The elevator doors open to someone sitting behind a drum set getting a lesson from E-Street Band member Max Weinberg by interactive video. Max’s drum kit from the 1988 Tunnel of Love Express Tour is affixed to the other side of the partition.

“The Mighty Mighty” Max Weinberg – Tunnel of Love Express Tour © AVD

Roy Bitan’s keyboard synthesizer has marker-written notes on it with songs that many millions of people now know by heart, “Atlantic City”, “Dancin’ in the Dark,” and “I’m on Fire,” among them.

“Professor” Roy Bittan’s Synthesizer, hand-written notes © AVD

Born To Run

From a pair of headphones you can listen to Bruce’s longtime manager Jon Landau recall how they met back when he was a rock critic in Boston. Landau’s review in the May ‘74 edition of Real Paper helped propel the songwriter’s career. It stated, “On a night when I needed to feel young, he made me feel like I was hearing music for the very first time…. I saw rock ‘n’ roll future, and its name is Bruce Springsteen.”

Jon Landau (l) and Bruce Springsteen (r) 1974  UMass Collection © Jeff Albertson

Sounds of Bruce and his electric guitar wailing in unison come out of the Clive Davis Theater. Inside is unseen footage from the ‘78 tour. With the raw potential of determined youth the singer asserts, “I’ll be on that hill with everything I got, Lives on the line where dreams are found and lost, I’ll be there on time and I’ll pay the cost, For wanting things that can only be found, In the Darkness on the Edge of Town…”

Within a display case there is a hand-written letter from Bruce to his landlord explaining why he can’t pay his rent. There’s a typed one from business manager Michael Tannen to Bruce’s parents. It reads, “Enclosed are some recent clippings on Bruce’s tour which I thought you would like to see…we are all terribly proud of him, as we know you are too.” I smirk recalling the now infamous show here at the Roxy Theater in West Hollywood in the late 70s. Bruce’s mom and dad were in attendance, and between verses of “Growin’ Up” he implores, “And so you guys, one of you guys wanted a lawyer, and the other one wanted an author. Well, tonight, youse are both just gonna have to settle for Rock ‘N’ Roll.”

When They Said Sit Down, I Stood Up

Eileen Chapman, director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University and co-curator of the exhibit gets hurried across the space and into a black directors chair. Before her on-camera interview begins, she graciously chats with attendees about her years managing New Jersey’s Stone Pony Nightclub where Bruce got his start, and how much fun she’s having as a councilwoman of Asbury Park.

As Chapman is getting mic-ed up the crew calls for quiet. Something is still making noise. It’s a new video of Bruce Springsteen himself, answering questions about why, and how he’s still touring the world. He remarks, “Then you gotta have something to say. So, In a perfect world you know we’ve made some new music and I’ve got new things to say to my fans when I see them, and I look very forward to doing that, so that’s a great [inaudible] to get you out on the road. I want to see you, I have something I want to say to you, I have a way I want to make you feel, I have a way I want to feel, let’s do this together and see where it takes us…”

Vietnam Veteran Benefit Concert – Los Angeles Sport Arena – 1981

The walls are covered with seemingly innocuous artifacts that actually tell a much larger story of times when Springsteen had something to say. Like the ‘81 “A Night for the Vietnam Veteran” concert poster at LA’s Sports Arena. And the ’84 Born in the USA tour program; a seemingly patriotic song with a much deeper message, in-part about how vets were treated at the time.

I recall Bruce’s potent and skillful activism over the years. This includes writing the title song for the 1993 film Philadelphia that helped humanize the AIDS crisis and the 2000 tune American Skin/41 Shots which is a commentary on racial inequality and brutality.

Springsteen’s set at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2006 comes to mind. He voiced what many displaced residents were feeling, “It’s what happens when people play political games with other people’s lives” before strumming the depression-era classic, “How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live.”

In another case are relics from the ’79 “No Nukes” Concert at Madison Square Garden. They include band rosters, schedules, stage plots and setlists. There are lighting directions written in ballpoint pen on how to cue his newest number, “The River, Slow ballad low lights.”

Come On Rise Up

I turn to see a program from The Rising tour, which stops me in my tracks. Many of us first heard songs off this album during “America: A Tribute to Heroes” a TV special and telethon that ran on all major networks on September 21, 2001 – just twenty days after 9/11. I watched with childhood friends from our usual loud and raucous hometown bar. That evening everyone stood still as Bruce and the band somberly sang, “My City of Ruins.” We sobbed silently into our beers, awaiting hopeful news from Ground Zero that would never come.

The following summer when the album was released it was like a map to get out of grief. Songs  like “You’re Missing,” “Lonesome Day” and “Waitin’ on a Sunny Day” assuaged the indescribable. While “My City of Ruins” encouraged us to find a way forward, “With these hands I pray for the strength Lord, with these hands, I pray for the faith Lord, with these hands, we pray for the lost Lord…Come on rise, come on rise up, come on rise up, come on rise up, come on rise up….!”

Bruce + The Big Man, Born To Run
Source; BS FB © Eric Meola

The exhibit includes an accordion of Danny Federici, and a saxophone of Clarence Clemmons, beloved E-Street Band members for some thirty plus years. Fans wondered how their absence would be handled after their passings before the 2012 tour. I still get chills any time I think of the spotlights on their empty spaces on stage here at LA’s Memorial Coliseum. Bruce serenaded softly, “Well, all I know, is that if you’re here, and you’re here then they’re here. I can hear them in your voices, raise ‘em up.”

In another video set-up you can listen to Jon Landau reflect, “Once Bruce walks on stage the question in mind is this going to be an absolutely great show tonight, is it going to one of the greatest shows he’s ever done, ‘Is it going to be the greatest show he’s ever done?’ That’s the range of possibilities. Bruce as a performer is so dedicated and so committed. In working with him for 45 years, I have simply never seen him go on the stage and do less than 100% of what he’s capable of that night. As Bruce has said, come into a building at 5 o’clock in the afternoon, equipment is being set up, looking at four walls and a lot of empty seats and his job is that by 11:30 at night to have created an event that people, including himself, will hopefully never forget. To make something, out of nothing. To create a spiritual experience, where before there was just emptiness, that’s what it’s all about.”

I Hope When I Get Old,
I Don’t Sit Around Thinkin’ About It,
But I Probably Will

I hear an audible gasp. Another attendee sees Bruce’s Fender Esquire guitar. The one from the Born to Run album and tour. He shares with me a slew of stories about nights he’ll never forget. “They played for THREE AND HALF hours straight, I don’t know how they do it! And now at their age! One time, my buddies and I went to…..”  watching this guy’s eyes glisten while talking about his “Glory Days” brightens the room on an overcast afternoon.

Stenciled on a wall is a quote by Bruce “The heart-stopping, pants-dropping, house-rocking, earth-quaking, booty-shaking, love making Le-gen-dary E-Street-Band!” It is a phrase he often chants while introducing the musicians who break the local sound curfew with him night after night, for most of their lives.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame Induction © Jeff Kravitz / Getty Image

I laugh thinking of high school friends I haven’t seen in more than a decade whose primary form of communication these days is sending sporadic texts on a thread aaalllssso introducing the E-Street Band.

“The Deeeeeaaaannnn of the Unnnnnniversity”

“The foundation of the E Street nation, Mr. Garry W. Tallent! “

“On the guitar, the minister of faith + friendship, keeper of aaaallllllll that is righteous, and staaaaar of the Sooooopraaaanos teeeelevsion shooooow, Little Steven Van Zandt….! “

There’s a wall of hand drawn signs fans have scribed over the years, asking for their favorite songs. Among them is a life-size cut-out drawing of Bruce’s wife and musical collaborator, Patti Scialfa. It requests “Red Headed Woman,” a tune Bruce frequently sings to introduce her on stage.

On another video guitarist and vocalist Nils Lofgren discusses his ever-lasting search for a hotel gym. Seeing Nils I have a sense-memory flash back to meeting him outside the Vatican in Rome, Italy, the night after they played the Stadio Olympico Show in 2009.  Bruce took our sign and announced from stage, “For the birthday girl who came all the way from New Jersey to see the boss man on her birthday.”

I giggle thinking of the gelato stand owners and taxi drivers who would ask us in English where we were from and when we said “USA, New Jersey” they would reply in Italian, “Aaah, El Pedron, El Pedron” Italiano for “The Boss.”

“Aah El Pedron, El Pedron” – The Author At Rome’s Colosseum #BornInTheUSA

‘Cause Down The Shore Everything’s Alright

As I exit, I scan the Spotify QR Code for the playlist created by the curators of the exhibit. I hop in the car and head home on the 10. Someone abruptly slams on their brakes, and then I slam on mine. Everything in the front seat goes flying. In that moment, “Rosalita” begins blaring, I laugh out loud remembering a similar situation some 25 years ago.  A friend borrowed her older brothers’ topless jeep so we could cruise down the shore, not mentioning that no-one reeaally knew how to drive a stick shift. That thing choked its’ way all the way down the parkway to exit 98 “Rosalita” on repeat all the while.

I think back to all the nights at Jersey Shore bars, when Springsteen’s version of “Jersey Girl” alerted patrons last call was coming, all the hook-ups that turned into couples, all the weddings I’ve been to where that was the bride and grooms’ song. All the children who ask me to tell them about the night their mom and dad met and all the “Don’t you dare” glares I get from their now middle-aged parents.

I smile-wide remembering late-night dance parties powered by “I’m goin’ down,” and fourth of July parades where the firetrucks were chalked with the lyrics, “No Retreat, No Surrender.”

Let’s Make Our Steps Clear That Others May See

“The Power of Prayer” comes on the Spotify playlist – I look down at my phone wondering, “How have I never heard this before, what is this, when is this from…?”

I uncharacteristically burst into tears, pondering what any of the aforementioned memories, national crises, or global movements would have been like without these songs, without these statements, without this man.

“Bruuuuuuuuce” Courtesy of ShoreFire Media © Danny Clinch

Throughout time there have always been troubadours who transform through song. There was the Tibetan Buddhist Jetsun Millarepa, the Catholic Saint Gregory the Great, and even the Hindu mystic Mirabai.

In our place, in our time we have Bruce Springsteen.
An American treasure, a soul singer.
A healer, a sadhu, a modern-day sage.

Right on cue, as if answering my inquiry, Bruce busts into the chorus, “Darling, it’s just the power of prayer, Baby, it’s just the power of prayer, Darling, it’s just the power of prayer…”

Thanks Boss.

Bruce Springsteen Live! At The Grammy Museum

Bruce Springsteen Live! is now open to the public and running from October 15, 2022- April 2, 2023

For more information on Bruce Springsteen Live! At the Grammy Museum click here. 
To buy tickets click here.

Co-curated by Jasen Emmons, Chief Curator and Vice President of Curatorial Affairs at the Grammy Museum, Robert Santelli, and Eileen Chapman, director of The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music, Bruce Springsteen Live! explores the evolution of Springsteen through the decades and grants exclusive backstage access to Springsteen and the E Street Band’s legendary performances.

Author’s Note; Thank You Rob DeMartin Photography. 

Amy V Dewhurst

To Check Out Amy’s Work Go To; Sense + Color, You Can Reach Her At IG:  Amy_V_Dewhurst  + AmyVDewhurst@SenseAndColor.co #PutYourGoodWhereItWillDoTheMost

www.senseandcolor.co

The post Soul Singer; Bruce Springsteen Live! Exhibit at The Grammy Museum  appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Chant at Bhakti Love Reunion in September

Bhakti is the Yoga of Devotion. It is often defined as the Yoga of Love. One of the most visible ways that this is practiced in the world is through music. But not just any music. Chanting. Ecstatic singing. The repetition of the names of the divine with celebratory melodies, often with Sanskrit mantras. With the repetition of call and response between musicians and audience known as kirtan. There is a certain joyous ecstasy to the practice of Bhakti. It is not performance but participation. It is community. It is love. The Bhakti Love Reunion, a brand-new festival bringing Bhakti to life, is an in-person explosion and expression of Bhakti.

During the months and years of pandemic-driven isolation, the festivals that have become part of the expression of yoga in the modern world took different forms. Live-streamed sessions, virtual festivals, people chanting at home.

Joss Jaffe (Kirtan artist) and Johanna Beekman

The Magic of Bhakti Love Reunion

The new festival, Bhakti Love Renunion creators and producers Kenneth Schwenker and Johanna Beekman both embody the values of devotion and community. Kenneth is one of the founders of the first Bhakti Fest, held in 2009 in Joshua Tree, California. Of that groundbreaking event, Kenneth reflects that is was the first festival of its kind to unite many spiritual lineages and practices. In addition, he has put his devotion into action through his work producing many other festivals, including Leaders Causing Leaders and One Love Festival, as well as numerous feature films. Johanna Beekman is a prolific artist, musician, producer, and teacher. She describes herself as a pollinator, traveling the country sharing fairy dust through the magic of song, practice, and community. Johanna’s love of and dedication to collaboration is evident in how she talks about the magic in planning this festival, the Bhakti Love Reunion.

The two of them describe their meeting and connecting around this endeavor as being guided by angels. They reference the magical things that can happen in the cross-pollination of in-person gatherings. There was a bit of magic that came through in finding the location where the Bhakti Love Reunion will be held.

Bhakti Love Reunion Offers a Rejuvenate Festival Experience

The Native Springs Oasis in Weldon, California is at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The sacred land contains a stream and a pond. And there are natural mineral hot springs around 20 minutes away along the nearby Kern River. A couple of hours outside of Los Angeles, the location is accessible from Southern, Central, and Northern California, on land that is welcoming and provides a venue for resetting attendee’s nervous systems as well as recharging and restoring. The event itself will include rituals honoring the land, the water, and the hot springs. Johanna and Kenneth feel that they are offering everyone an open invitation to their second home. This home, this oasis, offers an escape from the cities, the routines of daily life, into a portal of practice. The land itself features plenty of camping and glamping, while nearby hotels and motels are also available.

The heart of it all, the love itself, it found through the practices of Bhakti, of devotion. Through the repetition of song, of mantra, of sharing our voices.

During the festival itself, Johanna describes a schedule that will include an arc or flow of energy throughout a daily cycle, reminiscent of at the rhythm or sequences of a yoga practice. Yoga classes and workshops will be held each morning, allowing people to prepare physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually for the heart opening of the chanting later in the day. “All of the energy will go to the main stage at night.” The invitation of the divine feminine and the gathering of diverse voices from the community are seen on the schedule as a whole, both in classes and workshops, as well as on the main stage.

Sianna Sherman and Masood Ali Kahn

Sacred Practices on Sacred Land

In the schedule, the weekend programming includes topics such as a panel on diversity in yoga. Every evening, sacred fire ceremonies will be held around the fire pit. Each morning, attendees can drop into yoga classes or Breathwork, and can flow throughout the day and night between learning, healing breathing, and moving, interwoven in with the restorative power of sound before everyone gathers at the main stage. Of course, nutritious food, a conscious marketplace, and healers, will all be part of the immersive festival experience.

One of the essential parts of Bhakti Love Reunion is the creation of a family-friendly atmosphere. For example, teacher and musician Reya Manna will be leading the Kids’ Tent, where a safe place for kids will include the “Sing the World Awake” practices for kids.

A familiar list of artists and teachers sharing the love at Bhakti Love Reunion include the following. C.C. White Soul Kirtan, Donna DeLory, Kamini Natarajan, Masood Ali Khan, Sianna Sherman, Saul David Raye, David Newman, Larisa Stowe, Girish, J Brave, DPAK, Joss Jaffe, Nandhiji, Leeza and Humberto Villagomez, Ben Leinbach, Jai Anand, Evan Perman, Annmarie Soul, Reya Manna, Cheri Rae, Manoj Chalam Mashi, Cooper Ladnier, Fantuzzi, Girish, Michael Hathaway, Butter Thieves, Heart Medicine, Dahveed Haribol Das, and more.

From the morning practices, to community yoga classes, to honoring the land, to chanting together as the sun sets, the Bhatki Love Reunion, will truly offer a welcome reunion, gathering a community longing to come together on sacred land in California. The festival as a whole offers a living practice of how we can bring the sacred in so many forms into our daily lives. This is the event we need now, for our collective sacred journey.

Attend Bhakti Love Reunion

Learn more and buy your tickets now at: bhaktilove.com.

Felicia M. Tomasko

Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.

www.blissnetwork.com

The post Bhakti Love Reunion: New Sacred Festival in California appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Gannon and partner David Life are students of Shri Brahmananda Saraswati, Swami Nirmalananda, and Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. They met in 1983, and co-created Jivamukti Yoga School in New York City’s East Village in 1984. The Lafayette Street location was not too far from early 80s Wall Street, the punk scene of St Mark’s Place, the fashionistas of Soho, and the crack-fueled crime that proliferated the era.

In the midst of the chaos, Sharon and David opened most classes by chanting “Om”, reading from the Bhagavad Gita and giving a short dharma talk before leading students through yoga asana series. Their hands-on adjustments, and soothing savanasas sent aspirants into other astral states. Sharon and David made yoga “cool” among the iconoclasts and struggling creatives who have always been drawn to downtown.

Some of the famous names included Donna Karan, Christy Turlington, Russell Simmons, Sting and Trudy Styler, and students who would go on to build their own yoga empires like Ana Forrest, Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman, Dana Flynn, and countless more.

As the popularity of the studio grew, so did its locations. Jivamukti expanded across New York City, and into Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland, France, Germany, Norway, Russia, Mexico and more, with a wildlife sanctuary and ashram in upstate Woodstock, New York.

The hub of this international movement became its flagship studio in NYC’s Union Square. The famed and fabled space was home to classes, teacher trainings, and kirtan events. (In fact, it was at a Jivamukti that kirtan wallah, Krishna Das began chanting publicly at their Monday night satsang!). Next to the check-in desk was a boutique that led to the Jivamukti-Café; a magic portal where those were meant to meet “randomly” did. Best friends, business partners, writers and publishers, actors and agents, husbands and wives, lovers, and more all laid eyes on each other for the first time (this lifetime) over chakra smoothies and macrobiotic bowls. The resulting miracles are too infinite to quantify.

The vegan cuisine, and meet-cute kismet were combined with literature about animal activism, and ways each of us can do our part. Sharon and David have long worked with (and been honored by) PETA, the Humane Society of New York City, Farm Sanctuary and more. And now, as a new generation is waking up to these truths, I’m honored to talk to the revolutionary Sharon Gannon about the foundational principles she has been living and teaching for most of her life.

Amy: What is a Jivanmukti, and how does one live the life of one?

Sharon Gannon: The Sanskrit term, jivanmukta means one who is living liberated. Jiva means individual soul and mukti means liberation. The most direct means to living liberated is to do all you can to contribute to the liberation of others.
You could say that a jivanmukta is an abolitionist —one who does not condone slavery in any way or form. They are free.

Amy: Why do you believe that a vegan diet is the responsible, kind, courageous choice at this time?

Sharon Gannon: The most responsible, kind and courageous thing any human being can do at this time is to dare to care about the happiness of others—all others. This would naturally lead to a vegan diet. A vegan diet is the simplest recipe for joy, for yourself, the animals and the world. In fact, to dare to care about the happiness of others in the broadest sense would not only apply to other humans and other animals but also trees, soil, mountains, rocks, rivers, lakes, oceans, air. All of the manifested world would help us human beings come closer to realizing who we really are. It would help us achieve the goal of life—enlightenment and liberation from samsara.

