Fall/Winter 2013

 

"...a clear and peaceful mind is the ground for joyful living." Swami Rama

 

BEGINNING MEDITATION WITH K.O.

 

Thursdays, 

Sept 26, Oct 3, 24, & 31

5:30-7:00 pm

Cost: $67

 

Learn how to begin a home mantra meditation practice.

Please see further description in body of this newsletter or on the website. 

 

Class size is limited to 10 so please pre-register.

 

Google Map link

 

 

SESSION
DISCOUNT

 

Refer a friend to the Yoga for Health class and, if they sign up, you will receive $20 toward your next class or private yoga session.

Share the beauty and breadth of yoga and, as always, I appreciate your continued support!

 

FEATURED

 

Loving-Kindness

For the last few years, I've been attending 5-10 day silent meditation retreats. They've been my first foray into the world of Buddhism. All of my meditation practice for the last 15 years has been in the yoga tradition (mostly mantra), but I wanted to find a place that created a totally silent container for meditation, which happened to be Buddhist.

They have been amazing experiences. People often ask me if I am silent the whole time. The answer is yes, mostly silent, but we do have 15 minute conversations with a teacher every other day, and the teachers do "Dharma Talks" – talks about philosophy and practice - nighty for an hour as we listen, but don't talk.

The theme of my most recent retreat was "Metta," or Loving-Kindness. It's a practice of opening and purifying the heart and mind, allowing us to clearly see our, and others', own goodness. One of the teachers defined it as cultivating goodwill or friendliness toward yourself and others; of unstoppable friendliness; unconditional love. The practice allows us to have peaceful connection with ourselves and all beings. Who doesn't want that? If we can transform our own hearts, then we can transform our relationships, and then transform the world. The Buddha said, "Only by love alone does hatred cease."

I would like to share the meditation phrases that I use and have taught my own students and clients. Repeat them internally as you might a mantra, repeating them in seated meditation, or use them anytime – while walking, swimming, brushing your teeth, washing dishes, sitting on the bus. Say them for yourself to begin, but you can expand to a loved-one, a benefactor, someone neutral, and then eventually someone difficult.

May I Be Peaceful and Happy
May I Be Strong and Healthy
May I Be Free from Inner and Outer Harm
May I Live With Joy and Ease

Yours, in service,

KO

WHAT'S NEW

 

Schedule of Upcoming Classes

 

Good Space Yoga will also continue to offer the periodic Meditation Satsangs and Restorative Yoga Workshops, as well as Beginning Meditation.

 

Please go to Good Space Yoga for a description of the classes, as well as the full weekly class schedule.

 

To see the September - October class schedule, go to:

http://goodspaceyoga.com/classes-yoga.html

 

Become a fan on Facebook! I post links to articles of interest, inspirational quotes, updates about events, and notes about various experiences. 

http://www.facebook.com/goodspaceyoga

 

 

SPECIAL OFFERINGS:

 

Beginning Meditation with K.O.

Thursdays, September 26, Oct 6, 24 & 31 (4 weeks)

5:30-7:00 pm, Cost: $67

Learn how to begin a home meditation practice. Systematic methods for mantra meditation and stress reduction are covered each week. Many relaxation and concentration techniques, as well as gentle physical warm-ups, are explored to prepare the body and mind for sitting. Group discussion, lectures on lifestyle, and yoga philosophy are included. Class size limited to 10.

 

Meditation Satsang with K.O.

Monday, September 23, October 28

Thursday, November 21

5:45-6:45 pm, Cost: $5 each

This gathering is intended to help support and deepen your meditation practice. The gathering will include a 15 minute lecture, a 15 minutes period of question and answer, followed by 30 minutes of seated meditation.

 

Restorative Yoga with Amy Noren
Thursday, September 19, October 17, November 14, December 12

6:00-7:30 pm, Cost: $10 each

Restorative Yoga allows space to deeply relax, renewing health, wellness, and vitality. Holding fewer poses with many props creates a safe space to deeply release tention thereby enlivening every cell. No yoga experience is necessary, however, the ability to get up and down from the floor is helpful. Focus is on individual comfort. 

 

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS OF INTEREST:

 

Yoga for Anxiety: Soothing the System and Cultivating Harmony with Kathy Ornish at the Himalayan Institutute in Honesdale, Pennsylvania

Friday, August 30 - Sunday, September 1

See HI website for pricing info and registration.

http://yogainternational.com/events/view/yoga-for-anxiety

 

Five Dimensions, One Self: Exploring the Pancamaya Koshas with Kathy Ornish at the Himalayan Institutute in Honesdale, Pennsylvania

Friday - Sunday, November 15 - 17

See HI Website for pricing and registration info

http://yogainternational.com/events/view/five-dimensions-one-self-exploring-the-panchamaya-koshas

 

 

 

Home Practice

 

I love this thick, easy, and nutritious soup made from red lentils. It's super easy and you can throw all kinds of other vegetables in it to spruce it up.

 

Remember, old practices, newsletters, and recipes can be found on my website's goodspaceyoga.com/homepractice webpage. Enjoy!

 

Kitchari Recipe

 

 

Yoga Therapy

 

Special Offer: Sign-up for a 6-8 week class session and get your first yoga therapy session for $40/hr (regularly $70/hr).

 

What is Yoga Therapy?

Yoga Therapy adapts and applies Yoga techniques and practices to help individuals who are facing physical or emotional challenges, or who want to expand their yoga/spiritual practice. It offers a personalized practice that empowers the individual to progress toward greater health by managing their condition, reducing symptoms, restoring balance, and facilitating healing on all levels of our being. My hope is to inspire and empower you toward greater clarity and healing.

 

Please see my Therapeutic Yoga webpage for more information.
 

 

Inspiration

 

Messenger by Mary Oliver

My work is loving the world. 
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird—
equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.

Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still not half-perfect? Let me
keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work,
which is mostly standing still and learning to be
astonished.

The phoebe, the delphinium.
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since all the ingredients are here,

which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart
and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam, telling them all, over and over, how it is
that we live forever.