2010 Teaching and Retreat Schedule (English version below)

Paris (Winter)
Originally uploaded by Kevissimo

Le compte à rebours jusqu’au solstice d'hiver a commencé et les vacances approchent! Apprenez à apprécier ces journées courtes, ces longues nuits, et laissez-vous aller aux rythmes naturels de cette saison. Profitez des vacances pour vous renforcer, sans vous épuiser. Et que les festivités commencent!

Mon rythme personnel est naturellement en harmonie avec celui de la campagne. La vie à la campagne au rythme des saisons est la mienne, ce sont mes racines et j’y retourne cette année.
Après Boston, Philly, New York City, San Francisco, Oakland, et Paris, le yogi urbain que je suis retourne à ses racines. A partir du 1er février, ma petite famille et moi retournerons dans notre merveilleuse petite ville en Normandie.

Cependant, je reviendrai chaque semaine à Paris pour maintenir un programme de cours allégé, dont voici les détails:

Mon planning 2010 de cours au Centre de Yoga du Marais ne changera pas jusqu'en juin. Je continuerai à enseigner les classes vendredi soir (20h15 - 21h45) et samedi après-midi (12h30 - 14h00). Je proposerai également 2 ou 3 ateliers thématiques entre janvier et juin. Ils auront lieu le samedi ou dimanche. Les ateliers durent habituellement trois heures et explorent des thèmes appropriés, vous permettant d'aller un peu plus loin dans divers aspects de votre pratique.

Ma dernière classe pour 2009 au centre de Yoga du Marais sera le cours de solstice le mardi 22 décembre à partir de 19:30 - 21:30. Je reprendrai ensuite les cours le samedi 2 janvier.

*Important : à partir de février, dans la mesure du possible, je concentrerai mon programme de cours à Paris du mercredi au samedi. Ainsi, si vous avez actuellement des sessions privées avec moi le dimanche, lundi, ou mardi, nous verrons ensemble la possibilité de décaler ou ajouter une session entre le mercredi et le samedi.

Going Back to the Source Mini Retreat – février / Retour aux sources – mini retraite février
Le cœur de l’hiver est un moment parfait pour approfondir votre pratique et sa signification. Faites une pause, loin de la ville et offrez-vous 8 heures de yoga, des repas sains et nourrissants composés de produits de la ferme, et promenez-vous au calme de la campagne normande. Un minimum de 8 étudiants est nécessaire pour que ce week-end ait lieu. Contactez-moi si vous êtes intéressés et souhaitez plus de détails.


Going Back to the Source Week-Long Retreat - juin / Retour aux sources – longue retraite juin
Retour aux sources, le temps d’une semaine :: la retraite « Yoga, terroir et solstice en Normandie » aura lieu du 13 au 20 juin 2010.. L’inscription pour cette retraite aura lieu mi-janvier.. Passez une semaine à nourrir votre corps et votre esprit,, retournez à la source de tout ce qui vous enrichit et vous soutient. Immergez-vous dans les asanas, le pranayama, la méditation, et la philosophie de yoga. (et, profitez-en pour rencontrer de chaleureux yogis venus tout droit de Californie !.) Cette retraite sera une expérience étonnante ! Pour les tarifs et plus de détails, envoyez-moi un email.

Class Cards / Les cartes de cours

Vous pouvez achetez dès maintenant votre carte de cours. Je propose les formules suivantes :

- Carte avec classes illimitées pendant six mois (de maintenant à juin) = 250 euros

- Carte de 12 cours = 132 euros (si achetée maintenant, expire le 1er mars - si achetée le 2 janvier, expire le 15 mars)

- Carte de 9 cours = 108 euros (si achetée maintenant, expire le 15 février - si achetée le 2 janvier, expire le 1er mars)

- Carte de 6 cours = 78 euros (si achetée maintenant, expire le 1er février - si achetée le 2 janvier acheté, expire le 15 février)

- Cours à l’unité = 15 euros

- Cours particuliers = 100 euros/heure pour une session unique. Si vous vous engagez sur plusieurs sessions, le tarif est dégressif.

