Our new web site is up and running! Please check it out at www.yogastudioofcc.com
You may also e-mail me for more information at
michelle.acebo@yogastudioofcc.com
Thank you for your support! Take some time to let us know how we are doing! We love to hear from YOU!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Note: We have posted the focus of the month for February, March and April 2009 in our website http://www.jivamuktiyoga.com/.
Satya and Veganism
satya-pratishthayam kriya-phalashrayatvam (PYS II.36)When one does not defile one's speech with lies, the words one says are listened to and acted upon in a positive and immediate manner. The speaker will be able to say what they mean. What one says comes true.
In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali gives us five recommendations, called yamas, for how we should treat others if we want to attain liberation. The second yama is satya, which means "truthfulness." Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati explains that truthfulness means "not to speak untruth, physically, vocally, or mentally.... Speech should not be deceitful, mistaken, or barren of information. It should be used for the service of all, not for injury to any creature."
As yoga practitioners, we come to a time in our lives when we question whether what we have been told is true, including assumptions we hold about ourselves and the world around us. If we don't want to be taken in by the lies people tell us, we can begin to examine our own speech and ask ourselves if we are really saying what we mean. Part of the process of transitioning into living more honestly is to hold yourself accountable for the things you do. Most of us say we want peace, equality, and freedom for all, but our actions say something entirely different as we bite into a hamburger or order an ice-cream cone, wear a fur coat to an anti-war demonstration or serve hot dogs to our children. Once you become more aware, there's simply no way to not notice these everyday hypocrisies, these gaps in awareness justified by group behavior and the culture of dis-ease.
As consumers, we are not told the truth about where food comes from. When advertising is employed to sell meat, milk, and eggs, pictures of happy animals are used. Images like these are false advertising. The truth is that factory farms, and farms in general, are facilities where animals are exploited and manipulated for the benefit of the farm owners. Although in our hearts we know the truth about how food animals are being used, we lie to ourselves. We perpetuate this untruth when we lie to our children and to others and fail to encourage them to investigate the truth. The more we lie to others, the more others will lie to us. Eventually, it becomes quite normal to communicate through lying, never really saying what we mean or doing what we say.
Some meat eaters say they are peaceful people and would never hurt anyone-they didn't kill the animal; they're just eating what is convenient. This type of thinking is an example of how disempowered and disconnected most of the carnivorous members of our culture feel. They have been convinced that what they do doesn't really matter in the larger scheme of things. After all, it is only my lunch-just a piece of ham between two slices of bread; what harm could that do? The fact is that when we buy the meat of an animal, we are the ones who have signed his or her death sentence. If we are buying and eating meat and dairy products, then the slaughterhouse workers, meat packers, and factory farm workers are all working for us. To live by violence and then to deny that you do is to live a lie. Living a lie causes a deep fissure in the human psyche. Yoga seeks to heal that fissure.
One of the ways that you can tell if you are making progress in yoga is by observing your own voice. Through regular practice, you will find that you will be able to say what you mean and mean what you say. When this happens, it is an indication that the disease of disconnection is beginning to be healed. You will experience for yourself what is true, and all the lies you have been told, even those that you have told, will fade away in the light of the greater truth of your true potential.
-Adapted from Yoga and Vegetarianism, by Sharon Gannon
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
February Special
February – Share Yoga Month
Bring a loved one (friend, relative, partner) for free during the entire month of February!
When you purchase a one month of unlimited yoga Pass ($80) you will be eligible to bring as many people as often as you would like for the entire month.*
* One guest per visit. Guests must be new to the studio. Special valid for Purchases made in February, 2009 only. Special cannot be combined with any other offer.
Bring a loved one (friend, relative, partner) for free during the entire month of February!
When you purchase a one month of unlimited yoga Pass ($80) you will be eligible to bring as many people as often as you would like for the entire month.*
* One guest per visit. Guests must be new to the studio. Special valid for Purchases made in February, 2009 only. Special cannot be combined with any other offer.
The Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi proudly announces a Chakra and Tantra Yoga Workshop with Marco Mandrino! Many of you have expressed interest in this subject so Marco has taken the time to come back to Corpus Christi from Italy.
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP: This is a rare opportunity to be introduced to an in-depth Tantric perspective of the seven chakras in a format both theoretical and experiential. The two day workshop begins with an explanation of the concept of Sukshma Sharira (energetic subtle body), followed by an exploration of each chakras meaning, position, element, symbolism (number of lotus petals, animal and Divine qualities), sense and action organ, imbalance diagnostics, rajasic, tamasic and sattvic aspects and practice suggestions to re balance and purify chakra energy. Participants will also learn a Kundalini Shakti awakening techniques. Both Days will start with a component consisting of about 3 hours of Asana, pranayama and Dharana (concentration) techniques specific to each chakra. The practice is followed by theoretical component complemented by Kriya Yoga, Mantras or pranayama practice.
Saturday, February 28 and Sunday, March 1, 2009 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Participants are asked to bring a light lunch and/or snack. Please plan on attendance both days.
Workshop $250.00 Limited Space available. No registrations taken after February 25th, 2009. NON REFUNDABLE AFTER JANUARY 20TH
ABOUT MARCO MANDRINO: Marco is registered as E-R.Y.T. 500, Experienced Yoga Teacher above 500 hours by Yoga Alliance. He studied and practiced different kinds of Yoga both in Tantric Tradition and others. He leads Yoga Teacher Training Programs, workshops and retreats for the development of the potential within and for personal growth through Yoga in Italy, Australia, India and The United States. Marco is also an Ayurveda practitioner, classic and Ayurveda Aromatherapy expert. He is author of several publications and collaborator of different Italian Yoga Magazines (similar to our Yoga Journal here). Through workshops and retreats he teaches an integral way to Yoga in Tantric Tradition with a consistent Hatha Yoga practice with Asana, Pranayama, Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation). He is a strong supporter of Ayurveda to purify and cleanse the body. He gives practical advice that allows you to bring Yoga into your daily life routine through Karma Yoga teaching, Jnana Yoga approach in the Advatita Vedanta Philosophy which will allow you to burn out the veils of ignorance, Bhakti Yoga practices to bring love, joy and light into the present moment.
Registration and/or questions please contact us by Phone: 361-883-1052
or you may visit The Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi at 513 Clifford Street, Corpus Christi, Texas 78404. Located off Alameda @ Six Points area.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Correction of Centering Mind and Body Article for Yoga U.S.A.
Yoga Day U.S.A. (Correction to article in The Corpus Christi Caller-Times).
Please note at least three corrections to this wonderful article from the Health section dated Monday, January 19th.Yoga has existed for more than 5,000 years
Hot Yoga Room will be in a room between 98-100 degrees
A person who has a regular yoga practice will become much more centered
Centering mind and body
Venues offer free, low-cost classes in yoga Saturday
Timi Abney can't get enough of yoga. The 40-year-old former bodybuilder likes that it works the body through breathing, stretching and individual spirituality.
Abney and some members of her yoga class at Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi have a running joke that the exercise is an ideal therapy.
"It's a wonderful therapy," she said. "It doesn't cost very much to take it."
On Saturday several studios will offer free or discounted classes to new attendees to celebrate Yoga Day 2009.
The day prompts hundreds of yoga studio owners across the country to offer free or reduced course rates on that day. This year marks the event's 10th anniversary, according to the Yoga Alliance, the national yoga governing body heading up the day's festivities.
R. Mark Davis, president and chief executive officer of the Yoga Alliance, said the event's goal is to raise awareness about yoga.
"Yoga Day USA is a day for the yoga community to come together to embrace those who want to learn more about the practice of yoga and the transformative effects it can have on one's life," he said.
Evy Coppola, who owns Pathways to Wellness off Everhart Road, said yoga allows people to ease stress, increase flexibility, provide an intense workout and clear the mind.
"They find that it's more than the physical exercise," said Coppola, who trains and certifies yoga instructors.
She said a beneficial yoga class consists of four parts: knowledge, warmup, work and connection to self. Classes across the city offer different styles of yoga for various demographics, including youth yoga.
People become drawn to the Indian tradition because they often want to change their lifestyles, Coppola said.
Michelle Acebo, owner of the Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi, said the tradition is an important element of any yoga class.
Yoga has existed for more than 3,500 years. Once in class, participants learn the history behind various chants during each of Acebo's classes to honor the instructors who came before them, she said.
The tradition's spiritual side helps people look within themselves for guidance and comfort, she said.
"It kind of centers you," she said.
THE MAKINGS OF BENEFICIAL YOGA CLASSES
Jnana: Knowledge. Each yoga class allows participants to gain knowledge about the exercise.
Karma: Work, good or bad. In yoga, karma is the work involved in the exercise.
Hatha: Sun and Moon combined. This is the warm-up leading into the physical part of a class.
