Greetings from Arequipa, Peru! It has been two full months of residing here, and the family is feeling settled. The climate is warm and pleasant and the relaxed Peruvian culture is upon us. I love the music, food, language and people. It feels strangely natural to be here, even with the new pattern of things. Although time hasn’t slowed for me yet, there is promise of it sometime over the next couple of years. Focused on learning Spanish and spending… Read More
STUDIO FAREWELL CELEBRATION
Thank you everyone for the smiles, hugs and well wishes over the last month and especially yesterday at Our Studio Farewell Celebration. The morning and evening were shared by beautiful souls who could be in attendance, while feeling the presence of those who were there only in spirit. The slideshow from the evening will be posted on Facebook later this week, so please connect with us there by ‘liking us’ today. Plans are nearly confirmed for my family’s temporary hiatus to Peru late January, but we will be… Read More
SHAVASANA
Shavasana, sometimes seen and heard as savasana, is that important time needed for the body to rest and renew. After practice, it allows the energy to settle and absorb, instilling benefits from all the movement. This “corpse pose” is sometimes known as the death of the practice, but positively speaking, it’s a time to embrace stillness and the rebirth of a healthier self. Like shavasana, the transition time between this studio and the next, can be seen as a pause… Read More
SAMSARA
The term Samsara has a similar meaning within a few of the world religions. With the common theme depicting a “repetitive cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth” it seemed fitting to label our most recent sale, Samsara. Knowing there is a natural continuous flow of creation, evolution and destruction in life, it makes our situation at Body Harmony a little easier to accept. Most students are now aware that our present studio location will be closed as of December… Read More
CHANTING TO REMOVE OBSTACLES
With the onset of shorter days and cooler nights, here on the West Coast we feel that hint of change. Energetically, it’s wise to prepare the body and its system for the fall and winter ahead. Practices such as cleansing the diet, moving the body through Hatha and Yin yoga, and partaking in regular chanting sessions are all stellar for optimizing our energetic flow. For some, it seems quite obvious that diet and exercise will move blockages from our… Read More
SUMMER VIEWS 2012 – Collective Consciousness & The Power of Intention
Yoga business is an oxymoron. Like hot yoga, the two words beside one another seem to clash. Weaving a yogic and compassionate “support the community” attitude, with the logical and non-emotional “do what is best for the business” mentality, doesn’t always leave a yoga business person feeling at ease. Trusting that there can be a balance between the two, it has been nearly 10 years of managing a studio. A place where the owner, teachers and students have become friends, and a… Read More
A GUIDE TO GURUS
If talk of a guru seems a little serious, I would say “It’s a matter of perception.” A guru may be simply defined as “someone who removes your goo” or “a person who guides you to the light.” The Sanskrit term itself literally means heavy (implying a heaviness of knowledge), but metaphorically speaking, a guru helps to “find the heart of the artichoke” and “polish the diamond in the rough.” These folks guide us to be more heart and soul… Read More
SERENITY NOW
Since reading The Four Agreements Companion Book years ago, it continues to serve as a great reminder of the following: 1. Be Impeccable With Your Word 2. Don’t Take Anything Personally 3. Don’t Make Assumptions 4. Always Do Your Best A tough act to follow, but where there’s a will there’s a way! For now though, I would like to bring attention to the third agreement: with this bit of wisdom, we have the ability to transform many things. At a… Read More
GIFT OF LIGHT
Christmas has evolved into something different for me over the years, and I believe this to be common. It is ultimately a celebration, with a few days off and time to spend with family and friends. However, it is a holiday that isn’t always anticipated by all. To surpass any ‘inner Grinch’ this holiday season, connect with what’s most important. Move past negative energies and into self inquiry. Find a way to transform the energy within yourself and be with… Read More
AHIMSA
A well intended yogi friend said to me recently, “I can’t believe people don’t know what this means!” I had an inner smile because we were referring to a concept taught to most of us at a very young age. The concept was Ahimsa, a Sanskrit word which means ‘do no harm,’ and implies that non-violence is vital to a peaceful existence. It stems for Patanjali’s yoga sutras in the sacred Vedic texts, and is a term that reminds us… Read More