Awesome! The Universe!

A friend recently turned me on to an awesome new Google application - Google Sky. Just like with Google Earth, you get an aerial view... but this time of the UNIVERSE! You can see all kinds of star formations from the Hubble telescope, check out where people have walked on the moon, look at the surface of Mars, and get a feel for the "bigger scheme of things". It is pretty freakin' amazing. Wow!

What it's all about...

I wrote the following post about a year ago on my MySpace page and found it interesting to revisit today. Matthew Sanford is a Minnesota resident who founded the yoga studio and nonprofit, Mind-Body Solutions. Hearing him speak last spring was truly the moment that all of this yoga stuff came together for me. He helped me "get it."
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May 31, 2007

As I grow older and more cynical, it gets harder and harder to impress me. Despite this attitude I've developed, I have to say that I was recently blown away by a certain individual: Matthew Sanford. Mr. Sanford was the keynote speaker at the yoga conference I recently attended. I went to his session just to fill some time during a three hour lull in the programming. I left with goose bumps a new appreciation for life, yoga, and the power of the human spirit.

Mr. Sanford, who happens to be from Minnesota, was thirteen when he was in a tragic car accident in Iowa. His sister and father were killed in the crash and he woke to find himself paralyzed from the chest down. He spent the next dozen years learning to cope with his disability and to essentially forget the rest of his body. The traditional medical establishment told him that his body was dead --- the only reason he should keep his body intact (and not amputate his now "useless" legs) was to provide balance when he sat in a wheel chair. Quite a load to bear, wouldn't you say?

At some point in his early twenties, Mr. Sanford attended a yoga class. Seems silly right? How can someone do yoga postures (asanas) with just their head, neck, and arms? It doesn't work that way. But his partnership with an open-minded and dedicated yoga teacher allowed him to develop a powerful practice. He is now a yoga teacher himself at the Courage Center.

What do we learn from his story? For one, we learn to challenge the status quo. We learn to recreate what is possible. We learn tenacity. We learn hope.

But even bigger than all of that, we learn about the power of the life force that is in all of us and binds us all together. All of our bodies are limited in some way. We practice yoga postures (and the rest of what yoga means) to open up and align our bodies, minds, and spirits so that the energy can flow and we can be present. Sure, Mr. Sanford got a raw deal when it comes to his earthly body. But his life force is still there and yoga opened up the possibility for it to flow again. That is powerful. Mr. Sanford's story finally brought together for me what this journey I'm on is all about.

You ought to check out his book, Waking: A Memoir of Trauma and Transcendence. It is definitely on my summer reading list. Peace.

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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

Necklaces (they're pretty)

I am a sucker for a cute necklace. Here's a roundup of some pretty yoga-inspired ones for you to check out. All are made by independent designers and available on Etsy.

(1) Mama Om hand-hammered pendant by panicmama

(2) Makamoe - Oxidized Thai Karen silver lotus charm necklace by KahiliCreations

(3) Namaste by plainvanilla

(4) Yoga Karma Lotus Necklace 18K Vermeil and 14K GFchain by kiskastyle

(5) Gold Ohm by murmur

(6) Yoga Charm by amieking

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.