Bhaka: The connection to one’s self. This can be 75 to 90 minutes in which the body relaxes.
Source: Evy Coppola, Pathways to Wellness
YOGA DAY CLASSES ON SATURDAY
What: Yoga classes for first-time students
When: 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Where: Pathways to Wellness, 617 Everhart Road
Cost: Free
Information: 985-9642 or www.path2wellness.com
What: Yoga classes
When: 8:00 a.m., Hatha Flow; 9:15 a.m., mixed level Hatha; 11 a.m., back bend workshop; 12:30 p.m., open class; 2:30 p.m., Tai Chi; 4 p.m., restorative yoga. All classes are Saturday.
Where: Crossroads Yoga, 5830 McArdle Road
Cost: Free
Information: 992-1111 or www.crossroadsyoga.com
What: Yoga classes
When: 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., Hatha Flow; 11:15 a.m., Yogiños youth yoga; 1 p.m. Hot yoga (a class in which the room temperature is increased to 90 degrees).
Where: Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi, 513 Clifford St.
Cost: Free
Information: 883-1052 or www.yogastudioofcc.com
What: Yoga classes
When: 10:30 a.m. beginner and advanced levels
Where: Corpus Christi Athletic Club, 2101 Airline Road
Cost: Free; membership not required
Information: 992-7100, Ext. 148
Contact Elaine Marsilio at 886-3794 or marsilioe@caller.com
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Yoga Day, U.S.A.
The Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi is proud to be a sponsor of Yoga Day, U.S.A.
Join us so you can get a first hand look at what yoga can do for you. We offer a variety of classes. Everyone can do yoga. We will help you find the best type of class for you.
We will premier Corpus Christi's first Hot Yoga Class Ever! Hot yoga will continue to be a part of our regularly scheduled classes.
We will offer:
9:30-11:00 Hatha Flow Yoga with Armando Ramirez
11:15-12:00 Yoginos Family Yoga with Beth Reese
1:00-2:15 Hot Yoga Premier! with Elizabeth Hofmann
3:00-4:15 Hatha Flow with Jan Freeman
Click on the link below for information regarding free yoga classes in Corpus Christi! Yoga Day, U.S.A. January 24th ~Full day of free yoga in Corpus Christi All classes done at The Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi will be done on a donation basis. Give what you can. No worries if you are unable to donate at this time. Just enjoy the classes. Proceeds will be used to purchase supplies for The Women's shelter of South Texas.
Living the Yoga Tradition Workshop with Christina Sell and Craig Williams
February Immersion Workshop with Christina Sell
The Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi is pleased to present:
Living the Yoga Tradition:
A weekend of study and practice with Craig Williams and Christina Sell
February 20-22, 2009
The emergence of yoga in the West is a relatively recent phenomenon. Various schools or branches of yoga abound each touting a unique method, viewpoint or goal. Far from being a relaxation technique or exercise fad, the original yoga tradition developed out of a larger multi-dimensional Indic heritage: the Vedic Tradition. Unfortunately in the West few yoga teachers or practitioners are aware of the Vedic roots of the yoga tradition or the dharmic cultural milieu from which yoga blossomed. This weekend will explore the Vedic tradition through scriptural study, asana practice, mantra practice, meditation and contemplation. The workshop will be taught progressively and will be highly experiential. Students are encouraged to participate in all sessions.
Please join us for an inspiring weekend of study, practice, and good company!
Friday, February 20 6:00-8:00 Introduction to Scriptural Study
Talk with Craig WilliamsPranayama and Meditation Led by Christina Sell
Saturday, February 21 9:00-12:30 Vedic Wisdom and The Upanishads
Talk with Craig WilliamsSaturday, February 21 9:00-12:30 Vedic Wisdom and The Upanishads
Drawing Nearer to the Self Asana Class with Christina Sell
Saturday, February 21 2:00-6:00 Bringing The Bhagavad Gita Alive
Saturday, February 21 2:00-6:00 Bringing The Bhagavad Gita Alive
Talk with Craig Williams
Devotion, Knowledge and Action Asana Class with Christina Sell
Sunday, February 22 9:00-12:30 The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Talk with Craig WilliamsDevotion, Knowledge and Action Asana Class with Christina Sell
Sunday, February 22 9:00-12:30 The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
The Splendor of the Self Asana Class with Christina Sell
Sunday, February 22 2:00-6:00 Vedanta- Experiencing Oneness
Talk with Craig WilliamsSunday, February 22 2:00-6:00 Vedanta- Experiencing Oneness
The Yogic Heart Asana Class with Christina Sell
Limited registration. Be sure to sign up NOW!!
$200.00 before January 20; $225 after January 20
Individual Sessions are $50 each.
For Information and Registration please contact
Michelle Acebo at 361-883-1052.
Limited registration. Be sure to sign up NOW!!
$200.00 before January 20; $225 after January 20
Individual Sessions are $50 each.
For Information and Registration please contact
Michelle Acebo at 361-883-1052.
Craig Williams (Shambhu-Das ) is a Clinical Herbalist and Acupuncturist in private practice specializing in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda and Yoga. He holds a Master’ Degree in Oriental Medicine and is a Professional Member of the American Herbalist Guild and a Professional member of the National Ayurvedic Mecical Association (NAMA). Craig is the recipient of the prestigious “Veda Kovid” title awarded by David Frawley and the American Institute of Vedic Studies which recognizes extensive training in the Vedic Sciences of Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Tantra and Vedanta. He also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Religious Studies with a focus on Hindu Studies and has studied Mantra Therapy with Ashley Thomas- Farrand. For information about Craig Williams, visit http://www.ayurvedaaustin.com/.
Christina Sell has been practicing yoga since 1991. She is a certified Anusara Yoga® instructor and author of the book Yoga From the Inside Out: Making Peace with your Body Through Yoga. Christina has been training yoga teachers for over 5 years and is known for her clarity, insight and passion. Dedicated to the practices and principles of Anusara Yoga she serves on the Anusara Yoga® Teacher Assessment committee, the Anusara Yoga® Ethics Committee and the Anusara Yoga® Teacher Training Curriculum Development committee. For more information about her or her work, please visit http://www.christinasell.com/.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Anyone up for Hot Yoga???
Corpus Christi, You asked for it so here it is!!
We will debut the first Hot Yoga Class in Corpus Christi January 24th, 2009
Join the Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi for a FREE Hot Yoga Class as part of Yoga Day, U.S.A.
Classes will be regularly scheduled following the debut class
General Information about Hot Yoga
Hot Yoga offers classes in Vinyasa Yoga. Vinyasa or flow yoga is one of the emerging forms of yoga in the West arising from Krishnamacharya's lineage of Ashtanga, Iyengar and Viniyoga. Vinyasa yoga is sequenced to bring balance between ease (sukha) and effort (sthira) while synchronizing the movement with the breath. The sequences of the yoga postures are both physically challenging and spiritually rejuvenating. Each posture, also referred to as an asana, is designed to prepare the body for the one that follows. Hot Yoga classes last for 60-80 minutes in a room heated to approximately 97.8 degrees, which is our body temperature. Practicing yoga in a hot environment opens both the chakras and the muscular/skeletal system, it stimulates the glandular system, and helps eliminate toxins to rebuild the body from old injuries. With continued Hot Yoga practice, what once seemed purely physical slowly transforms the practitioner towards a metaphysical state of being. In Hot Yoga, our goal is to empower each student to discover the teacher within. We hope that the classes you take at our studio will help you transform your thoughts, actions and body from the inside out.
Hot Yoga offers classes in Vinyasa Yoga. Vinyasa or flow yoga is one of the emerging forms of yoga in the West arising from Krishnamacharya's lineage of Ashtanga, Iyengar and Viniyoga. Vinyasa yoga is sequenced to bring balance between ease (sukha) and effort (sthira) while synchronizing the movement with the breath. The sequences of the yoga postures are both physically challenging and spiritually rejuvenating. Each posture, also referred to as an asana, is designed to prepare the body for the one that follows. Hot Yoga classes last for 60-80 minutes in a room heated to approximately 97.8 degrees, which is our body temperature. Practicing yoga in a hot environment opens both the chakras and the muscular/skeletal system, it stimulates the glandular system, and helps eliminate toxins to rebuild the body from old injuries. With continued Hot Yoga practice, what once seemed purely physical slowly transforms the practitioner towards a metaphysical state of being. In Hot Yoga, our goal is to empower each student to discover the teacher within. We hope that the classes you take at our studio will help you transform your thoughts, actions and body from the inside out.
