Retreat to Nothing

September 17-20, 2009:

Eddie Ellner Retreat in Santa Barbara, CA

Eddie is a popular teacher with a near cult following and owner of the fantastic Yoga Soup studio in SB. He will be joining the White Lotus Foundation for this 4 day retreat on their property in the beautiful foothills above Santa Barbara. This a well priced retreat and includes lots of goodies. I am sure he will book quickly so grab your seat asap.

If you have not had the opportunity to play in one of Ellner's regular classes I highly recommend dropping in to Yoga Soup for some bendy, light hearted quality time with yourself.

His class description: An exploration in nothing. If we are lucky.

Contact the White Lotus Foundation for more information about the retreat.

Book Reviews

The Wisdom of Yoga by Stephen Cope.

Cope is a psychotherapist and long time senior teacher at Kripalu.

The book explores the Sutra's of Patanjali and the modern application of their teachings. He weaves stories of a few of his students into the exploration of the Sutra's, the History of Yoga and how we can work to reduce suffering using these ancient tools in a tangible way. Cope's text is very accessible to students of all levels and appropriate for any beginner that wants to delve into the extraordinary text Patanjali left us from the second century. The translation of the Sutra's in the back of the book is one of my favorites.

A Path with Heart by Jack Kornfield.

Kornfield is a well respected Buddhist teacher and author of ten books. Another favorite of many of my yoga friends is his book After the Ecstasy, the Laundry. This is another tangible book written by a superb author with an articulate and beautiful voice. I often catch myself rereading his prose and contemplating how precisely he describes the human experience. I have yet to finish this book, instead I enjoy reading chapters and revisiting certain sections depending on what is on my mind and what I might be working through. Highly recommend any of Kornfields book for those on a path of growth and acceptance.

Khaled Hosseini's latest novel A Thousand Splendid Suns is an unforgettable adventure in the realities of the history of Afghanistan from the perspective of two women's experiences. The characters are not based on actual people, but rather vignettes of what Hosseini gathered from stories of what women endured through the series of occupations and years with the Taliban. It is a heartbreaking story of endurance, survival and love. I read this book while on vacation recently. One night I read into the early morning hours while I watched my daughter sleep next me. I felt sorrow for the generations filled with suffering and also incredibly blessed for the life I am able to give my daughter. Hosseini discusses this novel and his last, The Kite Runner, in this interview clip.

2009 Great Getaways

Colorado::

The state rich with breathtaking beauty for every season of the year. I think they boost 350 days of sunshine annually. In the spring beat the crowds to a National Park or two. Summer brings culture at the Aspen Classical Music Festival, Telluride Bluegrass Festival and the Boulder Shakespeare Festival. In the autumn enjoy the aspen foliage, visit a few historic Western towns, or try your hand at a dude ranch. In the winter world class skiing takes center stage at resorts like Vail, Breckenridge and Aspen.

Croatia::

The Dalmatian Coast rivals the Caribbean for nightlife, beaches and boating. It has made headlines for the last five years as the new hot spot for investors and international travelers. Hvar is luxe island life at its best in late summer. Don't want to hang on the beach with the other tourists and celebs? Head to the port town of Zadar for a road less traveled (and less spendy). Looking for the perfect postcard vacation then stick with Dubrovnik, the staple UNESCO village with red tiled roofs, stone streets, and culture abound.

Brazil::

Always enticing with an endless coastline of beaches and an interior spilling over with lush rainforests, rivers and waterfalls. Then there are those "towns" famous for sultry nightlife, bikinis, Mojito's and carnival. Brazil literally has it all. Not only can you have any kind of vacation imaginable, you can have many. Non-residents can get great deals on airline tickets between Brazilian cities.

Check out TAM airlines for flights to South America from US cities.

Delta, Delta, Delta :: for Double Miles

Delta American Express Offer::

Delta is offering all American Express Delta card holders double miles on every flight flown between July 1st and December 31st, 2009.

If you are an American Express cardholder be sure to register your frequent flier number to take advantage of this amazing offer. Once registered you will begin earning double miles on every flight you take this year. All Delta and Northwest flights are eligible. Reward travel is of course excluded.

