Those of you who are on our email list have seen our new newsletter format! As Wake Up Yoga approaches our five year anniversary, and the studio(s!) continue to grow, I frequently need to expand my own ideas about who we are, who we affect, and how we can best present our offerings to the students who will most benefit from our efforts. The new newsletter has added graphics, color, and inspiration that I hope convey even more of the warmth, sincerity and passion we at Wake Up Yoga have for all things yoga, and that you will find within our offerings something to inspire you, to challenge you, and to spur on your own growth and transformation on this shared but individual journey toward Self knowledge! If you are not on our newsletter and would like to join, simply go to our home page and enter your email address in the sign-up form there.
Regarding the name of the newsletter: Manorama brought to my attention that Jagarata means "Wake Up!" in Sanskrit. In the Katha Upanishad, an earnest student is encouraged by Yama, the God of Death himself, to "Get up! Wake Up! Seek the Guidance of an illumined teacher and realize the Self!" It is our most profound wish that, through these offerings, each and every student will come ever-closer to that Self realization, the Awakened State, Enlightenment ... by any name, the experience of Heaven on Earth, of peace ... of laughter, happiness and joy.
And about that 5-Year Anniversary: Yes, we will have a party! Please save the date: Friday, May 11. Details to come, but please plan to come and celebrate this studio, this community, and the many ways in which your life (and the lives of your loved ones!) has been enhanced through what you learn and practice within these golden walls.
Jai (victory!) to you!
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Jagarata: It Means Wake Up!
Wow! I can't believe February is over. Hope this note finds you secretly enjoying the darkness of winter with its introspective invitations, while mentally planting seeds to manifest in the Springtime!
And about Wake Up Yoga... (here's a shameless marketing ploy) there is a contest happening with Philadelphia Style Magazine, and it is an opportunity for people to vote for their favorite everythings. Wake Up Yoga is on the ballot this year in a run for the best Yoga Studio. If you'd like to go to their website and vote on your favorite businesses, bartenders and massage therapists, you can visit this website and click on the "Vote Now" tab to begin clicking options. You don't have to answer each one! It can be kind of fun to support restaurants and beauty parlors (and yoga studios!) if you have the time and believe in the cause.
In the meantime, please go to our workshops page and check out the new events we have planned for this month, including an Early Morning Retreat Week with Jill Manning; Nada Yoga: the Yoga of Sound, with Thomas Flanagan; and our Urban Yoga Mini-Retreat: Celebrate the Vernal Equinox and the Return of the Light, with Corina and Beatriz.
I hope that some of our offerings are calling out to your own heart, and that you will be able to join us for these spectacular events. If there are other workshops you would like to see presented here at Wake Up Yoga, please let us know. Also, if you are a workshop presenter in the healing/holistic/yoga traditions and would like to explore the possibility of conducting an event here, please submit a proposal to Corina@WakeUpYoga.com.
Hope to see you soon and often... and if our paths don't cross, here's hoping you give yourself the gift of your own attention, kindness and compassion, which will very naturally infuse your every interaction with others!
And about Wake Up Yoga... (here's a shameless marketing ploy) there is a contest happening with Philadelphia Style Magazine, and it is an opportunity for people to vote for their favorite everythings. Wake Up Yoga is on the ballot this year in a run for the best Yoga Studio. If you'd like to go to their website and vote on your favorite businesses, bartenders and massage therapists, you can visit this website and click on the "Vote Now" tab to begin clicking options. You don't have to answer each one! It can be kind of fun to support restaurants and beauty parlors (and yoga studios!) if you have the time and believe in the cause.
In the meantime, please go to our workshops page and check out the new events we have planned for this month, including an Early Morning Retreat Week with Jill Manning; Nada Yoga: the Yoga of Sound, with Thomas Flanagan; and our Urban Yoga Mini-Retreat: Celebrate the Vernal Equinox and the Return of the Light, with Corina and Beatriz.
I hope that some of our offerings are calling out to your own heart, and that you will be able to join us for these spectacular events. If there are other workshops you would like to see presented here at Wake Up Yoga, please let us know. Also, if you are a workshop presenter in the healing/holistic/yoga traditions and would like to explore the possibility of conducting an event here, please submit a proposal to Corina@WakeUpYoga.com.