- Cours ou retraites en entreprise = contactez-moi pour une offre sur-mesure, adaptée aux besoins de l’entreprise, aux nombres de participants, lieu, etc.

Bons cadeaux
Vous cherchez une idée de cadeau pour votre famille ou vos amis? Pourquoi ne pas offrir un moment de détente et de bien-être? Je propose des bons cadeaux pour toutes mes activités : cours collectifs, cours particuliers (ou en petit groupe sur-mesure), ateliers, retraites..
Vous pouvez également vous faire offrir ces bons : parlez-en à votre maman/papa/époux/épouse/frère/sœur/amoureux/copain/patron … Ce sera le cadeau le plus durable et bénéfique que l’on vous aura offert!

J'aime cette période de l’année: toutes les bougies et lumières nous rappellent cette étincelle divine qui vit en nous. Tout simplement. Et c’est ça, le yoga.


English:
The countdown to the winter solstice is on and the holidays are here! Embrace these short days, long nights, and let yourself surrender to the natural rhythms of the season.
Allow the holidays to feed, not deplete you and let the festivities begin!

My natural rhythms are in synch with the countryside. Pastoral, seasonal living is where I came from and where we'll be returning. After Boston, Philly, New York City, San Francisco, Oakland, and Paris, this urban yogi is returning to the source. As of February 1, my little family and I will be moving back to our wonderful la petite community in Normandy.

*However, I will be commuting into the city weekly to maintain an abbreviated Paris teaching schedule.

2010 Teaching Schedule
My 2010 public teaching schedule (until June) at Yoga Marais will not change. I will continue teaching back-to-back classes on Friday night (20:15 - 21:45 p.m.) and Saturday afternoon (12:30 - 14:00). I will also be offering 2-3 thematic workshops between January and June. They will be either on Saturdays or Sundays. (YTD) Workshops are usually three hours in length and explore relevant themes, allowing you to go a bit deeper into various aspects of your practice.

My last class for 2009 at Yoga Marais will be the Solstice Flow on Tuesday, 22 December from 19:30 - 21:30. I will resume teaching on Saturday, 2 January.

*Important note: To the extent possible, I will be consolidating my Paris teaching schedule to Wednesday - Saturday beginning in February, so if you currently have private sessions with me on Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday, I will be discussing with you the option of shifting or adding a session between Wednesday and Saturday.

Going Back to the Source Mini Retreat - February
I will be offering a three-day Going Back to the Source: Yoga and Terroir Mini Retreat in Normandy in February. Deep in the belly of winter is a perfect time to explore your practice in a more profound, meaningful way. Take a break from the city and treat yourself to eight hours of yoga, nourishing farm-to-fork meals, and the solitude of the Norman countryside. I'll need a minimum of eight students to pull it off. If you're interested and would like more information, let me know.

Going Back to the Source Week-Long Retreat - June
The annual week-long Going Back to the Source: Yoga and Terroir Solstice Retreat in Normandy will be 13 June - 20 June, 2010. I will be collecting registration forms for that retreat in mid-January. Spend a week feeding your body, mind, and spirit; getting back to the source of all that nourishes and sustains you. Immerse yourself in the asanas, pranayama, meditation, and yoga philosophy. (And, meet some fun, dedicated yogis from California.) It's an amazing experience! For pricing information and more details, send me an email.

Class Cards
All class cards are available for purchase now. I have:

- Six-month unlimited classes (now thru June)
- 12 class card
- 9 class card
- 6 class card

Contact me to discuss private or semi-private sessions individual sessions, corporate privates and retreats.

Gift Certificates
If you're considering holiday gifts for your friends and family, how about the gift of health and wellness? How about a yoga gift certificate?
I offer gift certificates for multiple public classes, private or semi-private sessions, and my workshops and retreats. Likewise, if you're interested in a retreat for yourself but concerned about the cost, ask your Mom/Dad/Husband/Wife/Bro/Sis/Lover/Pal/Boss to give you the gift of a retreat registration! It will be the most lasting gift you've either given or received.

