Burma Benefit

BURMA BENEFIT

HELP VICTIMS OF CYCLONE NARGIS IN MYANMAR

Saturday May 31 5-9pm

$10 Yoga Classes 5pm 6pm 7pm and 8pm

1/2 price massage & acupuncture (please make appointment in advance)

Group meditation & chanting Yoga Center of Minneapolis

Contact Brett Reierson 612-968-0143 or burmabenefit@yahoo.com

Various goings-on

A few announcements about upcoming new/free/fun yoga classes that have graced my email box recently:

• Ted Roseen (see the previous entry about his photography) will begin teaching at Vitality in St. Paul tomorrow (Tuesday, 4/29) at 4:15pm. Ted's class is a mix of Iyengar biomechanics, Ashtanga sequencing, and the flow of Vinyasa. The class tomorrow is free, so be sure to check it out.
• TaraNa's famous yoga happy hour is this Friday. This month's theme is Gin-and-Tonicasana. Remember to arrive early!
• Amy Patee is leading a really interesting workshop at the Yoga Center this Saturday focused on harnessing your prana (lifeforce.) Amy will lead the class through meditation, breath work, visualization, and asana to "elicit your personal power and strength."
  
• My good friend Catherine Johnson Justice is starting a new Family Yoga Class at TaraNa on Saturday, May 10. More details will follow, but mark your kids' calendars now.
  
• The Dharma Mittra workshop at the Yoga Center of Minneapolis is fast approaching (May 31 - June 1). Everyone I know who has studied with him raves about the experience. Who wouldn't want to learn "the best and most effective methods of Yoga"?!
  
• Yoga Center of Minneapolis is having an open house at their St. Louis Park studio on May 2. There will be yoga mini-classes, free henna tattoos and tarot card readings, as well as consultations to help you or your friend find the right yoga class.
• The new Edina CorePower, complete with 6,200 sq feet of studio, spa, and retail space is scheduled to open on May 16.

Yoga happy hours

There is nothing like a great Friday afternoon yoga class to end the work week and ease into your weekend. Mark your calendars - here are a few options around town:

1st Friday of every month

• TaraNa: 6:00pm (but arrive by 5:30 to get a mat spot) - 90-minute Vinyasa class followed by socializing and libations. These classes are taught by Jessie and Jeffery, both great teachers and fun people.
  

2nd Friday of every month

• Yoga Studio of Plymouth: 5:30-7:30pm - each month is focused on a theme. May is about partner stretching and June has a chakra focus.
  

Every Friday

• Yoga Center of Minneapolis - downtown studio: 5:45-6:45pm- a fun Vinyasa class for all levels. "Celebration Yoga" features upbeat music and tasty treats and beverages after class.
• Yoga Center of Minneapolis - Saint Louis Park studio: 6:30-7:45pm- an all levels yoga class taught by one of my favorite teachers in town, Ryan Kelly. The class features soft lighting and music to slip you into a deep sense of peace and relaxation.
• Yoga House: 4:30-6:00pm- Sydney Holly (another fav teacher of mine) leads the class through a vigorous 90 minutes of Vinyasa practice. This class will make you sweat but you'll feel great by the end.
• One Yoga: 5:30-6:50pm - in this class you will stretch you spine and unwind your mind with friends, tunes, and flow. This Vinyasa class is deeply rooted in the traditions of Ashtanga Yoga.
• CorePower - 8:00-9:00pm - Uptown studio: move through a gentler, all levels Vinyasa flow class with great music and the glow of candlelight.

Remember to register: Amy Ippoliti (Anusara)

REMINDER: April 25-27- Begin with Intention Yoga / Clouds in Water Zen Center
Amy Ippoliti: is a certified Anusara Yoga teacher who has traveled extensively with Anusara founder, John Friend, apprenticing with him on his national tours. She has also studied closely with Tantric scholar, Dr. Douglas Brooks. She leads Anusara Yoga retreats, immersions, workshops, and teacher trainings internationally. According to the website, she is known for her radically affirming teaching style and dynamism, offering her life experience with the potent Universal Principles of Alignment, elegant tantric yoga philosophy, and therapeutics that embody Anusara Yoga.