Hope to see you soon and often... and if our paths don't cross, here's hoping you give yourself the gift of your own attention, kindness and compassion, which will very naturally infuse your every interaction with others!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
News and Gratitude
How about this for a St. Valentine's Day? Wahoo! Hopefully lovers of all kinds are able to spend time safe and cozy with their beloved(s), as we are all slowed down and even humbled by the immense power of nature.
A reminder that this Friday we continue with our Once-a-Month Buddhism Dharma Talk with Michael Carroll. This week's topic: the Sharp Edge of Compassion. This topic will explore the unsentimental side of love and compassion, its more fierce edge. We meet from 7:30 - 9 p.m., sit in meditation for some time (with instruction given to anyone who needs it!), have the talk and Q&A. Suggested contribution: $10. This event takes place in Fairmount. For more upcoming events be sure to check out our workshops page.
In the meantime, I want to extend a heartfelt and sincere "Thank You!" to everyone in the community who has extended well wishes my way, dedicated a practice to my health and well being, and expressed concern for my 'condition.' I am happy to report that things are improving. I saw another surgeon for a second opinion, and, as things are improving, he's recommending physical therapy and a 6-week check back.
If you hadn't been by the studio lately, I was out for about 10 days with tear-inducing 'shoulder pain,' accompanied by an inability to sleep/get comfortable, and drastically reduced mobility. I couldn't even brush my teeth! An MRI revealed some disc concerns in my cervical spine, and the first doctor recommended a 3-level discectomy (removal of the discs) and spinal fusion. My husband and I were shocked by the severity, and rocked by the implications.
After many cranial sacral treatments, acupuncture, consultations with very smart, informed, dear friends, bubble baths and rest, I'm feeling more 'like myself.' There is still some pain and tingling in my right arm, but I'm feeling more and more confident that this body can be inspired and encouraged to heal without such drastic, invasive assistance.
There was no trauma immediately precipitating the 'event,' but during the course of my life time, I have 'totaled' four cars in accidents, before MRIs were available for consultation (and before yoga practice came into my life!). It's very likely that discs have been bulging for quite some time, I just unfortunately have an anatomically, genetically narrow spinal column, which seems to be further narrowing with trips around the sun, and results in infringement of a nerve root. We're hoping that an MRI of my brain will reveal that previous brain trauma (swelling of the brain and unconsciousness for 3 days after a particularly bad car accident when I was 17) will explain my hyper-relexivity. If not, the 2nd opinion doctor is concerned that my spinal chord is irritated, and would recommend surgery to relieve the pressure.
As with all injuries, alleged setbacks, and the things we generally regard as 'bad,' this is a ripe opportunity to inquire, investigate, surrender and receive. The lessons are rich as I am being invited to slow down, required to ask for help, and truly inspired by the amazing community we have to draw from at Wake Up Yoga. My husband, Paul, and I have never been closer, and our priorities/values have never been more clear. It's amazing to discover that beneath everything: minor irritations at work or crumbs on the counter or the occasional feeling that circumstances could still be better and need to be tweaked... that beneath all of this is simply a deep and abiding love that is so powerful it renders one speechless; so precious and beautiful I cry. Whatever it takes to remind me of how much I take for granted while still giving me the opportunity to feel gratitude and connect with grace I am grateful for. These gifts are truly the precious jewels that spur growth and connection.
Here's wishing you the wisdom and ability to find your jewels hidden in what appears to be piles of sorrow.
A reminder that this Friday we continue with our Once-a-Month Buddhism Dharma Talk with Michael Carroll. This week's topic: the Sharp Edge of Compassion. This topic will explore the unsentimental side of love and compassion, its more fierce edge. We meet from 7:30 - 9 p.m., sit in meditation for some time (with instruction given to anyone who needs it!), have the talk and Q&A. Suggested contribution: $10. This event takes place in Fairmount. For more upcoming events be sure to check out our workshops page.
In the meantime, I want to extend a heartfelt and sincere "Thank You!" to everyone in the community who has extended well wishes my way, dedicated a practice to my health and well being, and expressed concern for my 'condition.' I am happy to report that things are improving. I saw another surgeon for a second opinion, and, as things are improving, he's recommending physical therapy and a 6-week check back.