I love this time of year; all the candles and lights acting as reminders of that divine spark that lives in all of us.
And that is it. That is yoga.

Energy Anatomy Light Show in Paris

Eiffel Tower
Originally uploaded by *Checco*

The Eiffel Tower. Le Tour Eiffel.

While it's not Paris's oldest or prettiest landmarks, it certainly is the most imposing. No matter how many times you visit France, when you fly into Charles de Gaulle and catch your first glimpse of the Tower from the air, it takes your breath away and puts a smile on your face. An architectural marvel for its strength and resilience, the Tower is an international icon for all things French and the most visited historical monument in the world. Residents of Paris won't get within a kilometer of the base, given the year-round horde of tourists, but from afar it remains a source of great pride and indeed, identity.

Twice a week, I have the privilege of teaching yoga within a stone's throw of the Tower. The timing couldn't be better. The class is held during the nightly light show, which is a display of brilliant lights in various patterns running up and down, from the base to the crown...

You see where I'm going here. The other night, as I was teaching about the nadis, the energy channels that run on either side and through the spine, in my periphery I could see the light show in the Tower illustrating the Sushumna, Ida, and Pingala nadis - as if on cue! The Sushumna light went to the top, while the other two wound around the middle and stopped before the top and big, evenly spaced spotlights ran up the center came on and shone bright and...Chakras in the Eiffel Tower?!

As I paused, allowing this unbelievable site to wash over me, feeling chills on my spine, the lights changed to another pattern entirely; more like blinking Christmas tree decorations and less like energy channels.

And there it went. In the time that it took to take one long inhale and one extended exhale, the Eiffel Tower decided to by my PowerPoint, my teaching tool, and I felt like the luckiest yoga teacher in the world!

The Spine of Paris.

Going Back to the Source: Yoga and Terroir Normandy #2

The next GBS: Yoga and Terroir/Normandy retreat will be June 13 - June 20.

(We will incorporate a solstice celebration even though we're missing the solstice by a day. Come and experience what it's like to have 16 hrs of daylight!)

The retreat will be one extra day this year and will include farm-to-fork cooking classes with a track for carnivores and a track for vegetarians.

Thanks to Chetana Deorah, we have pretty postcards available at Satori Yoga Studio in San Francisco and Yoga Marais in Paris:





Registration begins January 2. I need to know nice and early this year if you're interested. We have 12 slots for yoga students, not counting significant others.
Send me an email for more info: amanda at dogayoga.net.

It's going to be so good. You don't want to miss it ;-)

iTunes

Ok, until I get a more elegant solution, I'll just put the playlists in the body of a post, which will link to iTunes.

Enjoy!

Yoga Playlists (and why everyone needs more accordion in your life)

At long last, I've created an iMix on iTunes of the playlist I used for the SF workshop. My apologies for taking so long. Several of you have asked me for it. The original application I was using to share playlists is no longer working for me, so this is a temporary solution.

You can get to the playlist by searching in iTunes for:
GBS SF Yoga and Terroir.

I intend to share my class playlists more regularly here, in the blog, as soon as I find a reliable application. Any suggestions?

Accordions will begin to factor even more prominently, I'm guessing, along with some dead French crooners.

bench monday, with my accordion.
Originally uploaded by tara.mama.wendy.

What are you all listening to at the moment? Always looking for new musical inspiration.

I'm also curious how other yogis feel about the music-in-yoga-class-good/bad/middle ground debate? Does music help you tune-in or turn-off? Is it a conscious complement to your practice or another distraction? Does the genre of music make a difference?

Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent
Victor Hugo

Going Back to the Source SF Urban Terroir

The San Francisco workshop was wonderful. A beautiful combination of friends, family, amazing food, morning yoga on the beach, and three lovely days with some of the Bay Area's most committed yogis (and a few cute babies)!

