Thanks everyone for another

great turnout

at the Shady Side Open House!!!

Shady Side Open House

Totally Free Event!!!

Tue, Sep 1, 7pm

at the Kiwanis Club in Shady Side

on Snug Harbor Road

Do join in & bring friends and family!!

This is a time for us all to gather together…

Check out all the pictures from last year’s event!!

Our New Meditation Circle

Starts Thurs Sep 10, 7pm at Galesville Memorial Hall.

Come join in for gentle yoga, meditation, sharing, readings & more.

Be part of a community!!

All are welcome – no experience necessary.

Click here to read more about it!!

$5.00 suggested donation. Thank you.

Often we think of yoga as being the practice of asanas or physical postures, in which case one may think that progress only pertains to our physical sphere.

However, this aspect of yoga is a stepping stone that facilitates our growth and development – in all realms of life, not just by becoming more bendy and flexible.

The totality of  yoga is concerned with the overall flourishing of one’s human personality. As much as anything else, our progress on the path of yoga is measured by how far we represent these following qualities.

Here below are the yogi’s list of the ten qualities of a dharmika (a follower of human dharma or expression of one’s true or highest nature.)

1. Dhriti (patience)

2. Ks’ama (forgiveness)

3. Dhamah (self-control)

4. Asteya (non-stealing)

5. Shaoca (purity & cleanliness)

6. Indriyanigraha

(control over motor and sensory organs)

7. Dhii (benevolent intellect)

8. Vidya’ (spiritual knowledge)

9.  Satyam’ (love of truth)

10. Akrodha (non-anger)

With continued effort and practice, all the above manifest with greater clarity within each and every practitioner. Our asanas, our meditation, our relaxation and more help bring us forward on the path.

Note: As I mentioned on another list-serve, just because my name is #9 does not mean that I am that. I think that name was given to me because I was so terribly deficient in that attribute

Wishing everyone well on the path to becoming a great dharmika!

One member of our yoga community - Carolyn Rodis – does yoga in essentially two places. When she is in So Co she is a regular on Wed and Sat at Galesville Hall. That’s about ten months of the year.

When not in So Co she lives at her other residence. Now take a look at her veranda and see her view when she does her yoga outside!!!

YES, we will all be going there soon for a yoga workshop!!! It will be the longest workshop in yoga history!!!!!

We were blessed to have a wonderful gathering last Sunday, July 26, for our Yoga-Sitar program.

Anthony began by showing us some highly remarkable musical demos of drums like the mrdangam of South India and Sitar from North India. First he would voice the instrument and then he would play the same via the drum and sitar. It was quite special – a unique presentation.

Thereafter, we all collectively delved into our yoga meditative flow.

From a focus on breath then to contemplation and then to movement, we made our journey, the whole while surrounded by the mystical aura of the sitar.

When mantra was introduced the meditative flow surged deeper within.

Every one of the 19 participants contributed  to the magical flow that allowed us to reach a deeper calm and sense of communion.

In the end, our practice culminated with a meditation that could have gone on and on. We were all that immersed. Only the marching of time stopped us.

When our program finally concluded – albeit 20 minutes late – one person noted, “How did the time go by.”

That just about told the story: in a sweet mystical flow the time went by….

Please do see some of the comments below (I have combined a whole bunch into the first comment box).

We will have our next Live Sitar & Yoga program on Sunday, October 18th, 2p- 4p in Galesville!!!

This podcast – the 4th in this ongoing series – describes, in brief, the life of the Buddha as well as his foundational teaching of the eight-fold path. Learn about Buddha’s brith and early years, why he embarked on a life of renunciation, where he achieved enlightenment, as well as his great gift of madhyama ma’rga, or the middle path.

Investigate each of the limbs of his eight-fold approach: samyak dharshan (right philosophy), samyak samkalpa (right determination), samyak va’k (right expresssion), sayak ajiiva (right occupation), samyak vya’ya’m (right exercise), samyak karmanta (right finishing), samyak smrti (right memory), and samyak sama’dhi (right ideation).