Register for Offer

Working through the Sutra's....again

Let me begin by stating that I am no scholar of the Sutra's. However, I do find some mind-blowing and applicable concepts and practices with in them. I wanted to share some recent favorites.
According to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, yoga is to still the patterning of consciousness (1-2). There are five patterns of the consciousness: right perception, misperception, conceptualization, deep sleep and remembering.

For me conceptualization is the patterning I fall into most often. That stream of language that is constantly contextualizing everything, creating labels, searching for words and descriptions of every thought and experience. The chattering mind of terminology that tries to divide life into sections instead of perceiving and accepting it in it's natural state. Which is more like a river then a series a boxes.
Granted, I am linguistically orientated. I like to write. I like to read big books. I like words. So it is not surprising that I fall into this pattern most often.

But misperception is a companion as well. False knowledge, no matter how seemingly real, is still unfortunately not real. How often I have caught myself in a strong belief, only to later see how clouded my perception was. Sometimes years down the road I have been amazed by my ability to feel something so strongly and deeply that ended up having no basis in reality. But the Sutra's discuss even the minut daily misperception of objects, feelings and reality. Again like perceiving solidity in something that is infinitely transitioning. Problems seem to arise not just from our belief in non-reality but also our reactions to these misperceptions.

I love the sutra that describes deep sleep as a pattern grounded in the perception that nothing exists. So succinct and beautiful. Deep sleep, for many of us is magical in it's infinite possibility. If nothing exists, we can do and make whatever we want. Flying, spinning, swimming, speaking languages we don't know, writing dissertations, meeting god. All of these things are possible, and grow from a belief/perception of non-existence.

If one recognized validity in the Sutra's of Patanjali and wanted to explore or experiment with the very first one (the purpose of yoga is to still the patterning of consciousness), where would one begin?
Patanjali tells us: practice and non-reaction. Practice. Practice. Practice.

Which brings us to sutra 1-13: Practice is the sustained effort to rest in that stillness.
This is one of the few sutra's that is easy for me to translate to the asana. Sustained effort to rest in that stillness. It translates well to meditation too. Sustained effort to rest in that stillness. It translates well to my life. Sustained effort to rest in that stillness.

It might be easier to start with the physical. To start with the asana. Sustained effort to rest in that stillness. Each pose, each breathe. Sustained effort to rest in that stillness. Every moment is an opportunity to sustain the effort of letting go. This one might be a nice mantra for your next romp on the mat.

For a detailed examination of the Yoga Sutra's please check out Swami J's discussions and insights. The quoted sutra's in this post are translations from Sanskrit by Chip Hartranft.

Happy New Year!

"This was going to be the year that we were going to get it together."

This quote is a running joke with my husband and our friend Brent. About 8 years ago we were all living on our boats in Santa Barbara and very much a part of the harbor culture. Brent started the SB Harbor association, my husband worked at Harbor Marine Works, and we spent at least one evening a week drinking too much at the yacht club or Brophy's. Mostly we hung out on our boats under the stars talking and scheming about our lives. It was truly a separate culture of living aboard at the harbor and we had a crew of friends that all loved playing on boats.

One night there was a typical windy storm that blew a few boats that had been on moorings up on to the beach. (In fact this happened to our friend's Cook and Conan's boat twice). Anyway- one of the boats that washed up in this particular storm was owned by someone who ended up getting quoted in the paper. It was a bit of a woe-is-me perspective that ended with the individual being quoted as saying..."and this was going to be the year that we got it together."

We laughed and laughed at that quote. We still laugh at that quote. It is so typical and hilarious.

I just wanted to share it as my happy new year quote. Just in case your hoping this is the year that you pull it off.

If you have been waiting for this year to finally put "it" into action, if you have been expecting the future to be the time that you make those changes then this quote may be for you too. If you are anticipating that this year is "it" then I hope you don't let the obstacles and set backs that will arise turn you into a victim. We can all do it-over the small stuff and big stuff. I myself am going to keep this quote in mind each time I feel the whine coming on, or start to complain about money or jobs or time. My life is always what I make of it, including my reactions to challenges and set backs. It is my responsibility, my joy and my experience. Not something that is happening to me. Not something to throw away-just like the opportunities that are sometimes packaged as failures or pitfalls.