Chetana Deorah's* Flickr photo stream captured the Dance of Shiva and the seasonal picnic, created by the Bay Area's own Chef Wong who nourished us with all ilk of fungi, fermention and other deliciousness. (Menu below)

Matt from forageSF led us through the urban forest, pointing out wild edibles (ie, the "forgotten" food system), teaching us how to survive when oil is $100k/barrel - and - how to impress your foodie friends with cool stuff like acorn flour bread in the meantime. (By they way, check out forageSF's CSF and Wild Kitchen Dinners.)

The full harvest moon graced us with its presence during the picnic in Dolores Park. In American folklore, the first full moon in October is called the Hunter's Moon and is associated with feasting and abundance. Fitting symbolism for a beautiful day/weekend! (Photo credit - Rebekah Smith)


Seasonal Picnic Menu

beginning-
raita w/ zata’ar crisps
fava bean puree w/ dandelion greens
summer terrine
chicken and lemon terrine

antipasti-
pepperonata crostini w/ ricotta
picked red onion & spicy peppers
chicken liver and fennel crostini

soup-
chilled bell pepper w/ sumac, basil and lemon yogurt

salads-
raw zucchini w/ green olives, mint & pecorino
heirloom tomato w/ burrata, crouton & basil
bosc pear w/ fennel, walnut, parmigiano reggiano & balsamic

grains-
cold spicy sesame noodles w/ crisp vegetables
pesto pasta salad
lentils w/ fennel and wild nettles
quinoa with chanterelles and heart of palm

flesh-
tuna conserva w/ cucumber, capers & bread salad
salt-cured sardines
roast chicken salad w/ peppers, pine nuts, olives & bitter greens
bulgogee (marinated Korean beef)
grilled skirt steak and arugula salad w/ roquefort and catalina dressing

end-
apple citrus custard tart



*Check out Chetana's other photo collections as well. She's a great photographer!

Solstice Celebration w/Live Percussion

Michelle of Yoga Marais, and I will be hosting a Solstice Celebration of slow flow yoga, candlelight, and live music provided by none other than my better half, Greg Beuthin.

The class will be held Tuesday, 22 December.

More details to come!

*************************

Michelle, de yoga Marais, et moi accueillerons une célébration de solstice de yoga, de lueur de chandelle, et de musique en direct lents d'écoulement fournie par aucun autres que Greg Beuthin. La classe sera tenue le mardi 22 décembre. Plus de détails à venir !

Paris Candlelight Flow

Ritualistic candlelight is used and has been used in every tradition, every religion and every practice since the dawn of time.

The act of lighting candles is used to augment the experience of prayer, purification, romance, passion, and to memorialize those who have gone before us. In other words, in those vulnerable, heart-driven times in our lives - we love candles.

Most people would agree that candles and the gentle illumination of candlelight, soften the space making it more conducive to quiet reflection, focus, and meditation.
We light candles for special meals that we want to be appreciated and savoured by our loved ones.

In yogic tradition, candles lit in the practice space do all of the above as well as help a yogi embrace Pratyahara, the fifth limb of the Eight Limbs of Yoga; the withdrawal of the senses or sensory inputs. By being able to block out external stimulus of the senses, a yogi is better able to focus on the breath, thereby deepening his/her practice.

Yogis also view the candles as a representation of the inner flame; the divine light that exists in all beings.

My beloved Qi Gong instructor, Larry Wong, also taught me that lighting a candle in your practice space will help burn away fears and deepen any intention you set for your practice.

Join me on Friday nights from now until the Winter Solstice, at Yoga Marais,
20:15 - 21:45, for Candlelight Flow.

Dia de los Muertos

Today is Day of the Dead. It's a predominantly Mexican holiday, with origins that date back to the Aztecs and pre-Christianity. Having lived in rural Mexico (where I adopted the Aztec Warrior Princess) through a harvest season, and then having spent 9 years in CA, this holiday has held special meaning for me for a long time. The Latino community is very small in Paris, so November 2 passes with nary a drum beat or sugar skull to be found. Suffice it to say, I'm homesick.