Yoga Happy Hour at TaraNa

Want to start your weekend off right? Join 40+ other yogi(ni)s this Friday at 6pm at local studio TaraNa in Minneapolis' Kingfield neighborhood for Yoga Happy Hour. This monthly event is the owners' way to create community and give something back to their students. Plus, it sounds like a blast! You hit your mat for a 90 minute vinyasa practice and then wine is opened and you can mingle with your fellow yogi(ni)s. I haven't been yet, but apparently it is "the" place to be. Back in January, the Southwest Journal did an article about this event, so you have to arrive early to secure a mat spot. This is just another reason I think that TaraNa is a really cool place.

Remember to sign up: Judith Lasater

REMINDER: April 5-6, 2008 - Yoga Center of Minneapolis
Judith Hanson Lasater: teaches yoga and trains yoga teachers in kinesiology, yoga therapeutics, and the Yoga Sutra in the San Francisco Bay Area. She holds a doctorate in East-West psychology and is a physical therapist. She was originally trained by B.K.S Iyengar (meaning she has a super technical practice) and is THE source for Restorative Yoga. On April 5 she will be conducting a teacher training focused on the Sacroiliac Joint (bottom of the spine) and on April 6 she will hold a Living Your Yoga Workshop which will include some of her restorative work. This is not to be missed!

Open House this Friday

The Yoga Center of Minneapolis is hosting an open house this Friday at its downtown Minneapolis location. The evening will include free sample classes, consultations to help you find the right class, Thai Yoga Bodywork mini-sessions, and a raffle to win class passes, yoga mats, private lessons, and more. This is a great way to learn about all that the Yoga Center has to offer. It is also a wonderful opportunity to introduce family and friends to the world of yoga.

Detox

Spring is a great time to detoxify and start anew. Here are some resources to get you started:

• The Yoga Journal recently published a great article on Ayurvedic prescriptions for springtime health. The article will guide you through appropriate herbs, asanas, pranayama (breath work), and diet choices to help you cleanse all the toxins that were built up over the winter.

• On April 19, local yoga instructor Amy Patee is offering a workshop on yoga breath and cleansing. Join Amy at the Yoga Center of Minneapolis to learn the most potent ways to cleanse the body and maintain optimal health. Amy is extremely knowledgeable about the technical and spiritual aspects of yoga, so this promises to be a great session.
• Acupuncturist Jennifer Johnson and yoga instructor Jennifer Gray are hosting a 5 day spring detox program, March 31 - April 4, at the Yoga Center of Minneapolis (SLP studio). Participants will reap the benefits of yoga, Chinese medicine, herbs, and whole foods to to help cleanse the body, mind and soul.
• On May 10, Betsy Ricker will be offering a class at the Minneapolis Yoga Workshop focused on yoga and Ayruveda for spring detoxification. Using the principles of Ayruveda, the workshop will explore various springtime rejuvenation practices, yoga postures, and herbs and food as medicine.
  

Ropes

In the Iyengar yoga tradition, props, including wall ropes, are used to enhance and intensify asana practice. It is said that the use of wall ropes opens up the body and helps balance one’s energy. I have not personally tried wall ropes before, but admit to being curious. The Minneapolis Yoga Workshop, an Iyengar studio in southeast Minneapolis, is offering a workshop on May 17 to teach us how these mysterious ropes work. The workshop will explore a variety of techniques in the use of wall ropes. They ask that you have at least six months experience in Iyengar yoga, but I am sure that anyone with a somewhat developed yoga practice could give it shot. I may just see you there.

Morcheeba is coming!

Morcheeba is a total go-to band for me. Their down tempo yet funky music is perfect for a dinner party soundtrack and they can always be counted on for a chill vibe when practicing yoga at home. I don't have their new album yet, but am excited to see them on April 2 at First Avenue. Check it out.

Unique Opportunity (annual Ruth Stricker Lecture)

The Center for Spirituality and Healing is an exciting part of the University of Minnesota’s Academic Health Center (med school, nursing, physical therapy, etc.). It is their mission to draw on the diverse expertise of University faculty and community practitioners to integrate complementary and alternative healing practices into traditional health care. They conduct academic research, train individuals in alternative healing modalities like Reiki, yoga, and Chinese medicine, and advocate for integrative services in the health care industry. Each year they host a major lecture on the mind-body connection that is open to the public. This year’s lecture is really exciting.