This expansive view would help us become enlightened by healing the disconnection we feel with the rest of life. We would come to realize how truly connected we are with all of life and understand that what we do to someone else we do to ourselves. When we poison the water we poison ourselves. When we treat other animals as slaves and exploit them we keep ourselves in bondage. All of life is interdependent. We humans are not the crown of creation. The Earth does not belong to us, we belong to the Earth.

Covid—the global pandemic is a zoonotic disease, caused by a viral pathogen that has crossed the species barrier. Such a mutation has occurred due to our violent mistreatment and eating of animals. There is so much violence in the world
today and most of it seems to be out of our control, but what we choose to eat is within our control. A vegan diet hugely reduces the violence in the world and the repercussions of that violence.

Amy: You’ve said, “”When people ask me why I don’t eat meat or dairy products, I often reply, ‘I just can’t afford it’. The expression on their faces is always one of incredulousness. “Oh come on—I don’t believe that” they say, to which I reply, “Well it’s true karmically.”

Can you tell me what you mean by that…?

Sharon Gannon: An explanation of karma and how karma works is presented as one of the important foundational philosophical teachings of classical Yoga. Karma means action. Every action, no matter if it is a physical or subtle action affects the reality in which we live. Everything we do will come back to us, eventually but inevitably. The person who understands this will be careful about the things they do, say and think. Karma works like this, for every action there will be a reaction.

Albert Einstein reminded us of this law of karma when he pointed out that space is curved. Whatever is thrown “out there” will find its way back to its origin. Personally I have a lot of unresolved negative karmas I am trying to deal with in this lifetime, so I can’t afford to load on any more problems if I can help it.

I’m already carrying a heavy load and trying to minimize my future suffering. I am thrilled that Patanjali, in his self-help manual, The Yoga Sutra, gives many ways to do that. For example, if you don’t want to be hurt, don’t hurt others, if you don’t want to be lied to, don’t lie to others, if you want wealth, don’t steal. And he goes on. Put in simple words, it’s the same golden rule that Jesus as well as many other enlightened teachers have suggested: “Treat others as you would like to be treated.”

Amy: In your book, Yoga and Veganism; Diet to Enlightenment, you give readers the steps to the aforementioned freedom, and a path towards becoming a jivanmukti via the yamas. Can you give our readers a run down of what the yamas are and how we can ascribe to them?

Sharon Gannon: Patanjali gives five directives called yamas for how to behave toward others, if we ourselves want to become an enlightened being (a yogi). Yama means restriction. The yamas refer to ways that a wanna-be yogi should restrict their behavior towards others in order to reach the goal of yoga. He defines each yama as well as provides us with incentives to encourage us to adopt the yamas as a practice. He does this by describing what happens to a person who takes these practices seriously. In my book I take it a step further, specifically describing how each yama relates to following a vegan diet. I will give some brief examples.

The Yamas and Niyamas and Yoga and Veganism

a) Ahimsa.

Means not to harm. Patanjali says that if you refrain from harming others, others will not harm you. What does this have to do with a vegan diet? When you eat animals you harm them, the environment, as well as your own health.

b) Satya.

Means not to lie. Patanjali says that if you tell the truth, then others will listen to you and the words you say will come true. You will be able to say what you mean and mean what you say. What does this have to do with a vegan diet? Deceit is used by the animal user industries to advertise and promote the sale of meat and dairy products.

We lie to ourselves. Even though some may acknowledge that to kill an animal causes the animal pain and it isn’t a nice thing to do, many justify it as a “necessary evil.” But when is evil ever really necessary? The truth is that we do not need to eat animals or products like milk or eggs. Biologically we as a species do better on a plant-based diet. Eating animals is not hard-wired in us. It is a learned behavior and that’s good news because what is learned can be unlearned.

c) Asteya.

Means not to steal. Patanjali says that if you do not steal from others you will be wealthy. When we eat a meat and dairy based diet it involves stealing. We steal the animal’s lives from them. We steal their babies. We take everything away from them. They have no rights, are given no freedom of choice. The very things that we value so highly for ourselves: freedom, liberation, respect, and the right to choose we deny others, other animals. The law of karma says, what we do will be done to us.

d) Brahmacharya.

Means not to abuse others sexually. Patanjali says that if you do not abuse others sexually you will enjoy good health. All animals that are enslaved and bred (raised) for food are sexually abused. Farming and herding animals used to be referred to as animal husbandry; these days it is called animal agri-business. Any way you look at it, rape is business as usual in this industry. Sexual perversion, child molestation and countless acts of cruelty can be found behind the closed doors of farms, breeding facilities, slaughterhouses and meat packing plants.

The mass majority of the public has no idea that this sexual abuse is going on and that the meat, milk, and eggs they are eating have come from sexually abused animals. Perhaps if they saw these hideous places of sex abuse, degradation, violence, blood, and gore inflicted upon defenseless animals, many of which are babies, they might become vegan. No wonder that in the US it is now a federal offence to take a camera and film inside one of these facilities.

e) Aparigraha.

Means greedlessness. Patanjali says that if you do not take more than you need, if you do not hoard so as to cause others to be impoverished then your destiny will be revealed to you. You will know your purpose in life, what you were born to do. Wow! Who doesn’t want to know that?

Our insecurity and greed has caused the devastation of the planet, extinction of many species of life due to starvation and disease as well as the displacement and impoverishment of other human beings.

For a human being on planet Earth today, eating meat and dairy products is greedy. Greed stems from insecurity and fear. When a person is afraid of the future they tend to hoard. This takes one out of the experience of the present moment and puts them into a chronic state of worry about the future. Only if you can drop into the reality of the present will you be able to glimpse the purpose of your life.

A vegan diet is a kinder choice for all involved and leads to a stress-free life rooted fearlessly in the present.

Amy: You have led such an extraordinary life, of lasting impact. This is a question, I ask everyone; where do you think dharma meets free will?

Sharon Gannon: The Sanskrit word, dharma, as I understand it, means to “fix in place.” Seen in that context, our past actions fix in place our future .

The law of karma tells us that our past determines our future. We cannot change what we have done in our past, but we can change what we do now…to a certain extent.
This is where free will comes into play.

Every action that we do, every thought, word or deed, plants a karmic seed, which under the right conditions will sprout, grow and bear fruit. The law of karma says that you reap what you sow. If you have hurt others in your past you are destined to be hurt in your future. But there are loopholes that are spoken about in the yogic scriptures that allow a person to free themselves from such predetermined results.

The trick is to find a way not to water (or fertilize) negative karmic seeds, so that they will dry up and never be allowed to sprout, grow and bear fruit in your future.

Two of those that I know of:

1. From Patanjali: Love, Bhakti, love for God, Complete surrender to God, As Patanjali says, Ishwara Pranidhanad va- PYS 1.23.

2. He also says later on in chapter four: that the karmas of a normal person are black, white or mixed, but the karmas of a yogi, one who has realized their connection to the Divine are clear. Karma-ashukla-akrsnam yoginas tri-vidham itaresam PYS 4.7

God frees His devotees from having to suffer their past karmic miss-deeds.

2. From the Bhagavad Gita: When you find yourself in a situation that triggers a negative response like despondency, anger, jealousy, revenge, or sadness, instead you decide with your free will not to indulge those negative emotions and instead, embrace the situation with calm discernment. In other words, you don’t react with negativity.

It was Arjuna’s predisposition to fight. He was born a Kshatriya, a warrior. But when faced with the idea of killing his own relatives and friends he became depressed and despondent and wanted to change his career and become a yogi.

But because he was in a “bad place” emotionally, Krishna tells him that he is not in the right frame of mind to be able to make such a decision that would alter the direction of his karma. So he must go through with it and fight. The outcome of the battle of Kurukshetra might have been different if Arjuna had approached his situation with vairagya, calm yogic discernment and really was evolved enough at that time to walk away and into the forest to live a life of a yogi. But he wasn’t.

The message for us all is to do our best to be free from negative emotions, not allowing them to determine our actions. We can start by not resorting to blaming and complaining and seeing ourselves as a victim of others or of circumstances and instead embrace each moment with love. Being able to love what is, allows us to truly exercise free will and move towards our enlightenment.

Amy: Thank You Sharon-Ji, Jai Sri Krsna

Sharon Gannon: Jai Shree Krishna.

Amy V Dewhurst

To Check Out Amy’s Work Go To; Sense + Color, You Can Reach Her At IG:  Amy_V_Dewhurst  + AmyVDewhurst@SenseAndColor.co #PutYourGoodWhereItWillDoTheMost

www.senseandcolor.co

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Attend the Conscious Life Expo February 4 – 7

At this point in time, it is more important than ever for us to connect to whatever allows us to be our best selves, living our best lives, finding community, and experiencing health and well-being. These are also times during which we may be experiencing some of the greatest challenges of our lifetime. The Conscious Life Expo has long been an event and a place where people can come together and explore the edges of consciousness, learn more about energy and experience, partake in the healing arts, and discover things that aren’t easily available anywhere else.

Here are 10 reasons to attend the Conscious Life Expo for one lecture or the entire weekend, February 4 through 7.

1. Inspiring Speakers and Workshop Leaders

Attend Innovative and thoughtful workshops that you won’t find anywhere else. Cultivate sacred sisterhood with Britt Lynn and Hanna Lena Christenson. Learn how to shield and protect your energy. Experience medical mediumship readings with Kimberly Meredith.

2. Free Lectures

Learn about self-healing from a variety of perspectives in the Conscious Life Expo Free Lecture Series. Self-healing, mastering your self, psychedelic integration, medicinal mushrooms and more. Discover how to chose the right diet, practice Chi Gong, and find tools to transform grief, work as a conscious entrepreneur, and tune into the awakening of the divine feminine.

3. Celebrate After Hours

Stay late and imbibe in a Cacao Ceremony and After Hours Experience with an Aura Sound Bath and Embodiment followed by Dancey Downtempo House and Elixir Cocktails!

4. Heal Yourself with Delicious Food

Nourish your body as well as your mind and spirit. Plant-based artisan food from Jummee; warming Chakra Chai, delicious Indian vegetarian from Samosa House, vibrationally active water from Starfire Water, Gaia Tree Teas & Treats, and Auraganic Juicery.

5. Euphoria Fashion Show w/ Conscious Fashion Brands

Be inspired to wear clothing that expresses your most authentic self with brands that are dedicated to making a positive impact. Clothing lines at the Euphoria Fashion Show include Starseed Squad, Namaslay Collective, The Way of the Hand, and more. Show up on Saturday, February 5 at 4:00 PM.

6. Extensive Hispanic Program

In person and online, Spanish language programming and events at Conscious Life Expo widen the availability and accessibility of the teachings and teachers.

7. Connect with Community

We need to surround ourselves with like-minded people who will lift us up and support our ability to be our best selves. Whether you connect with the person next to you at a workshop or lecture, or you meet someone in the hallways, find your community while attending the expo. We need community now more than ever.

8. Conscious Shopping

One of the greatest reasons to attend the Conscious Life Expo in person is to visit the Exhibit Hall. There are some things that we don’t always find in an internet search. Visiting the exhibit hall allows you to discover new and cutting- edge products offered by conscious entrepreneurs. You can support small businesses and artisans. Visit the Exhibit Hall to find solutions for how to live well in the world today.

9. Expo’s Got Talent!

See the Expo teachers, speakers, thought-leaders, and community members showcase their talents in the Expo’s Got Talent show on Saturday night!

10. Livestream Tickets are Available!

If you can’t make it in person….Livestream Tickets are Available for Main Stage speakers, allowing you to tune in from home or even gift attendance to the Conscious Life Expo to far-away friends.

Learn More about the Conscious Life Expo and Buy Tickets! 

Felicia M. Tomasko

Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.

www.blissnetwork.com

The post 10 Reasons to go to the Conscious Life Expo appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Lessons, Challenges and Opportunities in Online Yoga Teacher Training

Since the beginning of the global pandemic in early 2020, we have all been finding creative solutions to pursuing our goals and dreams, and maintaining connections despite physical distancing. Zoom has become a household word and a ubiquitous tool that supports us in personal and professional settings. Many of us have experienced “Zoom fatigue”, or a sense of weariness related to spending many of our waking ours pegged to a screen. However, there have been many benefits as we have grown more accustomed to, and adept at communicating with people across vast geographical distances. The possibilities for connection, including taking online yoga teacher trainings, have expanded on a global scale.

Originally the relationship between a student and a teacher of yoga was highly individualized and often one to one. Over the last 50 years, yoga instruction has predominantly shifted to more of a group endeavor with one teacher for multiple students, and over the last two years yoga instruction has shifted again, by necessity, to an online format. While this has certain drawbacks, there have been so many positives.

Finding the Positives in the Pivot

In concert with many other schools, Balanced Rock + WildYoga Teacher Training embarked on the big pivot, taking our 10th annual 200-hour yoga teacher training online. We created and ran a unique program and successfully supported 13 incredible new graduates in profound learning and community connection in the face of global pandemic and physical distance.

We had no idea how this online learning journey would unfold, and we were thrilled that it was better than we could have ever imagined. We were inspired by how connected students were to the practices and to one another, and by the extent of the learning that this flexible format provided.  The professionalism of the instruction and the easy-to-use learning platform made for a top-notch educational experience.

“The virtual space feels sacred, much like if we were practicing in a studio together. I had a deeply connected experience to the yoga philosophy and wonderful people that joined me on this online journey. I was amazed how much I was learning and connecting in this online format. This is truly one of the best gifts you could give yourself.” ~Netty DeGarlais, 2021 YTT graduate

The Gifts of the Online Yoga Teacher Training Program

Specifically, we noticed that the new format offered consistency. Weekly meetings ensured regularity and routine both in community and in structuring students’ individual practice. All students loved the consistency of the group commitment over the eight-month program.

The new format provided some certainty in a world full of changing regulations. Rain or shine, quarantine or not, we would gather in our sacred virtual classroom. Regardless of what was happening in our unpredictable world, our study of the ancient wisdom of yoga carried on, through offering tools to support us in navigating the known and unknown.

We were successful at building community during a time when many people felt truly isolated. While we’ve all experienced how awkward and alienating Zoom can be, we found that our virtual classroom quickly became a deeply nourishing group learning space that our students found to be a refuge – both during live Zoom classes and offline through group communication.

Moving Out of Comfort Zones

2020 was a year that pushed most people outside their “comfort zone” and interrupted the pursuit of many well-made plans. The WildYoga Teacher Training offered students the opportunity to pursue their goal of immersing in the teachings of yoga from the comfort of wherever they were! Because it was not a destination program in an exotic location or studio, the elimination of travel made our program gentler on the planet. Furthermore, we received feedback from students that building a practice in your personal environment creates a routine you are more likely to continue once the course is completed!

Before the advent of virtual tools, one often had to make great sacrifices to train as a yoga teacher. With the virtual format, this goal became far more convenient to achieve; you could complete this program without giving up your job, your family responsibilities or drastically changing your schedule. The course provided a perfect blend of self-paced learning and live Zoom sessions, which accounted for approximately 15 hours per month.

Finally, because all instructors were teaching remotely and diminishing travel, we were able to offer the course at a lower cost. Our virtual program is more affordable than most in-person yoga teacher trainings that can cost upwards of twice as much as our offering. At a time when many people were unemployed, we continued our commitment to offering various financial assistance solutions for students to feel confident in joining this program without breaking the bank.

Because we continue to face uncertainty around in-person gatherings, we’ve decided to offer it in an online format again, this time with the possibility of adding on in-person modules. The WildYoga Teacher Training is an incredible opportunity to certify as a yoga instructor via a rich interdependent, grounding journey of connection, while staying local and embedded in the fabric of your life, and being in community with learners across the country and around the world.

Paula Wild

Paula Wild is the Program Manager and Lead Trainer for Balanced Rock Foundation’s WildYoga Teacher Training. Paula’s teaching blends alignment based, heart-centered, therapeutic yoga with her love and knowledge of ecology and natural history. Since 1999 Paula has been exploring the overlap between yoga and sustainable living, and her greatest intention is to support people in connecting to the wild world within, and around us. Please check out more wonderful programs to inspire health and wellbeing through deep connection to nature and spirit at Balanced Rock!

balancedrock.org%20

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A Teacher’s Journey: Sri Dharma Mittra

Sri Dharma Mittra is known as  “the teacher’s teacher” a great yogi who is revered as an elder, a sage. He was born in the remote village of Pirapora, Brazil in 1939. One of five children, he and his brother Satya became enamored with yogic studies via books.

At 19, Sri Dharma Mittra enlisted in the Brazilian National Airforce where he served for six years. During that time he practiced bodybuilding, wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In 1962 he won a national bodybuilding contest, and placed second in power-lifting. This same year, Sattya traveled to New York City to meet
Sri Swami Kailashananda (also known as Yogi Gupta).

Two years after arriving in NYC, in 1964, Sri Dharma Mittra met Yogi Gupta in person, and dedicated his life to the practice of yoga. He took every possible class with the Swami and his disciples. Three years later, Sri Dharma Mittra himself became a Sannyasi (one who renounces the world in order to realize God).

During the 1960s and 1970s Sri Dharma Mittra offered yoga asana lessons in the hotel ballrooms and public places where Yogi Gupta was giving discourse. With his teacher’s blessing, Sri Dharma Mittra opened “Dharma Yoga Center” in New York City in 1974.

For more than 50 years, the center has served as an international hub for classes, teacher trainings, and devotional study. Known as “The Teacher’s Teacher,” Sri Dharma Mittra has affected the lives of hundreds of thousands of yogis in America (and beyond).

When asking one of those students what they most loved about their time studying under the master, the student responded, “He would start every class reminding everyone to make every pose an offering to God.”

Sri Dharma Mittra photo by Joy Santos

A Conversation with The Teacher’s Teacher

Amy Dewhurst: What is yoga? Or what does yoga mean to you?

Sri Dharma Mittra: Yoga is the settling of the mind into silence. That’s what Patanjali tells us in the opening of the first Pada [book] of The Yoga Sutras. We have all of these beautiful techniques that we have received to help us in this process: the ethical rules, the Yogic practices, the physical exercises, the breathing exercises, meditation, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, et cetera. Patanjali outlines the main ones and, if you have the karma to have a nice yoga teacher, they will instruct you in the practice. The secret though is constant practice. Practice, keep acquiring Self-Knowledge and keep trying to become firmly established in compassion. This will help to settle the mind into silence and put you on the path to Self-Realization.

Amy: How did you come to the practice?

Sri Dharma Mittra: When I was a teenager, my brother gave me a copy of a book he found called Days of Peace that described the state of Samadhi. It was exactly what I had been searching for all of my life up until then. Where I was then in Brazil, there were no yoga teachers available, so I had to be patient.

Eventually, my brother went to New York City and met there an Indian Guru named Swami Kailashananda — the American students called him Yogi Gupta, because that was his family name and it was easier for them to pronounce and remember.

My brother wrote me a letter and said I’ve met the person we’ve been searching for. Come here as soon as you can! I asked my mother’s permission, sold my business, left the [Brazilian] Air Force, and bought a one-way ticket to New York. The day I arrived, I met the guru. For me, it was like meeting G-d. I knew I had found what I had been searching for all of my life up until then. I committed myself to his teachings and the practice, and for me, that was it.

Amy Dewhurst: How did you become a teacher?

Sri Dharma Mittra: I met my guru in 1964. I then took every class every day with him and his swamis. In 1967, I was asked to begin offering classes at the Yogi Gupta New York Ashram both to the residents and to the students that visited for classes. I taught classes concerning the third and fourth steps of yoga: Asana and Pranayama. In 1974, I asked the guru’s permission to leave the ashram and start my own school. With his blessing, I opened the Yoga Asana Center in New York City in 1975 that eventually became the Dharma Yoga Center. I have been sharing the full practice ever since.