So if you find your boat washed up on shore - it my be the catalyst that makes it your year.

My best wishes to all to keep moving and keep relishing the experience of being human.

Happy New Year!

Candlelight Yoga

Candle Light Yoga: Friday, December 19th, 6-8pm

Other Holiday Classes I am teaching:
Dec 22, 23, 29th at 5:30pm.

I am also happy to announce that I will begin teaching public classes in FWB again starting in January on Tuesday mornings at 9am and Fridays at 10am.

Directions to studio.

The Journey

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting their bad advice--
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers at the very foundations,
though their melancholy was terrible.
It was already late enough,
and a wild night, and the road
full of fallen branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do--
determined to save
the only life you could save.

Mary Oliver

yogi cookies

How adorable are these yoga cookies? Check out the beautiful, creative custom baking from Baked Ideas.

Laura Tyree Retreat: Mudra, Mantra & Movement

“Laura is not afraid to be fully alive and human. This along with her keen eye, many years of deep yoga practice and a heart like a full moon makes her a very special yoga teacher. Take her class and find new maps to your inner soul.”
-Rodney Yee

Join us for a long weekend retreat that includes Laura’s fluid asana blended with her beautiful voice in rich mantra. Hand and body mudras complement this fulfilling experience, allowing sound, movement, and present moment awareness to heal and enrich your practice. Also enjoy an Ayurvedic discussion, daily Ayurvedic lunches, and an evening of music with local Kirtan musicans. All in an incredible, unique setting in Santa Barbara.

Retreat is taking place at the beautiful Casa das Palmas, a private resisdence in Santa Barbara. Participants can enjoy of all the homes amenities including gardens, heated pool and more.

Ready for a longer retreat? Choose the four night option November 19-23 for $575

Need a Weekend Fix? Opt for the weekender break and enjoy Friday-Sunday for $400

Want the low down:

Complete Retreat Information or www.yogaroads.com

Shed Pounds, Prevent Cancer & Raise Healthy Kids

For some reason I still get confused looks and snickering about why I buy organic and why my concerns about everything related to chemicals increases everyday. But I am starting to realize how little everyone (myself included) knows about the depth of what is happening to our water and food supply and how it is effecting people. I recently came across a link to this article and wanted to share it with you.

This article is from one women's perspective/experience.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/olivia-rosewood/i-used-to-be-an-island_b_126611.html

Other stuff to make you think, act & purchase with care--

Why doesn't anyone want American Beef? Two brief points:
http://www.preventcancer.com/consumers/general/hormones_meat.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/11/world/asia/11beef.html

Gross, yes. But guess where the beef does go? Tax payers buy it for schools!The discusting school lunch crisis:
http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2003/01/ma_207_01.html

What to do/how to learn more about:
http://www.naturalnews.com/024590.html
http://www.organicconsumers.org/organlink.cfm

Water: the next great commodity

Curious about the dwindling water supply and how contaminated it is? You can check out the documentary FLOW.
.
From their website::

· According to the National Resources Defense Council, in a scientific study in which more than 1,000 bottles of 103 brands of water were tested, about one-third of the bottles contained synthetic organic chemicals, bacteria, and arsenic. (http://www.nrdc.org/)
· Water is a $400 billion dollar global industry; the third largest behind electricity and oil. CBS News, FLOW.
· There are estimates that from five hundred thousand to seven million people get sick per year from drinking tap water. Erik Olson, Deputy Staff Director of Barbara Boxerʼs Environmental and Public Works Committee (EPW), FLOW.
· Californiaʼs water supply is running out – it has about 20 years of water left in the state.Maude Barlow, author of Blue Covenant and co-author of Blue Gold, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians, FLOW.
· There are over 116,000 human-made chemicals that are finding their way into public water supply systems. William Marks, author of Water Voices from Around the World, FLOW.
· In Bolivia nearly one out of every ten children will die before the age of five. Most of those deaths are related to illnesses that come from a lack of clean drinking water.Jim Schultz, founder of the Democracy Center in Bolivia, FLOW.
· The cost per person per year for having 10 liters of safe drinking water every day is just $2 USD.Ashok Gadgil, Senior Staff Scientist in the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, FLOW
· The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency currently does not regulate 51 known water contaminants. (http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/)
· While the average American uses 150 gallons of water per day, those in developing countries cannot find five.(http://www.charitywater.org/)
· The water and sanitation crisis claims more lives through disease than any war claims through guns.(http://www.water.org/)