Classes will be held by Elizabeth Hofman, R.Y.T. 200
Education wise - Elizabeth "Liz" has a BA in Biology from Occidental College (1992) and a Master's in Environmental Science from TAMU-CC (2001). She is a secondary science teacher, but has put her teaching career on hold to be home with her two boys. Elizabeths Story: I started yoga in 2001 when I was 4 months pregnant with my first child and dragged by a dear friend to a power yoga class in Okinawa, Japan. I loved it from the get go as it was the only thing that felt good while pregnant. I kept up my practice until the day before I went into labor. I quickly returned to my practice and developed a passion for Power Yoga. I received my NESTA certification in 2003 and started teaching in Okinawa for MCCS (Marine Corps Community Services)while pregnant with #2. We moved in June of 2005 to Chesapeake, Virginia where I taught at a local gym (Wellness One) from 2005-2008. I received my 200 Hr RYT in multi-style in April 2007 from Chesapeake Hot Yoga. I became addicted to Hot Yoga after my 2nd class and taught Hot Yoga from March 2007 - June 2008
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Anusara Yoga Practice with Christina Sell January 2nd- 4th, 2009
For those who cannot commit to a full Teacher Training Program we have opened up small sections of the weekend. Here's how you can be part of it:
January Workshop with Christina Sell!
The Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi is pleased to present:
Opening To Grace- Anusara Yoga® for all levels with Christina Sell
January 2-4, 2009
Anusara (a-nu-sar-a), means “flowing with Grace,” “going with the flow,” “following your heart.”
Founded by John Friend in 1997, Anusara Yoga is a powerful hatha yoga system that unifies a Tantric philosophy of intrinsic Goodness with Universal Principles of Alignment™. Currently, Anusara Yoga is one of the most popular and fastest growing yoga styles in the world with over 1200 affiliated teachers and 100,000 students world-wide.
Anusara Yoga's remarkable popularity is due in large part to its uplifting philosophy, epitomized by a "celebration of the heart," that looks for the good in all people and all things. Consequently, students of all levels of ability and yoga experience are honored for their unique differences, limitations, and talents. This life-affirming vision sets the basis for a yoga system in which the harmony and joy of a tightly knit community is exulted. Not only is Anusara Yoga an elegant system of alignment principles and non-dual philosophy, but it is also a wonderful community of highly trained teachers and fun-loving students. This community feels like it has the tightness of a family, yet the looseness of a merry band of bohemian artists.
Join us this weekend and find out how Anusara Yoga can help you take your practice to a new level!
Fri., Jan. 2 6:00-8:00 Flowing with Grace, Flowing with the Breath Asana Flow
Sat., Jan. 3 9:00-12:30 The Divine Pulsation:Primary Flows of Energy All-levels Asana
Sun., Jan.4 9:00-12:30 Spiral into the Flow: Inner and Outer Spiral Unveiled All-Levels Asana
$125 for the whole weekend,
individual sessions $50.
For Information and Registration please contact Michelle Acebo at 361-883-1052.
Christina Sell is a certified Anusara Yoga instructor and author of the book Yoga From the Inside Out. Her classes are fun, inspring and dedicated to helping students of all abilities enter the Flow of Grace through yoga. For more information about her and her work please visit http://www.christinasell.com/
Opening To Grace- Anusara Yoga® for all levels with Christina Sell
January 2-4, 2009
Anusara (a-nu-sar-a), means “flowing with Grace,” “going with the flow,” “following your heart.”
Founded by John Friend in 1997, Anusara Yoga is a powerful hatha yoga system that unifies a Tantric philosophy of intrinsic Goodness with Universal Principles of Alignment™. Currently, Anusara Yoga is one of the most popular and fastest growing yoga styles in the world with over 1200 affiliated teachers and 100,000 students world-wide.
Anusara Yoga's remarkable popularity is due in large part to its uplifting philosophy, epitomized by a "celebration of the heart," that looks for the good in all people and all things. Consequently, students of all levels of ability and yoga experience are honored for their unique differences, limitations, and talents. This life-affirming vision sets the basis for a yoga system in which the harmony and joy of a tightly knit community is exulted. Not only is Anusara Yoga an elegant system of alignment principles and non-dual philosophy, but it is also a wonderful community of highly trained teachers and fun-loving students. This community feels like it has the tightness of a family, yet the looseness of a merry band of bohemian artists.
Join us this weekend and find out how Anusara Yoga can help you take your practice to a new level!
Fri., Jan. 2 6:00-8:00 Flowing with Grace, Flowing with the Breath Asana Flow
Sat., Jan. 3 9:00-12:30 The Divine Pulsation:Primary Flows of Energy All-levels Asana
Sun., Jan.4 9:00-12:30 Spiral into the Flow: Inner and Outer Spiral Unveiled All-Levels Asana
$125 for the whole weekend,
individual sessions $50.
For Information and Registration please contact Michelle Acebo at 361-883-1052.
Christina Sell is a certified Anusara Yoga instructor and author of the book Yoga From the Inside Out. Her classes are fun, inspring and dedicated to helping students of all abilities enter the Flow of Grace through yoga. For more information about her and her work please visit http://www.christinasell.com/
Yoga Alliance Teacher Training Program begins January 2nd
It’s time to take your practice to the next level with Christina Sell!Don't wish you did, Just do it before it's too late
For Information and Registration please contact: Michelle Acebo, R.Y.T. 200 and Registered Jivamukti Teacher 300 hour level
(361)883-1052 or via e-mail at yogastudioofcc@yahoo.com
This 200 hour training meets all of the requirements outlined by Yoga Alliance for becoming a Registered Yoga Teacher at the 200 hour level,(R.Y.T. 200), additionally; this program fulfills the Immersion completion requirement and the level 1 and Level 2 Teacher Training requirements for Anusara Yoga and Anusara Yoga Teacher Certification requirements. Please visit www.anusara.com for more information regarding the complete requirements to become a Certified Anusara Yoga Teacher.
This is an intensive Teacher Training Program that takes place for one weekend a month for ten months. Each session builds upon the next. Students will not be allowed to register once the program begins. This is a program not to be missed
Jivamukti Yoga Focus of the Month~January 09
Happiness is the goal of yoga - the goal of life"All the way to heaven has got to be heaven." - St. Catherine of Siena
We can become stuck in negative habits that distance us from joy, which is our true nature. Yoga practices can help us overcome these habits by making us aware of them. When you practice asana, you may feel resistance to joy. Your tendencies toward anger, greed, jealousy and sadness may be expressed as pain and tightness in the body, and as confusion, doubt or worry in the mind. Our bodies act as storehouses for our past experiences (karmas). Memories, which trigger emotions, exist not only in compartmentalized files in the brain but are stored throughout the body in the internal organs, in the blood, in the muscles and bones, in all of the cells and tissues. As neuroscientist Candace Pert says, "The body does not exist merely to carry the head around." The mind and body are not just connected - they are actually made of the same stuff, but just appear in different densities. Consciousness, or the knowing principle, infuses the whole body and mind.
Asana practice addresses not only outer muscles and joints but also organs, deep tissues, glands, blood and fluids, helping to release toxins from them. Healthy individuals can experience a wide array of emotions and not be adversely affected because they are able to process these emotions. But when we become overloaded, and are unable to digest our sensory experiences, these feelings become toxic and become trapped in our physical tissues. Emotions can be stored deep in our organs. Unexpressed feelings and negative emotions that have been long suppressed can short-circuit the entire body-mind system, resulting in debilitating dis-ease. Fear and anxiety can seep into the large intestine. Anger can become lodged in the liver. Greed takes root in the heart.
Laughter is an ancient yogic healing technique that can rid you of deeply held negative emotions. It has profound therapeutic value in restoring well-being and health, leading to happiness. Laughter induces relaxation, and because of its ability to free the body and mind of pent-up emotions that are obstacles to self-reflection, it is a potent prerequisite to meditation. It is good when laughter is spontaneous, but when emotions have been buried for so long that they have become deep-seated tensions, the conscious practice of laughing can be very healing.
The asana called hasahasana (laugh-asana)* can help to induce laughter. Lie on your back and lift both arms and legs up toward the ceiling. Flexing hands and feet, bend the right knee as you bend the right elbow, then switch sides, going back and forth until laughter overwhelms you ... and keep laughing. As you continue to laugh, you may even feel like rolling around on the floor. Feel free to do this. If you have trouble getting the laughs going, try shouting "Ha! Ha!" or "Yahoo!" or "Ooowee!" out loud, or just allow yourself to speak nonsensical, gibberish words to spark the laughter. Let your whole body shake with laughter for no reason at all, and go beyond reason, beyond thinking. Being in a room with other people involved in the same practice will help you, beacause laughter tends to be help you, be contagious.