Sharing Inspiration with Students

Amy: You’ve been teaching yoga asana since 1967. When students come through the doors, what do you hope to pass down to them, inspire in them, invite them to ripen into, to become?

Sri Dharma Mittra: Even if the students only arrive wanting to learn a little bit about how to make the physical body healthy, strong and more flexible, I try to make sure they leave having always learned some other things as well.

For many people, Asana is what gets them through the door and often keeps them interested, but so much of what we need to understand is that we are more than this physical body — this pile of bones, flesh and blood, that is born, lives for a while, and then dies.

Asana is wonderful for helping us to cultivate a radiant state of health, but Asana is only one eighth of yoga. If our practice begins and ends with Asana, then we are not really practicing yoga.

What is most important is that the students can come to see themselves in all living creatures. That they can come to understand there is something behind all life that allows us to experience everything, but come to know that we are so much more than the body and the mind.

Sri Dharma Mittra on Teaching

Amy Dewhurst: In all of those years do you have a favorite memory of teaching, or a moment when you really saw the impact your teachings have had on the world?

Sri Dharma Mittra: What gives me the most pleasure is to see people of the world behaving better and better — to see the compassion steadily increasing.

I told a story to the students online just this morning how a couple of years ago, I pretended to have my dentures fall out of my mouth while I was teaching (I dropped a set of plastic novelty teeth on the ground). While most of the students were disgusted, one of them leaped forward to grab what they thought were my false teeth to hand them to me.

This person had developed wonderful compassion and reverence for the teacher — good qualities for the student of yoga.

Amy: Your famous 908 yoga postures poster is can be seen in almost every yoga studio on the planet. Can you tell us how this happened?

Sri Dharma Mittra: I had an idea in the early 80s to do something to honor my teacher and to try and provide a tool that would help people to make progress in Asana; where they could see all the main poses and many variations all in one place.

I bought a video camera, a monitor and a regular camera with a squeeze bulb trigger. I would assume the pose, check the position in the video monitor, think of G-d, squeeze the bulb sometimes in my mouth, spit it out, and five seconds later, the camera would take the picture.

I eventually had over 1,300 pictures. I cut them all out so they were just the image of me without the background and over time began to arrange them on vertical wires I had hung for that purpose with clothespins.

Eventually when I had 908 of them arranged in the way that seemed right, I went to a special shop that could print large images and spent most of my money having copies made. Most of the original copies, I gave away or plastered on bus stops to promote my classes. Whenever I went back to check on them, they were gone! People kept taking them because I think they liked them. We keep printing them ever since and people keep buying them, so that’s good.

Amy Dewhurst: How has yoga changed in America, and in the world, since you first started teaching?

Sri Dharma Mittra: With technology, everything is constantly improving — getting better and better. In the beginning, if I wanted a certain book, I had to write to an ashram in India for permission, then send the money and sometimes it was months before I could finally hold it in my hands. Today, every yoga book is for sale on the internet and it can be delivered the next day. The main ones, you can read for free online anytime.

In the 1960s, there weren’t too many people who knew much about yoga even in New York City. Today, there is a yoga studio on every corner and if you don’t find the teacher you like there, you can go online and find thousands more everywhere.

If you have a question today about anything, you ask Swami Google-ananda. Before you even finish entering in the question, he already gives you many choices for answers.

We have yoga mats today — all these things to make the practice comfortable. I can’t wait to come back next lifetime and practice yoga in a space station!

Amy: If you could impart upon young aspirants one word of advice, or one thing you would hope they would learn, what would it be?

Sri Dharma Mittra: The action of compassion is to place yourself in others. I would tell them to learn to see themselves in others — that’s a master key to everything.

Amy: This is a question I ask everyone, so thank you for your thoughtfulness in answering. Where do you think dharma meets free will? How much is predetermined, how much is in our hands?

Sri Dharma Mittra: Dharma is the Divine Plan. If you accept and believe in the Laws of Karma, then you see that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction; that everything we are currently passing through is a result of our deeds from the past. If you accept this way of seeing things, then free will is not part of the equation. We are here making decisions, taking actions, experiencing emotions, but we are doing this according to the Divine Plan. “Not even a single blade of grass moves without the will of the L-rd.”

If you believe this to be true, then every action you take is according to your Parabda Karma — the karma of this lifetime, and everything there is set, so the decisions we make, even the thoughts we think and emotional states we pass through, it’s all part of the larger process of purifying the heart and mind so we can eventually achieve Self-Realization, the goal of all life.

Amy Dewhurst: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Sri Dharma Mittra: Without Yama and Niyama, there is no yoga. It’s like spaghetti without the sauce. I have been saying this for many years and people usually laugh when they hear it the first time, but it’s true.

There are people in Cirque du Soleil who can do Asana better than any Yogi and there are pearl divers who can hold the breath longer. There are even people who can learn to concentrate the mind on one point without wavering to make great breakthroughs in science.

What transforms these actions into spiritual practice is a firm foundation of Yama and Niyama. Find a nice yoga teacher who can teach you these, who knows also about the main poses and breathing exercises and who can teach you how to sustain the concentration so it becomes meditation.

If we add the compassion full force to all of this, keep the diet, we are practicing yoga, and this will have the effect of transforming the way we experience life. Be kind to your guests and your pets. That is yoga.

Amy Dewhurst: Thank you for all you have done! I’m honored to interview you. Pranams.

Sri Dharma Mittra: Thank you for this great opportunity to share a little bit about the yoga!

Amy V Dewhurst

To Check Out Amy’s Work Go To; Sense + Color, You Can Reach Her At IG:  Amy_V_Dewhurst  + AmyVDewhurst@SenseAndColor.co #PutYourGoodWhereItWillDoTheMost

www.senseandcolor.co

The post The Teacher’s Teacher: An Interview with Sri Dharma Mittra appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

What Does it Mean to Co-Create Our World?

If you had all of the money in the world, what kind of world would you create? What kind of fuel and energy would power our lives? Would you opt for organic food, if it were affordable and available? Would you invest in the company that makes or delivers sustainably sourced sustenance? How would people move around in your utopia?

There is great power in how we spend our money. There is even greater strength in where we invest. This is a largely untapped source of influence for Main Street. When we don’t know which companies are fueling their future off of the money in our retirement, insurance and tax dollars, chances are quite high that we are profiting on the very companies that we picket – from polluters, companies that denude the forests and other last-century products and services that have led us to the climate crisis we face today.

Align Investments with Goals for Sustainability

We can save the planet, while enriching ourselves, when we make sure that our investments are aligned with our goals, when we put our money where our heart is. And yes, this can be very profitable. That’s why ESG Investing have become buzz words. [ESG Investing includes an evaluation of a company’s Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance or their conscientiousness in this metrics.] Many companies that are not planet-friendly are providing products and services that we line up to buy. It’s just as important to green our lives as it is to embrace ESG Investing.

In 2020, the pandemic forced changes upon all of us. Overnight, many of us began working, and doing almost everything, from home. As a result, the skies had never been cleaner in my lifetime. Traffic had never been so light and calm. Global carbon emissions dropped -7% between 2019 and 2020. In Europe and the U.S., the plunge was even more significant, at -11% and -12%, respectively. (China’s emissions were down only -1.7%.)

Demand for gasoline sank to the point that oil futures holders were paying not to take delivery on April 20, 2020. (Storing oil is very expensive.) The historic low price for oil is now -$40.32/barrel.

Sadly, emissions are on track to be higher in 2021 than in 2019.

How do we take charge of our portfolio when the financial advisor is encouraging us to let her handle things her way, and then “do good” with the profits? Is this the right approach today?

Rethinking and Recreating our Investments of Time and Money

The pandemic’s interruption of our lives is an opportunity to rethink and re-create everything, putting the health of the planet that nurtures and sustains us at the forefront. Every cent we own and every moment we spend is always an investment. We are a co-creators of our world. Our retirement and tax dollars are invested in the corporations that define our existence. When we realize the power of our money and investments as tools to make us rich and to also enrich our world, we will start aligning ourselves with other creative and motivated people who are invested in our success, the success of the companies we choose to support and the world at large.

Believing you have to make money fast before the world ends, the dollar becomes worthless, or the bank takes back your home is the kind of vulnerability that scam artists and shysters feed upon. Drink in the education and research you need in order to make successful investments. You’ll be less vulnerable to predators and more available to money while you sleep. Wisdom is key. Life math is something we should all be learning in high school. If we think of all the time we have wasted worrying about money in the past, we know that getting smart about budgeting and investing is actually going to take less of our time.

If you can shop, you can pick stocks. If you tithe, you can become a millionaire. If you can pick a great life partner, then you can select the second most important person in your life, your certified financial partner. If you know your age, then you know what percent of your retirement plan you should keep safe – not invested in stocks. Once you discover how the dollars you invest create our world, you can start investing in the products, goods and services that will save our planet.

Invest with Heart to Co-Create Our World

When people start investing with heart, soul and wisdom, instead of fear, blind faith and greed, this world will become a very, very beautiful place. There is no end to the problems that can be solved when we move trillions out of the old industries of oil, gas and cigarettes, and invest that trove in the clean energy, goods and services that contribute to a healthy, sustainable world. A life like this increases in value every single day and becomes more valuable, not just to each one of us individually, but to those around us, and the world at large.

What it Really Means to Live a Rich Life

True wealth is not a rollercoaster. Living a rich life is priceless. Having a planet that nourishes and sustains us is a divine blessing, and is essential to our survival. So, let’s put our money where our heart is to live a richer life today, and to co-create something worthy of being remembered for generations to come.

Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is

Excerpt from the Introduction of the 2nd edition of Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is, an original ESG Investing book. The 2nd edition was just released as an Amazon Exclusive in September, 2021. The ebook will be offered free for 5 days only starting on October 31, 2021. Visit https://www.NataliePace.com/ for more information.

Natalie Pace

Natalie Wynne Pace is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude Project and the author of the Amazon bestsellers The Gratitude Game, The ABCs of Money and Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is. Since 2002, Natalie Pace has been touring the world and featuring the most sustainable businesses, farms, individuals, restaurants and homes. Download your free Earth Gratitude mini ebooks, featuring The Dalai Lama, H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, Elon Musk, The Duchess of Northumberland, Deepak Chopra, Life is Good, the Earth Day Network, Global Green USA, Arianna Huffington, Lynne Twist, Ron Finley and more, at http://earthgratitude.org/. Learn more about Natalie Pace at http://www.nataliepace.com/.

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CEOs Need Mindfulness Daily

The idea of mindfulness – practicing being aware of each moment, decision and action and how it relates to a healthier and more fulfilling life, has gained significant traction over recent years. More and more people are understanding the lifestyle benefits correlated to mindfulness.   And as Americans get back into their routine, there’s an emergence of adoption for the practice among an unlikely demographic – high-performing male CEOs, athletes and executive performers.

With a cultural perspective shift that has resulted from the pandemic, the power of living life intentionally is more evident than ever. Many wellness coaches are seeing an uptick in enrollment from executives, professional athletes and other high-profile career fields to learn more about mindfulness and find ways to incorporate the practice into their routines.

Donny Starkins: Passionate about Sharing Mindfulness

One such Los Angeles-based wellness coach meeting the needs of an expanded clientele is Donny Starkins. The former Division 1 athlete (baseball) made his own career building on the principles of his journey with wellness and sobriety. He has built a network of clients through his signature approach to personal development and mindfulness coaching. Starkins is seeing an increased interest from existing and new clients on the philosophies of yoga and mindfulness.

“There is still a core misunderstanding that mindfulness only applies to certain situations and this couldn’t be farther from the truth. I’m passionate about sharing the benefits of mindfulness and working with clients to identify the areas they can invest in their overall wellness – no matter their background.”

Cultural Conversations around Mental Health and Mindfulness Coaching

Starkins finds that there isn’t a one-size fits all approach to mindfulness. Many clients begin with his signature program “The Shift,” and then layer in additional practices, meditations and thought-processes to address the needs of each top performer. Starkins finds that the biggest challenge is having male clients initiate the need for coaching. This is happening more and more often due to increased conversations about mental health stigmas. “Society is redefining self-care – and it’s encouraging to see that men are now being encouraged to participate in these conversations. To be honest about what they need and be vulnerable enough to seek the life they desire through the hard work of self-discovery. Mindfulness isn’t solely about the destination but the journey and I love seeing my clients fully,” said Starkins.

Mindfulness: Popular Because it Works!

Mindfulness is not a new concept to the health and wellness industry, but it is one that has gained popularity due to its sincerity and overall benefits to those that practice. Whether it’s through dedicated meditation time, yoga, reflection or prayer, when you approach your life with a mindful attitude, you realize the interconnection of the universe and how everything fits in place. As that understanding grows, you feel a deeper connection and understanding for where you are in this moment.

Mindfulness coaching is created through calm, focused instruction which shares a lot of similarities with yoga. By highlighting peaceful energy that makes even the most difficult scenarios possible to work through, mindfulness practice creates an overall connected, grounded and inspired experience for all areas of personal development.

“The principles of yoga are proven to benefit the mind, body and soul. And I’m unable to be my best self on any day in which I’m not mindfully observing and sharing these principles that guide my life. I firmly believe my mission is to share this collective wisdom throughout the communities that I am a part of – everyone, no matter what their age, location or socioeconomic status – can benefit from learning about yoga,” said Starkins.

As the adoption of mindfulness continues to increase, there will be no shortage of opportunities to connect and share with those that are on their wellness journey. We’d love to hear about your experience with mindfulness and how it has positively impacted your life. To learn more about Donny Starkins Visit www.DonnyStarkins.com.

Samantha Flynn

Samantha Flynn has been working in public relations and written communication for 15 years. She has a passion for storytelling and developing creative connection points between her clients and their audiences. Founder of Junipr Public Relations, Samantha splits her time between the Chicago and Philadelphia areas. For more information, www.JuniprPublicRelations.com.

juniprpublicrelations.com

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We’re all looking for tools for recovery, especially after a challenging practice. This can be especially true when we feel stiff, unenergized, or worried about a specific part of our bodies. Our bodies need some love and TLC so that our yoga practice can be enjoyable and effective. Tuina massage is a recovery technique that offers powerful benefits when indulged in either before or after yoga .

Tuina is a practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine and one of the experiences found at Seyhart in Los Angeles. It restores the energy of the body, known as the Qi, through both the release of toxins and overall nourishment of the entire body. When combined with cupping or Gua Sha, Tuina’s benefits for detoxification and rejuvenation can be amplified.

In conjunction with yoga, Seyhart’s Tuina practice can help improve mobility and even awareness. The awareness that takes place during the pressing, rubbing, and kneading of the soft tissues during the Tuina massage, is in itself healing.

Rest and Recovery through Tuina

When it comes to muscle recovery after yoga or other physical activities, times of rest are key for healing. Seyhart’s Tuina can serve as this recovery and healing moment and can allow rest days to be even more productive. The massage provides some of the same benefits for mobility as yoga while working out some of the lactic acid buildup that can contribute to sore muscles after an intense flow or other workout. Regular massage can support the habit of staying mobile through practice.

Tuina as Needle-Free Acupuncture

Tuina is frequently described as needle-free acupuncture. It gently stimulates the meridians, or the channels of energy in the body. Tuina allows the body to continue on its wellness journey while also integrating mental awareness.  This form of mind-body massage is truly medicine and part of a greater process of healing, recovery, preparation of, or just appreciation of ourselves and our health.

Staff Writer

The post How A Tuina Massage can Improve Your Yoga Practice appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Dr Ingrid Yang Photo by Bhadri Kubendran

Sharing a Mindful Yoga Journey as a Mindful Life Journey

The path to a meaningful life is far from straight and narrow. My professional career began as a stressed-out prelaw student-then-attorney, before I made the career leap to yoga teacher/studio owner in my mindful yoga journey.

While stepping away from law was a difficult decision, I realized that practicing medicine was my true calling, and the place where I could contribute most to the world. Even before I entered medical school, I knew in my heart that incorporating yoga could, and would be, beneficial and integral to how I would practice medicine.

Today, in my practice, I meld the wisdom and therapeutics of yoga with rigorous scientific investigation, creating the space for deeper healing and wellness.

Now, I am a physician and yoga therapist and two-time author. I use my skills as a former attorney to advocate for my patients. I am also an advisor for the tech wellness company obVus Solutions, where I design the breathing exercises featured in the award-winning minder® posture corrector + breathing coach app, lead health coaching, and host continuing education webinars for health professionals. It is an honor and a thrill to contribute to the world in such a unique and exciting way. And I have to say, gratefully, that I love my life. But a mindful yoga journey, or any journey, was not an easy path… It never is, is it?

Dr Ingrid Yang Photo by Bhadri Kubendran

The Path to Living my Purpose

Having participated in a few different careers, I feel I am truly living my purpose as a physician, advising and educating people on their health. I started practicing yoga because I needed it on a very personal level. Along this path, I had to ask myself really hard questions at times when the “right” answer seemed impossible to find.

In college, I was a type-A go-getter in New York City, full of ambition and energy. Yet, the stress and pressure I put on myself felt suffocating. I was anxious and rigid, both physically and spiritually. Luckily, a friend recommended yoga to help ease my emotional inflexibility. Yoga taught me that I could just breathe in each moment: I did not have to prove or accomplish anything. I could just breathe and exist. I had never felt so relieved.

In my medical practice, I have found that a blend of ancient and modern healing methods have proven to be highly effective as the Covid-19 pandemic crisis unfolded in 2020. As a frontline healthcare professional, my patients benefit from a unique blend of mindfulness, breathwork (pranayama), and yoga asana in ways that counter their unique challenges. I find that these techniques greatly benefit those who are suffering and recovering from the alarming effects of the virus and help create a deeper sense of calm, which facilitates healing.

A Mindful Yoga Journey Includes Breathwork

I believe that all my patients benefit from the inclusion of mindfulness and breathwork, and have observed that people generally experience more ease in recovery, both during their hospital stay and after they are discharged home. My hope is to see more of this type of awareness introduced to the general public, which is why I’ve taken on the role of advising tech-wellness company obVus Solutions on the breathing exercises featured on the minder app. It brings awareness to the general public on the importance of better posture and breathing, two components which are crucial to helping improve overall health. My mission is mindfulness, not just in fields of medicine and yoga, but for the wellbeing of our entire population.

My path as a physician and yoga therapist has allowed me to witness how a dedicated yoga practice, when made accessible to everybody, can truly change one’s path to wellness. My latest book, Adaptive Yoga, highlights a variety of physical and physiological conditions in populations who have historically felt that their disabilities precluded them from practicing physical yoga. The book illustrates variations and adaptations to poses, which provide therapeutic comfort and increased confidence to all yogis.

To that end, I teach weekend-long trainings on Adaptive Yoga, including at Prana Yoga Center in La Jolla, for both yoga and medical professionals. A highlight of the training is that it outlines the biomechanics of altered anatomy and physiology of numerous conditions and shows how best to adapt poses for these populations. The training also provides trauma informed mind-body principles and practices, which have been shown to help those with students lead healthier, fuller lives.  I am also presenting at the Global Yoga Therapy Conference, virtually, in August.

Dr Ingrid Yang Photo by Bhadri Kubendran

Cultivating Work/Life Balance

Despite all my responsibilities, I hold a healthy home/work balance high on my wellness checklist. As a yoga therapist, I understand first-hand how important a personal yoga practice is in helping to maintain this sometimes precarious balance. I like to get away to the LA retreat staple, Terranea, to practice yoga on the beach, commune with nature, and get away for quiet meditation while listening to the ocean waves. In my free time, I also turn to surfing, where I find solace in the mindfulness and presence of riding the waves.