EMERALD COAST YOGA RETREAT
OCTOBER 11-16, 2008
see flyer

Grab a few friends or take some time to yourself and head to the Gulf of Mexico for some sunshine, yoga, and self-pampering.

Come and see what many consider to be the most beautiful beaches in North America. Known as the “Emerald Coast” the beaches in this northern stretch of the Florida panhandle are serene and breathtaking with their crystal waters and sugar-white sand. They are truly ideal for a retreat. The quiet, picturesque towns sprinkled along the coast road of 30A between Destin and Panama City offer plenty of dinning, shopping, bike trails and scenic touring. Famous for it’s stylish, laid back lifestyle, the beaches of 30A attract world wide travelers, local residences and movie stars seeking refuge. Part of the beach lifestyle of the area is the lack of hotels. Most of the towns celebrate the architecture and appeal of classic beach houses. For our retreats we will be renting luxury beach houses-all with private bedrooms and bathrooms to ensure that each participant has the privacy of hotel-with the amenities that only a private house can offer.

So relax by the pool, enjoy your massage, walk on the beach, and stretch out on the mat for a little unwinding and rejuvenating.

see flyer

for more details.....

stuck on you

When I travel I absolutely love to go explore the local yoga. I find the studios or yoga classes and drop in on what sounds good or simply what fits my schedule. It is so fantastic to show up anonymously, outside of your social yoga network (and maybe your yoga norm) and take a class with no expectation. It is so good for your practice to break out of the routine of your yoga experience. You will no doubt discover something.

You may stumble upon the most amazing yoga experience you have to date. Like I did in April. Completely unaware, unprepared and with no idea.... I walked into a class that totally floored me. I was the most in my body I have ever been.

Or you may walk into a class that completely humbles you (happened to me in Bend, Oregon) or a class that is almost boring, or one that is a bit scary. But just like every other chance we take in our lives it is still worth getting on the bus for. I learned something at each and every class. I learned how little I know, appreciation for my teacher, patience and boundaries. And please do not forget the wonderful class that I stumbled into. That too was a regular yoga class, on a Sunday evening that I dropped in on because I needed to stretch out after a long flight. A moment of time fitting into a niche of space- and I was there for it.

I often hear people who have given up their yoga practice because their teacher moved. Or those that revere their studio or teacher so much that they refuse to sample something else. I understand the sediment. I even appreciate it. Some yoga schools of thought even state that you should have one teacher for life. This too I see the value in. But it is not always viable in our modern, western world where teachers and students are mobile and always shifting times, days and locations. And it is not always viable for where we are now.

I have stumbled upon some absolutely fantastic experiences. I encourage you to stretch your wings too and sample a little. Sample around town, sample out of town, sample at home with your practice. Just climb out of the box and see what comes up. Surely you will find a treasure- even if you need to polish it up a bit to see it sparkle.

