Friday, December 30, 2011

Bonnes Fetes! Bonne Annee!


Paris @ Night
Originally uploaded by dominikf
Just a reminder that I am taking a little time off during this holiday season to relax, renew, and reflect. All public and private classes are cancelled from 22 Dec - 2 Jan. Classes resume 3 Jan.

Have a joyous holiday and allow in as much awe-filled inspiration as possible.

Love ~
Amanda/DogaYoga

Friday, December 16, 2011

Give/Receive An Experience

Yoga retreats are, at the very least fun, and at the most, absolutely life changing.

The conditions are usually pretty perfect to take your practice to another level. You delve in, free of distractions and judgements, from the moment you wake up to the moment you lay your grateful head on the pillow. A yoga retreat is time to go deep, start over, grow tall, crawl, fly, cry, laugh, dance, breathe...

Instead of the accumulation of more stuff this holiday, how about giving or receiving the experience of Health, Wellness, and Gourmet Living in the Loire Valley? Dr. Jay Kumar and I are delighted to offer this package of a springtime week in the French countryside Living Your Light and Going Back to the Source.

The complete experience - beginning to end - will be the sweet succulence of Rasa; taking in the flavors and essence of the practice and the place, through every one of the senses. There will be yoga, meditation, dharma talks, Ayurveda consultations, French cooking classes, wine and architecture tours...

Imagine for a moment, you or the beloved yogi in your life opening an envelope on Christmas/Hannukah/Boxing Day/New Years/Festivus in which there is a full or partial gift certificate to have this experience. There will be gratitude and it will be profound.

Contact Dr. Kumar - jay(at)livingyourlight.com - or me - amanda(at)dogayoga.net - if you're interested and we will send you a simple gift card that you can lovingly sign and deliver on the special day of choice.

"Come, come, whoever you are, wanderer, fire worshipper, lover of leaving. This is not a caravan of despair. It does not matter that you have broken your vows a thousand times, still come, and yet again, come... " ~ Rumi ~

Thursday, December 15, 2011

One Small Act = More Serotonin!


Last Karma Yoga Community Class
of 2011
Sunday 18 December, Centre de Yoga du Marais, 11h30 - 13h

I will be teaching a donation-based all levels flow class at Centre de Yoga du Marais, supporting Families for Children, a private, non-profit, non-sectarian agency that cares for over 600 destitute and mentally challenged children and adults in India and Bangladesh. This is a "kitchen counter" organization that is run entirely by volunteers and every penny goes straight to the orphanages and schools this agency has set up. The teachers at Centre de Yoga du Marais have been volunteering their service and supporting this organization for several years, through Karma Yoga projects.
Suggested donation: 10€ - 50€
Reservations required. Contact me ~ amanda(at)dogayoga.net

Lest you think acts of service and kindness are just charitable, read on...
(From the blog Mark and Angel Hack Life, Practical Tips for Productive Living and an excerpt from the post "12 Things Happy People Do Differently")

"Practice acts of kindness. – Performing an act of kindness releases serotonin in your brain. (Serotonin is a substance that has TREMENDOUS health benefits, including making us feel more blissful.) Selflessly helping someone is a super powerful way to feel good inside. What’s even cooler about this kindness kick is that not only will you feel better, but so will people watching the act of kindness. How extraordinary is that? Bystanders will be blessed with a release of serotonin just by watching what’s going on. A side note is that the job of most anti-depressants is to release more serotonin. Move over Pfizer, kindness is kicking ass and taking names."

Who couldn't use a large dose of serotonin this holiday season? Take a break from shopping, partying, decorating, traveling, and over-doing. It's as much about opening your heart as it is opening your wallet. Yoga helps us act from a place of sincere empathy, not pity. You'll be doing yourself, and the world, a great service!

Friday, December 2, 2011

Last Class of 2011 ~ Solstice Flow


Winter Solstice 21 Dec
Originally uploaded by BPJBMJ

My last class of 2011 will be on Wednesday 21 December, 12h30 - 13h30, at Paris Yoga! Come fortify yourself for the long winter ahead and celebrate the return of the LIGHT on this most auspicious day.

As for the rest of the month...

Pre-Holiday Workshop
Sunday 4 December, Paris Yoga
The end of the year can be a source of great joy coupled with a lot of anxiety. End-of-year deadlines, over-consumption, over-spending, family obligations, colder weather, and travel challenges can lead to stress and illness. This workshop will focus on those poses and breathing techniques that can keep the nervous system regulated, boost the immune system, and encourage us to make sustainable choices in the flurry of this busy time of year.
Reservations required. Contact Joelle for registration ~ info(at)parisyoga.com

Karma Yoga Community Class
Sunday 18 December, Centre de Yoga du Marais, 11h30 - 13h
I will be teaching a donation-based all levels flow class at Centre de Yoga du Marais, supporting Families for Children, a private, non-profit, non-sectarian agency that cares for over 600 destitute and mentally challenged children and adults in India and Bangladesh. This is a "kitchen counter" organization that is run entirely by volunteers and every penny goes straight to the orphanages and schools this agency has set up. The faculty at Centre de Yoga du Marais has been supporting this organization for several years, through Karma Yoga projects.
Suggested donation: 10€ - 50€
Reservations required. Contact me ~ amanda(at)dogayoga.net

Pre-Registered Classes
The American University/Paris classes end on 5 December.
The Pre-Natal Classes at Paris Yoga end on 13 December.

Public and Private Classes & Class Cards
All private classes will end on 20 December.
All class cards expire on 17 December.

Au revoir, 2011. From the soil to the cellular level you have taught me so much.
Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust.