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
JUNE VIEWS 2012 – A Guide to Gurus
If talk of a guru seems a little serious, I would say “Au contraire, 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… Read More
MAY VIEWS 2012 – May We Honour Mother’s
The first few years of our life, we are completely dependant upon someone to care for us. Most often that primary caregiver is a woman. A clever Oprah quote reads, “Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother”. What I take from this today, is that mothering goes far beyond bearing a child and that bearing a child doesn’t necessarily make one a mother. Most biological moms have that innate and expansive ability to give unconditional love to a… Read More
APRIL VIEWS 2012 – Listen & Respond
The human body has positive and negative feedback mechanisms. When listened to with awareness, it gives us an opportunity to learn and grow. The response our body gives during an asana in yoga practice, gives an indication of what needs to be done next. If the feedback offered brings us happiness, then we can continue to enjoy the breath while maintaining the posture, or consider moving in more deeply. If we feel pain, we need to adjust the posture… Read More
MARCH VIEWS 2012 – 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
HEALTHY HEARTS
The heart is the center or middle point of the human chakra system AND at the studio this week we are mid-way to accomplishing the Journey of Our Hearts! For those who are not partaking in this program, might I share that this journey is varied and unique for all of us who are taking it. Just as there are an assorted number of ways to find balance in our lives, there are as many ways to nourish the heart…. Read More