Matthieu Ricard, a French born Tibetan Buddhist monk, scientist, and author who happens to be the Dali Lama’s French translator is coming to the Mayo Auditorium at the U to talk about happiness. According to the promotional materials, Ricard will draw on fiction and poetry, contemporary western philosophy, Buddhist thought, current psychological and scientific research, as well as personal experience, to weave an inspirational and forward looking account of how we can begin to rethink our realities in a fast-moving modern world. Call now to reserve your spot.

Annual Ruth Stricker Lecture April 18, 3:00 pm
Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain: Cultivating Inner Conditions for Genuine Happiness with Matthieu Ricard
Call 612-624-9459 to register

Come On Spring!

Vernal Equinox is March 20! The days are lengthening! The sun is getting warmer! The snow will finally melt! Here’s some ways to celebrate:

Equinox Chant, Drum, & Dance
March 15, 6:00 – 8:00 pm, ONE Yoga, $20
Two hours of chanting, drumming and dancing to celebrate the Equinox. All ages and levels of experience welcome. Handouts provided.

March Towards Equinox
March 15, 1:00 - 4:00 pm, $45, Good Life Yoga
Enjoy this windy, wild time of year at a workshop offering balance poses, hip openers, and twists.

Spring Equinox Restorative
March 22, 3:30 – 5:30 pm, Yoga Center of Minneapolis – Downtown, $30
Transition from winter into the freshness and new budding of springtime. The practice will be a combination of yin poses (deep stretches focused on releasing the connective tissue and joints), restorative poses supported with props, and pranayama (breath exercise).

Equinox Celebration: 108 Sun Salutations (yoga mala)
March 22, 1:00 – 2:15 pm, ONE Yoga, $17
The group will complete 108 sun salutations to honor the sacred cycles of the seasons. It is said that 108 salutes creates a deeply meditative state of being and a connection to the peace of the present moment. Be sure to pre-register.

Chakras

The chakras are energy centers in our bodies aligned in an ascending column from the base of the spine to the top of the head. They are thought integrate our physical, emotional and mental nature. In many traditions they are visualized as lotuses of differing colors with a different number of petals on each chakra. If you ever wanted to know more about your chakras, take advantage of this exciting series at the Yoga Center of Minneapolis where Tanya Boigenzahn will explore one chakra a month. You will learn about yoga asana, pranayama, meditation, mudra, kriya and more to help get these energy centers balanced and feeling great. You do not need to take the workshops in order. Each workshop is $30.

2008:
March 9: Root Chakra - Get Grounded
TBD: Sacral Chakra - The Pleasure Center
September: Solar Plexus Chakra - Inner Power, Outer Strength
TBD: Heart Chakra - Spread the Love
TBD: Throat Chakra - Speak Your Truth
2009:
January: Brow Chakra - Spark Your Intuition
February: Crown Chakra - Get Connected

Yoga Nidra / 61 Points of Light

Yoga Nidra is translated into English as “sleep of the yogis.” It is a form of yogic relaxation and guided visualization that is practiced in various Yoga, Buddhist, and Hindu traditions. While there are many techniques of Yoga Nidra, the ultimate goal is to bring the yogi in direct communion with the Divine / GOD / something greater. It is a guided way to “rest in true presence.” Some even claim that thirty minutes of Yoga Nidra equals three hours of traditional sleep!

Here in Minneapolis we are lucky to have a Yoga Nidra guide in Tara Cindy Sherman. Tara is a special soul! At one of her recent classes, she guided us through a Yoga Nidra called 61 Points of Light. She had us lie on our backs, close our eyes, and imagine a series of glowing stars being added to each corner of our bodies. By the end I literally felt like I was glowing all over. In fact, I felt so light I was sure that I was levitating!

Tara primarily teaches out of the Yoga Center of Minneapolis. She runs a Sunday night meditation class where she uses the Yoga Nidra technique and she even has a CD available at the Center that includes the 61 Points of Light Yoga Nidra. Get yourself some Nidra .... it will do you good. Namaste.

Visiting Teacher Opportunities

This spring there are some major yoga names coming to the Twin Cities. Don't miss the amazing opportunity to study with one or more of these masters:

April 5-6, 2008 - Yoga Center of Minneapolis
Judith Hanson Lasater: teaches yoga and trains yoga teachers in kinesiology, yoga therapeutics, and the Yoga Sutra in the San Francisco Bay Area. She holds a doctorate in East-West psychology and is a physical therapist. She was originally trained by B.K.S Iyengar (meaning she has a super technical practice) and is THE source for Restorative Yoga. On April 5 she will be conducting a teacher training focused on the Sacroiliac Joint (bottom of the spine) and on April 6 she will hold a Living Your Yoga Workshop which will include some of her restorative work. I am signed up for the whole weekend!

