Two spots left! This will be a delicious journey back to the source for a good dose of what nourishes and sustains us all: rest, solitude, food, yoga, art, and friendship. Pour quoi pas?
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
GBS:Yoga and Terroir Loire Valley - TWO SPOTS LEFT!
Two spots left! This will be a delicious journey back to the source for a good dose of what nourishes and sustains us all: rest, solitude, food, yoga, art, and friendship. Pour quoi pas?
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Sundays and Levity
"Our bodyminds can know their true nature by letting themselves gravitate toward effortless sitting and breathing. And our attention can be stabilized, with perception coming to rest in the present moment and clarifying to the point where the unity of all things is known beyond argument or reservation..." Chip Hartranft, from his translation of the Yoga-Sutra of Patanjali
So, I remember it well - long before a teacher training and long before ever considering a career shift that would include yoga - that moment every consistent yoga practitioner has where you realize that yoga is the helium blown into your heart that lifts your heavy feet off the floor and moves you through life in this most effortless of ways.
You're in awe. All is good.
And that's when the journey begins to unfold.
What you might expect me to go on to describe is some earth shattering epiphany in some exotic locale, where the stars lined up perfectly and it all made sense and it was full of adventure and comfort-shattering experiences and... (If you're looking for heavy drama and non-stop action, you needn't read on.)
Nope. I was in my terry cloth robe, in my small apartment in San Francisco, and I had a desire to wash blankets and dishes and the shower curtain. And make cheesecake.
It was Sunday afternoon, many years ago, and I had just come off of a three day yoga workshop, I think. Or maybe I just went to three consecutively awesome classes. I really don't remember. Whatever it was, it likely happened at one of these studios and I'm sure that Stephanie, and/or Darren, and/or Christopher, and/or Cara, and/or Ana had something to do with it, because that was the place where and those were the inspiring people with whom my practice was unfolding at the time.
After my third class of the weekend, I walked out of the studio into a sunny spring day in SF. When I got home, the first thing I did was take my furry guruji for a walk. I'd never felt so tall and light before. I was sore, but I remember thinking that my bones seemed elegantly stacked for the first time in my life. I liked how my feet felt when they touched the ground as I walked. In the park, the tops of the trees seemed ethereal. I saw leaves gently swaying in the breeze, but I don't remember thinking "tree moving in breeze." I remember thinking "The tree is me" and not really knowing what to do with that.
We returned to our little apartment and a bath seemed like a good idea. A bubble bath. I don't remember thinking, "Midday bubble bath = too luxurious. Must do something more productive." I remember thinking, "Midday bubble bath."
Post delicious bath, in my baby blue terry cloth robe, I started to look around my apartment. The accumulated heavy winter filth just didn't jive with the levity of the moment. Without hesitation, I ripped down the nasty shower curtain, took blankets off of the bed, scooped up bathmats...and headed to the laundromat, normally my least favorite place on earth. I don't remember thinking "I resent spending my hard-earned weekend on boring domestic chores." I remember thinking, "Clean!"
While the laundry machines did their thing, pooch and I walked to the store because I thought the idea of baking felt so very delicious. I bought ingredients for two chocolate cheesecakes, one for us and one to take to work the next day to share with my colleagues. I didn't think "Should be consuming something far healthier." I simply thought, "Yum."
The laundry was done. The bathroom was clean. The kitchen was clean. The cheesecakes were baked.
There was no chronic checking of the time because there was plenty of it.
There was no dread about Monday morning because it wasn't Monday morning, it was Sunday.
There were no mental gymnastics about what I could or should be doing because the mind was calm.
There was no edgy vibration in my body because I felt fine in my skin.
There was no internal debate about my priorities because there was extreme clarity.
Yoga is not about making us great. It is about helping us, with complete humility, find the greatness in every single task, interaction, movement, moment, and breath. The mundane moments and tasks hold as much potential for sweetness as any other.
Well, fast forward many yoga classes, yoga trainings, continents, teachers, students, homes, people and dog years later, to a Sunday in Paris in March. It's the pooch and me again, going out for her morning walk. (She's a lot slower now and the walks aren't quite as long, but we're still doing our thing.)
We walked to the nearest park from where we get a perfect view of the Sacre Coeur. The air was soft (soft and cold, that is) and the sun was bright. France was beginning to rise out of a bleak, dark, long winter.