Continue this practice for five to ten minutes, then sit up and assume a meditation seat, keeping perfectly still. Whatever feelings arise now, let them come and let them go. You may find that tears begin to flow, and even flood your whole system. Let go of the tears. Allow this cleansing to occur by witnessing without judgment or apology. Sit with this for five to ten minutes. Then relax in shavasana and practice systematic, conscious guided relaxation of each body part, starting with the toes, moving upward through the whole body to the head. Then begin to go deeper: start with the internal organs and move upward following the chakra model - relax the organs of elimination, the organs of sexuality, the organs of digestion, the organs of blood circulation, the organs of respiration, the organs of sense and, finally, the organs of thinking.
After doing laughter meditation for a month, you will feel revived, refreshed, unburdened and deeply cleansed, with a renewed sense of balance, leading to equanimity of mind and enlightenment.
- Sharon Gannon, January 2009
*See The Art of Yoga, by Sharon Gannon and David Life, Page 64.
We can become stuck in negative habits that distance us from joy, which is our true nature. Yoga practices can help us overcome these habits by making us aware of them. When you practice asana, you may feel resistance to joy. Your tendencies toward anger, greed, jealousy and sadness may be expressed as pain and tightness in the body, and as confusion, doubt or worry in the mind. Our bodies act as storehouses for our past experiences (karmas). Memories, which trigger emotions, exist not only in compartmentalized files in the brain but are stored throughout the body in the internal organs, in the blood, in the muscles and bones, in all of the cells and tissues. As neuroscientist Candace Pert says, "The body does not exist merely to carry the head around." The mind and body are not just connected - they are actually made of the same stuff, but just appear in different densities. Consciousness, or the knowing principle, infuses the whole body and mind.
Asana practice addresses not only outer muscles and joints but also organs, deep tissues, glands, blood and fluids, helping to release toxins from them. Healthy individuals can experience a wide array of emotions and not be adversely affected because they are able to process these emotions. But when we become overloaded, and are unable to digest our sensory experiences, these feelings become toxic and become trapped in our physical tissues. Emotions can be stored deep in our organs. Unexpressed feelings and negative emotions that have been long suppressed can short-circuit the entire body-mind system, resulting in debilitating dis-ease. Fear and anxiety can seep into the large intestine. Anger can become lodged in the liver. Greed takes root in the heart.
Laughter is an ancient yogic healing technique that can rid you of deeply held negative emotions. It has profound therapeutic value in restoring well-being and health, leading to happiness. Laughter induces relaxation, and because of its ability to free the body and mind of pent-up emotions that are obstacles to self-reflection, it is a potent prerequisite to meditation. It is good when laughter is spontaneous, but when emotions have been buried for so long that they have become deep-seated tensions, the conscious practice of laughing can be very healing.
The asana called hasahasana (laugh-asana)* can help to induce laughter. Lie on your back and lift both arms and legs up toward the ceiling. Flexing hands and feet, bend the right knee as you bend the right elbow, then switch sides, going back and forth until laughter overwhelms you ... and keep laughing. As you continue to laugh, you may even feel like rolling around on the floor. Feel free to do this. If you have trouble getting the laughs going, try shouting "Ha! Ha!" or "Yahoo!" or "Ooowee!" out loud, or just allow yourself to speak nonsensical, gibberish words to spark the laughter. Let your whole body shake with laughter for no reason at all, and go beyond reason, beyond thinking. Being in a room with other people involved in the same practice will help you, beacause laughter tends to be help you, be contagious.
Continue this practice for five to ten minutes, then sit up and assume a meditation seat, keeping perfectly still. Whatever feelings arise now, let them come and let them go. You may find that tears begin to flow, and even flood your whole system. Let go of the tears. Allow this cleansing to occur by witnessing without judgment or apology. Sit with this for five to ten minutes. Then relax in shavasana and practice systematic, conscious guided relaxation of each body part, starting with the toes, moving upward through the whole body to the head. Then begin to go deeper: start with the internal organs and move upward following the chakra model - relax the organs of elimination, the organs of sexuality, the organs of digestion, the organs of blood circulation, the organs of respiration, the organs of sense and, finally, the organs of thinking.
After doing laughter meditation for a month, you will feel revived, refreshed, unburdened and deeply cleansed, with a renewed sense of balance, leading to equanimity of mind and enlightenment.
- Sharon Gannon, January 2009
*See The Art of Yoga, by Sharon Gannon and David Life, Page 64.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Buy two monthly unlimited packages and get one free!!!
December-January 2009 Special. Purchase two months of unlimited yoga ($160) and get one month free!! This is an $80 value. There are no hidden fees or catches*. Simply get three months of unlimited yoga for the price of two. What an awesome way to bring in the new year. You can honor your New Year's resolutions easily. Don't miss this amazing package deal. It is not likely to be offered again!!
* Please be aware that our children's yoga program, Yoginos is a totally separate program and is not included in this or any of our other packages. Let us know if you have any questions. Gift certificates available. What could be better than the gift of yoga???
Half Price all Clothing~ Two Days Only!
Hurry over to The Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi Monday, December 15-Tuesday, December 16th to take advantage of our lowest prices of the year! All Clothing will be 50 % off! Yes, all clothing, and gift items on sale. Even our $10 re-sale rack will be $5 per item!!
We carry the finest brands of fitness clothing. This is the perfect spot to shop for the sports enthusiast. We even carry cute tennis skirts! Many of the styles we carry are multifunctional and can take you throughout the day in style!
If you are hard to shop for or have someone that is hard to shop for gift certificates make a wonderful choice. Come by and browse our ever growing selection of cool clothes and gift ideas.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
February Immersion Workshop with Christina Sell
The Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi is pleased to present:
Living the Yoga Tradition:
A weekend of study and practice with Craig Williams and Christina Sell
February 20-22, 2009
The emergence of yoga in the West is a relatively recent phenomenon. Various schools or branches of yoga abound each touting a unique method, viewpoint or goal. Far from being a relaxation technique or exercise fad, the original yoga tradition developed out of a larger multi-dimensional Indic heritage: the Vedic Tradition. Unfortunately in the West few yoga teachers or practitioners are aware of the Vedic roots of the yoga tradition or the dharmic cultural milieu from which yoga blossomed. This weekend will explore the Vedic tradition through scriptural study, asana practice, mantra practice, meditation and contemplation. The workshop will be taught progressively and will be highly experiential. Students are encouraged to participate in all sessions.
Please join us for an inspiring weekend of study, practice, and good company!
Friday, February 20 6:00-8:00 Introduction to Scriptural Study
Talk with Craig Williams
Pranayama and Meditation Led by Christina Sell
Saturday, February 21 9:00-12:30 Vedic Wisdom and The Upanishads
Pranayama and Meditation Led by Christina Sell
Saturday, February 21 9:00-12:30 Vedic Wisdom and The Upanishads
Talk with Craig Williams
Drawing Nearer to the Self Asana Class with Christina Sell
Saturday, February 21 2:00-6:00 Bringing The Bhagavad Gita Alive
Drawing Nearer to the Self Asana Class with Christina Sell
Saturday, February 21 2:00-6:00 Bringing The Bhagavad Gita Alive
Talk with Craig Williams
Devotion, Knowledge and Action Asana Class with Christina Sell
Sunday, February 22 9:00-12:30 The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Devotion, Knowledge and Action Asana Class with Christina Sell
Sunday, February 22 9:00-12:30 The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Talk with Craig Williams
The Splendor of the Self Asana Class with Christina Sell
Sunday, February 22 2:00-6:00 Vedanta- Experiencing Oneness
The Splendor of the Self Asana Class with Christina Sell
Sunday, February 22 2:00-6:00 Vedanta- Experiencing Oneness
Talk with Craig Williams
The Yogic Heart Asana Class with Christina Sell
$200.00 before January 20; $225 after January 20
Individual Sessions are $50 each.
For Information and Registration please contact
Michelle Acebo at 361-883-1052.
The Yogic Heart Asana Class with Christina Sell
$200.00 before January 20; $225 after January 20
Individual Sessions are $50 each.
For Information and Registration please contact
Michelle Acebo at 361-883-1052.
Craig Williams (Shambhu-Das ) is a Clinical Herbalist and Acupuncturist in private practice specializing in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda and Yoga. He holds a Master’ Degree in Oriental Medicine and is a Professional Member of the American Herbalist Guild and a Professional member of the National Ayurvedic Mecical Association (NAMA). Craig is the recipient of the prestigious “Veda Kovid” title awarded by David Frawley and the American Institute of Vedic Studies which recognizes extensive training in the Vedic Sciences of Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Tantra and Vedanta. He also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Religious Studies with a focus on Hindu Studies and has studied Mantra Therapy with Ashley Thomas- Farrand. For information about Craig Williams, visit http://www.ayurvedaaustin.com/.
Christina Sell has been practicing yoga since 1991. She is a certified Anusara Yoga® instructor and author of the book Yoga From the Inside Out: Making Peace with your Body Through Yoga. Christina has been training yoga teachers for over 5 years and is known for her clarity, insight and passion. Dedicated to the practices and principles of Anusara Yoga she serves on the Anusara Yoga® Teacher Assessment committee, the Anusara Yoga® Ethics Committee and the Anusara Yoga® Teacher Training Curriculum Development committee. For more information about her or her work, please visit http://www.christinasell.com/.