It is essentially the celebration of death; and of the dead. It is held in deep autumn, when the harvest is complete and the natural world is taking its last breath before going into a nice long svasana.

It is the time when living relatives celebrate those who have left the material world in body, but whose souls are very much alive. Beautifully ornate altars are built as offerings, showcasing the deceased favorite things in hopes that the gap between the material and spirit worlds becomes smaller for that night. Through this reverence and ritural, eg, performances, music (Drums! Lots and lots of loud drums!), dance, poetry, and many, many candles, they hope the two worlds can directly communicate on behalf of the fundamental things most of us pray for: prosperity, health, peace, and love. They believe these souls are our spirit guides.

The sugar skulls and dancing skeletons give an almost cartoon-like representation of the physical body, which is believed to be nothing but a temporary form we inhabit for a short while before moving on, supporting the yogic notion that we are not our bodies.

Day of the Dead is also a celebration of rebirth; of the innately regenerative qualities of the natural world. Plants are dying, but they're also going to seed. The leaves are falling from the trees so that new buds can form in the spring. Celebrants of Day of the Dead believe that a full and beautiful life cannot exist without a willingness to accept the inevitability - and indeed beauty - of death.

And what is death really, other than matter and energy just changing form?

After a 90 minute yoga class, if we've practiced with a clear intention and conscious attention to the breath, our energy shifts. Stagnant energy awakens and begins to move. Cells die and others cells are produced. We sweat and cry, detoxifying our organs and our emotions. New oxygenated blood flushes our system as we rise out of poses. Our minds become clearer, quieter, more focused on the moment; the breath. We make space where there was constriction and softness where there was rigidity. We begin to let go calmly where we were holding on tightly.

And then...we go into Corpse Pose. We die with grace.

When we rise out of svasana, we are rarely the same being we were when we went into it. Old layers have died away, allowing us to live a more spacious, peaceful life.

Build an altar or just light a candle today, celebrating those who have left their bodies before you. Maybe even utter an intention of or request for guidance.
And in your next yoga class, let yourself die a little. You'll be glad you did.

(*The photo is Greg's bucket drumming brigade that performed for Day of the Dead SF 07)

The Time Has Come...

A bientot Paris. Craving the Pacific, a Bay Area fall, and yoga SF-style...



Public and private classes resume Thursday, 8 October.

Going Back to the Source: Yoga and Terroir Workshop - San Francisco

(Indeed, I left my heart in San Francisco ;-)

Going Back the Source: Yoga and Terroir
Urban Flow/Forage/Food




Friday, October 2 – Sunday, October 4
Satori Yoga Studio
Amanda Dates/dogayoga
www.dogayoga.net
www.dogayoga.blogspot.com

Join Amanda Dates for a three-day Going Back to the Source™: Yoga and Terroir workshop. This autumn workshop will consist of eight hours of seasonal flow, focusing on the poses and pranayama designed to balance the nervous system and invigorate the immune system, preparing you for colder days and the “airiness” of autumn. We will corral the untethered and “flighty” energy by moving through a sequence designed to make us feel more grounded and rooted.

We’ll supplement the indoor asana practice with a two-hour urban edible plant walk and forage, lead by forageSF (www.foragesf.com). forageSF was recently voted San Francisco Magazine’s Best of the Bay for their development of the CSF – Community Supported Forage. Members receive weekly deliveries of goodies from the wilds of San Francisco such as: sea bean pickles, wild nettles, chanterelles mushrooms, acorn flour, etc. (The plant walk and forage will occur even in the event of inclimate weather.)

To wrap up our weekend, Chef Wong will have scoured the farmer’s market fare and created a seasonal picnic spread, (attempting to use some of our finds from the previous days’ forage) showcasing the greater Bay Area’s finest farmers, ranchers, vintners, and brewers.

The maximum number of students for the workshop is 20 and the minimun is 15.
The registration deadline is September 17.