Dr Ingrid Yang Photo by Bhadri Kubendran

“Surfing is simply another form of yoga practice, and the uncertainties and challenges of wave-riding mimic those experienced in everyday life; we breathe and flow in each moment, and as life presents itself to us and we allow ourselves the time and space to be aware, we can see that we flow in sync with nature’s intentions.”

In all of my years working with people on yoga mats and in hospital beds, I have seen firsthand that burnout and exhaustion are one of the major causes of physical illness and disease. I believe in the restorative power of stepping away from the chaos of our daily lives and the power of mindfully setting the intention of self-care; on a physical, mental and spiritual level.

Retreats with Dr Ingrid Yang

Over the past few years, I’ve led yoga and meditation retreats in various destinations, incorporating wellness and healthy living practices on all levels. I hope LA Yoga readers will join me for either or both of two upcoming destination retreats currently scheduled: One in Portugal, September 2021, and one in April 2022 located in beautiful Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

If there is one thing that makes us feel more alive, it is travel. I find travel takes me out of my comfort zone and helps me connect with nature, as well as old and new friends. I love to experience different cultures, which is why I lead yoga retreats in different countries around the world.

Ingrid Yang

Dr. Ingrid Yang, M.D., J.D., E-RYT500, C-IAYT, is a physician, certified yoga therapist, Reiki master and an advisory board member at wellness company obVus Solutions, where she contributes her expertise to the breathing exercises featured in the minder® posture corrector + breathing coach app. When not practicing medicine, Dr. Yang leads yoga trainings and retreats all over the world, with a special focus on kinesthetic physiology and healing through posture modification, breathwork, meditation and mind-body connection. Dr. Yang has authored two books: Hatha Yoga Asanas and her latest release, Adaptive Yoga, published in November 2020.

ingridyang.com

The post The Mindful Yoga Journey of Dr. Ingrid Yang appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Family-Friendly Zen Fest West

Zen Fest West debuted in April 2021 on several hundred acres of private land located at Harrison Serenity Ranch on Palomar Mountain in the Cleveland National Forest of San Diego. Zen Awakening Festival is a small intimate festival experience which began in Florida in 2014, expanded to California in 2021, and will soon be debuting in Japan.

In stark contrast from many music festivals, Zen Fest is rooted in a no-alcohol, no-drugs policy. This is a wonderful respite for this single mama attending with her almost-teen daughter. Zen Fest was our fourth festival experience. In previous years we’ve attended Lightning In A Bottle (LIB), and although LIB created as safe a space as possible for families, there were always areas from whom I had to steer my daughter away from, or folks whose behavior I had to “explain.” At Zen Fest, nothing of this sort happened.

We were delightfully surprised by the community and made a bunch of new friends. In our downtime, we explored the surrounding area. Doing so, we learned a bit of the history of the sacred Pauma land and of Nate Harrison, a former African-American slave born into slavery in the 1830s who began homesteading on Palomar Mountain in 1893 and lived until almost 100 years old!

Origins of Zen Fest West

The origins of Zen Fest arise from a vision Everett Chin received in meditation after returning home from traveling the world.

Everett is a former high-end corporate event planner. His resume includes more than 25 years in the entertainment industry as well as becoming a member of the Rosicrucian Order. Everett describes Zen Fest as an experience of positive triggers that awakens our inner intuition and guidance. “This positive trigger process helps guide people through their personal Zen Awakening, and onto their true path in this incarnation. When the vision came, says Everett, “I was ready to play my part in helping this planet shift to a higher state of consciousness.” Everett describes his life mission as to “help the species evolve into something that we’re meant to be: spiritual, awakened beings that are here to make a beautiful world, instead of destroying it.”

Zen Fest distinguishes itself in that it’s rooted in facilitating a spiritual awakening through the visceral experience of a transformational festival. As a long-time festival-goer, Everett had a clear sense of which elements he wanted to craft and which to eschew. The path was not easy. “I’ve definitely had a lot of ups and downs in the last eight years. It’s been a challenge, and sometimes I question why I’m doing it. If I weren’t guided to it, I wouldn’t be doing this.”

And yet, so often, we hear people say, ‘Oh, I just had a sudden awakening. I just had my awakening! You hear that a lot,” he smiles. “And that makes it all worth it.”

Zen Fest Arrival & Centering

After a short drive of about 3,500 feet up Palomar Mountain to Harrison Serenity Ranch, my daughter and I were greeted by the cheerful Zen Fest Welcome Team. We immediately felt the energy of this quiet, serene, camping-like environment Zen Fest provided, vastly different from experiences I’ve had with dense lighting, massive installations, and constant booming bass.

In contrast, Zen Fest at night is relatively dark. In fact, there was very little lighting at all. The spaces felt like an intimate camping experience with several hundred people spaced out in beautifully crafted areas of interaction. The effect is deliberate, explains Everett, “At night, we don’t do a lot of lighting because we want people to look up at the stars. And the music shuts off at 12 or 12:30am, to give people time to integrate, to just be, to have a connection with nature and themselves.”

Exploring Camp

Our first night at Zen Fest felt like entering a mystical magical foggy paradise. Almost everything was covered in a haze of moisture. We explored Central Camp, which offered places to sit and eat, art, craft, as well as clothing vendors and food. The main food vendor that weekend was the amazing Larry Molina, of Totality Kitchen, whose creative, heartfelt, nourishing vegetarian cuisine warmed our bodies and souls.

Zen Fest featured a single music stage, set in a natural amphitheater which allowed for plenty of space to move freely and not feel constricted. The pathway to the Amphiteatre wandered through several mindfully cultivated spaces. One of our favorites was the recently constructed Labyrinth!

As my daughter and I walked back to our camp that first night, a car slowly inched into camp. It was just after midnight, and no one was manning the entrance. I walked up and offered to text message the driver my festival map, so she could find her camp. We started talking and I learned that her name was Stara Being, and she had driven all the way from Oregon to attend the festival.

A gorgeous costume hung on the passenger seat beside her. It was her Empress Stara character. A “being from a different dimension that travels the world doing dance prayers to assist in the consciousness shift happening in humanity.” Empress Stara debuted in David Starfire’s musical set on Saturday night with a sweet, mystical dance whose beauty reflected the energy that Stara spoke of, a brightness of spirit that saturated our weekend.

Ashtanga Yoga at Zen Fest

By next morning, the fog had lifted and gorgeous views of the valley greeted us. I decided to greet the morning with Ashtanga Yoga, which was taking place on a beautiful outdoor deck tucked in a grove of Oak trees just past the Pyramid and the Aerial dome.

Jason Barniske, a lifetime Ashtangi who studied exclusively under Tim Miller, led the morning class. Jason carries a warm, confident and encouraging energy. He describes yoga as a life-saving practice, “Something that continues to save me from myself, helps me evaluate all the decisions I make and be a better person, every single day.”

“Teaching in the clouds was a glorious experience,” continued Jason. “You could understand why the Paumu people were called the Cloud People, because all you could see just were these islands, which were mountain peaks, surrounded by clouds.”
In addition to Ashtanga, Jason is a Hape´ practitioner and offered several different Hape’ ceremonies that weekend to approximately 200 folks. Jason describes Hape’ as a powdered tobacco mixture with Palo Santo and some other herbs. It’s a medicine that “helps you clear out and open your energy, activate your pineal gland, and really tune into yourself and release. It also helps emotional release.” Hape’ is often combined with a breathing practice “which helps activate the medicine more and release what’s already inside of us.”

Conscious Kids Camp

Natural Tie-Dye

Our next adventure led us to the Conscious Kids Camp, for a tie-dye workshop led by Chandra Mukhi Devi Dasi, a lovely 10-year-old-girl and her parents. Chandra’s mom, Vrsabhanu Nandini Devi Dasi, or Bhanu, for short, helped co-lead the workshop, which featured natural tie-dying by using the water of a boiled red cabbage, lemon juice, and baking soda.

My daughter had an amazing time tie-dying, and right away, made a friend for the weekend. I was so impressed with the beautiful creations the kids came up with, I asked Bhanu to share her the recipe:

Recipe – Cabbage Water Tie Dye

One head of red cabbage, chopped and boiled until water is deep purple and cabbage turns mostly pale, about an hour.
Split into three containers.
While cabbage is boiling, prime clothing with half water and half white vinegar in advance by placing in a bowl for about an hour.
Wring out the clothing and lay flat.

Now you’re ready to tie-dye!
Add lemon juice to change the color to pink (acidic).
Add baking soda to turn the color to blue (basic.)

Sacred Henna Workshop: Crowns of Courage

My daughter later joined another workshop, a Sacred Henna Tattoo experience led by Amanda Joy Gilbert, the founder of Henna Crowns of Courage, a non-profit which offers Henna as Art Therapy for people undergoing cancer. The Zen Fest version of this workshop incorporated connecting one-on-one, sharing life dreams and visions, and henna tattooing as a form of visually and energetically manifesting those visions into reality. As Amanda led the workshop, I could see the light and joy in each participant’s eyes. I asked her to share a bit more about her path and journey.

“I used to deal with a lot of panic attacks and anxiety. When I started doing this art form, I became aware. I started connecting to my subconscious thoughts and realized how rude I was being to myself. I realized that I needed to tap in. So I breathed again. I started to love myself and decided, do I want to keep going down that route? Or do I want to shift my mindset from fear to love?”

The path of self-awareness is one that many disregard as unsustainable and filled with fear of an uncertain future. Amanda described her fear of leaving her regular 9-5 job (one that she didn’t like), and of making money as a henna tattoo artist. All that fear was simply fear, she smiled, “I’m making more money than I ever made at my job. I’m able to travel the world and share what I love with people. And I’m happy!”

Manifesting Miso…and Friendship

Saturday late afternoon, and the sun shone magically upon us. All of a sudden, I knew I needed a little cat-nap and decided to lay down in the grass. As rays of warmth bathed my body, I mused, “Ya know what, honey? I’d really love some miso soup right now.”??“But mom, there’s no miso soup. Larry has curry today, not miso.”??“I know,” I answered with a dreamy smile, “but I bet we can manifest some miso.”
My daughter practically rolled her eyes.

“Come on, honey,” I said, and urged her to lie down next to me.

“This works all the time at Burning Man. Why not, here, as well? Let’s think about what miso soup tastes like… mmmm… salty… warm… little bits of tofu and seaweed…can you taste it?” I asked her.

She nodded.

“Let’s close our eyes and really taste it.” We did, and after a few moments, sat back up.

Not even 15 minutes later, a friendly face pops up behind us and sits down. She commented on how “sweet’ we looked together, mother and daughter. My daughter started telling her a bit about us, and mentioned how I really wanted some miso soup. This woman’s eyes LIT up. “I have miso soup! Back at my camp! In fact, I brought some and didn’t really know why I brought some. I’m not a huge fan of miso, but I figured, why not?”
She laughed. “I must have brought it for you!”
Kaia turned to me and relayed the whole conversation. “Mom! We manifested some miso!!!”

Our new friend headed back to her camp and returned shortly thereafter with a packet of, no joke, organic miso soup powder. In return, I offered her a few squares of our favorite Vegan Paleo chocolate bar. Her eyes lit up in return as she told my daughter, “Oh my gosh, this is my favorite chocolate in the world! It’s the only one I eat.”
Viola! Manifestation complete!

Our weekend included so many of these magical moments…almost too many to count. We kept running into the same beautiful souls, like Joshua Lozada, who graced Center Camp with his singing talent and fire spinning. And Tree…yup, that’s right – Tree, who says that he gave himself that nickname “because I’m 7’3” and because I try to stay very grounded and in the moment.” Tree has attended every single Zen Awakening Fest in Florida, and flew all the way to San Diego to attend the CA Zen Fest debut. I later asked Tree to pose in the grove of trees. Notice the sunbeams, bathing his body in light!

But the most amazing soul I met, without a doubt, was Chief Blackfox of the Lakota Tribe: Wisdom Keeper, speaker and spiritual leader at Zen Fest, and great great grandson of Chief Crazy Horse, the famous war leader who took up arms against the United States Federal Government to fight against encroachment by the white American settlers.

The first time I interacted with Chief Blackfox happened while laying down for a little nap in the sunshine in the amphitheater, just before my daughter and I manifested our magical miso soup!

My daughter was making rainbow loom bracelets to trade/offer by donation, and I needed a few minutes of rest. I had just laid down next to her on the grass when a kind soul offered up his blanket for me to lay down. I graciously accepted. Part of me wondered if this was Chief Blackfox, but since we were both in the moment of relaxing in nature, I let the moment just be.

I had the honor and pleasure to sit with Chief Blackfox in a drum circle the following afternoon. In between drumming, gazing at nature and sharing, he spoke of Life, the World and Consciousness. The warmth and wisdom in his eyes couples with a strength of spirit that I don’t see in many humans.

Chief Blackfox

I asked Chief Blackfox, “How did you become a part of Zen Fest?”

“Everett asked me to speak at one of his events. He’d heard about me and how I turn people’s lives around and help them. I’ve been with him ever since.”

“Ever since then I’ve been talking about the water, the earth, the air, how to protect Mother Earth, how to live with Mother Earth, how to be connected with the animals, how to learn to speak to them again. The animals were our teachers, and when our identity got taken away by the government, we lost our ability to connect to the earth again.”??“Some of us, like myself, didn’t go to school. I only have an eighth grade education, but I have more education than most people because I have the encyclopedia of the Universe, which is the heaven, the earth and the connection between it all. I am able to connect to the rocks, the trees and the animals because we all have the same DNA. I teach people how to be connected to and how to live in harmony, because right now, we need it.”

What would you say to someone who wishes to start on this path?

“It’s better to listen than to ask questions, because if you listen, those questions that you’ve been asking for might come with listening. If you just sit there, you will understand, you will hear the answer.”??He paused for a long time…

“But a lot of people don’t want to listen. They just want to ask questions.”

“The Lakota people believe that we come from the Lightning and Thunder people,” continued Chief Blackfox. ??“God first made the Heaven, and then he created all the animals and all the creatures. Then he made the man and woman.”

“He began by starting a tree on fire. It was alongside this hill, like this mountain here. And then the mud starts rolling down, and that tree rolled with it. And then the ashes and the wood came together. So God used this lightning to put that energy into a body, which made the man and woman.”

“A lot of people are confused about the Creator and Mother Earth because they confuse between the male and the female aspects. But your whole body – half of it (he points to the Right side) is the male. And this side (he points to the Left side) is the female. You’re gifted with both of that.”

“Early men and women only made groaning noises, and ate nothing but fruit. Pretty soon they started eating vegetables. After that, they began to eat meat. Soon after, the animals connected to the humans, and showed them how to be human beings by giving them the language, and that’s where we came from.

So in your beliefs, the animals gave humans language?

“Yeah, that’s how we used to talk to them. We used to understand them. But the government took away that identity from us. And we’re just learning how to speak to them again.”

Chief Blackfox’s words hung deep in my heart…

It was true: only by learning how to speak to the animals, how to listen to the wind, the trees, and the clouds, how to communicate with all of this Creation, could we rebuild our true place as caretakers and co-inhabitants of this beautiful Earth, and as sovereign beings, independent of the influences of materialism and greed.
The path to sovereignty begins with knowing oneself, knowing one’s connection to Nature, Source and Consciousness and recognizing one’s identity and history so that we are able to know ourselves and feel confident in our inner voice and intuition.

Sovereignty is a power that arises from within, and yet is often activated via contact with others, or from without.

We exist on this planet not as digital blow dryers, spouting ideas into the void, but as sentient beings who require connection, contact, joy and experience in order to grow, and to be stimulated into the fullest expression of ourselves. The last 14 months have been extraordinarily challenging for most folks: distanced, hidden, and alone.

This is not our true nature. We need each other.

The power of the human spirit is fed in community, in contact with others, and as life begins to open back up again, in small, incremental amounts, we are gifted with the opportunity to seek out this communion, based on a core understanding that this life involves interacting with others as much as it involves living in one’s own mind.

Yogis and mystics enjoy diving deep into philosophical questions, like, “Why did my soul come here? What is my Divine Life purpose or mission?”

Yet we so often ignore the simple answers that nature and human connection gift us. The ancient texts remind us that our state of attachment is strong because we are in denial of our basic selves, our wholeness, our connection to the All. We live in suffering because we live in Maya, or illusion, and only when we realize that we are all from the same source, everything else, all of our worries, anxieties and even fears, simply fall apart.

As Chief Blackfox speaks of listening, of connecting, of being one with Nature again, I realize that this is his people’s gift to us, the Wisdom Traditions of long ago that must be honored and remembered once again.

Returning Home

Driving off the mountain that Sunday provided a continued space for reflection, laughter and joy. Even amidst the flow of freeway traffic, people and cellphones, both my daughter and I felt energized, warm and at peace.

Being around others of like mind is so healing to the spirit. I encourage us all to remember and to seek out community, joy and conscious gatherings, especially ones in nature and that honor the essence of Life within us All.

Thank you, Zen Awakening Festival.

WC:3211

Aria Morgan

Aria Morgan is a yoga teacher, doula and music lover who finds inspiration in nature: ariamorgan.com.

www.ariamorgan.com

The post Awakening In the Forest: Zen Fest West 2021 appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Join One Love Fest for Music & More in May, 2021

Connection. It’s a basic human need that offers us feelings of being understood, seen, and loved. It’s a bond that helps us relate to one another and is one of the most rewarding elements in life. I believe that transformational festivals like One Love Fest create a pathway for this powerful exchange.

When can we actually attend a festival again? The time is now! Although many of the capstone events of the transformational festival community are not hosting live events in 2021, there is one conscious gathering that will be inviting attendees this Memorial Day weekend.

One Love Fest Invites Attendees to Arizona

One Love Fest will take place May 28-31, 2021. This year’s location is just an hour south of Las Vegas in Dolan Springs, Arizona. It will be the highly anticipated event we’ve all been waiting for — yoga, music, art, and you guessed it: powerful human connection.

The festival will abide by current COVID-19 guidelines. Every concert attendee is required to wear a mask at entry. It’s also advised that everyone keep a mask on them at all times, and to respect personal space and boundaries. If someone requests that you wear a mask, then you put on your mask! (Do note that Arizona is a mask-free state.) Although it certainly is a different approach to connecting with others, it’s also an opportunity to be transparent and communicative with our needs. And that right there, is authenticity, compassion and love at its very core.

Meaning and Connection found at Transformation Festivals

One of the most meaningful experiences I have had at a transformational festival is when I was teaching yoga with my camp at Burning Man. As we were in downward facing dog, an intense dust storm came through, practically knocking us all over! Although I was concerned with how it might affect things, I was pleasantly surprised to find everyone laughing and helping each other up. There was absolutely zero judgment amongst complete strangers. It was in that moment when I realized that there was so much love, acceptance and… connection. What I personally miss, as I’m sure many others do, is this type of magic that can only be felt at a transformational gathering. I crave those moments of unity in intimate settings, spirituality, movement, and freedom in a community of other like-minded individuals.

The Power of Love

“Love is the most powerful thought in the universe,” says One Love’s founder, Kenneth Schwenker. It’s refreshing to hear such a relatable statement from someone who truly understands the need for strengthening community, especially after such a difficult year.
Kenneth, who has a long and storied career in the transformational space, has always held a special place in his heart for immersive experiences where there is a shared love for connection, music, movement, and creativity. Where you can safely arrive “home,” peel back the superficial layers, and ultimately reveal to one another that we are all beautifully the same on the inside.

