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| December 2008 |
Thought for the Day
Whatever I am offered in devotion with a pure heart – a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water – I accept with joy.
– Bhagavad Gita
We can look upon everything we do as a gift to the Lord. If we hoe the garden carefully so that our family – or a neighbor’s family, or someone in need – can have fresh vegetables for dinner, that is an offering to the Lord. If we work a little more than is expected of us at something that benefits others, that too is an offering to the Lord. Everywhere, in every detail of daily living, it is not a question of quantity or expense that makes our offering acceptable; it is cheerfulness, enthusiasm, and the capacity to forget ourselves in helping others. - Eknath Easwaran
» More thought for the day |
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Those Winter Sundays
Sundays too my father got up early
And put his clothes on in the blueback cold,
then with cracked hands that ached
from labor in the weekday weather made
banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.
I'd wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.
When the rooms were warm, he'd call,
and slowly I would rise and dress,
fearing the chronic angers of that house,
Speaking indifferently to him,
who had driven out the cold
and polished my good shoes as well.
What did I know, what did I know
of love's austere and lonely offices?
Robert Hayden (1913 - 1980)
» About Robert Hayden |
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Message from Karen
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Yoga,
Blessings to you this day and every day. Holidays are the designated times for family gatherings, gift giving, food and merriment, and...stress. And stress can bring out the best and worst of us. Some things are beyond our control. We can't control the weather, travel delays, other people's behavior...We can control our own.
We can plan ahead. We can anticipate and prepare. We can change the way we think. We can resolve to be content with how things are. I know, there are things that make us mad or sad, so how can we be content with that? It's something that we do every day. We practice gratitude for what we have.
The Yoga Sutras lay out what's called the 8-fold path starting with the ethical practices of how we treat others and how we treat ourselves. The Yamas and Niyamas are codes of behavior with developmental stages that lead us from ignorance to enlightenment. Each step along the path leads us away from suffering and toward love.
The first Yama is ahimsa. The developmental stages are: no physical harm or verbal injury to others; no harm to any creature; no negative deeds; no negative thoughts; loving service; universal love.
The second Yama is satya: no lies; no pretenses; no opinions; speaking rarely except to teach; silent; being universal truth.
The third Yama is asteya: not taking what isn't yours; not wanting more than you need; not wanting more than you're given; no needy feelings; no desires cross the mind; being pure mind.
The fourth Yama is brahmacharya: moderation in all things...
The fifth Yama is aparigraha: no greed, reducing wants to needs, getting rid of what you don't need...
The first Niyama is saucha: purity; internal emotional cleansing; simplicity of mind...
The second Niyama is santosha: enjoyment of and gratitude for what we have, learning from and gratitude for unpleasant experiences...
The third Niyama is tapas: self-discipline; commitment; faithful practice...
The fourth Niyama is swadhyaya: self-observation; living in balance with prana; living from prana; being prana...
The fifth Niyama is ishvara-pranidhana: desire to serve; instrument of God through loving service; dwelling on the divine...
Pick one thing and practice it. Daily. It can change your life, one cell at a time. Yoga offers a systematic approach to transcending many of life's difficulties. You don't have to be perfect (although you already are!) and do all the right things. The Yamas and Niyamas offer steps toward the goal of remembering your true nature, which is divine. And if you're divine, everyone else is too.
Of course, until one has transcended...I'm reminded that Ram Dass once said something like, "If you think you're enlightened, go home (to your family of origin - brothers, sisters, etc.)! We all have our buttons. Practice can really help us change the way we respond when our buttons get pushed.
Best wishes for peace and contentment this holiday season. Breathe, you can relax now...yoga heals us! Love, Karen
**Credit to Genia Pauli Haddon for some of the Yama and Niyama materials.
» Click here to read more about the Yamas and Niyamas |
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Yoga for Self-Care workshop - Saturday, December 6th
Take time out from your busy days to indulge in Yoga for Self-Care. Nurture your body and your spirit with a mini retreat that will leave you feeling restored and renewed. During our time together, we'll explore movement and breath, restorative poses, guided imagery, deep relaxation and more.
Whether you are new to yoga or experienced, come. Stiff and out of shape? Come!
Stressed out and no time for yourself?
Come and tune into your inner peace.
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Time: 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.
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Location: St. James Church, 95 Route 2A, Preston, CT 06365
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Fee: $45, bring a friend and you both save $10 (2 for $70)
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Mail to: Yoga Heals Us, 129 Rose Hill Road, Ledyard, CT 06339
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To reserve your space call: 860.204.0797 or email yogahealsus@yahoo.comComing in January: Yoga for Weight Loss and Personal Transformation workshop series
» Click here to learn more |
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Hakini Mudra
Place all the fingertips together with the hands forming a circular shape. Hold the hands in front of the abdomen. Breathe naturally. The mudra will show you where the breath is.
Hakini mudra is a calming, centering mudra. You may find that you naturally use this mudra during times of thoughtful reflection and contemplation.
According to Gertrud Hirschi in the book Mudras: Yoga in Your Hands, "In terms of science, this finger position has been researched quite well; researchers have determined that it promotes the cooperation between the right and left brain hemispheres. It is also recommended today in memory training and management courses..."
