2011 was an incredibly full year for me filled with workshops, kirtans [...]]]> Has it been a year already? I closed out 2010 and began 2011 with yoga at the Sri Yoga Center‘s New Years Eve Satsanga, closing out the year with kirtan and japa then starting the new year in silent reflection and meditation.

2011 was an incredibly full year for me filled with workshops, kirtans and studies. For the first part of the year I enjoyed the Sunday morning Sanghas, discussing the Yoga Sutras and other topics. I began taking Abigail and sometimes Nick to kids’ yoga classes which fell by the wayside later on due to conflicts with my schedule.

I attended a couple yoga workshops. In February I attended a Jivamukti workshop taught by Anna Ferguson from World Peace Yoga. The Jivamukti approach is a bit different from what I’m used to but it was a good workshop and I got a lot out of it. In December I attended weekend Yamas and Niyamas workshop with Lila Lolling. She brought a different perspective to it from the Sivananda tradition. I really enjoyed the asana portion of the workshop which consisted of a traditional Hatha Yoga practice, so much that I’m using it as the basis for my home asana practice.

The year was a good one for kirtan. The kirtan that had the most profound effect on me was the Chants for Ma kirtan led by Michael and Melissa at a href=”http://www.sriyogacenter.com” target=”_blank”>Sri Yoga Center on Mother’s Day. It was a simple kirtan but my heart really opened up and I was overcome with emotion. In June I accompanied Michael and Melissa to World Peace Yoga in Cincinnati for the Jubilee Kirtan and Hafla. Michael and Melissa led the kirtan accompanied by Christopher Cox and Doug Kreitzer. One of the highlights was the World Peace Tribal Belly Dancers who really got the kirtan swinging.

I attended two more kirtans in July. SRI Kirtan played at Sri Yoga and featured several songs from their Live Your Love CD. By the end of their set, one could definitely feel a positive shift in the energy. About a week later, I went to Yoga Springs for a Karen Johns kirtan. She had us do the final chant while in Savasana which was an interesting experience.

There were other events blending music with yoga. In August Girish visited Sri Yoga and played as Melissa led an asana class. About a month later, the Bhakti Vinyasa Project returned to Sri Yoga with Luna and Joshua playing cuts from One Shared Heart as Katy Knowles led a vinyasa flow class choreographed to the music. A few days after that, Luna and Joshua held a “Soul of Voice” workshop with a small kirtan in which Melissa received her first harmonium lesson.

The highlight in my year of yoga was the 100-hour Yoga Studies Program taught be Michael and Melissa. It was a preparatory class for teacher training covering the Yoga Sutras, subtle anatomy, asana, sequencing, pranayama and meditation. Three of the five students who completed the course went on to take the teacher training course. Later in the year I took part in a Yoga Studies Intensive focused on finding balance. This course expended on some of the concepts from the Yoga Studies Program and took them a bit deeper.

Next year should be another great year for my yoga practice. I’ll starting off with Lila Lolling’s Svadhyaya Intensive. Some of the offerings on the winter schedule also look interesting, such as the 6-week Weekend Flow and the Core Flow series. There are also the drop-in Yoga Flow classes with Melissa on Wednesdays and Thursdays. I want to make 2012 the year my practice really takes off in a new direction.

Namaste

Padawan Yogi

Rod Stryker reminds us that true yoga is alchemy for the mind and has little to do with the shape of our body.

I feel fortunate and very grateful that when I stumbled into yoga, I found two teachers whose style was influenced by Rod Stryker’s Parayoga. Like most people, I [...]]]>

Rod Stryker reminds us that true yoga is alchemy for the mind and has little to do with the shape of our body.

I feel fortunate and very grateful that when I stumbled into yoga, I found two teachers whose style was influenced by Rod Stryker’s Parayoga. Like most people, I began to do yoga for the physical benefits of asana. However, I was aware that yoga was a holistic approach to physical, mental and spiritual well-being and I suspected I might be attracted to its spiritual aspects.

Since then, I’ve explored yoga well beyond asana. I’ve discovered and enjoyed kirtan (Bhakti Yoga), attended numerous workshops, studied The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the Bhagavad Gita, and taken an interest in Ayurveda. I’ve got The Upanishads and several other books on my “to be read” list. My study of yoga has affirmed, clarified and solidified many ideas I’ve carried for many years and opened my mind to other views and concepts.

I’m forever grateful to Michael and Melissa at Sri Yoga Center for opening the doors to the world of Yoga for me.

Namaste
Padawan Yogi

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving Day.

On this day of thanksgiving, I would like to express my gratefulness for all the blessings that have been bestowed upon me. I’m grateful for family, friends, teachers, health, yoga and other blessings, too numerous to recall. I’m grateful to those who came before [...]]]>

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving Day.

On this day of thanksgiving, I would like to express my gratefulness for all the blessings that have been bestowed upon me. I’m grateful for family, friends, teachers, health, yoga and other blessings, too numerous to recall. I’m grateful to those who came before me for they have all made a contribution and helped to shape my destiny.

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.

Namaste,

Padawan Yogi

by Diane DeGiorgio Cesa on Wednesday, 19 October 2011 on Facebook.

An interesting note about reserving judgment.

I was first intrigued at the beginning where someone had said, “I just had a crappy yoga practice.”  My initial reaction to that statement was “It was your practice.” Whether a yoga [...]]]> Booting Judgment Out the Door.

by Diane DeGiorgio Cesa on Wednesday, 19 October 2011 on Facebook.

An interesting note about reserving judgment.

I was first intrigued at the beginning where someone had said, “I just had a crappy yoga practice.”  My initial reaction to that statement was “It was your practice.” Whether a yoga class is good or bad depends on how I feel afterward or how the practice met whatever expectations I might have held for it. I can’t really fault the teacher since it was my practice and the results were up to me.

Kristin Luna Ray‘s fourth CD, One Shared Heart, is a wonderful Kirtan album. It’s beautifully arranged, a joy to listen to, and fun to sing along with. It’s full of energy, very uplifting and inspirational and you can feel the Bhakti. Playing this album is having a kirtan anytime, anywhere you want it.

The Soul of Voice Workshop & Kirtan with Kristin Luna Ray at Sri Yoga Center was an enjoyable way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Thanks to Michael and Melissa for hosting the event and to Kristin Luna Ray and Joshua Canter for the Bhakti and the music [...]]]>

Melissa Brown and Kristin Luna Ray

The Soul of Voice Workshop & Kirtan with Kristin Luna Ray at Sri Yoga Center was an enjoyable way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Thanks to Michael and Melissa for hosting the event and to Kristin Luna Ray and Joshua Canter for the Bhakti and the music and for encouraging us to find our own voices.

I thought Melissa did rather well in her first harmonium lesson. Great job, Melissa!

Namaste
Padawan Yogi