I hope you find this podcast both interesting and worthwhile. Your comments are of course most welcome. Duration: 11min 43sec

Satyam

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Last Friday, July 3rd, we held a yoga session at the Naval Academy’s National Cross Country Camp – 110 in all attended the class. Click here to see all the photos.

Locally-Made Yoga Mat Bag!!

One of our local yoginis, Teresa Crofoot, has designed and hand-made a wonderful yoga mat bag.

I use mine everyday!!

Out of her own home, she is now making more for anyone who may be interested.

She uses an extra-thick, high-quality fabric – you are welcome to look at mine whenever you wish.

Anyone interested should contact Teresa at: 1treeyoga@gmail.com

The cost is $20.00

This podcast talks about the important imagery and spiritual science related with the lotus flower. Learn about the symbolism of the lotus, Sanskrit terms, and the inner essence of the phrase thousand petaled lotus chakra.

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You have probably heard about Blue Zones, i.e. places where people live longer with an enhanced quality of life. Sociologists and wellness professionals study such places and regularly report on them.

Recently one such blue zone article was written about a town in MN that was adopting 4 practices to increase longevity and vitality:

1) Eat more fruits and vegetables

2) When possible, walk instead of drive

3) Be productive and socially active in the later years of life

4) Seek inner fulfillment

I do not think they intended their list to be exhaustive – just a good way to begin.

What practices and ideas would you add? What do think think contributes to a longer, healthier, happier life?

Look forward to hearing your thoughts and sharing some as well.

Here is a short (5 min), informal talk about how yoga asanas differ from regular exercise such as sports and games.

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Intro To Yoga

In this two-part yoga series, learn the essentials and gain the confidence to enter a general yoga class. Or use this  as an opportunity to review and strengthen your fundamentals.

Individual attention will be given in this interactive introductory workshop. Topics include: basic terminology, poses, and breathing patterns for a sound yoga practice.

There will be ample scope for Q & A.

6:30pm – 8:00pm, Tuesdays
Galesville Memorial Hall
June 30 & July 14

Tuition: $30 & receive a free yoga class pass
Walk-in: $15.00

All participants can buy Renaissance Yoga T-Shirts, CD’s at a 25% savings.

Monthly pass holders are welcome to attend.

This first podcast is an informal, non-scripted talk on the history of yoga. In a short 7 minute clip, follow the history of yoga from the first vedic chants given 15,000 years ago through the great teachings of Sada Shiva and Sri Krsna up to the codification of yoga into astaunga yoga (8 limbs of yoga) by Maharishi Patanjali.

Over the millenia and centuries the Himalayas (literally meaning, "Land of the Ice & Cold") have been home to numerous yogic sages.

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Open any yoga magazine or even the health section of any newspaper, and you will read about the many benefits of yoga: Less stress, greater flexibility, lower blood pressure, deeper sleep, faster recovery time, and so many things.

In short, there are numerous ways how yoga helps. Even then, it can all seem quite theoretical or even beyond what we think we can achieve.

Sometimes we all need to hear stories, anecdotes, or even a word or phrase from people in our local community to inspire us to keep going. You may feel that your experience is insignificant, but by sharing it you may open a whole new avenue of hope and inspiration for someone else.

In my own life, yoga has helped blow away a dark cloud of an inferiority complex that seemed to always loom over or even envelop me. It has also granted me a greater sense of belonging, allowing a much more positive outlook in life – both individually and collectively. There is still a ways to go – but at least the journey is en route and not stalled!

I will gladly share more about the above as well as other ways yoga has helped.

Please take a moment to share how your yoga practice has helped you - in any way, no matter how small or big.

Remember…

You never know what great transformation or subtle shift in perception your words will have on someone else.

This is also a great way to personally reinforce the importance of your own practice.

This will be our second summer offering Yoga for the Student-Athlete.

This is an intensive & challenging mind-body yoga experience to teens, 13 – 18.

Thursdays, July 9 – July 30

6:30pm – 8:00pm

at St James Parish Hall, Lothian

Click here for more details.