Good Vibrations!

As a festival go-er and yoga teacher myself, I’ve always appreciated the vibrations that arise from these types of festivals. These events offer numerous moments for us to explore, self heal, learn, and fully embrace our expressive freedom. Festivals allow us to do all this and feel safe and confident in a place of non-judgement and compassion.

Attend One Love Fest

One Love Fest will feature a full complement of music with genres ranging from house to kirtan. There will be multiple stages featuring well-known artists such as as Mikey Lion from Desert Hearts, Paul Oakenfield, and Desert Dwellers. The festival will have us all excited and dancing free under the moonlight! There will be various yoga classes, food venders, workshops, and camping on-site.

Interested in attending this weekend adventure? Visit onelovefest.com for ticket information. Check out One Love Fest’s FAQ Page for any questions you may have leading up to the event.

Kimmy Saracino

Kimmy is an integrative health coach, actress, voice over artist, and world traveling yoga instructor. Her various interests have led her to many opportunities in connecting with clients all over the country. She specializes in mind-body wellness for even the busiest of travelers. Based in Portland, Oregon, Kimmy continues to teach both online and in the studio with “Yoga On Yamhill.”  For more information, or to work directly with Kimmy, please visit her online:

kimmysaracino.com

yogaonyamhill.com/kimmy-saracino

IG: @kimmy.saracino

www.kimmysaracino.com

The post One Love Fest Provides In-Person Connection appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

In order to survive, and more importantly thrive in today’s business world, modern companies are constantly in pursuit of any advantage that will give them an edge on the competition. From consolidating workforces via robotics and computer learning to reducing, and in some cases, eliminating public-facing staff, companies are increasingly taking steps once thought impossible.

But is this the only way forward? In a world that feels evermore disconnected, why are so many of today’s business solutions geared toward increasing the social divisions between us?

Connection as a Cornerstone of Culture at Rythmia

Recently, I sat down with a CEO who has an entirely different approach, Gerard Powell. He’s the founder of Rythmia Life Advancement Center, a wellness resort in Costa Rica. He’s spent the past six years building a company focused on one thing: increasing people’s connections to each other and themselves.

The keystone of his philosophy – workplace diversity.

With nearly 1,400 five-star reviews on TripAdvisor, many of which include the words ‘miracle’ and ‘life-changing’, it’s hard to argue that this Poconos-native isn’t on to something.

When we initially spoke on the phone, I believe you mentioned workplace diversity at least five times, so let’s talk about it. Why is diversity so important to you?

“I have been running companies for over 30 years, since I was in my early twenties. And I have always found that the more diverse a company is, the more successful it will be. I think it really comes down to having a variety of perspectives and experiences. Because at the end of the day, I really understand what makes a guy in their fifties tick, you know? I am that guy, so I get it. But honestly, I don’t know what it means to be a woman in her thirties, or a member of a minority community. And so, it’s really important to me that my team be as diverse as possible for the benefit of the company, and more importantly our guests.”

This may seem like a question with an obvious answer, but how did you manage to hire such a diverse workforce?

“Honestly, I hired the best people available for each position. Whom they happened to be was simply coincidence. If other companies did the same thing, they would have a very diverse workforce as well.”

So, competency is more important than diversity?

“Competency goes hand-in-hand with diversity. It’s why I’ve never understood companies that are owned and operated by men and women who think from an old paradigm. Not to say that these old paradigm-thinkers are clones, but when you’re all looking through the same window you tend to see the same things, if that makes sense. Most of the least diverse thinkers actually see themselves as progressive, that’s why it’s such a slippery slope.”

Are you saying that your employees are more competent because they’re part of a diverse workforce?

“Absolutely! I would put the employees of this company up against any company in the world. I am so proud of our workforce, and I am so happy that it is inclusive.”

I spoke to your fellow Board Member and Founder of Agape Spiritual Center, Reverend Michael Bernard Beckwith about Rythmia’s workplace diversity and he said, “I am extremely proud of the job Rythmia has done in creating an inclusive workforce. They are a model of diversity and inclusion. Other companies could learn from their example of creating diversity and producing optimal results at the same time.”

How does it make you feel when you hear that?

“I can’t think of a place that embodies diversity more than Agape, so to hear Reverend Michael say that about Rythmia – it’s very humbling.”

Do you know the diversity breakdown of your staff? Is this something that you pay attention to?

“Do you mean like the math? The percentages of who is who?”

Yeah, do you know how many women work for you, or persons of color? Do you have staff members that identify as LGBTQ+?

“Definitely. The reason I know this is that we actually investigated it with our staff’s consent. And we found that 80.2% of our staff are part of an ethnic minority and/or the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, nearly 36.6% of our management team identify as LGBTQ+. We are really proud of this.”

Those figures sound pretty exact.

“What can I say? I’ve always been good with numbers.”

I read that you’ve been working hard to introduce Plant Medicine to the Black community, is that true?

“Yes, we are very lucky to work hand-in-hand with Michael Bernard Beckwith who has great influence in the Black spiritual community.

This relationship has given us inroads into the Black spiritual community. The retreats that are hosted by Michael Beckwith are some of the most beautiful, loving and highest rated retreats that we’ve ever conducted. We cherish our relationship with Rev. Beckwith and the whole Agape community.”

Have you yourselves experienced any problems as a result of privilege based on old-paradigm thinking from the standpoint of workforce diversity or Plant Medicine minority-inclusion initiatives?

“It’s so interesting because like I mentioned before the people who have caused the greatest issues for us believe they themselves are progressive. The whole struggle with the old paradigm of thinking is actually being written about in another article that is coming out as soon as the reporter is finished with the story.

What I can say without ruining the other story is this, if you’re going to take something on like this, that is truly inclusive – expect pushback from the least likely places. It happens all the time. And the perpetrators think they are progressive and that they’re advocating for indigenous cultures while at the same time they operate based on blind, old-paradigm thinking. You would think that in light of the movement to promote diversity and inclusion we would be getting help from everywhere, especially the media. And by and large we are, but there have been some glaring examples of struggle that we’ve experienced with organizations and people that we believe are the result of our stance on diversity and inclusion. But that’s all I can say as of this writing.”

So, what’s next for Rythmia?

“Wow, that’s a big question. Honestly, so much. We just finished an amazing renovation of the rooms onsite. We are also in the process of acquiring additional land so that we can expand the center. We have some amazing new programs coming that I can’t speak about quite yet, but I promise they are going to be announced very soon. It truly never stops here, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Well, thank you so much for your time Gerard! You’re clearly quite busy, so I appreciate you sitting down with me today. If someone wanted to learn more about Rythmia, where can they find that info?

“Thank you. Honestly, I love talking about Rythmia and this was a lot of fun. As far as getting more information on the center, you can go to our website https://rythmia.link/miracle, or you can always give us a call at (877) 331-9427.”

Felicia M. Tomasko

Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.

www.blissnetwork.com

The post Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Workplace Culture at Rythmia appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

If You are Ready for Spiritual Change, Rythmia is Ready for You

“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” There’s truth in that ancient saying, but it doesn’t mean that a white-robed guru will come knocking on your door. Readiness for spiritual change is an internal experience. It can happen to anyone at any time, regardless of external factors. Age, race, gender, or financial status don’t matter. People just know it when they feel it.

One such person who felt ready for that change is a major figure in the entertainment industry. After years of awards and public recognition, he had developed an edgy, ready-for-anything reputation. But one day, he knew that he was ready – really ready — for something more. That’s when he made his way to Rythmia Life Advancement Center in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Along with all the amenities of a five-star resort, Rythmia provides a carefully thought-out combination of plant medicine ceremonies and other personal development resources and opportunities. Visitors include lawyers, doctors, entrepreneurs, university professors, and a diverse selection of people from around the world who are ready for personal transformation. Overall, 93.26% of Rythmia guests report a life-changing miracle during their stay.

Transformation at Rythmia

A stay at Rythmia begins with a comprehensive medical exam, followed by a series of discussions on what to expect from the plant medicine known as ayahuasca, and from the Rythmia experience as a whole. The discussions are led by Gerard Armond Powell, Rythmia’s founder.

Gerry has a clear vision of what Rythmia can be. He says, “In the right setting, with the right preparation and supervision, ayahuasca — plant medicine — can literally revolutionize people’s lives. I’ve seen it happen hundreds of times at Rythmia, so I want to make that experience available to as many people as possible. All kinds of people, because diversity is extremely important to me. We’re reaching out to communities that wouldn’t ordinarily come to a place like Rythmia. That means black and brown communities in America and around the world. Making Rythmia available is a great opportunity, and even a responsibility. Because Rythmia really can transform people’s lives.”

Gerry adds, “The support we’ve gotten for this outreach from the media has been great to see, especially in the wake of Black Lives Matter. There seems to be much less white privilege from newsrooms in terms of how stories like ours are covered and portrayed.”

All told, guests take part in four ayahuasca ceremonies at Rythmia, under the guidance and supervision of an experienced plant medicine shaman. And what is the outcome?

One visitor puts it this way. “Well,” he says, after a moment’s hesitation, “it definitely changed my point of view about things.” Then, realizing that this didn’t go far enough, he adds, “It was definitely one of the greatest experiences of my life.”

The History of the Center

The Rythmia Center came into being after Gerry Powell’s own ceremonies with plant medicine in 2014. As it has been for so many others, the experience was life-changing, to the extent that Gerry invested serious money in purchasing and staffing the resort in Costa Rica and addressing all legal and medical issues.

So-called psychedelic drugs and plant medicine ceremonies have existed for centuries around the world. But in America since the early 1960s, most of the interest originated with highly educated white writers and artists like William Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Ken Kesey, and Tom Wolfe. Timothy Leary was the grandmaster of them all with his unrestrained celebration of LSD.

Beginning around 1960, Leary, a Harvard researcher with a PhD in clinical psychology, initially approached LSD and psilocybin mushrooms from a scientific perspective, although he did develop a spiritual side later on. Unlike plant medicines such as iboga and ayahuasca, LSD originated not in a rainforest but in the laboratory of a Swiss chemist named Albert Hoffman. With a few exceptions — Jimi Hendrix was one — white college students, hippies, artists, and intellectuals were taking most of the acid trips until quite recently, when people like Gerry Powell brought a new perspective to plant medicine.

A high school dropout and self-made multi-millionaire, Gerry is neither a hippie nor a chemistry professor. He’s a revolutionary in the sense that he wants to bring about a radical change in consciousness on both an individual and a societal scale, without demographic limits of any kind.

Reverand Michael Bernard Beckwith and Gerry Powell at Rythmia

The Answer is You…

Reverend Michael Bernard Beckwith, founder of the 9,000-member Agape International Spiritual Center, has been a key ally in this effort. For over thirty years Agape’s humanitarian programs have had a worldwide reach, and association with Rev. Beckwith is a tangible statement of Rythmia’s work toward a diverse range of both visitors and staff. Out of 171 current employees, 134 are members of ethnic minorities and/or self-identify as members of the LGBTQ community. Two times a year, Rev. Beckwith personally leads “The Answer Is You,” a week-long onsite workshop. He is also a member of Rythmia’s board of directors.

Alan Floyd and Beyoncé

Life-Changing Adventures

Alan Floyd is another Rythmia visitor with an impressive career in the entertainment industry, including a very demanding role as Beyoncé’s tour manager. With that background, Alan knows how to stay calm and composed. He says, “I’ve had a lot of adventures. In my class of visitors at Rythmia, there I was as one of two African-American guys in the middle of Costa Rica, and the whole experience was completely professional and perfectly done. It really is what most everyone says about it. Life changing.”

With regard to changing your life, perhaps no visitors to Rythmia have gone deeper than Henry and Patti Castro, both of whom are Latinx. Henry had visited Rythmia and had done the ceremony. When he returned home he told Patty that they definitely had to go back together as soon as possible. Although they had already begun to do some spiritual work, Patty was somewhat apprehensive about ayahuasca. But after attending the classes at Rythmia with her husband, she felt well-prepared for the medicine.

Miracles of the Heart

As it turned out, Henry came away from their ceremony feeling that his life was totally transformed. “I felt like my life had just opened up where before there were things that seemed closed. My life was open so that now I could have a whole new beginning. It was like starting all over again.” Patty describes the experience in similar terms. “It was like a door had opened.”

Patty and Henry have not only continued their spiritual work with ayahuasca; they have even purchased land in Costa Rica to provide an optimal setting. More than 95 percent of Rythmia visitors describe the experience as “miraculous.” But it’s a different kind of miracle than winning the lottery. It’s a miracle of the heart, which of course is very difficult to put into words. Maybe you just have to be there.

Mitch Sisskind

Mitch Sisskind has written and edited many books on ancient spirituality, modern science, and the intersection between the two. He lives in Los Angeles.

The post Rythmia Means You’re Ready appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Salvation Mountain is a Spiritual Treasure & Socially-Distanced Day Trip from LA

Three hours from L.A., way out beyond Palm Springs and the Salton Sea, is Salvation Mountain, one man’s spiritual gift to the world. Proclaimed by Senator Barbara Boxer as a national treasure, this “mountain” is covered in multi-colored paint and proclaims the message that God is Love.

For 25 years Leonard Knight (1931–2014) poured his heart, soul, and over 100,000 gallons of paint onto the hill he built of adobe and straw. Salvation Mountain is covered with Biblical verses and Christian sayings and contains special rooms and alcoves filled with decorative art. If you wish to climb to the top, signs will point out the Yellow Brick Road to lead you up. The other visitors when I was there were assorted hipsters and Goth kids, apparently folk art aficionados.

During a spiritual awakening at age 36, Leonard realized that the answer to life was not complicated: just accept Jesus Christ, repent, and love everybody. He spent several years attempting to spread the word to organized religion which rejected his message as too simplistic. Leonard moved to Niland, California, in 1984 and began working full-time on his masterpiece, living in his truck even when temperatures hit the 100s.

Salvation Mountain was featured in the 2007 film Into the Wild. A photo of Coldplay atop the Mountain appeared on their A Head Full Of Dreams album.

Visiting Salvation Mountain

I’m not sure if the six-hour round trip would be worth your time. The videos on YouTube are so excellent that watching some of them might be enough. If I weren’t writing this book (Guide to Spiritual LA), they probably would have sufficed for me, the actual site being almost anticlimactic after the great filmmaking of the videos.

However, the drive out included unexpected delights. Highway 78 winds alongside the Salton Sea, an eerie, dead, inland body of water which looks as I imagine Loch Ness does and stinks to high heaven from the rotting fish. There are picturesque abandoned restaurants and compounds covered in graffiti from the days it was a real resort, with many intriguing photo ops.

The town of Niland is a rare treasure for an urbanite. You’ll witness a slice of life you’d never see in LA: people renting a space in an RV park for $400 a month, living amongst the deserted, defaced buildings, enduring the Salton Sea stench, bragging with their Trump stickers; the whole town looking like it’s been bombed out. It certainly opened my eyes to people whose lives I hadn’t known about.

And on the other hand, if you don’t go, you’ll miss experiencing Leonard Knight’s passion in person. There is something mesmerizing and humbling about a man with such single focus using his life to spread the message of Love. To be there personally at Salvation Mountain is to stand in awe of his frenzy of love.

Guide to Spiritual LA

This is an excerpt from Catherine Auman’s book Guide to Spiritual L.A.: The Irreverent, the Awake, and the True, available on Amazon or at your local bookstore.

Catherine Auman LMFT

Catherine Auman, LMFT is a licensed therapist with advanced training in both traditional and spiritual psychology with thirty years of successful professional experience helping thousands of clients. She has headed nationally-based psychiatric hospital programs as well as worked through alternative methodologies based on ancient traditions and wisdom teachings.

www.catherineauman.com

The post Salvation Mountain: A SoCal Spiritual Monument appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

A Few Hidden Spiritual Hotspots in Los Angeles

The Hollywood Vedanta Temple

L.A.’s spiritual hotspots are calling, and there’s no time like the present to take a tour – much less traffic and so few tourists. Hop in your car and visit these sacred sites to soak up shakti energy:

The Hollywood Vedanta Temple’s radiance is intense. A glamorous group of writers and mystics who gathered around Aldous and Laura Huxley hung out there, and guru Adi Da Samraj achieved enlightenment inside. As monk Jnana Chaitanya stated, “Some very holy people lived and taught here and contributed a great deal to the vibration.”

Vedanta is an ancient Hindu religion whose main teaching is the oneness of all, respect for all, including all religions, and that God dwells within all hearts. The main teachers were Swami Ramakrishna and Sri Sarada Devi (“Holy Mother”) who were a married couple, and later, Swami Vivekenanda.
Built in 1938, the Hollywood Vedanta Temple is located in the midst of a quiet residential community right by the Hollywood freeway. Even though you can’t enter the temple right now, the powerful energy permeates the grounds.

Hollywood Vedanta Temple
1946 Vedanta Place, Hollywood, CA 90068

Bonne Brae House

The Pentecostal movement — the Christian sect including baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, charismatic preachers, healings — that must have started in the Deep South, right? Actually, it started right here in L.A. at the Bonnie Brae House.

William J. Seymour, a black, one-eyed preacher who was the son of slaves, had come out from the Midwest. In 1906 at this little house, a group of African-Americans had gathered to fast and pray. Suddenly they began speaking in tongues, and it was an ecstatic moment of outpouring of Divine energy. The intensity blossomed and swelled, filling up the house, pouring down the street, and entering the hearts and spirits of willing Angelenos.

It spread out so far that within three days the House and surrounding streets were jam-packed with crowds of all income levels and ethnicities — blacks, whites, and Latinos — speaking in tongues, singing, and shouting. The worshipping went on continually night and day until finally, the front porch of the house started shaking and collapsed from the rapturous celebration.

Seymour’s preaching must have been phenomenal, because the word is still spreading. You can imagine how high the energy must have been – utterly joyful, ecstatic, blissed out. A bit of that vortex power remains – can you feel it?

216 N Bonnie Brae St, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Krotona Apartments

Today it’s a bit tacky, run-down, run-of-the-mill apartment building in the Hollywood Hills, Beachwood Canyon to be exact. But in its heyday, the Krotona Apartments were a hotbed of occult activity hosting a temple, a metaphysical library, a vegetarian cafeteria, a theater, a “magnetically charged” meditation room, and a fascinating cast of characters such as Charlie Chaplin and Annie Besant. It was the headquarters of the Esoteric School, the Temple of the Rosy Cross, and the Order of the Eastern Star.

Begun by the Theosophical Society in 1912, the Krotona community consisted of eleven acres in Beachwood Canyon hosting homes for about 500 people. The 17-unit Krotona Apartments were its center. The complex was to be an institute of higher learning and research on the subtler aspects of science including psychology and psychic phenomena. After all, the Theosophical Society’s mission was to “explore the inexplicable.”

In 1926 the community relocated to Ojai citing the growing influence of urban Hollywood. The Krotona Apartments have continued to be populated by artists, hipsters, and spiritual explorers ever since. In the 60s and 70s there were reported LSD parties around the courtyard’s lotus pond, and guitar sessions with the likes of members of Jimi Hendrix’s band. It is rumored that Quentin Tarantino crashed on the couch of a screenwriter resident for seven months. Plus, the hundreds of intriguing characters whose names we will never know.

If you visit, you can still see the lotus pond resting quietly in the center court, keeping any previous occult or bohemian activity a secret. Upstairs you’ll find a building with a Moorish-style dome and a circular stained-glass window. That symbol is a Rosicrucian seal, and the door is to the former Grand Temple of the Holy Cross. Very little other information offers itself, and the mind wanders to fantasies of what may have gone on inside these walls. Or what’s going on inside them today, for that matter.