Workshop with Christina Sell January 2-4th
The Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi is pleased to present:
Opening To Grace- Anusara Yoga® for all levels with Christina Sell
January 2-4, 2009
Anusara (a-nu-sar-a), means “flowing with Grace,” “going with the flow,” “following your heart.”
Founded by John Friend in 1997, Anusara Yoga is a powerful hatha yoga system that unifies a Tantric philosophy of intrinsic Goodness with Universal Principles of Alignment™. Currently, Anusara Yoga is one of the most popular and fastest growing yoga styles in the world with over 1200 affiliated teachers and 100,000 students world-wide.
Anusara Yoga's remarkable popularity is due in large part to its uplifting philosophy, epitomized by a "celebration of the heart," that looks for the good in all people and all things. Consequently, students of all levels of ability and yoga experience are honored for their unique differences, limitations, and talents. This life-affirming vision sets the basis for a yoga system in which the harmony and joy of a tightly knit community is exulted. Not only is Anusara Yoga an elegant system of alignment principles and non-dual philosophy, but it is also a wonderful community of highly trained teachers and fun-loving students. This community feels like it has the tightness of a family, yet the looseness of a merry band of bohemian artists.
Join us this weekend and find out how Anusara Yoga can help you take your practice to a new level!
Fri., Jan. 2 6:00-8:00 Flowing with Grace, Flowing with the Breath Asana Flow
Sat., Jan. 3 9:00-12:30 The Divine Pulsation:Primary Flows of Energy All-levels Asana
Sun., Jan.4 9:00-12:30 Spiral into the Flow: Inner and Outer Spiral Unveiled All-Levels Asana
January 2-4, 2009
Anusara (a-nu-sar-a), means “flowing with Grace,” “going with the flow,” “following your heart.”
Founded by John Friend in 1997, Anusara Yoga is a powerful hatha yoga system that unifies a Tantric philosophy of intrinsic Goodness with Universal Principles of Alignment™. Currently, Anusara Yoga is one of the most popular and fastest growing yoga styles in the world with over 1200 affiliated teachers and 100,000 students world-wide.
Anusara Yoga's remarkable popularity is due in large part to its uplifting philosophy, epitomized by a "celebration of the heart," that looks for the good in all people and all things. Consequently, students of all levels of ability and yoga experience are honored for their unique differences, limitations, and talents. This life-affirming vision sets the basis for a yoga system in which the harmony and joy of a tightly knit community is exulted. Not only is Anusara Yoga an elegant system of alignment principles and non-dual philosophy, but it is also a wonderful community of highly trained teachers and fun-loving students. This community feels like it has the tightness of a family, yet the looseness of a merry band of bohemian artists.
Join us this weekend and find out how Anusara Yoga can help you take your practice to a new level!
Fri., Jan. 2 6:00-8:00 Flowing with Grace, Flowing with the Breath Asana Flow
Sat., Jan. 3 9:00-12:30 The Divine Pulsation:Primary Flows of Energy All-levels Asana
Sun., Jan.4 9:00-12:30 Spiral into the Flow: Inner and Outer Spiral Unveiled All-Levels Asana
$125 for the whole weekend,
Individual sessions $50.
Individual sessions $50.
For Information and Registration please contact Michelle Acebo at 361-883-1052.
We realize that not everyone can commit to a Teacher Training Program or needs a Yoga Alliance 200 hour certification. We would like to offer this incredible experience to all those who may be interested in Anusara Yoga and to those who would like the opportunity to experience a Christina Sell class!
Christina Sell is a certified Anusara Yoga instructor and author of the book Yoga From the Inside Out. Her classes are fun, inspiring and dedicated to helping students of all abilities enter the Flow of Grace through yoga.
For more information about her and her work please visit www.christinasell.com
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Teacher Training Program with Christina Sell Starts in January!
Anusara Yoga Immersion
and Teacher Development Program
at THE YOGA STUDIO OF CORPUS CHRISTI
January 2009-December 2009
For Information and Registration please contact:
Michelle Acebo at 361-883-1052
PHASE ONE of this unique program is a 108-hour Anusara Yoga Immersion. The Anusara Yoga Immersion program is for dedicated students who wish to begin a structured exploration of Anusara Yoga to enhance their own practice and experience, as well as students and teachers who may wish to enter the Anusara Yoga Certification Process. The Immersion is a comprehensive study designed by John Friend, the founder of Anusara Yoga. The curriculum looks at the essence of Anusara philosophy, alignment principles and practice. The in-depth program invites you to expand your mind and heart, while providing a rich and transformative experience. The focus of Phase One is highly experiential and focuses on self-development, practice and personal inquiry as the foundation of good teaching.
PHILOSOPHY: (30 HOURS): History of yoga, The Bhavagad Gita, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Introduction Tantric Philosophy, Tattvas, and Anusara Yoga Philosophy and vision.
UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES OF ALIGNMENT (48 HOURS): Opening to Grace, Muscular Energy, Expanding Spiral Contracting Spiral, the Seven Energy Loops and General principles of the Major categories of postures.
PRANAYANA: (10 HOURS): Ujayi Pranayama, Nadi Shodhana Pranayama, Viloma Pranayama
MEDITATION/CONTEMPALATION AND JOURNALING (10 HOURS): Open, closed and focus techniques.
ANATOMY (10 HOURS): Anatomy of respiration, Introduction to the skeletal system, general overview of the structure and function of the spine, pelvis and hips, esoteric anatomy.
*IMMERSION DATES *
JANUARY 2-4, 2009 *
FEBRUARY 20-22, 2009 *
MARCH 20-22, 2009 *
APRIL 10-12, 2009 *
MAY 15-17, 2009 *
AUGUST 21-23, 2009
PHASE TWO of the program is Teacher Development: The Art and Skill of Teaching Yoga. These 92-hours are aimed at developing the teaching skills required to effectively and safely introduce people to the practices and principles of Anusara Yoga. For both new and seasoned teachers, this program is highly experiential and will focus on hand-on teaching practice with feedback and peer support.
ANATOMY- (10 Hours): Anatomy of the Lower and Upper Extremities, continued work on the spine, pelvis and hips.
TEACHING METHODOLOGIES- (25 HOURS): Sequencing, developing heart-based themes, modifications, observation, adjustments, language skills, demonstration skills, use of props, class composition, special populations, progressive teaching methodology.
PRACTICUM (20 HOURS): ***THESE HOURS MUST BE COMPLETED OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM.***
YOGA THERAPY (25 HOURS): Ayurveda and Yoga Therapy including mantra, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana and dhyana as well as therapeutic applications of Universal Principles of Alignment.
BUSINESS AND ETHICS- (12 HOURS)
*TEACHER TRAINING DATES*
SEPTEMBER 18-20,2009 *
OCTOBER 16-18, 2009 *
NOVEMBER 13-15, 2009 *
DECEMBER 4-6
Primary Faculty
and Teacher Development Program
at THE YOGA STUDIO OF CORPUS CHRISTI
January 2009-December 2009
For Information and Registration please contact:
Michelle Acebo at 361-883-1052
PHASE ONE of this unique program is a 108-hour Anusara Yoga Immersion. The Anusara Yoga Immersion program is for dedicated students who wish to begin a structured exploration of Anusara Yoga to enhance their own practice and experience, as well as students and teachers who may wish to enter the Anusara Yoga Certification Process. The Immersion is a comprehensive study designed by John Friend, the founder of Anusara Yoga. The curriculum looks at the essence of Anusara philosophy, alignment principles and practice. The in-depth program invites you to expand your mind and heart, while providing a rich and transformative experience. The focus of Phase One is highly experiential and focuses on self-development, practice and personal inquiry as the foundation of good teaching.
PHILOSOPHY: (30 HOURS): History of yoga, The Bhavagad Gita, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Introduction Tantric Philosophy, Tattvas, and Anusara Yoga Philosophy and vision.
UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES OF ALIGNMENT (48 HOURS): Opening to Grace, Muscular Energy, Expanding Spiral Contracting Spiral, the Seven Energy Loops and General principles of the Major categories of postures.
PRANAYANA: (10 HOURS): Ujayi Pranayama, Nadi Shodhana Pranayama, Viloma Pranayama
MEDITATION/CONTEMPALATION AND JOURNALING (10 HOURS): Open, closed and focus techniques.
ANATOMY (10 HOURS): Anatomy of respiration, Introduction to the skeletal system, general overview of the structure and function of the spine, pelvis and hips, esoteric anatomy.