I was just coming off from nearly two weeks straight of teaching classes and workshops. I was tired, but something felt so good; so light. My feet touched the ground softly. I remember thinking there is nothing more perfect or precious than this moment, right now...
And it was indeed one of those Sundays in which every breath expanded the space. From a market run and housecleaning - clear through to the usually dreaded French bureaucratic administrative tasks - the day flowed effortlessly; even joyfully.
The mundane became the great that day a Paris et en francais. Yoga and its after-glow were the smooth beurre doux softening the hard edges.
Better than any accolade, or exotic adventure, or high profile accomplishment is the true gift that yoga offers - the opportunity to experience the extraordinary in the ordinary - effortlessly.
So, I remember it well - long before a teacher training and long before ever considering a career shift that would include yoga - that moment every consistent yoga practitioner has where you realize that yoga is the helium blown into your heart that lifts your heavy feet off the floor and moves you through life in this most effortless of ways.
You're in awe. All is good.
And that's when the journey begins to unfold.
What you might expect me to go on to describe is some earth shattering epiphany in some exotic locale, where the stars lined up perfectly and it all made sense and it was full of adventure and comfort-shattering experiences and... (If you're looking for heavy drama and non-stop action, you needn't read on.)
Nope. I was in my terry cloth robe, in my small apartment in San Francisco, and I had a desire to wash blankets and dishes and the shower curtain. And make cheesecake.
It was Sunday afternoon, many years ago, and I had just come off of a three day yoga workshop, I think. Or maybe I just went to three consecutively awesome classes. I really don't remember. Whatever it was, it likely happened at one of these studios and I'm sure that Stephanie, and/or Darren, and/or Christopher, and/or Cara, and/or Ana had something to do with it, because that was the place where and those were the inspiring people with whom my practice was unfolding at the time.
After my third class of the weekend, I walked out of the studio into a sunny spring day in SF. When I got home, the first thing I did was take my furry guruji for a walk. I'd never felt so tall and light before. I was sore, but I remember thinking that my bones seemed elegantly stacked for the first time in my life. I liked how my feet felt when they touched the ground as I walked. In the park, the tops of the trees seemed ethereal. I saw leaves gently swaying in the breeze, but I don't remember thinking "tree moving in breeze." I remember thinking "The tree is me" and not really knowing what to do with that.
We returned to our little apartment and a bath seemed like a good idea. A bubble bath. I don't remember thinking, "Midday bubble bath = too luxurious. Must do something more productive." I remember thinking, "Midday bubble bath."
Post delicious bath, in my baby blue terry cloth robe, I started to look around my apartment. The accumulated heavy winter filth just didn't jive with the levity of the moment. Without hesitation, I ripped down the nasty shower curtain, took blankets off of the bed, scooped up bathmats...and headed to the laundromat, normally my least favorite place on earth. I don't remember thinking "I resent spending my hard-earned weekend on boring domestic chores." I remember thinking, "Clean!"
While the laundry machines did their thing, pooch and I walked to the store because I thought the idea of baking felt so very delicious. I bought ingredients for two chocolate cheesecakes, one for us and one to take to work the next day to share with my colleagues. I didn't think "Should be consuming something far healthier." I simply thought, "Yum."
The laundry was done. The bathroom was clean. The kitchen was clean. The cheesecakes were baked.
There was no chronic checking of the time because there was plenty of it.
There was no dread about Monday morning because it wasn't Monday morning, it was Sunday.
There were no mental gymnastics about what I could or should be doing because the mind was calm.
There was no edgy vibration in my body because I felt fine in my skin.
There was no internal debate about my priorities because there was extreme clarity.
Yoga is not about making us great. It is about helping us, with complete humility, find the greatness in every single task, interaction, movement, moment, and breath. The mundane moments and tasks hold as much potential for sweetness as any other.
Well, fast forward many yoga classes, yoga trainings, continents, teachers, students, homes, people and dog years later, to a Sunday in Paris in March. It's the pooch and me again, going out for her morning walk. (She's a lot slower now and the walks aren't quite as long, but we're still doing our thing.)
We walked to the nearest park from where we get a perfect view of the Sacre Coeur. The air was soft (soft and cold, that is) and the sun was bright. France was beginning to rise out of a bleak, dark, long winter.