2130 Vista Del Mar Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90068

Find More Spiritual Hotspots

Don’t wait to visit these holy places and more – the lack of other spiritual tourists won’t last long!

Find out more in Catherine Auman’s book Guide to Spiritual L.A.: The Irreverent, the Awake, and the True, available on Amazon and at your favorite retailer.

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Catherine Auman LMFT

Catherine Auman, LMFT is a licensed therapist with advanced training in both traditional and spiritual psychology with thirty years of successful professional experience helping thousands of clients. She has headed nationally-based psychiatric hospital programs as well as worked through alternative methodologies based on ancient traditions and wisdom teachings.

www.catherineauman.com

The post Tour L.A.’s Spiritual Hotspots While Safely Social Distancing appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

The Dark History of Pregnancy Health

Prenatal Yoga is a beautiful format to teach. I love the sense of connection, community, and safety in the room. In 2013, I led my first pre and post-natal yoga teacher training. In preparation for this, I wanted to learn more about and to share a timeline of the history of pregnancy health and women’s health in the United States related to pregnancy. After all, it was not so long ago that women were given laughing gas (nitrous oxide) to deliver babies, while being strapped down onto hospital beds. This is in stark contrast to the essential oils, soothing oceanic sounds, and flameless candles that may people use today (when these practices are integrated).

In digging a little deeper into the history of pregnancy health, there are some very ugly chapters that many do not know about. As a little girl I was taught the words “lest we forget” in reference to the Holocaust and the atrocities committed, some of which were at the hands of Doctors. I now feel a responsibility to shine a light on some of the uglier parts of American women’s history related to pregnancy, so that we do not forget how we arrived here.

Every time I lead a pre and post-natal teacher training, I pause to say a prayer for the women who were victimized by Doctors and systems that should have protected them. If we are to progress as a society, women need to come together for education and change. The community of women that surround and support me are my friends and my teachers, and I learn from them each day. One of these beautiful women is an amazing doula, midwife, life coach and advocate for women’s rights, Haize Hawke Rosen. Haize has contributed her voice to this piece and together we represent different elements of the BIPOC experience. Here is our brief look at our nation’s experience, lest we forget…

Haize Hawke Rosen and Desi Bartlett

Consent—the Lack of—in the 1800s

Dr. J. Marion Sims was originally born in South Carolina, and later moved to Louisiana. While in Louisiana, Dr. Sims worked as a gynecologist, specifically with a minimum of 10 black female slaves. During this time, slave owners wanted the female slaves to bear children, that they might continue the lineage of bondage. It was from this heartbreaking tradition that Dr. Sims decided to not only work with enslaved women, but to focus intently on repairing vesicovaginal fistulas (VVF) and rectovaginal fistulas (RVF).

Dr. Sims did not record all of the names of the women that he experimented on, but did refer to three women, Lucy, Betsy, and Anarcha. Anarcha was a seventeen-year-old slave who was in labor for three days, which left her with both a VVF and RV fistula. Dr. Sims performed no less than 30 surgeries on her in an attempt to repair the fistula. Anarcha was stripped of human dignity as each of these procedures was performed while she was naked in front of various male white doctors. Anarcha did not give her consent because at that time, her consent was not needed. Because Anarcha was seen as someone’s property, she also was not given any anesthesia whatsoever, for all 30 surgeries.

Eventually, Dr. J. Marion Sims, repaired Anarcha’s fistula, and as a result, he was called the Father of Gynecology. A statue was erected for Sims in NYC, where he spent he spent the later part of his life. The statue was not taken down until 2018. Every time that I teach a prenatal yoga course, I ask the participants to pause and say a prayer for all of the women who were used for medical experimentation. These women were not given the opportunity to consent (or not), nor were they treated humanely. My heart goes out to them and I send peace to each one through prayer.

The Eugenics Movement and Redlining in the 1900s

The Eugenics Movement refers to the practice of ensuring that only women who are “fit to reproduce,” have the right to bear children. As recently as the 1950s, black women were sterilized without giving their consent. Eugenics fell out of favor because Hitler used it to promote his racist agenda against the Jews. But in the 1960s, neo-eugenics arose with the specific intention of reducing the amount of blacks receiving public assistance. The statutes that had been put into place prior to World War II were used to continue this practice of deciding who was fit to reproduce.

The Jim Crow laws lasted until the mid-1960s—these kept blacks separate from whites after the abolitionist movement, and included very specific geographical delineations between neighborhoods. The policy known as “redlining” refers to the segregation efforts of the Federal Housing Administration in which they refused to insure mortgages in and near African American neighborhoods. During this time, the FHA was subsidizing builders who were mass producing subdivisions for whites and required that none of the homes be sold to African Americans.

This is a clear example of institutional racism in our country since these lines were drawn with the intent to ensure that blacks were not able to purchase property in specific neighborhoods. White dominance was written into these laws that dictated “separate but equal” conditions for blacks and whites. White neighborhoods were more affluent and had better conditions in the hospitals and healthcare system. The black hospitals had higher risk of infant mortality, maternal death during delivery, and many black women were given significantly less pain medication than their white counterparts. Many white doctors and nurses believed that the pain threshold was higher for blacks because the white medical staff thought that black people have thicker skin.

The 1960s were not that long ago and when we look at the Civil Rights movement and the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, and others, we can see that the black community was crying out for equality. The African slaves were brought over in chains at the same time that many European settlers came to the U.S., and many people fought against the dream of equality. The system was built on the reality that African slaves arrived here in chains, and European settlers did not, and the gulf of the disparity must be recognized if we are to understand the insidious role of systemic racism in women’s health.

Racism and Division in the 2000s

In 2008, the United States elected the first African American president, Barak Obama. With his message of hope, came a new chapter for the American people. Finally, there was diversity in the highest office in the American government. However, there were still people who could not accept or respect the elected official’s family, and a governor’s wife called First Lady Michelle Obama, an ape in a dress. Not only did the racism continue into the turn of this century, but there were still those that saw black Americans as less than human.

This hatred of “otherness” is still reflected in women’s health and in pregnancy health. To this day, there are still those that think that black women literally have thicker skin and do not need as much pain medication as white women. The rate of breast cancer amongst black women is higher than the national average, and the morbidity rate is higher as well. Black women receive less prenatal and neonatal care on average, and this is all just on a clinical level. On a personal/social/emotional level, there was recently a black woman quoted as saying that she dresses up to go to the OB/GYN in hopes that she will be treated better. The fallout from redlining is still being reflected in the current numbers of poor birth outcomes and high mortality and morbidity rates in African American women and babies. African American mothers are 2-3 times more likely to die from pregnancy related causes than their white counterparts. African American babies have more than twice the rate of mortality than white babies. Something must change.

Our history has brought us to this day, when men, women, and children of every race witnessed the George Floyd as he cried out for his Mama. His cries called out to the heart of all mothers everywhere.

Speaking up Against Injustice

As teachers of prenatal yoga and philosophy, it is up to each one of us to speak up against injustice. It is up to each of us to send prayers to the slaves that were experimented on, to teach the truth of our history, and to make sure that there is real, concrete change. Some things that you can do to help enact change in women’s health and pregnancy health include:

• Share the message of black doulas and midwives on your social media platforms.
• Study why there is still a huge disparity in our health care system.
• Vote for leaders who will fight against systemic racism.
• Use your voice and when you see racism in any venue, especially in a studio setting, speak up and let people know, “not in my house.”
• Celebrate cultural differences.
• Check yourself and your own cultural biases and educate yourself on our nation’s history.
• Be an example of inclusivity, speak to everyone in the room and stay sensitive to different experiences.
• Lead with compassion.

Call to Change

Now is the time to make a change, and to realize that BIPOC people have a unique experience of pregnancy health and the journey of motherhood. The fear of mortality is real, the stress of feeling “other” is real, and it is up to us as a community of women to speak up for one another. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, “History will have to record the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.” May we all use our voices to empower one another and to fight injustice everywhere.

Desi Bartlett

Desi Bartlett MS, CPT, has been teaching health and wellness for more than 20 years. Originally from Chicago, she has a degree in kinesiology and her master’s degree in corporate fitness. Desi holds advanced certifications in Yoga, personal training, group fitness, and is a certified pre- and post-natal fitness specialist.

desibartlett.com

The post The Importance of Studying History and Advocacy for Prenatal Yoga and Pregnancy Health appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

The 19th Annual Conscious Life Expo presents its first Virtual Event from February 19-21, 2021.

At the Conscious Life Expo! Upgrade your mind through a weekend of special virtual programming that pushes the boundaries of progressive change and innovation. Like a TV show, the Expo will run continuously from 2 pm on Friday with a sacred Opening Ceremony to 6 pm on Sunday with a Closing Ceremony live-streamed directly from the Temple of Osiris in Memphis, Egypt.

The time between is filled with three and four hour themed content segments in healing, prosperity, extraterrestrials, ascension, and science that bring a wide variety of speakers to each subject, in succession, allowing the viewer to purchase a ticket specifically for that content only. There are also a dozen Keynote Workshops and four Free Events open to everyone.

The futuristic custom-designed 3D virtual Exhibit Hall and marketplace for innovative products, Exhibit Hall access comes with any of the ticket purchases.

Inspiration at Conscious Life Expo

Conscious Life Expo Speakers, teachers, and workshop leaders include: Dr Susan Shumsky, Gahl Sasson, Dr Sarah Larsen, Rev Michael Beckwith, James Redfield, Gail Thackray, Deborah King, Yogi Vanessa, Melinda Malone, Kimberly Meredith, Matt Kahn, Atma Nambi, Sat Devbir, don Jose Ruiz, Adrian Vallera, and more.

Some of the themed workshops include: Astrology for 2021, Mystic Journey TV: Awaken the Soul Meditation, Optimum Healing: Reprogramming Your DNA, Spiritual Healing: Goddess Force, Ascension: Into the 5th Dimension, and more.

Read LA YOGA’s interview with Healer Kimberly Meredith.

The Expo!

The Expo is an inspired gathering of life changers and visionaries exploring advancements in the paranormal, science, spirituality, health and wellness with music, healing meditations and ceremony. Connect with the global community through progressive ideas presented in a multi-channel Live Streamed Conference.

Register for the Conscious Life Expo

Register now for an extraordinary, life-changing, and transformative experience:
www.consciouslifeexpo.com

Felicia M. Tomasko

Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.

www.blissnetwork.com

The post Virtual Conscious Life Expo 2021 appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

ASTRO.GONG.YOGA Offers Solutions for Connection and Practice

Part of the role of Yoga studios is their service as places of refuge and support to many on their path of enhancing physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. The current footprint of how people are able to access in-person yoga is going through some major shifts in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. In contrast, ASTRO.GONG.YOGA, a sound healing and Yoga Center with an astrology-informed approach, is emerging with an in-person presence in Mid-City Los Angeles.

ASTRO.GONG.YOGA merges a trilogy of proven ancient healing modalities designed to rejuvenate and rebalance mind, body, and spirit, while supporting you on the path to understanding yourself. Their offerings are widely diverse and yet interwoven to provide a holistic experience. These include: Astrology workshops, Gong Sound Healing events and in-depth training with co-founder and Gong Master Lou Maurer.

The schedule at ASTRO.GONG.YOGA also features a variety of yoga classes that allow everyone to discover the yoga style most suitable for their individual needs. These three methods are blended together in their bi-monthly Moon Time Ceremony and Workshop.

The physical environment of AGY is spacious and light and is a complete contrast to the hustling and bustling La Brea Ave. The interior consists of two studios, one which is home to 27 Gongs. Fortunately, AGY also has a large outdoor rooftop where all their current socially distanced offerings are taking place.

ASTRO.GONG.YOGA Cofounder Emily Johnston

Authenticity and Inclusivity

Opening in the Summer of 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic meant that founders, Emily Johnston and Lou Maurer, needed to be imaginative and inventive.

ASTRO.GONG.YOGA Co-Founder Lou Maurer

At this time, they were determined to offer a little sense of normalcy through ASTRO.GONG.YOGA. As the yoga community reorganizes, Emily and Lou are focusing their efforts on serving by bringing together an authentic and inclusive community that revolves around yogic philosophy, sacred sound, and wisdom.

Despite – or maybe because of – the intensity we have all felt throughout 2020 (and into the beginning of 2021), people are attending the in-person outdoor classes and workshops at AGY. The team has seen that individuals are actively searching for in-person socially distanced yoga that will enable them to maintain their self-care routine while maintaining the health of their community. Higher levels of anxiety and increased time spent online have left people seeking to engage with and be a part of a meaningful community that makes a positive impact in the world and supports each other. It is with the support of this emerging community that AGY is able to give back and contribute.

ASTRO.GONG.YOGA Boutique

Their indoor communal space is decorated with a gallery supporting local artists and cultural non-profits, fundraisers and community classes (on the rooftop) are offered regularly, and their in-house boutique offers ethically and locally sourced wellness products to support small business.

Hope and Connection

AGY’s story is one of hope. Hope that the essence of yoga, community, and connection is unreplaceable despite all the challenges that we are currently facing in Los Angeles and beyond. Connection and co-regulation are a vital part of our self-care routines. Perhaps more than anything the pandemic has taught us how connected we all are, reaffirming that those precious moments of coming together through breath and movement that make the practice feel meaningful will sustain.

Learn More About ASTRO.GONG.YOGA

To learn more about AGY offerings, health protocols, and to pre-book a class visit: www.astrogongyoga.com

Find AGY at 145 N La Brea Ave. Unit E. Los Angeles, CA 90036

Keren Eshed

Keren Eshed is an LA-based Yoga teacher, student, and a Yoga therapist in training who is passionate about sharing the gift of Yoga. IG @keren.eshed

The post ASTRO.GONG.YOGA: Building Community and Sharing Wisdom appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

What does it mean to be a yoga teacher?

First and foremost, to be a yoga teacher is a call to serve. To be a yoga teacher is to have faith in the soul of each and every individual that you teach and to believe that each person has the ability to self heal, to believe that each person has the capability to transcend any fixed beliefs in “I-ness.” These established beliefs inevitably cause suffering, the human need to grip onto people, places, things, expectations, and to create a “reality” that is, at its core, an illusion constructed by our mind.

From when I took my first teacher training 21 years ago, I’ve watched the evolution, the explosion, of yoga in the West, and while there are many who still, respectfully, hold true to yogic traditions, there are exceedingly more who are not quite clear on what’s what. What I’m sharing below are clarifications in a few areas that seem to have lost clarity and understanding, hence having been “watered down”, including clarifications of the responsibilities of teaching yoga. This understanding comes directly from my teachers, who I am very fortunate to say are some of the greatest teachers of our time, including Erich Schiffmann, Shiva Rea, Maty Ezraty, TKV Desikachar and Danielle Tarantola. It is my honor and service to share this with you.

1. Training: What it Means and What it Doesn’t Mean

A two-hundred-hour teacher training is foundational; it barely scratches the surface of yogic philosophy and will prepare you to teach a basic, however dynamic, asana class, nothing beyond that. Yoga Alliance, (this is not an endorsement for YA; it’s only mentioned for the purpose of knowledge), formulated the outline of credentials for the two-hundred-hour training with the intention of covering the basics in a broad overview of yoga. Consider it Cliff’s Notes version of yoga, and quite frankly, barely even that! It is essential to find your passion and subsequent specialization in this vast science and philosophy. Resist the urge to know it all right away.

2. Mentorships

Yoga is a teacher-student tradition. I highly recommend finding a mentor who can not only help navigate this thing we call life through yoga practices, but also offer support and feedback in class planning. Keep in mind, one must stay humble and grounded within the arena of service.

3. A few words about Pranayama.

Let us begin with a working definition so that as I move forward in discourse you can have a clear understanding. Pranayama is a long, disciplined breath, in a specific way, for the purpose of clearing blockages in our energetic system. Consider our prana (energy) as “the fountain of youth”. Asana is a prerequisite to pranayama practice for the purpose of building strength and flexibility, steadiness and ease, discipline, attention, awareness and so much more. While in asana, we breathe in a specific and intentional way, but to be abundantly clear, this type of controlled breath is not pranayama.

Pranayama is the scalpel of yoga practice. When we engage in pranayama we essentially make direct cuts to knots in our pranic system, for the purpose of energy blockage removal, so that energy can run abundantly, efficiently and freely. It is a practice toward mastery of moving and containing energy, prana, within ourselves. Every thought, even the briefest like the attention to an itch on our nose, is an expenditure of prana.

Hence, pranayama practice is a sequenced practice similar to asana in that it also has an intentional goal. It is practiced with one’s mind completely and steadily focused while in stillness, a straight spine, as straight as your skeletal structure allows, and all three primary bandhas engaged. While most yoga instructors teach “Ujjayi,” warrior breath, in asana class, it is not the same as a practice in pranayama.

4. Physical Aspects of the Practice

Let’s move into individual and physical limitations, challenges or abilities of the human body for certain people. Here is one question you may be tempted to ask before starting class: “Does anyone have any limitations or injuries?” If a student says, “Yes,” what are you going to do? This is a real question; one you must be prepared to answer.

Let us dive in: unless you are a doctor or have trained and studied for many years as a yoga therapist, one who is comfortable teaching the required therapeutic application throughout an entire class, asking about someone’s medical status is misleading.

Even yoga therapists know that they need an actual diagnosis before prescribing a customized, healing practice. While it is certainly true that yoga is therapeutic, unless you have the aforementioned qualifications I suggest abandoning the medical questions to those who are qualified to answer.

If approached by a student, It is appropriate to say, “I don’t know, but I can help you with modifications if you find that some postures are not working for you.” If basic therapeutic applications are something about which you are passionate, you should pursue the area of study. Additionally, I recommend working in tandem with a physical therapist if the need should arise for a referral.

5. Time for a quote

“Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind” (Yoga Sutra 1.2 in the most absolute basic translation). I highly encourage you to find a yoga sutra teacher and study! At the very least, you should know the Eight Limbs from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The sutras are an extraordinary work of brilliance that runs far deeper than one can imagine.

A true appreciation and comprehension of every word, every syllable, is necessary if one is to bring to life each one of the statements which both define yoga and describe in detail and how to do it. A study of the sutras must be done in totality, entirety, wholly; for one can’t truly know or understand one of the sutras without knowing and understanding the sutra before and the sutra that follows. I implore every potential yoga teacher to open his or her mind to the truth: that what we know when we learn to teach yoga barely scratches the surface of wisdom and knowledge in this life-long exploration of the Self.

As Patanjali teaches us that yoga is meditation; it is determination and discipline; that a prerequisite to practicing yoga is faith. Yoga is a relationship with yourself, and henceforth with others as a reflection of your relationship with yourself.

Yoga is science, philosophy, and psychology; the Yoga Sutras are an instructional manual for living. Should the sutras not be something of interest to you, that’s alright, but then I must encourage you to start specifying that what you teach is “yoga asana” not yoga. I’ve heard great teachers make this distinction and must tell you that it was received not only by the student but throughout the yoga community with respect.

6. Teach what you know.

Yoga is a universe of knowledge. There are as many variations of practice as there are human beings walking our Earth; therefore this affords the yoga teacher many options for specialization, such as strong-power flows, yin yoga, pre & postnatal, restorative, chair yoga, yoga for seniors, yoga for children, yoga for runners and athletes, meditation and pranayama work.

Answering the following questions will help you to better understand your niche:

What’s your passion and area of knowledge?
Where has yoga helped you in your life?
What specifically, about yoga, made you fall in love with the practice and want to teach?
Dig into your why….. Teaching from a place of experience will create a more valuable teacher to the students, especially to students who share common needs.