If you hadn't been by the studio lately, I was out for about 10 days with tear-inducing 'shoulder pain,' accompanied by an inability to sleep/get comfortable, and drastically reduced mobility. I couldn't even brush my teeth! An MRI revealed some disc concerns in my cervical spine, and the first doctor recommended a 3-level discectomy (removal of the discs) and spinal fusion. My husband and I were shocked by the severity, and rocked by the implications.
After many cranial sacral treatments, acupuncture, consultations with very smart, informed, dear friends, bubble baths and rest, I'm feeling more 'like myself.' There is still some pain and tingling in my right arm, but I'm feeling more and more confident that this body can be inspired and encouraged to heal without such drastic, invasive assistance.
There was no trauma immediately precipitating the 'event,' but during the course of my life time, I have 'totaled' four cars in accidents, before MRIs were available for consultation (and before yoga practice came into my life!). It's very likely that discs have been bulging for quite some time, I just unfortunately have an anatomically, genetically narrow spinal column, which seems to be further narrowing with trips around the sun, and results in infringement of a nerve root. We're hoping that an MRI of my brain will reveal that previous brain trauma (swelling of the brain and unconsciousness for 3 days after a particularly bad car accident when I was 17) will explain my hyper-relexivity. If not, the 2nd opinion doctor is concerned that my spinal chord is irritated, and would recommend surgery to relieve the pressure.
As with all injuries, alleged setbacks, and the things we generally regard as 'bad,' this is a ripe opportunity to inquire, investigate, surrender and receive. The lessons are rich as I am being invited to slow down, required to ask for help, and truly inspired by the amazing community we have to draw from at Wake Up Yoga. My husband, Paul, and I have never been closer, and our priorities/values have never been more clear. It's amazing to discover that beneath everything: minor irritations at work or crumbs on the counter or the occasional feeling that circumstances could still be better and need to be tweaked... that beneath all of this is simply a deep and abiding love that is so powerful it renders one speechless; so precious and beautiful I cry. Whatever it takes to remind me of how much I take for granted while still giving me the opportunity to feel gratitude and connect with grace I am grateful for. These gifts are truly the precious jewels that spur growth and connection.
Here's wishing you the wisdom and ability to find your jewels hidden in what appears to be piles of sorrow.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Updates and More!
Well the New Year has been launched with tremendously warm and vibrant vibrations here at Wake Up Yoga — both locations! Our Brand New Beginner's Series are both overflowing with excited students, and the Pre- and Post- Labor Mamas have been easing their stress and increasing their connection with spirit and child, again at both studios. We have POWERFUL and TRANSFORMATIONAL workshops scheduled for the winter/spring and daily opportunities for you to drop into the depth of yourSelf, clear out the clutter, and restore/maintain your connection to the intention you hold for your life: perhaps to live powerfully, peacefully, with compassion and joy. For more details, click here to visit our workshops page.
Also, be sure to save the date for our Vernal Equinox One-Day Retreat on Saturday, March 17, from 9-5 at the Fairmount studio. Details to come... plan to be there! We will celebrate the beginning of springtime, when all the world feels ripe with possibility. The day will likely include: Pranayama, Yin Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Lunch and Snacks, Live Music and time to sit, calm the mind and cultivate gratitude in the heart. Promises to be rich and intoxicating!!!
We will also have a Vernal Equinox Morning Retreat in Fairmount, with Jill Manning, March 19—23. 6-8 am each day. Again, details to come; stay tuned! The week will include daily breath awareness/pranayama, asana practice, quiet contemplation and more.
There is definitely more, but I'm currently out of time as it is time to teach. You may find it amusing to know that I came to the studio hours early this morning. My intention was to send this email and practice yoga for 2 1/2 hours. When I arrived, the heat wasn't working, I couldn't connect to the internet, and the toilet wouldn't flush. Practice for me this morning has been a trip to the Home Depot for space heaters (and a heated conversation with the landlord!), an hour on the phone with tech support, and the very easy linking of a chain to a bar (thank God the toilet was easy to fix!). I've been smiling the whole time (wearing a hat, a scarf, a sweater and a jacket) thinking to myself and repeating out loud, "That's a good one, God!"
