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 !