*IMMERSION DATES *
JANUARY 2-4, 2009 *
FEBRUARY 20-22, 2009 *
MARCH 20-22, 2009 *
APRIL 10-12, 2009 *
MAY 15-17, 2009 *
AUGUST 21-23, 2009
PHASE TWO of the program is Teacher Development: The Art and Skill of Teaching Yoga. These 92-hours are aimed at developing the teaching skills required to effectively and safely introduce people to the practices and principles of Anusara Yoga. For both new and seasoned teachers, this program is highly experiential and will focus on hand-on teaching practice with feedback and peer support.
ANATOMY- (10 Hours): Anatomy of the Lower and Upper Extremities, continued work on the spine, pelvis and hips.
TEACHING METHODOLOGIES- (25 HOURS): Sequencing, developing heart-based themes, modifications, observation, adjustments, language skills, demonstration skills, use of props, class composition, special populations, progressive teaching methodology.
PRACTICUM (20 HOURS): ***THESE HOURS MUST BE COMPLETED OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM.***
YOGA THERAPY (25 HOURS): Ayurveda and Yoga Therapy including mantra, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana and dhyana as well as therapeutic applications of Universal Principles of Alignment.
BUSINESS AND ETHICS- (12 HOURS)
*TEACHER TRAINING DATES*
SEPTEMBER 18-20,2009 *
OCTOBER 16-18, 2009 *
NOVEMBER 13-15, 2009 *
DECEMBER 4-6
Primary Faculty
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Jivamukti Yoga~ December 2008 Focus of the Month
Jivamukti Yoga Focus of the Month ~ December 2008
Yoga Nidra and Shavasana "Yoga Nidra is a state of complete bodily relaxation, in which the mind rests in a suspended state - awake, yet calm, and free of all distraction. The body, senses and material mind are magnetized." - Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati
Through deep relaxation, a state of Yoga Nidra arises, which can lead to kaivalyam, or samadhi, in which the sense of individualization merges with absolute, transcendental joy. The practice of shavasana (corpse pose)can facilitate the arising of this state. But for success in shavasana, you have to understand, as Shri Brahmananda suggests, "how to use fixation, suggestion and sensation, and how to use the proper pause for time." The following is a guided relaxation to be used in the practice of shavasana; it is meant to be spoken out loud by a teacher to students after they have assumed a lying-down position: "You are about to embark upon a wonderful adventure, a journey into the experience of deep relaxation. To relax means to become receptive; receptive to your own inner happiness and peace, your true nature, that which is boundless, limitless joy, that which is the very core of every being. To relax allows you to let go of everything that may be holding you back from the experience of the truth of your very being. "Start by taking your consciousness to your feet. Silently suggest: Toes, relax. Feet, relax. Ankles, relax. Let go. Calves and shins, relax. Let go. Knees, relax. Thighs, relax. Release the large muscles of the thighs. Allow them to let go of their grip on the thighbones. Relax. Let go. Allow the bones of the legs to rest in the softened tissues of the relaxed muscles. Relax hips and buttocks. Release all clenching, all gripping there. Release all tension from the pelvic area. Let go. Let go. Lower back, relax. Middle back, relax. Upper back, relax. Allow the muscles of the back to spread and melt into the floor, spreading warmth outward from the spine. Release into the floor. Let go. Allow the floor to lift up under you, to support you. Trust it beneath your body. Melt into it. Release into the floor, into the earth. Drop all your tension, anxieties, restlessness, and resistance into the floor, into the earth. Relax your abdomen and chest. Release. Soften. Soften. Fingers and hands, relax. Let go of all gripping and clenching there. No need now to hold on to anything. Everything is yours. Let go. Let go of it all, and receive everything. Relax your wrists, forearms, elbows, upper arms. Let the muscles melt away from the bones. Let the bones rest in the soft tissue of the relaxed muscles. Relax your shoulders. Allow the shoulder blades to drop into the floor. Release and soften all neck and throat muscles, allowing them to relax. Relax your face, the mask of your personality. Release your jaw. Relax your tongue. Allow your tongue to float inside your mouth. Lips, cheeks, let go. Nose, eyes, inside the nose, and behind the eyes, let go. Let go. Let go. Eyelids, eyebrows, forehead, relax. Release all tension between the eyebrows. Allow the forehead to broaden. Relax the scalp and the back of the head. Let your hair grow. The more you can melt heavily into the floor, into the earth, the lighter you will begin to feel. Allow yourself to feel light. "Go now, deep inside. Relax the internal organs, the organs of elimination. Relax the organs of sexuality. Relax the organs of digestion. Relax the organs of blood circulation. Relax the organs of respiration. Release the sense of feeling and of thinking. Allow the frontal part of your brain to slip back into the skull. Let go. Let go. "Your whole body now, inside and outside, is relaxing deeply. Great healing and rebalancing is taking place now. Don't interfere. Allow a complete letting go into inner wisdom, and peace. Let your body relax, and take your consciousness to the site of your spiritual heart, the lotus of the heart at the center of your chest. Enter into this lotus. Feel yourself inside the lotus of the heart, which is the source of all creative things. The source of love itself; unconditional, boundless, limitless joy - bliss, ananda. Feel the petals of the lotus surrounding you with their soft fragrance. Allow yourself to become this lotus of the heart, to become the source of all creative things, to become love itself; beyond name and form, beyond pleasure and pain, beyond night, and beyond day. Become boundless, limitless joy. Fall into love itself. This is who you are. Become who you are. Relax all resistance to who you are. Relax all resistance to boundless, limitless joy. You ... you ... you are love itself, happiness itself. Shantih, shantih, shantih. - Sharon Gannon, December 2008
(For further reference: Fundamentals of Yoga, by Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati, and The Jivamukti Relaxation and Meditation CD.)
Monday, November 24, 2008
Doug Swenson's Workshop a huge success!
The Doug Swenson Workshop was a very educational and a fun experience for all who attended. Everyone seemed to enjoy Doug's easy going and approachable attitude. 
As you can see there were many smiles throughout the weekend. Thank you to those of you who supported the workshop. There will be many more pictures to come. 
Thanksgiving Week Schedule
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. --John Fitzgerald Kennedy
All of us at The Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi wish you and your loved ones a very happy holiday! Here is the Schedule for the week of November 24th-November 29th, 2009.
Monday 11/24 Normal Class Schedule
Tuesday 11/25th Normal Class Schedule
Wednesday 11/26th One class 9a.m.- 10:30 Hatha Flow with Elizabeth Hofman
Thursday 11/27th Closed in observance of Thanksgiving. Enjoy your Tofu Turkey!!
Friday 11/28th One class, Restorative Yoga with Michelle at 12:00. Come in and find some relaxing and peaceful moments stepping away from the hectic holiday schedule. Enjoy a few hours of 50% off any and all clothing merchandise (includes re-sale items!). Studio open 11-2 only.
Saturday 11/29th Classes resume as normal. One level 2-3 Hatha Flow class with Armando 9:30-11:00.
All of us at The Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi wish you and your loved ones a very happy holiday! Here is the Schedule for the week of November 24th-November 29th, 2009.
Monday 11/24 Normal Class Schedule
Tuesday 11/25th Normal Class Schedule
Wednesday 11/26th One class 9a.m.- 10:30 Hatha Flow with Elizabeth Hofman
Thursday 11/27th Closed in observance of Thanksgiving. Enjoy your Tofu Turkey!!
Friday 11/28th One class, Restorative Yoga with Michelle at 12:00. Come in and find some relaxing and peaceful moments stepping away from the hectic holiday schedule. Enjoy a few hours of 50% off any and all clothing merchandise (includes re-sale items!). Studio open 11-2 only.
Saturday 11/29th Classes resume as normal. One level 2-3 Hatha Flow class with Armando 9:30-11:00.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Let's Go To India!!
Pilgrimage to the Origins of the Gange
Presentation
For the Hindu, a pilgrimage to the Himalayan mountain town Gangotri and the origins of the Gange represents a meeting with the Mother Goddess, there where all things began. In the Indian tradition, the Gange is seen as having a feminine, maternal nature and believed to be the sacred river of Paradise capable of purifying one of sins. According to the millennial vision of Yoga, the Gange also flows symbolically together with two other rivers, the Jamuna and the Saraswati, inside of the human body by way of an intricate system of invisible canals called Nadi that carry Prana, “life force” or “cosmic energy”, throughout the body. For the passionate of India and it’s philosophies, the Himalaya and the origins of the Gange make up part of that magical, almost dreamlike, world that surrounds the life and teachings of numerous Indian masters and that has been reinforced over the decades by literature half imaginative half truthful.