This practice could be likened to what is referred to in the Yoga Sutra as Praktipaksa Bhavanam. Essentially it means: when plagued by negativities, cultivate the opposite. We've all ruminated in our own negativities, souring our mood and poisoning our very cells, and very likely felt miserable the entire time. The practice of Praktipaksa Bhavanam encourages the dedicated student to notice the negative turnings (the judgments of others and self, delight we may take in others misfortune, any thoughts of revenge or even nursing our own wounds) and literally find another perspective. Choose another interpretation, or even as Paul JJ Alix has offered, "Imagine giving that person flowers." The practice, when steadfastly employed, can immediately shift your whole world. I'll invite you to see if this helps you maintain calmness in your field of consciousness so that you may come to see and know who you truly are.
Sending Blessings and Love...
Also, be sure to save the date for our Vernal Equinox One-Day Retreat on Saturday, March 17, from 9-5 at the Fairmount studio. Details to come... plan to be there! We will celebrate the beginning of springtime, when all the world feels ripe with possibility. The day will likely include: Pranayama, Yin Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Lunch and Snacks, Live Music and time to sit, calm the mind and cultivate gratitude in the heart. Promises to be rich and intoxicating!!!
We will also have a Vernal Equinox Morning Retreat in Fairmount, with Jill Manning, March 19—23. 6-8 am each day. Again, details to come; stay tuned! The week will include daily breath awareness/pranayama, asana practice, quiet contemplation and more.
There is definitely more, but I'm currently out of time as it is time to teach. You may find it amusing to know that I came to the studio hours early this morning. My intention was to send this email and practice yoga for 2 1/2 hours. When I arrived, the heat wasn't working, I couldn't connect to the internet, and the toilet wouldn't flush. Practice for me this morning has been a trip to the Home Depot for space heaters (and a heated conversation with the landlord!), an hour on the phone with tech support, and the very easy linking of a chain to a bar (thank God the toilet was easy to fix!). I've been smiling the whole time (wearing a hat, a scarf, a sweater and a jacket) thinking to myself and repeating out loud, "That's a good one, God!"
This practice could be likened to what is referred to in the Yoga Sutra as Praktipaksa Bhavanam. Essentially it means: when plagued by negativities, cultivate the opposite. We've all ruminated in our own negativities, souring our mood and poisoning our very cells, and very likely felt miserable the entire time. The practice of Praktipaksa Bhavanam encourages the dedicated student to notice the negative turnings (the judgments of others and self, delight we may take in others misfortune, any thoughts of revenge or even nursing our own wounds) and literally find another perspective. Choose another interpretation, or even as Paul JJ Alix has offered, "Imagine giving that person flowers." The practice, when steadfastly employed, can immediately shift your whole world. I'll invite you to see if this helps you maintain calmness in your field of consciousness so that you may come to see and know who you truly are.
Sending Blessings and Love...
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Happy New Year!
Welcome to 2007! Here's hoping your holidays were filled with warmth, joy and grace, and that you now find yourself refreshed, focused, and ready to sink your teeth into life and take a really big bite! We have lots to snack on here at Wake Up Yoga so please peruse these offerings to whet your appetite: Ashtanga-Vinyasa Primary Series Monthly Intensive Classes, Couples Massage Workshop, Body Rolling and Vinyasa Yoga Workshop, Brand New Beginners Series (Fairmount and West Philly), Mommy & Me Yoga, and Prenatal Yoga (Fairmount and West Philly).
That's it for the moment regarding special events. I would like to take a moment to tell you about some new classes that are being offered at Wake Up Yoga West:
We've added a 12 noon Tuesday Vinyasa class with the very lovely Lisa Joy Young, who will also be teaching a Thursday morning 9 am $5 flow. Jill Manning, freshly returned from India, will be teaching a Thursday, 4 pm Vira Rasa Flow class. And Angela Boltz, transplanted back to Philadelphia from San Diego, will offer a $5 All Levels Vinyasa class on Saturdays at 12 noon. Also, Biz Magarity will be teaching a Sunday, 4 pm Sringara Rasa Flow class, a lovely way to close out the weekend. This class on Sundays will be followed by a 6 pm Restorative Yoga class being taught by our very own Beatriz Avalos. We're also tremendously excited to offer a Wednesday, 4-5:15 pm West Philly Teen Yoga Class, also taught by Beatriz. The contribution for this class is by donation, and the class is open to individuals between the ages of 12-18. A parental consent form required!