April 25-27, 2008- Begin with Intention Yoga / Clouds in Water Zen Center
Amy Ippoliti: is a certified Anusara Yoga teacher who has traveled extensively with Anusara founder, John Friend, apprenticing with him on his national tours. She has also studied closely with Tantric scholar, Dr. Douglas Brooks. She leads Anusara Yoga retreats, immersions, workshops, and teacher trainings internationally. According to the website, she is known for her radically affirming teaching style and dynamism, offering her life experience with the potent Universal Principles of Alignment, elegant tantric yoga philosophy, and therapeutics that embody Anusara Yoga.

May 23–25, 2008 – Michelle’s Yoga House
Michael Stone: is a psychotherapist, author and yoga teacher who teaches internationally in studio, academic and medical settings. He is a long-time student in the various traditions of Krishnamacharya and has written extensively on yoga psychology, most recently presenting his work to H.H. The Dalai Lama. He is offering a lecture on Yoga philosophy in daily life along with sessions that combine asana practice, pranayama, philosophy and discussion. According to the website, “studying with Michael Stone is like being in a Yoga class, a meditation center and a university classroom all at the same time!”

May 31-June 1, 2008 – Yoga Center of Minneapolis
Dharma Mittra: is a master Yoga teacher and founder of the Dharma Yoga Center in New York City. He started teaching in 1967 after 11 years as a full time yogi and "Bramacharia" (a celibate religious student who lives with his teacher and devotes himself to the practice of spiritual disciplines). He is most known for his amazing Master Yoga Chart of 908 postures used world wide. I have not studied with him, but everyone who has RAVES about the experience. This is a really special opportunity.

Home Practice

Do you have one? I’ll admit it… I don’t either. But I know it is SO important. It is the only way to really find your own practice, your own voice, your own peace. I am currently taking a great class at the Yoga Center of Minneapolis called Personal Practice Development (PPD) with Monique Maxwell. It has already been extremely helpful in getting me think about my practice – what it means to me, what it looks like when my ego gets in the way, and how the lessons learned through cultivating my own practice apply to all parts of my life. This week I am trying to comply with Monique’s assignment to do five sun A’s, three sun B’s, big toe pose, handstand, and three minutes in a seated forward fold every day. Two days down, four more to go. Wish me luck!

So for you, gentle reader, I recommend checking out the PPD classes at the Yoga Center and following this advice I ran across in the Yoga Journal. Happy practicing!

Home Practice:

1. Set aside a place and a time to practice every day. Start with a short amount of time, such as 15 to 30 minutes.

2. Identify an activity that is no longer valuable in your life and remove it, so that your home practice doesn't just add another task and make your life more complicated and full.

3. Commit yourself to being consistent in your practice for six months.

4. Find an occasional practice partner.

5. Have several planned sequences in the back of your mind as a backup.

6. Continue to go to class weekly for inspiration and ideas on how to change your home practice or what to focus on at home.

7. Recognize how much yoga has already helped you, and trust that your daily life will be better with a daily practice.

Yoga retreats

If you are anything like me, you are desperate for an escape from this FROZEN reality we’ve all been living in for the past three months. This is a perfect time to start dreaming about a fabulous yoga retreat. Here are some great options:

• Kripalu Center – located in western Massachusetts, this center was formed in 1966 to “promote yoga and uplift the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of individuals.” It is THE place to go to learn from master yogis and spiritual teachers. You can learn yoga trace dance from Shiva Rea, restorative yoga from Judith Hanson Lassiter, or even improve your golf game using yoga. There is a session this weekend on yoga and chocolate – how great is that?! Plus, they have all the massage, Ayurvedic treatments, and organic food a modern yogi could ask for. If nothing else, get on their mailing list so that you can lust over their catalogs every quarter.