Schedule
Friday:
Yoga Class - 6:45 pm – 9:45 pm

Saturday:
Yoga Class – 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Urban Edible Plant Hike and Forage – 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Sunday:
Yoga Class – 12:30 – 3:30
Picnic – 3:00 pm - ?

If interested, contact me via email (amanda@dogayoga.net) for the breakdown of costs or contact Andrea at Satori Yoga Studio.

Ganesha Festival Paris

One of the biggest outside of India and Sri Lanka and largely organized by the Sri Lankan Tamil community, the Paris Ganesha Chaturthi Festival is tremendous. It's celebrated as the birthday of Ganesh and the day people pay homage - mostly in the form of coconuts - to this diety who is the remover of obstacles on our path.

There were Tamil drummers and dancers; cacophonous chants; toe-crushing crowds (no shoes in the Temple); Brahmin in chariots; vibrant colors, endless images of Ganesh, fire, incense, jasmine, and...an heroic number of coconuts.




The Brahmin breaks the coconut and gives it back to you filled with flowers, sandalwood paste, and camphor. Apparently, "the shell symbolises the illusion of the world; the flesh symbolises individual Karma; and the coconut milk symbolises the human ego. By breaking the coconut, you offer your heart to Ganesh."

Om gam ganapataye namaha!

Rentree....

Welcome Back, Parisian Yogis!

The sun is shifting, the shadows are longer, and the days are shorter. That can only mean one thing...



The fall schedule at Centre du Yoga Marais starts next week,
1 September.

My September - December public class schedule will be:

Friday - Hatha Flow I/II 20:00 pm - 21:30 pm
Saturday - Hatha Flow I/II 12:30 - 14:00 pm

In addition, I am taking on Michelle's schedule from 2 Sept - 9 Sept, so that she can attend a retreat in Greece. This means I'll be teaching multiple classes on Wed, Thurs, Fri, and Sat - and Tues and Wed of the following week. You can use either of our class cards during this period.

I will also be teaching individual privates, group privates, and workshops at the Centre this year.

Let the spaciousness of vacance transition you smoothly into the beauty of autumn!
*****************
Bienvenue en arrière, Yogis parisiens!

Le soleil décale, les ombres sont plus longues, et les jours sont plus courts. Cela peut seulement signifier une chose…

Le programme d'automne a Centre du Yoga Marais commence la semaine prochaine, 1er septembre.

Mon programme public de classe de septembre - décembre sera:
vendredi 20:00 - 21:30 Hatha Flow I/II
samedi - 12:30 - 14:00 Hatha Flow I/II

Aussi, j'enseigne les classes de Michelle du 2 septembre - 9 septembre, tandis elle est présente à une retraite en Grèce. Ceci signifie que j'enseigne les classes multiples Wed, Thurs, Fri, et Sat - et Tues et Wed de la semaine suivante. Vous pouvez employer l'une ou l'autre de nos cartes de classe au cours de cette période.

J'enseignerai également les cours particuler et ateliers au centre cette année.

October 2 -4 Satori Yoga Studio SF

Returning to the Bay Area's greatest yoga studio, Satori, for a three-day Going Back to the Source: Yoga and Terroir workshop. Seasonal flow, forage (lead by ForageSF), and food. The three days will culminate in a yummy fall picnic with CA wine pairings, prepared by the formidable Chef Wong.

The first weekend in October is typically SF's most beautiful of the whole year.
I can't wait to share this with you!

More details to come....

La Belle Lumiere

Like a good jazz musician, whose more interesting story lies in the notes that aren't played, rather than the ones that are, a good photographers' true skill lies in being able to see what's beyond the obvious images in the frame. Combine a deep and committed yoga practice with a passion for story-telling with the lens and the result is raw and honest beauty. Her name is Rebekah Smith and this is a taste of her work:



For more of Rebekah's Going Back to the Source: Yoga and Terroir and Paris series, visit her Flickr page: La Belle Lumiere

Going Back to the Source

Behold my very first French tomato and basil crop!