» Want to know more about mudras? Get this book - Mudras: Yoga in your Hands by Gertrud Hirschi |
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CD review: Grace by Snatam Kaur
I love this CD. Snatam Kaur's voice is lovely. Her combination of sanskrit chants interspersed with English phrases make this album enjoyable for students who are less familar with chanting as well as those who are. Sample lyrics below:
Long Time Sun
May the long time sun shine upon you.
All love surround you.
And the pure light within you.
Light you on your way. (from old Irish blessing)
By Thy Grace
Words by Yogi Bhajan
Additional lyrics by Snatam Kaur Khalsa
It is By Thy Grace that I sing Your Holy Name.
It is By Thy Grace that I sing Your Holy Name.
One day the day shall come when all the glory shall be Thine.
People will say it’s yours and I will deny, not mine. (words of Yogi Bhajan)
Peace to all, life to all, love to all (words of Yogi Bhajan)
» Click here to listen to clips |
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December CD Sale - Save 25%
December 1 - 17, 2008
Purchase 2 or more Yoga Heals Us CDs ( Gentle Yoga / Healing Yoga)
and save 25%. That's 2 for $27. Give the gift of yoga this holiday!
This offer does not apply to website orders. By mail or in person only. Mention this ad to receive your discount!
» Click here for CD descriptions |
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On the light side
DEAR SWAMI
by Swami Beyondananda
"Where Swami Answers Your Questions - and You Will Question His Answers"
Dear Swami:
There are so many new healing modalities nowadays I can hardly keep track. A friend keeps telling me about magnetic healing. Do you know anything about that? Also, I keep thinking you must be psychic. Are you? And if so, when was the first time you realized you had these powers?
Anna Labrett-Hokes, Richmond, Virginia
Dear Anna:
You know, I knew you were going to ask that. The first time I had a dramatic demonstration of these powers was in 1987. I was driving past a grove in Florida and the sign said, "Free O. J." And I said, "My God, what did he do?" As for magnetic healing, I knew you were going to ask that question too, so I booked a session last week. Whew! Talk about powerful. It took me three days to peel myself off my refrigerator.
© Copyright 2008 by Steve Bhaerman. All rights reserved. Swami Beyondananda -- and his hilarious books and CDs -- can be found online at http://www.wakeuplaughing.com/
Ask Swami your own question. Send it here.
» From Noetic Sciences Newsletter, iShift, issue #28 |
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Travel Discounts and Donation to Multiple Sclerosis
Yoga student, Bill Dutton has found a way to do what he loves and help others too. If you are planning a trip, check out Bill's website. He can help you save money and donate to the cause of Multiple Sclerosis.
As the owner of an online travel agency, Bill Dutton is aware of the multitude of reasons for us to travel such as visiting colleges, celebrating graduation, business, or to have fun. Just to name a few. There are also multitudes of ways to book travel, especially since the introduction of the internet. To put a little twist on this idea, Bill would like to help a special organization.
Through yoga, those with multiple sclerosis can get great relief. Bill would like to extend that relief. If you book through Bill’s site, he will donate 25% of his commission to the Multiple Sclerosis Fund. This offer is not limited to your personal bookings, but would also apply to any other trips you may be planning for your families. In other words, each time you book ANY travel through his site, you would be helping to raise money towards the fight against MS. You, too, can help.
Please feel free to visit his website, www.roundfare.com, to look around. You will find it is similar to other highly advertised booking engines that you may already be familiar with. He has access to the same travel vendors, including over 60 major airlines, 55,000 hotels and resorts, 10+ cruise lines, vacation packages and tour companies, and all major car rental companies. His site even offers extras such as concert and sporting event tickets, golf packages/golf tee times all over the world, flowers, limo service, expedited visas/passports, foreign currency and more! The prices are very competitive and may be lower than other sites you are currently using. He even has a program that could allow you to travel at a savings of 50% - 80% off of retail prices on future travel. More information on this program can be found at www.roundfare.net or by calling Bill at 860-389-2348.
As his way of saying thank you, Bill would like to extend an offer for a FREE VACATION to any first time customers just for booking on his site. All you would need to do is contact him and provide him with your booking number and he will send you your free vacation voucher. He will also include you on the weekly deals and steals list which will provide you with travel specials all over the world. If you do not wish to receive this, you can simply click on ‘unsubscribe’ after receiving it. Please feel free to give him a call if you have any questions.
A quick note from Bill: I can always plan a cruise devoted towards yoga. If anyone is interested in that, please email me at roundfare@comcast.net. Imagine a full week at sea with the opportunity to enjoy a holistic vacation, yoga every day. At the same time, enjoy the opportunity that cruise ships have to offer; i.e. beautiful scenery, almost all the food you can eat, an all inclusive vacation where you never have to repack to visit another state, country, port, or island. On top of that, I will still donate towards the MS Fund if we get a group cruise. A cruise in the Caribbean is always a big hit, but I am open for suggestions.
If you book a vacation due to this letter, please let me know. That is the only way that I can track my commissions that I will split with the MS Fund.
I look forward to meeting all of you throughout the year. Best wishes and happy travels!
Sincerely,
Bill Dutton
YTB Travel and Cruises
860-389-2348
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