I was just coming off from nearly two weeks straight of teaching classes and workshops. I was tired, but something felt so good; so light. My feet touched the ground softly. I remember thinking there is nothing more perfect or precious than this moment, right now...
And it was indeed one of those Sundays in which every breath expanded the space. From a market run and housecleaning - clear through to the usually dreaded French bureaucratic administrative tasks - the day flowed effortlessly; even joyfully.
The mundane became the great that day a Paris et en francais. Yoga and its after-glow were the smooth beurre doux softening the hard edges.
Better than any accolade, or exotic adventure, or high profile accomplishment is the true gift that yoga offers - the opportunity to experience the extraordinary in the ordinary - effortlessly.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Dog Spelled Backwards
Divine love is so simple. Some days we realize this more than others. Some days (ie, a dreary, cold Thursday in Feburary in Paris), I need a reminder from my furry, four-legged goddess.
From Jon, author of Dogblog:
"It’s a relief, isn’t it, that for all the work these guys do being our best pals, their needs are so relatively simple? Water, food, hugs. They don’t need you to appreciate their art, laugh at their jokes, come to their office party, buy them an expensive present, drive them to court, or look at their resume. We just have to pat them on the head and make sure we’re around for the duration of their lives on this planet. It’s not too much to ask, is it?"
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Karma Yoga - Dimanche
Ce dimanche, 27 fev, 11h30 - 13h, cours bénévole (Karma Yoga) avec donation facultatif, Centre de Yoga du Marais.
Tout donations seront remis à Families for Children, une agence sans but lucratif qui soigne plus de 600 enfants et adultes indigent et mentalement handicapé en Inde et au Bangladesh. L'organisation est entièrement soutenu par les bénévoles et chaque sous va directement aux orphelinats et leur écoles. (Des cartes de classe ne peuvent pas être utilisées pour les classes bénévoles.)
This Sunday, 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.
Echoing the sentiments of the great Seane Corn (not verbatim): There is no pity. There is no sympathy. There is only true empathy, the ability to bare witness, and ACT. That is spiritual activism. That is Karma Yoga.
Suggested donation: €10 - €50. (Class cards cannot be used for this class.)
Reservations suggested - amanda(at)dogayoga.net
Centre de Yoga du Marais, 73 rue de Vertbois, 3eme, Metro(s): Reamur-Sebastopol, Temple, Arts et Metiers, Republique, Strasbourg St Denis
Tout donations seront remis à Families for Children, une agence sans but lucratif qui soigne plus de 600 enfants et adultes indigent et mentalement handicapé en Inde et au Bangladesh. L'organisation est entièrement soutenu par les bénévoles et chaque sous va directement aux orphelinats et leur écoles. (Des cartes de classe ne peuvent pas être utilisées pour les classes bénévoles.)
This Sunday, 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.
Echoing the sentiments of the great Seane Corn (not verbatim): There is no pity. There is no sympathy. There is only true empathy, the ability to bare witness, and ACT. That is spiritual activism. That is Karma Yoga.
Suggested donation: €10 - €50. (Class cards cannot be used for this class.)
Reservations suggested - amanda(at)dogayoga.net
Centre de Yoga du Marais, 73 rue de Vertbois, 3eme, Metro(s): Reamur-Sebastopol, Temple, Arts et Metiers, Republique, Strasbourg St Denis
New Class at Paris Yoga!
Beginning next week, Tuesday, 1 March, I'll be offering a late night (20h - 21h) All Levels Flow class at the gorgeous studio, Paris Yoga.
So if you find yourself wandering down the Champs Elysees on any Tuesday night, step one block off, walk past the Louis Vuitton store (take a glance at the awesome display on your way), exhale, and voila! Paris Yoga, 9 rue Magellan, Metro - George V.
They have everything you might need (including uni-sex changing rooms!), with the exception of communal mats. Please bring your own mat.
DogaYoga class cards are not accepted for this class, but Paris Yoga offers great deals on class cards. Reservations are required, 24 hrs in advance. Contact Paris Yoga.
As Joni M. so eloquently put it, "...if I had my way, I'd just walk through those doors and wannnderrr down the Champs Elysees, going cafe to cabaret, thinkin' how I'll feel when I find that very good friend of mine..."