The idiom “jack of all trades, master of none” said by Robert Greene is applicable to being yoga teachers. Let’s explore how: if you have never experienced breast cancer, been closely linked to someone who has, or worked with an oncologist or breast cancer support group, please reconsider teaching yoga specifically to this demographic. People come to yoga for healing, healing on a soulful level. It’s appropriate to acknowledge limitations and say, “I don’t know;” this form of humility shows great wisdom.

Find your field of passion and master it. You can and will change over time as your practice evolves. For now, focus, study, create a network of teachers who specialize in specific areas of healing to refer students when their needs fall outside of your wheelhouse. Let us always remember, our first priority is our students.

7. Cease ownership as a Yoga Teacher

The practice of collecting and taking ownership of students must stop. These behaviors are ego and fear motivated which are the polar opposite of what we practice and teach. Our primary purpose behind what we do is to help students, from our own practice and experience, to find freedom from their fixed states of mind which causes suffering.

It is our service as a yoga teacher to guide students in the exploration of flexibility, strength, and health, in both body and mind, which often means referring the students to a teacher who is better suited for them. At the very least, not encouraging or supporting a dependency.

Yes, yoga is a teacher-student tradition, but there is always freedom within that relationship. Yoga has a very interesting way of supporting narcissistic tendencies; be very careful in becoming an ego-driven teacher who thrives on codependency. The way to establish a following of students is to establish trust. When a student trusts that you have their well-being at heart, your relationship will bloom.

8. Language barriers and how to overcome them.

When I participated in my first teacher training at The White Lotus Foundation in Santa Barbara some twenty years ago, my teacher, Ganga White, was presenting our group with an introductory discourse on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. In my New York accent, I asked a question about “Pentangeli.” Mr. White giggled and gently corrected my pronunciation with the clarification that the class was not discussing the stout, bald man from The Godfather movies. He further explained that the origin of yoga is an oral tradition known as “shruthi,” which means “that which is heard;” therefore, it is essential that teachers of yoga learn, pronounce and enunciate accurately.

Lately, I’ve heard pose names like chaturanga dandasana spoken with rolling “r’s” like in Latin languages. The Sanskrit language does not have long rolling “r’s;” it has a lingual “r” which means that you tap your tongue on the palate of your mouth just once as opposed to the “rolling” multiple times. This may come across to you like a nitpick, but if your name is Sherry, would you be okay with people calling you Cherry? If your name is Tim, would you answer to Jim? There are many online resources for the pronunciation of yoga poses; take time to learn them or simply say the names in English.

9. Unraveling misconceptions.

Have you ever looked at a yoga posture, restorative excluded, and thought, “That looks comfy”? Not only is yoga not intended to be comfortable, but it should be uncomfortable. I want to be specific here and clarify what I mean: yoga should trigger sensation not pain, make this important distinction.

As stated, the purpose of yoga is to break patterns and habits in both our mind and body and to release our grip on deeply seated beliefs. It is a wide misunderstanding that these practices bring us to a nirvanic experience. Part of the practice is to understand that life is hard and sometimes blindingly painful, but it is an extraordinary journey, and when one uses one’s time, even for a moment, in reflection and analysis, one can see that the passing periods of dis-comfort are rooted in deep love.

Yoga practice teaches us to recognize and stay firmly grounded in love even in the most trying times of our life. It teaches us to be fluid in both body and mind so that our pure spirit can lead the way. While it’s wonderful and exciting to learn to do a handstand, it is our service to our students to guide them to see and understand why they need to do this pose. We must guide them into the process productively. If the student has a deep fear of being upside down, then handstand is perfect! If the person has a prominent ego and wants to learn handstand as a means of praise, so they can peacock it all over Instagram, then teaching them the pose will reinforce their arrogance.

Now you, as the teacher, have an opportunity in this example to give the student a true yoga practice by providing the student with the instruction of a plank pose to incremental chaturanga; this flow still works in the direction of handstand; although in a more humbling process. The goal is never the pose; the goal is the transcendence of the delusions in our mind and the knots and limitations in our body that form as a result.

Hold space, with courage, for your students to be uncomfortable. This is a demonstration of your absolute faith in your students’ ability to self-heal. Gandhi, Buddha, Jesus Christ, Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, The Dalai Lama, the list goes on, all experienced life with great challenges, profound pain, suffering, and yet, walked with grace through the eyes of love. Never did any say that life was easy and comfortable.

10. Finally, and essentially, BE YOU!

This happens when we become yoga teachers, when we step into a room full of students, and when we put aside the airs of an ethereal oracle. Here’s the point, we are not oracles and do not live a life of ecstatic bliss. We are human beings seeking transformation, perhaps a few steps ahead of our students in the process. Remember that we too try and fail repeatedly.

I believe without any doubt that our humanity is our greatest vehicle for connection. Be you. Speak in your voice. Own all of your clumsy efforts and your failures. Failure is the birthplace of wisdom. Reciting Rumi and Hafiz is beautiful and certainly has its place, but when you’re asking your students to do the work, to really do the work, you must show up as your flesh, blood and bone self.

The best way to teach, in my most humble opinion, is as a student!

I hope that you find this article helpful in offering some clarifications of what yoga is and is not, and even more so, the permission to be yourself. If there are some ideas in this piece that have pushed your buttons, I hope that you are willing to receive the ideologies as an opportunity to practice Svadhyaya “self-study” and hold space as a student. That said, if you feel that any of these topics are incorrect or off-base, I certainly do not consider my perspectives and opinions to be gospel and always welcome a conversation with an open mind. These are simply my observations and are intended to support you in your growth. My wish is that your journey brings you to a relationship with the most beautiful, true love. A positive relationship with your-self. May all beings be safe. May all beings be healthy. May all beings have freedom. May all beings feel love.

Cher Meli

Cher Meli is a master teacher of meditation, executive mindset coach and yoga instructor with nearly 25 years of teaching experience. Her conviction and philosophy is rooted in the belief that the relationship you have with yourself is the foundation which defines every other relationship in your life. Cher is interested in working with those who are ready to take “Empowered Responsibility” for their choices and life, courageously recognizing their self as the common factor in all of their life experiences.  Cher comes from an ancestral line of wise healers. Her grandmother, Taneo Sands-Kumalae was a master Kahuna in the Hawaiian Spirituality Tradition of Huna and had transmitted many of her teachings prior to her passing. Cher holds the equivalent to a Masters Degree of formal studies including with The White Lotus Foundation, Yoga Therapy Training with Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram/ Healing Yoga Foundation/Yoga Foundation, and Boundless Leadership with Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science to name just a few.

www.chermelilifestyle.com

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Tribute to Teacher Lesley Fightmaster

There are some people in this world who shine so brightly that when they are gone, the world feels a little dimmer. Lesley Fightmaster was one of those people.

Lesley could light up a room even when she was not physically in it. Life felt sweeter simply by seeing her smile on a computer screen, which is how she taught to most of her students. She was a mother, a wife, a dedicated yogini and yoga teacher, and an incredible friend.

Lesley took her first teacher training at YogaWorks in 2006. She was drawn to teaching because she loved yoga and was seeking community, having just moved to Orange County from San Francisco. It was in that training where she met some of her closest girlfriends – “the posse”, as they call themselves. Kim Haegele, who was one of her first yoga teachers in Orange County and later became a dear friend, says this of “Les” (as her friends call her), “Les had a huge, beautiful heart that held her family, friends and students in its embrace, and we all felt it. Her passion for yoga was evident in her teaching; she shined her bright light and enthusiasm onto her students and was, in turn, beloved by them.”

And beloved she was. Lesley’s rise to success was meteoric, but she remained humble along the journey. Shortly after her teacher training, she was hired by YogaWorks to teach on the schedule and led classes there for a number of years, including teaching their world-renowned teacher trainings. She even held a brief position on the sales and marketing side of teacher trainings, but it was her unexpected success with YouTube that led her to become an online yoga sensation.

Lesley did not set out to become a YouTube star. Her fame happened mostly through happenstance. In 2012, she and her husband, Duke, shot their first yoga video as an experiment. Duke had bought a new camera to film a screenplay and wanted to shoot Lesley teaching a yoga class to practice using his new equipment. As Lesley explained to LA Yoga Magazine in a previous interview, they uploaded it to YouTube “and promptly forgot all about it.” Her words perfectly capturing her humility and humor. Nine months later they were surprised to see that the video had received quite a bit of views and in 2013 they began to upload videos more regularly.

Since that first video posted, Lesley’s YouTube channel, now has over 600k subscribers. Her top video has garnered over 1 million views. Ever modest, Lesley chocked her success up to timing, but anyone that has taken Lesley’s class or knows her personally, knows that she was pre-destined for greatness, whether it would be through yoga, or not. Randy Allard, a member of “the posse” and former teacher manager for YogaWorks, Orange County told LA Yoga, “what I will hold on to is her warmth and smile. My heart is broken; truly broken.  Losing my best girl is just unbearable. She was a star. No question.”

At the beginning of 2019, Lesley started her own membership site called MyYogaPal. There she offers a variety of 90-day premium programs from beginner to advanced levels. Lesley was proudest of the community feature, “Gratitude Corner”, where people can practice actively expressing gratitude.

Though she has achieved much in her career, her greatest accomplishment is her children. Her two sons, Stone and Indy (Indiana).

So, while yes, things may feel a little duller right now as the yoga community processes the news of her sudden passing, she is actually not gone at all. Her light shines on through her family and friends and through that beautiful smile that continues to beam for so many people online.

At the end of her introduction video on the Fightmaster Yoga YouTube channel, Lesley tells us that our yoga practice can create, “a loving, positive energy that will spread throughout (our) world” and that the greatest benefit of our practice is the community and friendships we form. She continues, “when you make positive changes, they affect everyone around you, making the world better because of you.”

Les, thank you for sharing your love and positive energy. The world is better because of you.

***

We would like to share Lesley’s final words from our previous interview, “Duke & I are very grateful for each yogi who practices our Fightmaster Yoga YouTube videos. We’re beyond grateful for every member of MyYogaPal. It is an absolute honor to be a part of each yogi’s journey – especially during this difficult time.”

Sarah Ezrin

Sarah Ezrin is the author of The Yoga of Parenting: Ten Yoga-Based Practices to Help You Stay Grounded, Connect with Your Kids, and Be Kind to Yourself. She is a freelance writer, yoga educator, and content creator based in the Bay Area. Her willingness to be unabashedly honest and vulnerable along with her innate wisdom, make her writing, teaching, and social media great sources of healing and connection for many people.
Sarah brings a wide spectrum of life experiences into everything she does. She is unafraid of sharing all sides of herself. She does so in the hope of giving others permission to be their most authentic self. At this time, when honest self-awareness is so important, Sarah’s is an essential and exemplary voice.
Sarah writes extensively on the subjects of yoga, parenting, and mental health, often interweaving these themes. Her work ranges from heavily-reported assignments to personal essays to blog content for brands. She is a regular contributor for Yoga Journal Magazine, Motherly, Yoga International, Healthline, Scary Mommy, Mind Body Green, Mantra Magazine, and LA Yoga Magazine. She has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes Magazine, Bustle, LA Weekly, and NBC News.

Sarah is a well-respected yoga teacher and a leader in the wellness community. A world traveler since birth, she has led trainings, workshops, and retreats locally and across the globe.

www.sarahezrinyoga.com

The post Remembering Lesley Fightmaster appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

The Business of Online Yoga Classes

In this new frontier of virtual yoga, teachers are finding themselves having to adapt quickly in order to survive. For some, the transition online has been seamless, building on their already established platforms. For others used to the simplicity of showing up to teach a class and then going straight home, the change has been a bit more daunting as many teachers find themselves now faced with business responsibilities once held by the studio. The biggest adjustment may be having to navigate the financial side of leading daily and weekly classes— particularly when it comes to deciding how and if to charge for those classes, a decision that not only affects their students’ pocketbooks but their own livelihood.

Online yoga as a whole is still somewhat new. The original online yoga giants, Glo (then known as YogaGlo) and YogaVibes debuted in 2008 and 2009 respectively, which is also right around when YouTube gained popularity. In that short time, numerous companies have joined the virtual fitness bandwagon, some surpassing the original titans in reach and usership. Livestreaming classes is an even more recent development in the world of online yoga. It was generally done from brick-and-mortar yoga studios, but since the COVID-19 outbreak of 2020, it has become ubiquitous, with instructors streaming directly from their living rooms.

Yoga Teacher as Business Manager & Online Class Financials

Suddenly, many teachers who had no interest or little experience with virtual yoga found themselves scrambling to move their businesses online. And, in addition to deciding how they would share their classes (e.g., Zoom, Facebook Live/IG Live, YouTube, or another platform), they had to figure out how they would charge. Would they adopt a donation-based model? Or ask for a flat rate? Would they charge at all considering that many people had lost their jobs and that, at the time, shelter-in-place restrictions were only supposed to last a few weeks? And if they did, how would they go about collecting payments?

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with a number of teachers to discuss the various ways they are navigating the financial side of their online businesses. Though they are each doing things uniquely, one common thread ran through every interview: Each teacher has had to continually adapt, and it is in their willingness to do so that they are able to survive.

Filming Yoga Courtesy of Leslie Fightmaster

Earning Through YouTube

Lesley Fightmaster is no stranger to teaching yoga online. Starting her YouTube channel in 2012, Fightmaster now has over 590,000 followers. While YouTube is free for viewers, creators can earn money in a few different ways. Most popular is running ads on your channel or before your videos. Keep in mind that the payout is extremely small, with Fightmaster estimating the amount to be one-third of a cent per view. Some creators work with specific advertisers in hopes of boosting revenue, and Fightmaster had some success doing this in the past, but she prefers to work with brands she really uses and loves and that can be limiting.

In the past, Fightmaster also attempted a donation-based approach through asking for contributions after her YouTube classes, but it was not financially feasible for her family of two boys (versus earning through advertising), nor did she feel comfortable asking. Since throughout the pandemic, she has been leading a free weekly class, followed by a Q&A.

Pros: Wide audience reach.
Cons: May take a long time to earn a living, if this is he only source of income.

Free to Access

Sean Haleen has been traveling the United States teaching for well over a decade. He currently leads multiple group classes and private sessions weekly on Zoom and serendipitously joined YouTube just before the pandemic. Haleen shares his classes in a manner that he calls “free to access” in response to how many students were financially hit by the coronavirus. Though he offers his classes for free, through his existing communications with students and the “about” section on his YouTube channel, he does mention that donations for online yoga classes are optional. In lieu of money, he asks people to consider subscribing to his page and/or sharing his teaching schedule with others, explaining that those actions are also “a form of compensation and actually lead to quite a few new students.” Haleen notes that offering classes for free or lowering prices for those unable to afford yoga may not be the right model for everyone, as many teachers themselves can be low-income earners. However, he feels that the teachers doing well financially “have more of an imperative to create accessible content because it affects their livelihoods less.”

Pros: Being of service.
Cons: Only possible with other sources of income.

Donation-Based Classes

Veteran teacher Whitney Allen has been leading in-person yoga classes since 2003, but joined the online yoga world more recently with filmed classes on Wanderlust (now Commune) in 2016. During the pandemic, Allen has mostly been teaching through Instagram Live, as that is where she already had the most contact with her students. So the transition felt simple, although she also teaches classes on Zoom.

As she considers her teaching as being of service, she prefers offering her classes in free-to-use formats, but she also acknowledges that she relies on donations for income, gratefully accepting any contributions. While the system is currently working for her, she notes that people seem to be donating less than at the beginning of the pandemic, which can be scary. Still, Allen does not “police people” about paying and encourages them to take class even if finances are tight and they aren’t able to donate much.

Hillary Skibell, a life coach and yoga teacher based in Marin County, California, chose a donation-based approach both to make her classes financially accessible, and because it felt uncomplicated at a time of much uncertainty. She and her students had to switch to this new livestream format almost “overnight,” and collecting donations through Venmo allowed her to dive right in.

At first, Skibell saw the donation-based model as a short-term experiment, but now that it is clear that virtual classes will be a part of her long-term business plan, she will likely be moving to a set rate. Still, Skibell considers her time using the donation model successful, sharing that there were many days she earned more than if her classes were a fixed cost.

Pros: Makes classes accessible to people of all means.
Cons: Unreliable source of income. Can feel like an uneven exchange.

Home Yoga Studio Photo by Joan Hyman

Pay-Per-Class Honor System

Others are successfully charging for classes based on “an honor system,” as Los Angeles-based teacher trainer Tiffany Russo calls it. This is where teachers say their class costs a specific amount, but still give free access to their teaching content, leaving it up to the student to follow through and pay. Russo made the shift from donation-based yoga to the honor system three months into quarantine when she realized that virtual teaching was here to stay.

While it is not “foolproof,” Russo finds the energy exchange “cleaner.” When she charges a flat rate, she feels properly compensated for the amount of energy she puts into preparing and leading her online yoga classes, versus with the donation model, where many students do not pay anything or pay very little. Another motivation for her to make the move to a clear price was that the donation model didn’t feel financially sustainable. That said, it was very important to Russo to set a price that is affordable for her students, while still charging enough to make ends meet.

YogaWorks teacher Jocelyn Solomon is also using the honor system approach. Solomon never even considered the donation model, musing that it “disempowers teachers by leaving the discernment to place value on their teaching to an outside source.” Like Russo, she prefers the clarity of charging a set amount. Solomon actually started with Zoom’s webinar feature, which included a paywall that students needed to pass through before receiving the link to her class. She switched to Zoom’s meeting option and is now using the honor system because she wanted more interaction with her students.

To ensure students pay for online yoga classes, Solomon has clear languag on her website but is also very open to making exceptions, just as she did pre-coronavirus—like when “guesting” someone in a class, which is when a teacher can have someone take their class at a studio for free.

Pros: Clear energy exchange.
Cons: Not everyone pays.

Paywalls for Online Yoga Classes

For internationally recognized yoga teacher Joan Hyman, going online has had some great benefits. Prior to the pandemic she was getting on a plane every week, whereas now she has access to her students from all around the world in one place. Part of Hyman’s success was her ability to adapt quickly. In the very beginning, she taught a free weekly class through YouTube and a “pay-what-you-can” class on Zoom, but the moment she sensed lockdown extending and saw travel bans being put in place, she moved all of her offerings online, leading the pack by offering big-ticket items virtually, including workshops and retreats.

As her virtual offerings expanded, Hyman decided to invest in paywall software (versus individually collecting payments through a platform like Venmo), which is a way for you to restrict access to online content unless paid. Hyman discusses why she made the move, saying, “It’s hard to be a business manager and keep track of everyone’s classes. It takes a lot of work to keep up the accounting. Acuity has helped me organize all payments, keep track of students’ classes, and send links to students to join.” Some teachers also find using paywalls more professional than Venmo and PayPal.

Another popular paywall software that teachers are using is Momoyoga. It is important to keep in mind that there are monthly fees for any of these services, so unless you’re teaching multiple classes or have other offerings, such as classes for purchase or workshops and trainings, it may not make financial sense. There is also the aspect of having to learn a new technology and transitioning your current system over to a new one. Hyman suggests getting help setting these up if needed, offering the advice, “Stick to what you know and pay someone for their skills to help your business grow.”

Pros: No uncomfortable money exchanges with students. Professional interface.
Cons: Having to learn a new technology. The cost of running the software.