Also, at the Fairmount location, we will continue with our once-a-month Buddhism Dharma Talks with Michael Carroll, one Friday evening a month from 7:30-9 pm, for a $10 suggested donation. The dates we have secured so far are: February 16, March 16 and April 20.
And finally we are resurrecting the Once-a-Month Friday Evening Restorative Yoga Class in the Fairmount studio, being offered from 7:30-9 pm, beginning on January 19. I'll be teaching the first one... and maybe subsequent offerings as well. Future dates are: February 2, March 2, April 6 and May 4. The Restorative Class will be regularly priced, and offered without pre-registration. Restorative Yoga is a sublime opportunity to surrender the weight of your body, as well as the weight of your thoughts and feelings, into the ever supportive and generous earth, as represented by creatively arranged blocks and blankets. You will unwind, de-stress, and relax. Restorative Yoga is a gift you so deeply deserve!
So that's what our Yoga Smorgasbord is offering to kick off the New Year. Hopefully your Yogic appetite has been duly inspired and you will be able to nourish yourself in body, mind and spirit with our offerings. If you are planning to enroll in a series that starts next week, a gentle request: please call by Thursday this week (January 4). I'm heading out of town for a long weekend to rest up and prepare for our very exciting Teacher Training program which officially kicks off on the 10th. If you can register before I'm gone, things will progress much more smoothly! Thank you for understanding. We at Wake Up Yoga are looking forward to spending our time with you, cultivating peace and equanimity in our collective heart so we all have that to share with the world; ever in search of truth and deeper levels of understanding. We are grateful to each and every one of you who shares your spirit with us, and wish you and your loved ones a New Year ripe with Inspiration, Vitality and Joy!
That's it for the moment regarding special events. I would like to take a moment to tell you about some new classes that are being offered at Wake Up Yoga West:
We've added a 12 noon Tuesday Vinyasa class with the very lovely Lisa Joy Young, who will also be teaching a Thursday morning 9 am $5 flow. Jill Manning, freshly returned from India, will be teaching a Thursday, 4 pm Vira Rasa Flow class. And Angela Boltz, transplanted back to Philadelphia from San Diego, will offer a $5 All Levels Vinyasa class on Saturdays at 12 noon. Also, Biz Magarity will be teaching a Sunday, 4 pm Sringara Rasa Flow class, a lovely way to close out the weekend. This class on Sundays will be followed by a 6 pm Restorative Yoga class being taught by our very own Beatriz Avalos. We're also tremendously excited to offer a Wednesday, 4-5:15 pm West Philly Teen Yoga Class, also taught by Beatriz. The contribution for this class is by donation, and the class is open to individuals between the ages of 12-18. A parental consent form required!
Also, at the Fairmount location, we will continue with our once-a-month Buddhism Dharma Talks with Michael Carroll, one Friday evening a month from 7:30-9 pm, for a $10 suggested donation. The dates we have secured so far are: February 16, March 16 and April 20.
And finally we are resurrecting the Once-a-Month Friday Evening Restorative Yoga Class in the Fairmount studio, being offered from 7:30-9 pm, beginning on January 19. I'll be teaching the first one... and maybe subsequent offerings as well. Future dates are: February 2, March 2, April 6 and May 4. The Restorative Class will be regularly priced, and offered without pre-registration. Restorative Yoga is a sublime opportunity to surrender the weight of your body, as well as the weight of your thoughts and feelings, into the ever supportive and generous earth, as represented by creatively arranged blocks and blankets. You will unwind, de-stress, and relax. Restorative Yoga is a gift you so deeply deserve!
So that's what our Yoga Smorgasbord is offering to kick off the New Year. Hopefully your Yogic appetite has been duly inspired and you will be able to nourish yourself in body, mind and spirit with our offerings. If you are planning to enroll in a series that starts next week, a gentle request: please call by Thursday this week (January 4). I'm heading out of town for a long weekend to rest up and prepare for our very exciting Teacher Training program which officially kicks off on the 10th. If you can register before I'm gone, things will progress much more smoothly! Thank you for understanding. We at Wake Up Yoga are looking forward to spending our time with you, cultivating peace and equanimity in our collective heart so we all have that to share with the world; ever in search of truth and deeper levels of understanding. We are grateful to each and every one of you who shares your spirit with us, and wish you and your loved ones a New Year ripe with Inspiration, Vitality and Joy!
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