Think of a warm, clean, comfortable, relaxing, nice smelling yoga class as that friend ;-)
So if you find yourself wandering down the Champs Elysees on any Tuesday night, step one block off, walk past the Louis Vuitton store (take a glance at the awesome display on your way), exhale, and voila! Paris Yoga, 9 rue Magellan, Metro - George V.
They have everything you might need (including uni-sex changing rooms!), with the exception of communal mats. Please bring your own mat.
DogaYoga class cards are not accepted for this class, but Paris Yoga offers great deals on class cards. Reservations are required, 24 hrs in advance. Contact Paris Yoga.
As Joni M. so eloquently put it, "...if I had my way, I'd just walk through those doors and wannnderrr down the Champs Elysees, going cafe to cabaret, thinkin' how I'll feel when I find that very good friend of mine..."
Think of a warm, clean, comfortable, relaxing, nice smelling yoga class as that friend ;-)
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Spring Retreat Dates
The Spring 2011 Going Back to the Source: Yoga and Terroir Loire Valley retreat will be Wednesday, 25 May - Sunday, 29 May at the beautiful Le Moulin Bregeon, in the Valley's Anjou region.
You don't have to dig very deep to discover why this location is so perfect for all things yoga and terroir related. In fact, this 2008 article from the New York Times travel section, pretty much says it all.
I'll offer a few additional highlights:
- A strong value put on the preservation of simple, rural beauty
- A working organic farm around which resident chef, Pascal Merillou, designs seasonal, gourmet meals
- Deep in-house knowledge of the gastronomy, arts, culture, architecture, and history of the region
- Silence and tranquility; nearly complete isolation from external distractions
- Shared love of yoga and les chiens
Watch and feel the spring of your practice bloom and unfold in this place.
Sound yummy? Send me an email (amanda(at)dogayoga.net) for the details.
All registrations need to be confirmed by 25 March.
All photo credits - the amazing photographers at Le Moulin Bregeon.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
2011 Spring Retreat
This spring we're Going Back to the Source in the beautiful, mythical, yummy Loire Valley!
Just south of Basse Normandie is the lovely Loire River that winds through this fabled region, shaping the cities, farms, and appellations and creating a particular flavor all its own. Known for its chateaux, wine, goat cheeses, exquisite gardens, and to all Parisians as the "panier de pain" of France, the Pays de la Loire has a colorful history and unique pride-of-place.
Keeping with the moulin and water themes, The Going Back to the Source: Yoga and Terroir Loire Valley retreat will be held in May (exact dates YTD) at the gorgeous organic farm, inn, and former mill, Le Moulin Bregeon. The luxury country retreat is located south of Tours and 30 minutes from the town of Saumur and the Saumur-Champigny wine region.
This special place came highly recommended to me not only because of the perfect location, farm-to-fork sensibilities, meals that rival a four star restaurant, and furnishings completely authentic to the period, but also because the people who run Moulin Bregeon are simply wonderful! They love the yoga and terroir idea and plan to offer an experience of a lifetime.
To make it affordable and convenient for all, we're planning a Wednesday night through Sunday night retreat.
Once all details are finalized (hopefully next week), registration will be open. Can't wait to share this with you!
Just south of Basse Normandie is the lovely Loire River that winds through this fabled region, shaping the cities, farms, and appellations and creating a particular flavor all its own. Known for its chateaux, wine, goat cheeses, exquisite gardens, and to all Parisians as the "panier de pain" of France, the Pays de la Loire has a colorful history and unique pride-of-place.
Keeping with the moulin and water themes, The Going Back to the Source: Yoga and Terroir Loire Valley retreat will be held in May (exact dates YTD) at the gorgeous organic farm, inn, and former mill, Le Moulin Bregeon. The luxury country retreat is located south of Tours and 30 minutes from the town of Saumur and the Saumur-Champigny wine region.
This special place came highly recommended to me not only because of the perfect location, farm-to-fork sensibilities, meals that rival a four star restaurant, and furnishings completely authentic to the period, but also because the people who run Moulin Bregeon are simply wonderful! They love the yoga and terroir idea and plan to offer an experience of a lifetime.
To make it affordable and convenient for all, we're planning a Wednesday night through Sunday night retreat.
Once all details are finalized (hopefully next week), registration will be open. Can't wait to share this with you!
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