A Whole New World

As I write this, we are now six months into this quarantine virtual-yoga existence, and though gyms and studios are slowly reopening, it is clear that many of the teachers who moved online are here to stay. And as they get more comfortable, many are shifting how they first offered and charged for classes and still may continue to do so. See, that’s the cool thing about this new virtual yoga world: It’s unchartered territory and, therefore, we can create whatever we would like. Anything is possible! Now if we can only figure out how to give virtual savasana adjustments.

Sarah Ezrin

Sarah Ezrin is the author of The Yoga of Parenting: Ten Yoga-Based Practices to Help You Stay Grounded, Connect with Your Kids, and Be Kind to Yourself. She is a freelance writer, yoga educator, and content creator based in the Bay Area. Her willingness to be unabashedly honest and vulnerable along with her innate wisdom, make her writing, teaching, and social media great sources of healing and connection for many people.
Sarah brings a wide spectrum of life experiences into everything she does. She is unafraid of sharing all sides of herself. She does so in the hope of giving others permission to be their most authentic self. At this time, when honest self-awareness is so important, Sarah’s is an essential and exemplary voice.
Sarah writes extensively on the subjects of yoga, parenting, and mental health, often interweaving these themes. Her work ranges from heavily-reported assignments to personal essays to blog content for brands. She is a regular contributor for Yoga Journal Magazine, Motherly, Yoga International, Healthline, Scary Mommy, Mind Body Green, Mantra Magazine, and LA Yoga Magazine. She has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes Magazine, Bustle, LA Weekly, and NBC News.

Sarah is a well-respected yoga teacher and a leader in the wellness community. A world traveler since birth, she has led trainings, workshops, and retreats locally and across the globe.

www.sarahezrinyoga.com

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Peter Oppermann, host of the Future Self Summit, pictured on an LA rooftop wearing The Visionary Winged One by Parashakti.

With the future seemingly uncertain due to a global pandemic, social unrest, upcoming elections, and threatening climate change, it is more important than ever to unite people and to catalyze global change.

This effort begins with the Future Self Summit, a free four-day virtual retreat hosted by Peter Oppermann. Taking place from Oct. 1-4, this online event will bring together over 30 pioneers of the future; including speakers, facilitators, artists, incubator graduates, and musicians from seven different countries. These thought leaders will come together to share their visions and solutions for a better future.

The call-to-action for Oppermann’s summit is simple yet poignant: Society is at a tipping point — a catalyst to engineer change is needed. 

An Invitation to the Future Self Summit 

When it comes to future self-actualization, there’s nobody to lead the journey like Peter Oppermann, a brilliant mechanical engineer turned meditation teacher and coach. Oppermann’s decades-long career in mindfulness meditation and spiritual teaching reached its peak when he developed the Future Self Method, a technique that allows individuals to access visions of their Future Selves, allowing them to manifest those visions in the now. 

The concept for Oppermann’s Future Self Summit was birthed from the vision that curating a better future for the collective begins with manifesting improvements in ourselves. Oppermann will facilitate this four-day virtual retreat with the help of more than 30 faculty members and speakers that are experts in their respective fields. 

“We are calling in all pioneers of the future to contribute in their unique ways to a better future we all know is possible,” Oppermann says. 

Notable faculty members will include co-founder of Cafe Gratitude and Kiss The Ground, Ryland Engelhart, composer and founder of MindTravel Music, Muray Hidary, Nicole Landers, co-founder of Community Healing Gardens, and wellness leader, Douglas Drummond. I’ll also be facilitating Conscious Dance workshops based on my Dance of Liberation™ modality to help participants step into their Present selves through the art of movement. 

To view the complete line-up of presenters, visit www.futureselfsummit.com.

This versatile line-up of speakers is part of Oppermann’s goal to explore the future of various societal components. 

“This summit serves as a collective dreamcatcher,” Oppermann says. “That’s why we’ve chosen voices to represent the future of medicine, movement, finance, and so on. Through a panel format, transformation leaders will share their visions and the audience participants will be able to share their idea of a better future, to together explore new opportunities for growth and innovation.” 

Each day of the retreat will follow a different theme, with relevant thought leaders and facilitators assigned to each day based on their corresponding focus. The first day will focus on the Present self, helping participants embrace the totality of their physical and expanded being. 

“Our itinerary begins with the Present self because it is the only state in which we have freedom of choice [as opposed to the Past or Future self],” says Oppermann. “This is where we determine whether we act habitually or respond with intention.” 

Day two of the summit will focus on the Past self, a practice which primarily involves “shadow work”, as Oppermann refers to it. This consists of deconstructing the self: past traumas, limited beliefs, and the concept of time as a linear entity. 

Finally, the third day of the summit will take the concepts learned on the first two days to introduce participants to their Future selves — the version of themselves that they aspire to be and can obtain through study of their Past and Present selves. 

Oppermann applies many scientific principles in his work, particularly when discussing the efficacy of the Future Self Method. He refers to the biology behind its effectiveness as a rewiring of neural pathways in helping individuals condition their coping mechanisms. 

Virtual Feast to Create Community 

The virtual retreat will conclude on its fourth day with a feast, where participants will be invited to prepare a meal and sit down to eat together. While the feast will take place over Zoom, Oppermann envisions it as one long communal table, where multiple dialogues ensue. 

He believes that bringing people together to engage in the simple, necessary act of nourishing themselves is one of the key ways to create connection. It is at this virtual feast that participants will be invited to share their idea of the world they want to live in, and begin the process of actualizing that change. 

“I strongly believe that creating a better, livable, functional future can only happen if everyone realizes their personal dream,” Oppermann says. “When we strive to create a better future for ourselves, we become better equipped to take collective action in our communities.” 

From Engineer to Transformational Leader

Looking at Oppermann’s history as a mechanical engineer in Germany, one might wonder how he ended up down the more spiritual path. However, even his entry into the world of science was driven by his desire to create technology for the betterment of humanity. Unfortunately, he soon realized it was not the most optimal path for him to achieve this goal. 

After discovering the benefits of mindfulness meditation in the late 90s, as well as touring attending meditation retreats all around the world, he decided to pursue a more gratifying practice. He left engineering and began woodworking Japanese furniture, specifically Shoji screens. Production expanded to the United States, allowing him to traverse from Berlin to New York City. 

While his time in woodworking ended shortly after due to his desire to work directly with people instead of materials, it was pivotal to his realization for his true calling. From there, he founded a non-profit called Karmabuilders in the Bronx with the aim of helping former prisoners reintegrate into society. 

“Around that time, I was in a surfing accident that rendered my right shoulder and arm immovable,” Oppermann recalls. “Looking back, I see that event as somewhat of a shamanic intervention, a call to pursue my true dharma and purpose.” 

After the incident, Peter moved to Los Angeles in 2013 and finally began making strides toward beginning a career as a healer. He started off leading large corporate meditations for firms like Netflix. 

“My background as an engineer allowed me to weave scientific knowledge into the world of spiritual practice,” Oppermann reflects. “I think that’s why it appeals to a large group of people.” 

It was shortly after he pioneered his coaching career that Oppermann was introduced to the concept of Future Self through the work of Arjuna Ardagh. Ardagh serendipitously discovered the concept while leading a patient through a past life regression, in which she uncovered her Future Self in the process. 

Oppermann has expanded the concept into a method, by providing the tools so that people can become their Future Selves and live in alignment with their visions of the future.

“To this day, people will come up to me in Whole Foods and say ‘Remember that workshop you led five years ago? Well, I am that person now,’” Oppermann recounts. 

Oppermann’s logical and scientific approach is what keeps people coming back to it. He finds that its measurable and scientific nature allows it to produce tangible and fathomable results. In fact, he’s approached his work with the Future Self Method much like he approached his work as an engineer: by developing a thesis, testing it extensively, and then collecting testimonials from individuals who underwent the process with him — all of which were overwhelmingly positive. 

Future Self Meets Dance of Liberation

For each day, a unique program has been created that reserves time for the introduction of new approaches to personal growth, mindfulness, and inner work — all while allowing enough space for a plethora of art, music, and dance practices.  

Attendees will be invited to embrace their Present selves through dance, riveting music, and vibrant, soul-opening festivities that serve as a celebration of life.  

“Dance is completely woven into the Summit,” Oppermann assures. “We’ll be hosting artists and musicians every evening. Embodiment is the key to transformation.”  

In addition to a powerful Dance of Liberation opening ceremony, there will be other immersive Conscious Dance experiences hosted by DJ Sabo, Nacho Arimnay, Murray Hidary of MindTravel Music, and more.

Peter Oppermann, host of the Future Self Summit, pictured on an LA rooftop wearing The Visionary Winged One by Parashakti.

The Summit will begin with a powerful Dance of Liberation™ experience hosted by myself, in which I will invite attendees to release their inhibitions, accept themselves as they are in the moment, and move mindfully without any qualms, fears, or expectations. 

With dance and music entwined so deeply into my own Dance of Liberation practice and accompanying Winged Ones jewelry line, Oppermann and I can certainly promise a collaboration that provides something for everyone. 

In fact, Oppermann has been a major proponent of my trademark Eagle Medicine practice and beautifully relates the experience to that of uncovering your Future self. 

“The Eagle as a symbol is a very powerful portal to the Future self state,” Oppermann says. “I imagine the journey to Future self discovery being like riding on the back of the Eagle heading toward the sun.” 

Oppermann’s extensive years of experience as a Future Self Method practitioner, Life Empowerment Coach, and overall spiritual healer all culminate to this upcoming Future Self Summit. As Oppermann sees it, it’s finally his opportunity to use this meaningful framework to generate a change that is bigger than all of us. 

“My dream is a future where everyone is found and embracing their full potential. That is what will elevate us as a species and ensure our collective survive. That’s why the goal of this Summit is to weave a new collective story where every voice counts and everybody brings something.” 

CLICK HERE to enroll in the Future Self Summit, Oct. 1-4. This four-day, virtual retreat will explore the concept of creating lasting societal change using the framework of Peter Oppermann’s Future Self Method. RSVP for free before Sept. 30 at 11:59 pm PDT. 

Join Parashakti in the Lineup of Pioneers as she concludes each day’s events with a Conscious Dance experience, based on her modality Dance of Liberation™ and The Winged Ones. She will be facilitating her workshops out of the Integral Yoga Institute in New York, where she acquired her teacher training. SPECIAL THANKS to IYINY for lending this sacred space. 

Starting on Oct. 18, Oppermann will also be hosting the Future Self Incubator, a deeper 8-week journey through the Future Self Method. 

Parashakti

Parashakti’s shamanic healing work is born of more than two decades of experience facilitating workshops, trainings, and retreats around the world, in Los Angeles, New York, Mexico, Bali, Guatemala, Indonesia, Israel, and Greece.  As a lifelong dancer, her path as a healer followed a severe injury – a period of what is often called shamanic dismantling, after which her mission shifted towards healing. Over the last 20 years, Parashakti has developed the Seven Foundations and the Dance of Liberation™, as maps for her spiritual practice, living and breathing these foundations in daily ritual. Dance of Liberation™ has been practiced by over 10,000 dancers around the globe. It’s was born of a mission to help people experience ecstasy – without taking it.
Above all, Parashakti is dedicated to serving community and creating a sacred container where people feel safe enough to experience their deepest essences, honor their voices, and shine their brightest light. Join her on the Dance floor: www.parashakti.org

parashakti.org/

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On May 24, 2020, The New York Times dedicated the newspaper’s front page to those who have died from COVID-19. Including no other information than first and last name, age, and city of the deceased, the newspaper offered a somber representation of the staggering loss from corona virus seen in the United States since the early days of March. While unable to publish an exhaustive list, The Times’ intent was to reflect the milestone of 100,000 deaths in the U.S. due to the virus.

Months have passed since The Times’ article was published. The numbers continue to rise at an alarming rate. On May 24, I read each of those names. I knew, while they were strangers to me, they were someone’s mother, teacher, school bus driver, friend, coworker, grandmother, and/or child. Each person on that list had a story and a family. While those narratives of love and loss in the time of corona are not mine to tell, I wanted to contribute what I could during this unprecedented time. What exactly that would become is still making its way through my keyboard.

As I watched the world move forward in the attempt at economic recovery and establishing a new normalcy, I also listened to the stories of real love and loss around me. This includes a collection of personal experiences from two nurses who share little relation except a cross-country dedication to service at all cost as well as the narrative of a man whose connection to COVID equates to the loss of a father. I braid these intimate stories together.

I do so thinking of this quote, “People don’t listen to statistics; they listen to stories.” I hope that people will listen to real tales of love and loss, worries and warnings, and make the choice to protect themselves and their neighbors not just because it is policy but because it is the right thing to do. Much continues to be clarified in the months of requisite change to how and where we live our daily lives. Yet the veritable truth is the days of living solely for oneself are over.

While two thousand miles apart, nurses Kristen Pérez and Jennifer Terry told similar stories in regard to the gradual but marked shifts occurring in their hospitals in the early days of COVID-19. A Los Angeles-based nurse, Terry described those early days in her hospital. In early March, it “slowly changed from ‘this is only happening in China’ to ‘ok, maybe it’s not just China’ to ‘maybe it’s everywhere” to ‘we’re not prepared for a pandemic and don’t have enough PPE to handle it’.” She explained, “It went from, ‘this isn’t my problem’, to being ‘this is a problem worldwide’.”

The inability for medical professionals to anticipate the virulence of the virus was not isolated to the West Coast. As a nurse in Chicago, Kristen Pérez explained that the full shift from pre-COVID to COVID-occupancy occurred when her hospital’s administration dedicated the entire seventh wing as the COVID floor. “At the worst,” Pérez said, “we saw 75-100 patients a day. That included the seventh wing, the 6th floor ICU, and we ended up closing down and taking over the pediatric ICU to use for additional adult COVID patient overflow.”

The rapid increase in patients was not only overwhelming but unnerving as many nurses and aides began to fear for their own safety. Some hospitals quickly implemented policies to protect the nurses; others did not. Pérez said, One day, we had a meeting, and the unit manager said, ‘I don’t want to see anyone wearing a mask’.” At that time, mask-wearing was a violation of hospital policy, but the Nurses’ Union in Chicago fought to get nurses protective gear.

In a matter of weeks, Pérez’s hospital policy shifted from, “Do not wear a mask even in the hallway” to “You should just wear a surgical mask when you are taking care of COVID patients” to “All people in the hospital would be provided a surgical mask.” By mid-April, Pérez explained, “All people in the hospital were provided a surgical mask and all patients were required to wear it while the nurse was in their room performing care.”

While hospitals started shifting policies to protect their employees and patients, many healthcare professionals were left to make challenging personal decisions. “One nurse had to send her two- or three-year-old daughter to live with her grandfather,” said Pérez. Others, like her, had to separate from family and friends after exposure to COVID patients.

With the deluge of patients and extended care that continues to tax the system, many healthcare professionals don’t even have time to process or grieve the loss of their coworkers. “As of [June, 11, 2020] two nurses, a surgical tech, and one nurse’s husband have died, and several hundred have contracted the virus from my hospital alone,” Pérez explained.

Words cannot capture the pain each practitioner has witnessed, but Pérez spoke of her first experience with a COVID patient. “I could see the fatigue of her opening her eyes and turning her head to look at me. Her voice was so weak, she could only produce a whisper. It looked tortuous and awful. It scared me to see her look and feel so bad.”

Stories like those told by Kristen and Jennifer serve as both a reminder that, while the young and physically fit may feel like this virus won’t reach them, as critically acclaimed writer and renowned director, Nelson George, states, “This virus is no joke.” Recently, Nelson wrote an article for Medium about his father. In our conversation, he explained the experience of watching his father, Elmer George, die due to COVID-related health complications.

As Nelson described, his father used to take his “Cadillac” motorized cart to the shop. One day, after making a trip the Bronx, Elmer came home and collapsed. After he was found alone in his apartment, Elmer was rushed to the hospital. When Mount Sinai admitted him, they diagnosed Elmer with COVID-19. As he also had diabetes, Elmer’s family knew, “This was going to be a problem.” Elmer eventually stabilized and was moved to a rehabilitation facility, but, when his blood sugar spiked, Nelson said, “The effort to stabilize him with COVID and the diabetes was too much.”

When the doctors didn’t believe Elmer’s health would improve, they allowed Nelson to visit his father in the rehabilitation facility. That afternoon, Nelson watched his father struggle “with air in his nostrils, but, despite the air, every breath was an incredible battle. He was fighting, fighting, fighting for every breath.” That evening, on April 25, 2020, Elmer George died from complications related to COVID-19 infection.

This corona virus has taken a toll on our most intimate relationships. It has ended businesses. And its effects have touched every sector of economics, politics, and health care. It has shown Americans the fissures and fractures in our healthcare system.

It has also clarified our ability to relate to and empathize with people we do not know personally. As we define the moral compass of this nation, this era has required us to reevaluate self-centeredness against collectivist tendencies. As Pérez explained, this is our “opportunity to give something of yourself to your fellow human. If everyone did something, when you pay your good deed forward, that can expand way more rapidly than Corona virus.”

The caveat is that, “Everyone has to participate.” Nelson seconded the sentiment as he stated, “This isn’t about your civil liberties; it is about being a part of society where people look out for each other. It’s not about you; it’s about being a responsible citizen.”

While these personal accounts are iterations of a collectively challenging and heartbreaking era, the time of corona is also the time of confused and confusing information. From conflicting news briefings from the executive branch to the sometimes aligned, sometimes splintered recommendations from the World Health Organization and the CDC, the volume of news circulating in regard to best health and safety practices is not exhaustive but exhausting.

Thus, where does the private citizen go for trustworthy information? Backing science over opinion, Pérez explained, “People are looking for things that agree with their own personal opinion, but science looks at things and removes personal opinion.”

“We all have preconceived notions in regard to how we think the world works. But scientific research teaches you to look at the world without your biases. You have researchers, doctors, and nurses who have dedicated their whole lives to the study and practice of science, and we are not making it up. Nurses are in the rooms with patients with COVID-19 and are watching them suffer. And they are watching their coworkers suffer and die. And that is not fake.”

To those who think COVID-19 isn’t real, I implore you to reach out to the healthcare professionals in your community. Listen to the stories of those who have seen the pain and suffering the corona virus has produced firsthand, and seek out empirically-based scientific research.

Pérez was asked what she would say to those who continue to think COVID-19 is either a hoax or won’t affect them. She replied that, while they risk their lives every day they go into work, if someone comes into the hospital because they are sick, “We are still going to help you. We are still going to try to save your life. We will still bring you whatever kind of juice you like that makes you feel better, and we will still give you a phone charger so you can call your mom.”

It seems the moral compass of our nation has become a topic of debate. In the time of corona it has largely, but not exclusively, hinged on binaries like economics or public health, getting things back to “normal” as quickly as possible or taking prudent, patient precautions to ensure the health and safety for all citizens. Yet the future of our nation depends on what we do now, how we treat each other, and how and how often we vote.

While science-driven data is a crucial component to making well-informed decisions for our children, parents and partners, neighbors, strangers, and ourselves, I have learned data doesn’t move the heart. Stories do.

Thus, in an era of corona virus, in an era of love and staggering loss, each of us can read the names on The New York Times’ front page. We may even individually or collectively mourn so much loss. We can also take personal responsibility to live nonviolently.

The tenets seem simple – wash your hands, wear a face mask, and stand six feet apart. But, as with yoga asana, philosophy, or meditation, the work is not in the teachings. It is – and always has been – firmly rooted in the practice.

Marja Lankinen

Marja Lankinen, founder and CEO of Yoga for Dancers, is a yoga therapist and commercial dancer in Los Angeles and travels the globe teaching yoga and meditation: yogafordancers.com

www.yogafordancers.com

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