Very small, but oh, so delicious and definitely worth the wait. Every time I eat a tomato from our little Paris green space, I feel like the story of our new home continues to unfold with every bite.

En Vacance 8/9/09 - 8/14/09

To all Yoga Marais students, I will be on a very brief respite from Sunday, August 9 - Friday, August 14.



The formidable Terence Carnavaggio will be covering my Wednesday, August 12 Level I/II Flow (My class cards are valid for Terence's classes as well).

All private sessions have been rescheduled and will resume the week of August 17.

I will have very limited to no internet or phone access during that time.

Believe it or not, summer is winding down. Soak up as much vitamin D as possible to keep your spirit intact through the winter ;-)

In Service

"Love is the difficult realization that something other than oneself is real." Iris Murdoch


Whenever we step on the mat, we have the choice to move through the practice with force and aggression or breath and intention. The former will give us a temporary workout. The latter will give the world an everlasting capacity for greater love.

Urban Blah Meets Yoga and Terroir

I'd like to introduce a new creative duo, working to lighten the world up and make it a funnier place. They call themselves Urban Blah. Urban Blah is made up of Dan Tobin - writer, baseball blogger, and the funniest guy alive, and - Lovisa Loiselle - graphic artist, illustrator, and all-around sweet spirited Canadian.

They call Urban Blah, the "webcomic for the painfully self-aware." I just call it awesome.

DogaYoga had the privilege of showcasing the UB wares at the last Going Back to the Source: Yoga and Terroir Retreat in Normandy, France. The one panel comic played a very important role: it guided people to their rooms in the aforementioned 400 year-old-former-wheat-grinding mill-turned-gite, which I may add, is also haunted.

Visit Urban Blah on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday every week for a new reminder for why we should all lighten up, have more silly moments in life, and wear mosquito repellent when doing Trikonasana in the French countryside in the springtime.

Returning to the Bay!

I am giddy to announce that I will be returning to San Francisco and Satori to teach a workshop the first weekend in October! More details coming soon...

Looking forward to coming home.

Les Stereotypes

Stereotypes. We all utter and reinforce them.
We can't help it. It's part of the human condition.
I don't think there's a place on earth with more ingrained stereotypes on its behalf than France. And, as Greg and I have been known to say when responding to a broad general statement about the Land of the Gauls, "If by France, you mean Paris, then you're probably right." But even that logic gets challenged on a daily basis.

For example, before I left the US to teach yoga in France, I had several people offer up a few broad statements about what they had heard the yoga culture was like in France/Paris. I'd like to address and perhaps even debunk a few of these :

1) "Most Parisians can't finish a yoga class without taking a smoke break."

Well, this is kind of like saying most French people eat a plate of fois gras and drink a bottle of wine everyday. It's just absolutely not true. Never once in the months I've been practicing in or teaching public or private classes, has anyone ever left class in the middle to take a smoke break. (After class perhaps, but not during.) I'm not saying it's inconceivable or will never happen, but it's far from the norm.

In fact, since the state mandated smoking ban went into effect, there are fewer people smoking at all.

2) "French people don't like being touched, so you won't be able to do many physical adjustments or massages during a class."

In my experience - FALSE!
While it's true that I have to back off of my tendency toward greeting people with big California bear hugs rather than the barely-touching-two-cheek-air-kiss, which is indeed the norm here, Parisian yogis appreciate a skilled, gentle, respectful touch just as much as anyone else. Anyone in a yoga pose wants to struggle less, not more, and find the maximum benefits of the pose. This is achieved with steady breath and proper alignment and sometimes just a slight physical adjustment will help. I always let students know ahead of time that my teaching incorporates hands on adjustments and massages and if they're not comfortable with that, they can let me know. I haven't yet received an energetic or verbal, "Ne touche pas, s'il vous plait."

Sacrum and svasana massages are crowd pleasers for sure, just as they are the world over.