so many roads to travel

For my thirtieth birthday I wanted to take a trip with friends and family to celebrate. Timing and finances didn't work out for any of my loved ones so I was left with the desire to go somewhere and no one to go with. This is a rare treat in one’s life and should be taken advantage of at least once if not regularly. I had not traveled alone on a significant trip in many years. So I bought a ticket to Lisbon, Portugal and off I went with no plans or agenda. I spent ten long days walking around Lisbon and Sintra, reading, writing, watching, and listening. It was an incredible adventure. No, I did not make a lot of friends along the way (I had to learn to use the self timer on the camera). I didn’t backpack or stay in hostels either. Besides waiters and hotel employees I barley spoke to anyone. It was one of the quietest trips of my life. What emerged was unique to the point I was in my life, and full of lessons of insights into who I was as an individual at that moment. If I was to take that same trip now different things would emerge, unfold, unravel and blossom. At the time I was half way through my year long yoga teacher training program; a growth spurt in itself. I had considered finding a yoga retreat or ashram to visit, but nothing lined up at the last minute and I had some trepidation about “group” travel. I have never enjoyed structured vacations, tours or having to spend long lengths of time with lots of people.

I was reminded of this sentiment at a recent dinner party with other females my age. A few of them were talking about how they wanted to take this trip here or there but had no one to go along. These were independent women that liked the idea of traveling alone some of the time, but not for a whole 10-14 day trip. They wanted a pal for part of the trip. I knew exactly how they felt. It is still how I feel if I travel for longer then 4 days by myself. A balance of time alone and time with others makes for a wonderful experience. You have ample space to yourself and the comfort and laughter that comes with sharing an experience with others. I believe that is the same sentiment behind why retreats appeal to sisters, and mothers and daughters.

This is the feeling behind the structure of my trips and why I wanted to begin doing yoga retreats. I know there are others out there like me. Those that want to retreat from their busy life, deepen their yoga practice, discover something new about themselves but also explore a beautiful place with others.

I feel so blessed that I get to experience so many things I love and share those experiences with others. Hope to see you soon.

NEW::: Ojai Valley Yoga Retreat

I just added a new Yoga Retreat in Ojai for August 24-28 as per some recent requests. Come experience the amazing Ojai Valley, rich with natural beauty and a relaxed personality. Ojai is widely known for being an active art community, retreat location and spiritual sanctuary. Located an easy 90 minute drive north of Los Angeles or a 45 minute drive south-west of Santa Barbara, the picturesque Ojai Valley offers a perfect location to unwind, rejuvenate and reconnect.

Retreat includes:
· 4 nights accommodations
· 2 Daily Yoga Classes
· 2 Dinners
· Daily breakfast
· 1 massage
· Guided day hike with lunch
· Airport transportation

Please see flyer for more photos and information.

go green
I recently had the opportunity to browse through a great book while indulging in chocolate cake at a local coffee shop. cool green stuff is true to it's name. it is a book showing off art, homeware, and neat functional everyday items made out of recycled materials. and the stuff is cool. nothing overtly crafty or kindergarten art class style in here. it is a hefty collection of very inspiring design pieces from around the globe. not a single piece/artist/designer paid to be in the book-the author simple sought out a diverse collection a super neat, environmentally friendly stuff.


bag it:: i am sure you all already have your own cloth grocery bag (or like me you have three). but the cloth bag company lets you make your own custom cloth bag with business logos, slogans, etc. very well priced and established company. bags are eco-spun cotton.

fab pre-fab:: I got the chance to check out the sleek homes of green architect michelle kaufmann at the recent expo in santa barbara. kaufmann designs and sells "smart" pre-fab homes that are modern, sleek and breezy. who knew pre-fab had evolved to this point? it was news to me. they are not dirt cheap (total cost ends up being around $200-$300 a sq foot) but worth checking out. currently ships to california, oregon and washington.

travel tips

• Use travelocity's flexible dates tool to find great deals. I consistently find the best fares with this tool. It will list all special offer rates with restrictions. You can then click on which fares might work and it shows which dates have seats at that rate. After checking out all of my options I then jot down the itinerary and go directly to the airlines website to book. That way you save on the booking fee and log in with your FF# and preferences.
  
• Earn those miles people! They are still giving them away. Get the airline's credit cards/debit cards and check out their special offers. If you use their credit/debit cards-it gets deposited into your miles account every month. You don't hassle with points or calling some outside agent to try and use points. You just book online at the airline’s website. Amex is our favorite miles card. You should be getting miles for shopping online, renting cars, paying bills, etc. It is almost silly how easy it is. And for goodness sake don't get on a plane without signing up for their free frequent flyer program that take all off 5 minutes online.
  