From Hell to Paradise and back
One who departs in the late Spring with Gangotri as their destination, leaves behind the suffocating heat of the Indian flatlands where the Monsoon rains are anxiously awaited. On the way, one usually stops at the densely populated mountain village of Uttarkashi. As the overcrowded and swaying buses struggle along the steep climb and around endless turnabouts towards Gangotri, the pilgrims aboard repeatedly sing devotional chants, off-key and in a sort of collective delirium, with increasing volume as they get closer and closer to Gangotri. Upon arriving, one hears a persistent roar that vibrates in the fresh crisp mountain air and notices how even the forest trees seem to bow towards the foaming and rumbling Garurikund waterfall that drops off into the depths of the Himalaya valley.
Somewhere between Nature and mythology
At dawn, pilgrims and hiking enthusiasts alike begin along the easy, wide mountain trail that hugs the Bhaagirathi Torrent, the principal source of the Gange that was named after a wise man who is believed to have once meditated, prayed and lived in poverty along it’s shores for thousands of years so as to redeem his ancestors who had been incinerated by the glare of ascetic divinity Kapil. Legend has it that the god Brahma, struck by the perseverance of Bhaagirathi, thereby consented that the purifying waters of the Gange descend upon the Earth and cleanse the souls of the sage and his ancestors. The legend goes on to say that, in order to avoid that the world be destroyed by the destructive force of the powerful billows of the Gange, the god Shiva dammed them with his thick head of hair thus reducing their deletory power. Eighteen kilometers of trail, at times level and at others slightly climbing, penetrate a narrow, suggestive valley offering many an occasion of crossing characteristic and sometimes even extraordinary personages; those devoted to the divinity Shiva, distinguished by the three white lines painted on their foreheads, while those inspired by the divinity Vishnu with a sort of “U” or “V” drawn just above their nose.
The “Gange Maa” Cult
Chirabasa is the ideal location where to catch one’s breath. Proceeding along the trail, after many hours of hiking, the grayish glacier Gangotri suddenly appears, almost as if a mirage. Inside of a kind of ice-cave called Gaumukh, or “Cow’s Mouth”, the dark capricious waters of the Gange Ma, the “Mother Gange”, are born. At a higher altitude, another trail snakes over the glacier’s moraine leading to Tapovan, a small plain at the base of the pointed mountain Shivling that pops out of the ethereal mist that continually surrounds Gangotri. The sacred mountain of Shivling is worshipped by the Hindu who consider it a phallic symbol representing Shiva. In India, the god Shiva is adored both in it’s anthromorpomorphic aspect as in the form of linga, a stone carved into a phallic symbol and placed on a circular base thereby graphically reproducing the symbolic union between the male and female genital organs.
(Article written by Andrea Alborno and published by the Yoga Journal; translated in English by Kathleen DerDerian)
Pilgrimage to the Origins of the Gange
Itinerary
Departure from Italy is scheduled for Monday, the 25th of May, 2008 with return on the 7th of June. Roundtrip airfare was deliberately excluded from the trip cost in order to enable participants to lengthen their stay in Indian if desired. For who plans on traveling independently to India, the meeting is planned in Delhi on May 27th. It is possible to request that Hari-Om take care of the flight arrangements upon payment of the communicated cost. Since ticket prices tend to increase the closer one books to the departure date, we advise the interested participants to book their flights as soon as possible.
The trip itinerary is as follows:
Day 1: Departure from Italy.
Day 2: Arrival in Delhi. Visit to the Hare Krishna temple. Overnight stay in Delhi.*
Day 3: Bus transfer from Delhi to Rishikesh. Evening and overnight stay in Rishikesh.*
Day 4: Visits to the temples and Ashram of Rishikesh. Overnight stay in Rishikesh.*
Day 5: Bus transfer from Rishikesh to Utterkashi. Day in Uttekashi with visit to the famous temple Vishwanath. Overnight stay in Uttrekashi.
Day 6: Bus trasfer from Utterkashi to Gangotri. Visit to the Gangotri Temple with evening prayer
dedicated to the Goddess Ganga. Overnight stay at Gangotri.
Day 7: After breakfast, visit to the Gangotri Temple. Hike from Gangotri along the Bhagirathi
River to Bhojwasa (4-5 hours). Reservation at Guest House. Afternoon free to explore the
area and to enjoy a suggestive sunset among the Himalayan mountain tops.
Day 8: Hike towards Gomukh and the origins of the Gange (3-4 hours). Return to Bhojwasa in the
evening.
Day 9: Hike to Tapowan and the origins of the Gange (2-3 hours). Return to Bhojwasa in the
evening.
Day 10: Hike from Bhojwasa to Gangotri (2-3 hours). Bus transfer to Utterkashi. Overnight stay.
Day 11: After breakfast, bus transfer to Haridwar. Participation in devotional rituals on the shore
the Gange. Overnight stay in Haridwar.
Day 12: Bus transfer to Delhi. Visit of the Delhi markets. Dinner and overnight stay in Delhi.
Day 13: Return to Italy/USA
THE ITINERARY MAY BE MODIFIED AS THE RESULT OF
UNFAVORABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS OR OTHER UNFORSEEN FACTORS.
Pilgrimage to the Origins of the Gange
Trip Cost
The total trip cost comes to $780 and includes the following:
> Tour guide;
> All noted bus transfers in rented tourist coaches (not on public transportation);
> Hotel accommodation, with breakfast included, in double rooms except for the nights in Bhojwasa where only dormitory accomodation is available.**
**Considering that the trip takes place during the Pilgrimage season, interested participants should keep in mind the available sleeping accommodations will be modest.
Additional expenses that are excluded from the total trip cost:
> Overnight accommodations on the days starred with an asterisk (*);
> Roundtrip airfare to and from India.***
***Roundtrip airfare from Italy usually costs around 700 euros. Hari-Om is willing to make flight reservations upon request.
***Roundtrip airfare from USA usually costs about $1,800.00 US dollars. Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi is willing to make flight arrangements upon request and payment.
********Payment of $780.oo U.S. Dollars must be made to The Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi before February 28th, 2009******************* This is non-refundable and you are responsible for your own flight and flight arrangements. Be sure you arrive in New Delhi by very early morning on May 27th in order to be on the tour bus with the group. (I had to change my flight once because I booked the arrival time too late about 11 a.m. This is why I am getting there a day ahead and it will afford me a chance to rest before our journey). Just a little F.Y.I.
Sun 24-May-09
Corpus Christi (CRP)Depart 2:50 pm
to
Dallas (DFW)Arrive 4:10 pm
355 mi(571 km)Duration: 1hr 20mn
AA Flight: 3702 Operated by: AMERICAN EAGLE
3Economy/Coach Class
Dallas (DFW)Depart 5:30 pm
to
London (LHR)Arrive 8:35 am
"Flight arrives on Mon 25-May"
"The arrival date for this flight is one day after the departure date."
+1 day
4,747 mi(7,640 km)Duration: 9hr 5mn
BA Flight: 192
3Economy/Coach Class Boeing 777
Mon 25-May-09
London (LHR)Depart 9:55 am
to
Delhi (DEL)Arrive 11:00 pm
4,169 mi(6,709 km)Duration: 8hr 35mn
BA Flight: 143
3Economy/Coach Class Boeing 777
Total distance: 9,271 mi (14,920 km)
Total duration: 19hr 0mn (21hr 40mn with connections)
Traveling to Chicago
Sun 7-Jun-09
Delhi (DEL)Depart 8:15 am
to
London (LHR)Arrive 1:10 pm
4,169 mi(6,709 km)Duration: 9hr 25mn
BA Flight: 256
3Economy/Coach Class Boeing 777
London (LHR)Depart 3:35 pm
to
Chicago (ORD)Arrive 6:05 pm
3,953 mi(6,362 km)Duration: 8hr 30mn
BA Flight: 297
3Economy/Coach Class Boeing 777
Total distance: 8,122 mi (13,071 km)
Total duration: 17hr 55mn (20hr 20mn with connections)
Mon 8-Jun-09
Chicago (ORD)Depart 6:00 am
to
Dallas (DFW)Arrive 8:20 am
799 mi(1,286 km)Duration: 2hr 20mn
AA Flight: 2301
Dallas (DFW)Depart 9:05 am
to
Corpus Christi (CRP)Arrive 10:20 am
355 mi(571 km)Duration: 1hr 15mn
AA Flight: 3565 Operated by: AMERICAN EAGLE
Presentation
For the Hindu, a pilgrimage to the Himalayan mountain town Gangotri and the origins of the Gange represents a meeting with the Mother Goddess, there where all things began. In the Indian tradition, the Gange is seen as having a feminine, maternal nature and believed to be the sacred river of Paradise capable of purifying one of sins. According to the millennial vision of Yoga, the Gange also flows symbolically together with two other rivers, the Jamuna and the Saraswati, inside of the human body by way of an intricate system of invisible canals called Nadi that carry Prana, “life force” or “cosmic energy”, throughout the body. For the passionate of India and it’s philosophies, the Himalaya and the origins of the Gange make up part of that magical, almost dreamlike, world that surrounds the life and teachings of numerous Indian masters and that has been reinforced over the decades by literature half imaginative half truthful.