Of course, conversely the French have many stereotypes about the American yoga community.
So, just as American yogis don't necessarily appreciate all being lumped in the category of "hippie", the French also get a little tired of the ridiculous cliches.

With open minds and open hearts, let's allow each other to grow and evolve.

Guru Purnima Blessings

As Chetana reminded me, on this year July 7 is Guru Purnima. The day to take pause and honor the teachers who have inspired our practice by helping us move out of the darkness of our own ignorance and illusion and onto a path of self-realization; reintroducing us to our true selves.

In Hindu tradition, Guru Purnima is always observed on the first full moon in July.

I'm a day late, but I'd like to honor all of the wonderful teachers who have been my guides. Your dedication to the practice is humbling. I will be forever in service to you by passing on the lineage, and practicing and teaching with a pure heart.

With gratitude ~
Guru Govind donu khade, kisko laagu paay,
Balihari Gurudevaki jinhe Govind diyo bataay.

Going Back to the Source

What do you get when you combine the bucolic Norman countryside; a haunted 400 yr old wheat grinding mill turned gite; perfect spring weather; local, seasonal, and exquisitely prepared cuisine; an activist sheep farmer; gluten-free bread bakers; biodynamic grape growers; the last independent producer of Camembert cheese; passionate cidre and Calvados makers; the flow on the mat in synch with the flow of the Mayenne River; the anniversary of the Allied Landing; silent yoga on the beach; Obama's podium; the Peace Memorial; daily Yama and Niyama study; a Burning Karma bonfire; mesmerizing sunsets; hundreds of years and layers of complicated history; 14 American yogis and a gaggle of cute farm animals?

Perfection. Bliss. Love.















Going Back to the Source: Yoga and Terroir Normandy/Spring 09
Chantrigne, Mayenne
France

Why DogaYoga?

Quite simply, when your first guruji is furry and four-legged, no other name will do.

Meet my teacher, my inspiration, and the love of my life:
Oyenti, aka Ti, aka the Aztec Warrior Princess




Born in rural Mexico, lived the beachside and urban life in CA, retiring in France.

Om Namah Shivaya

Summer Yoga Classes in Paris

This summer, come visit me at Centre du Yoga Marais in the 3eme in Paris.
(I'm new to the studio, so my bio and schedule are not posted on the main website yet, but they are on the blog.)

It's a sweet studio right next to the Conservatoire des Art et Metiers and the Musee des Art et Metiers. On Saturday, sleep late, stroll into class at 12:30 pm and bliss out with a Level I Hatha Flow. On Wednesday at 7:30 pm, before aperitif/dinner/wine at one of the bazillion cafes in the neighborhood, join me for a dynamic and detoxifying Level I/II Hatha Flow.

In a clean and supportive environment, you'll find what you need to shake off the urban distractions and experience a moment (or several) of serenity.

If you're looking for some one-on-one instruction, I teach individual private sessions, as well as, group private sessions at the same studio. Just email and we'll set up a time: amanda@dogayoga.net

Centre du Yoga Marais
72 rue Vertbois
Paris
Metro(s): Art et Metiers, Temple, Republique

Le Petit Ganesha

A few years back my guruji, dear friend, and yoga student, Chetana, gave me a beautiful little wooden Ganesha from India. She was slightly appalled when the traveling altar that I had on display for the first Going Back to the Source: Yoga and Terroir camping retreat, had a tiny, white, pink polka-dotted elephant from the Land of Misfit Toys collection, that was being used as a place keeper until I got a real Ganesh. She just couldn't let this go on.

Since then this gift has traveled with me from studio to studio, class to class, retreat to retreat, and now to France, where I never leave home without it.

Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, I bow to you everyday.
Om gam ganapataye namaha!

American Yoga Teacher in Paris

I'm a recent transplant from San Francisco, living and working in Paris and Basse Normandie.

This blog chronicles the beautiful and the quirky moments as this American yoga teacher finds, losses, and finds again her flow in this fabled place where the word "yoga" often elicits curious and skeptical looks - and sometimes even a smile.