• The Raj – close to home, but oh so different than what you might expect from a small Iowa town. The Raj is associated with the Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield Iowa. This is the American home of Transcendental Meditation (TM). You go to the Raj for Ayurveda, the ancient whole-body Indian health-care philosophy and practice. It is super expensive, but this place is the real deal. Your health and wellness will be evaluated, you'll receive prescribed treatments (ranging from special Ayurvedic massage to herbal enemas ;-)), do some gentle yoga, eat a specially chosen diet to address your imbalances, and hear from experts in the field. From what I’ve heard about this place, it is a once in a life-time experience.

• Himalayan Institute – founded by Swami Rama of the Himalayas, the mission of the Institute is to “discover and embrace the sacred link—the spirit of human heritage that unites East and West, spirituality and science, and ancient wisdom and modern technology.” Located in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, the Institute offers ten-day “lifestyle experiences” to affect a personal transformation. The program includes meditation intensives, daily yoga, guru talks, and daily karma yoga (selfless service).

• Yoga North – a yoga studio in Duluth that offers yoga workshops and retreats a little closer to home. This September they are doing a North Shore hiking and yoga retreat called, Lodge to Lodge. Call 888-722-YOGA for more information

• Big Sky Yoga Retreats – run out of a luxurious lodge just outside of Yellowstone National Park, these retreats combine yoga and skiing, hiking, or horseback riding. The philosophy of these retreats is that ”yoga helps you do anything better.” My friend Beth just signed up for one of their retreats this spring. I can’t wait to hear what it is like. Ahhhhhh……

• More information - this list is obviously just the tip of the iceberg. For more ideas, Yoga Journal has a great articles about seven destination ashrams and fancy-pants international yoga retreats.

• Back to reality - for those of us who can’t afford the time or money it takes to make one of these fabulous retreats happen this year, local yoga teacher, Tanya Boigenzahn recently wrote an article for Metro Magazine about wellness services in our neck of the woods. (If not a personal transformation, at least get an amazing massage!!) Also, it is always a great idea to try some of the yoga workshops at the Yoga Center of Minneapolis. There is some amazing expertise and transformation to be found in our fair city.

Local events of interest

Chanting Event w/ Margie, Tara, and Coleen
Saturday, February 16
One Yoga
Come and explore the ancient yogic art of chanting sacred mantras. Use the sound and silence of the voice, the breath, and the heart to create a joyful, meditative, expansive state of consciousness. Let go into the healing energy and peace of living fully in the present moment. Sit, close your eyes, still the mind, relax and enjoy--sing along, just listen, or even get up and dance as we allow ourselves to be graced by the healing vibrations of this heart-opening practice. All ages are welcome. No experience is needed. We provide handouts and information about each chant. Most events are $10.

Harmony Restorative
Saturday, February 23 | 3:30 - 5:30pm
Mary Sage | MPLS Studio | $30
Restorative yoga is practiced to reduce stress, restore health, and move the body in the direction of balance. February is a month of partnership, love and quickening into spring. It's a time to make peace with our selves (and those around us) and our bodies. This restorative workshop will focus on honoring the good by practicing poses the work around the heart center and releasing 'feuding' or negative patterns with twists and inversions. The restorative postures will nurture balance, encourage letting go and bring the body/mind into harmony for the future. We will do a short writing exercise so please bring a journal or notebook. All levels of experience are welcome.

Upper Neck & Shoulder Tension Workshop
Saturday, March 1 | 3:00 - 5:00pm
Mary Sage Syverson | MPLS Studio | $30
Release the weight of the world from your shoulders in this workshop. We’ll unwind neck and should tension and free up the space that connects the head to your heart. By ungluing bound shoulders we improve access to the channels of the heart and lungs. Not only can we free up more space, we’ll improve the circuitry for the blood to oxygenate the brain---thus boosting brain function! Postures will include back-bends, twists, and inversions. Modifications will be given to accommodate all levels of practice.

Root Chakra Workshop - Get Grounded
Sunday, March 9 | 5:00 - 7:00pm
Tanya Boigenzahn | MPLS Studio | $30
The Root Chakra is the center for grounding, survival, physical health, prosperity, & centeredness, as well as the bones, adrenals, elimination system, and the earth element. Each month focuses on a specific chakra. Learn yoga asana, pranayama, meditation, mudra, kriya and more to help get your energy centers balanced and feeling great.
NOTE: Part of a workshop series on the 7 chakras. You do not need to attend all workshops to get benefits, nor do you have to attend them in order.