 This year, Chinese New Year falls on February 1st, so New Year's Eve is January 31st, making January a month bookended by two New Years: Solar and Lunar.
Perhaps we can hope this helps us feel some balance in the changes we surf. I hope you are finding balance in your changes this month, riding with more confidence and calm, even in the fact, and act, of highs and lows. After all, the highs and lows are the nature of the life we came to surf! They are the adventure; they are the zest!
 It helps to have some navigational tools, some faith in our guiding star, and trust in the friendliness of the waves. That's where we fellow journeyers help one another. I am so grateful for all my teachers of life, and fellow students.
Though in my native Mandarin, we say "Xin Nian Kwai Le" Happy New Year, I am a New Yorker, and I wish you the traditional Cantonese New Year blessing: "Gong Hey Fat Choy" ~ Felicitations and Prosperity for 2022!
We enter the year of the Water Tiger. Tiger Year, some say, "indicates a prosperous year due to the Tiger’s auspicious signs (strength, exorcising evils and braveness)." Well, I will take that! Water (of the 5 Chinese elements: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, Earth) emphasizes family, connections, and relationships. I'll gladly double down on "strength, exorcising evils, and braveness" in that realm, too! How about you?
 Chinese children wear hats or shoes with a tiger image for good luck. For me, it's just warm and cozy to wear my tiger hat-scarf as NYC stays below freezing, and swoons in snow and ice this weekend. I hope you're staying warm. I hope you're making warmth!
“Chinese people believe that what you do at the beginning of a new year will affect your luck in the coming year. Staying up on Chinese New Year’s eve and saying good words to your family/friends like Happy New Year after the clock strikes 12 will certainly bring good luck. Giving out red packets to kids and elders will help cast away the bad luck (demon Nian) and bring good luck in.”
 Eating traditional foods like dumplings (look like gold ingots) and fish (sounds like abundance) augur harmony and wholeness too. Familiar themes and rituals of reconciliation, generosity, and connection across cultural celebrations are a reminder how much we are a universal family.
May our universal family move towards feelings of health, wealth, love, in 2022!
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 June 24-26, 2022 Spring Retreat at Wagging Tail Yoga in Bethel, NY, Catskills, with co-host Ora Ramat.
Sept. 16-18 Fall Retreat, Wagging Tail Yoga.
Jan 4-10, 2023 Tropical Beach New Year's Retreat, Dominican Republic, with guest co-teacher Donna Davidge.
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All photos this issue are from my iPhone, with the exception of Chinese New Year top and bottom pictures in first article, with credit to: Getty images.
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Shanti, peace ~ Gong Hey Fat Choi ~ Rrrrrowr ~
OMMMMMMary
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For February 2022, my weekly class schedule:
Monday 10:30-11:45 Zoom
Tues 12-1 Regen Equinox E.85
Tues 1:45 Restore Equinox E.92
Thur 12-1:15 YinYang Pure West
Thur 1:45 Yoga Nidra Pure West
Sat 12:15 Flow & Restore Pure
Sun 11:45 Vinyasa Equinox E.54
& Chakra Nidra Sets for Purchase
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Restorative Arts Teacher Training: 100-Hours in two 50-Hour Modules, online with Pure Yoga NYC, RYS. March-May, 2022.
Module 1: 50-Hours Restorative Yoga, over two weekends in March & April.
Module 2: 50-Hours Yoga Nidra and Reiki 1&2, over two weekends in April & May.
Details at Pure Teacher Training web page; direct questions to: andrea.borrero@pureyoga.com
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- Tina Fey's Bossy Pants and Amy Schumer's The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo, are sassy, smart, insightful, and fun reading. Laugh out loud, grin, and with enough depth that I feel like I know them more and appreciate their humor more, than just their standup or their performances offer.
- Raphael Cushnir's Unconditional Bliss and Surfing The Inner Sea clarify the best of modern mindfulness in a personal, very relatable writing style. His "living the questions" and "emotional connection" teachings help me integrate much else I am learning in my "meditation in daily living" yoga practices.
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January 2022 * Mary Yoga ENews * Issue #193