Coast AM posted on Youtube.
Drunvalo Melchizedek
Drunvalo Melchizedek initially started out in Physics and Mathematics. Drunvalo is a world traveler and has given workshops, seminars and lectures on sacred geometry, human energy fields, spirituality, meditation and living in the heart in 45 countries. Here is his interview as posted on Youtube.
Lynne McTaggart, author of The Field and The Intention Experiment has been researching quantum physics, medicine and human consciousness for the past 20 years. Here is her interview as posted on Youtube.
Join Dawn Tanis, December 5th, 2009 from 2-4pm for her Winter Seasonal Flow Workshop at the Savannah Yoga Center.
Dawn Tanis
This workshop will focus on both the yin and yang practice of asanas, pranayama & meditation, exploring what it means to be at home within yourself during the winter months.
Dawn Tanis teaches yoga at the Savannah Yoga Center, with Youth Yoga Initiative, Inc., through the JEA of Savannah and does private instruction. She is a 200-hr RYT and is participating in Asheville Yoga Center’s 500-hr TT program.
Cost is $25 for early registration and $30 day of.
You can sign up online by visiting the Savannah Yoga Center website or drop by the center and sign up in person!
My sponsorship with Showtime for The Fill the Cup Campaign through the World Food Progamme has expired. (They only do the sponsorship for a period of time.) My new sponsor is Silk. Each time you click the ad to the left, they will donate money to help feed children who are in need.
A dreamy little Laotian boy helped through the World Food Programme
So click on the Socialvibe ad located to the left on my blog and follow the ad’s directions. You don’t have to sign up for anything or give out your info. Just answer a question and know that you have helped feed a hungry child. So far, you and other readers of my blog have accrued 16 weeks worth of nutrients/food for children in need through both my old sponsor Showtime and my new sponsor Silk. Thank you!
Fellow Savannah Yoga Center Teacher, Lauren Lapointe will be rocking out Thursday, Oct. 22nd at the Sentient Bean with the Spares (duo from Chicago). Rachel Zylstra (from NYC) opens the show.
The lovely and talented Lauren Lapointe
Be there to enjoy and support the music scene here in Savannah and to support a fellow yogi! The Sentient Bean is located on the South end of Forsyth Park on Park Street, just a few blocks from the Savannah Yoga Center.
Sentient Bean
Thurs. Oct. 22nd, 2009
8pm
$5-10 suggested donation
I will be hosting this month’s Vegetarian Potluck at the Savannah Yoga Center along with fellow teacher Betsy Powers. You don’t have to be a vegetarian to attend… you can always grab a burger later if you really need to. Hee Hee.
Just bring a vegetarian dish to share and enjoy the company of some really lovely people! I’ll be showing a short video at 7pm that you won’t want to miss!
Potluck is at 6-8pm Friday, October 23, 2009. Friends and family are welcome!
Savannah Folkfest in City Market
Friday, Oct 9th, 2009
The “Folkfest in City Market” kicks off the Savannah Folk Music Society’s annual 3-day festival on Friday, October 9th, 7-11pm. It features a variety of Savannah’s top folk performers in a number of music styles and genres. And it’s FREE!!
Fellow yogini, Colleen Settle (a regular at Savannah Yoga Center) will be playing there with her band, the Savannah Ceili Band. They will be going on around 9pm in front of Wild Wing Cafe.
My fellow yoga teacher Lauren Lapointe, who is also a fabulous musician, will be a judge for the Youth Song Writing Competition being held on Saturday. Lot’s of yogis involved in wonderful music here in Savannah!
The Folkfest will continue throughout the weekend with various concerts and events throughout town. For more details visit SavannahFolk.org
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