• Shop online through airline mall. If you are going to buy stuff from Target.com or Bestbuy.com anyway-why are you not getting 5-20 miles for each dollar you spend? It is so easy. You just log in to the airline site and go to their shopping page in the miles section. Continental and Delta have partnered with a lot of major retailers. Beyond retail- you can even get miles for home loans, cruises, and stock investments.
  
• Sign up for email offers. The airlines will notify you what is on sale for last minute travel, international travel, and even your favorite cities. American, United and Travelocity all let you enter home/favorite destination cities and will email you when those cities go on sale. Be sure to sign up for the smaller airlines too.
• Go directly to the website of the smaller airlines that specialize in one way travel or specific regions (Alaska, Southwest, Jetblue, Airtran) for great web deals and easy one-way tickets. Also remember that many of the small airlines do not make it into multi-airline searchers like expedia.
  
• International travel: try airtreks for a great price on a ticket with lots of city hopping. You can go around the world for about $1000.
  
• Remember that the major US carriers will give you miles for flying on their international partners. So don't chuck the miles just because you don't think you will ever fly Copa again. Just get the miles from that long flight with your preferred US airline.
  
• Buy travel insurance if you are unhealthy or may have to cancel. It may cost you $18 but save you $2000.
  
• If you are planning a major event or trip call a travel agent. They know more.
  

Remember if you want to save money-sometimes you need to invest the time and look around..... and only take one bag!

The Art of Blogging

The Art of Blogging
(1) I have begun reading more and more blogs lately. I am enjoying the connections and insights into the minds of people that I may never meet. I have long held the notion that if people could share their journals with others it may be enough. Even if no one read them-the act of placing one's expression into the world, fearlessly, could cause a radical layer of healing. The Internet is providing such an amazing forum for this expression. Images, art, words...no matter how redundant are being let free out of the minds of individuals.

Beyond the liberation of ideas from the confines of our minds, I also believe the act of creating is essential to being human. Making something-anything- daily reaffirms your existence to yourself and reconnects you to the beauty of living. Everyone is creative, everyone is an artist, poet and teacher. Every one's creations from the heart are worth listening to.

(2) In addition to blogging art, the art of blogging also references the business perspective of creating relationships and putting yourself out into the world so that you can be FOUND by those that are looking for YOU. Such a novel and incredible concept. Here is a great article about Tim Ferriss's success and putting yourself out there in the blogging world.

Want to take blogging to the next level? Check out the blog of Heather Armstrong. A professional blogger who supports her family of three from the income she makes from creative, Bridget Jones style musings of being a stay at home mom. We should all be so creative and business savvy.

Mama Mia! The Greek Isles

I just went to see Mama Mia with my mother and my (almost) six
year old daughter. The fact that I have now introduced another generation in my household to the sensational, repetitive, cocktail-swilling beauty of "Dancing Queen" did not overshadow my enjoyment of the exploitation of the beauty of the Greek islands.

The movie was filmed on a sleepy island called Skopelos, in the Aegean Sea. But before you pack your bags- two things to note:
1) there is not yet an airport there (true to the film) and 2) the entire island is preparing for an invasion. They are even making t-shirts.

Luckily for me, I already have a yoga retreat scheduled on an amazing island in Greece for this September. I can not wait to stretch out and play in Santorini!! For some reason it is one of those locations I have never been to, but have longed to see since my parents went on an exotic sailing trip there when I was little.

If you're like me and the dream of blue waters, music, white washed villages (and yes, yoga too) entices you to empty the piggy bank and dive in, then why not join Yoga Roads and have your own Greek Isle Adventure? I have already confirmed that ABBA Gold is downloadable from itunes for your in-flight listening pleasure (so is Highschool Musical 2). Think of it....you will even have cool people built right into your holiday in case you want company with your wine and song.

If you want to play, bend, sail, swim, eat, laugh and dance - then come on! The water is nice.




"It's time to start living the life you've imagined". ~Henry James