From Hell to Paradise and back
One who departs in the late Spring with Gangotri as their destination, leaves behind the suffocating heat of the Indian flatlands where the Monsoon rains are anxiously awaited. On the way, one usually stops at the densely populated mountain village of Uttarkashi. As the overcrowded and swaying buses struggle along the steep climb and around endless turnabouts towards Gangotri, the pilgrims aboard repeatedly sing devotional chants, off-key and in a sort of collective delirium, with increasing volume as they get closer and closer to Gangotri. Upon arriving, one hears a persistent roar that vibrates in the fresh crisp mountain air and notices how even the forest trees seem to bow towards the foaming and rumbling Garurikund waterfall that drops off into the depths of the Himalaya valley.
Somewhere between Nature and mythology
At dawn, pilgrims and hiking enthusiasts alike begin along the easy, wide mountain trail that hugs the Bhaagirathi Torrent, the principal source of the Gange that was named after a wise man who is believed to have once meditated, prayed and lived in poverty along it’s shores for thousands of years so as to redeem his ancestors who had been incinerated by the glare of ascetic divinity Kapil. Legend has it that the god Brahma, struck by the perseverance of Bhaagirathi, thereby consented that the purifying waters of the Gange descend upon the Earth and cleanse the souls of the sage and his ancestors. The legend goes on to say that, in order to avoid that the world be destroyed by the destructive force of the powerful billows of the Gange, the god Shiva dammed them with his thick head of hair thus reducing their deletory power. Eighteen kilometers of trail, at times level and at others slightly climbing, penetrate a narrow, suggestive valley offering many an occasion of crossing characteristic and sometimes even extraordinary personages; those devoted to the divinity Shiva, distinguished by the three white lines painted on their foreheads, while those inspired by the divinity Vishnu with a sort of “U” or “V” drawn just above their nose.
The “Gange Maa” Cult
Chirabasa is the ideal location where to catch one’s breath. Proceeding along the trail, after many hours of hiking, the grayish glacier Gangotri suddenly appears, almost as if a mirage. Inside of a kind of ice-cave called Gaumukh, or “Cow’s Mouth”, the dark capricious waters of the Gange Ma, the “Mother Gange”, are born. At a higher altitude, another trail snakes over the glacier’s moraine leading to Tapovan, a small plain at the base of the pointed mountain Shivling that pops out of the ethereal mist that continually surrounds Gangotri. The sacred mountain of Shivling is worshipped by the Hindu who consider it a phallic symbol representing Shiva. In India, the god Shiva is adored both in it’s anthromorpomorphic aspect as in the form of linga, a stone carved into a phallic symbol and placed on a circular base thereby graphically reproducing the symbolic union between the male and female genital organs.
(Article written by Andrea Alborno and published by the Yoga Journal; translated in English by Kathleen DerDerian)
Pilgrimage to the Origins of the Gange
Itinerary
Departure from Italy is scheduled for Monday, the 25th of May, 2008 with return on the 7th of June. Roundtrip airfare was deliberately excluded from the trip cost in order to enable participants to lengthen their stay in Indian if desired. For who plans on traveling independently to India, the meeting is planned in Delhi on May 27th. It is possible to request that Hari-Om take care of the flight arrangements upon payment of the communicated cost. Since ticket prices tend to increase the closer one books to the departure date, we advise the interested participants to book their flights as soon as possible.
The trip itinerary is as follows:
Day 1: Departure from Italy.
Day 2: Arrival in Delhi. Visit to the Hare Krishna temple. Overnight stay in Delhi.*
Day 3: Bus transfer from Delhi to Rishikesh. Evening and overnight stay in Rishikesh.*
Day 4: Visits to the temples and Ashram of Rishikesh. Overnight stay in Rishikesh.*
Day 5: Bus transfer from Rishikesh to Utterkashi. Day in Uttekashi with visit to the famous temple Vishwanath. Overnight stay in Uttrekashi.
Day 6: Bus trasfer from Utterkashi to Gangotri. Visit to the Gangotri Temple with evening prayer
dedicated to the Goddess Ganga. Overnight stay at Gangotri.
Day 7: After breakfast, visit to the Gangotri Temple. Hike from Gangotri along the Bhagirathi
River to Bhojwasa (4-5 hours). Reservation at Guest House. Afternoon free to explore the
area and to enjoy a suggestive sunset among the Himalayan mountain tops.
Day 8: Hike towards Gomukh and the origins of the Gange (3-4 hours). Return to Bhojwasa in the
evening.
Day 9: Hike to Tapowan and the origins of the Gange (2-3 hours). Return to Bhojwasa in the
evening.
Day 10: Hike from Bhojwasa to Gangotri (2-3 hours). Bus transfer to Utterkashi. Overnight stay.
Day 11: After breakfast, bus transfer to Haridwar. Participation in devotional rituals on the shore
the Gange. Overnight stay in Haridwar.
Day 12: Bus transfer to Delhi. Visit of the Delhi markets. Dinner and overnight stay in Delhi.
Day 13: Return to Italy/USA
THE ITINERARY MAY BE MODIFIED AS THE RESULT OF
UNFAVORABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS OR OTHER UNFORSEEN FACTORS.
Pilgrimage to the Origins of the Gange
Trip Cost
The total trip cost comes to $780 and includes the following:
> Tour guide;
> All noted bus transfers in rented tourist coaches (not on public transportation);
> Hotel accommodation, with breakfast included, in double rooms except for the nights in Bhojwasa where only dormitory accomodation is available.**
**Considering that the trip takes place during the Pilgrimage season, interested participants should keep in mind the available sleeping accommodations will be modest.
Additional expenses that are excluded from the total trip cost:
> Overnight accommodations on the days starred with an asterisk (*);
> Roundtrip airfare to and from India.***
***Roundtrip airfare from Italy usually costs around 700 euros. Hari-Om is willing to make flight reservations upon request.
***Roundtrip airfare from USA usually costs about $1,800.00 US dollars. Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi is willing to make flight arrangements upon request and payment.
********Payment of $780.oo U.S. Dollars must be made to The Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi before February 28th, 2009******************* This is non-refundable and you are responsible for your own flight and flight arrangements. Be sure you arrive in New Delhi by very early morning on May 27th in order to be on the tour bus with the group. (I had to change my flight once because I booked the arrival time too late about 11 a.m. This is why I am getting there a day ahead and it will afford me a chance to rest before our journey). Just a little F.Y.I.
TRIP GUIDES
Marco Mandrino was born and raised in northern Italy where he runs his own yoga insitute “Hari-Om” located in Alessandria in the state of Piemonte. Yoga “Master” and trained in Ayurveda and aroma-therapy, Marco is the principal instructor of numerous teacher-training courses of Tantra Yoga; is a regular contributor of articles for various Yoga magazines; has published his own works on Yoga; and attempts to encourage personal growth in others by way of his yoga seminars and retreats organized in Italy, the United States and Australia. Marco’s personal sadhana includes pilgrimages to sacred sights belonging to different spiritual traditions throughout the world. Marco has his point of reference in the Tantric tradition and thereby promotes an integral approach to Yoga combining Hatha, Bhakti and Jnana Yoga in his practice and teaching during his retreats and travels.
Michelle Acebo has been practicing yoga since 2001. She has completed two R.Y.T. 200 courses and a Jivamukti Yoga Teacher Training @ 300 hours. Michelle has had the honor to study with numerous yoga masters of various traditions. She has studied, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Power Vinyasa, Vinyasa Krama, Anusara and was certified in Jivamukti Yoga with it's creators Sharon Gannon and David Life. She has served as a personal assistant to Sharon Gannon and David Life at the 2008 Southwest Yoga Conference in Austin, Texas. Michelle is one of only two teachers in Texas to be Jivamukti Yoga Certified. Michelle opened The Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi in January of 2005. This was the first and largest yoga studio and boutique in South Texas. The studio has evolved to "the yoga hub" of South Texas which is dedicated to education, improving the understanding of what yoga is and making sure that yoga is available for all to study.
Here are Michelle's travel arrangements from the U.S. I suggest you book your flight as early as possible. This is a peak travel time for tourist and the flights will more than likely get very expensive. I used expedia.com to book this. Total for flight with insurance was $1593.40. This was the best price available. As you can see, I have to change planes often but it saved me a lot of money!
Traveling to DelhiSun 24-May-09
Corpus Christi (CRP)Depart 2:50 pm
to
Dallas (DFW)Arrive 4:10 pm
355 mi(571 km)Duration: 1hr 20mn
AA Flight: 3702 Operated by: AMERICAN EAGLE
3Economy/Coach Class
Dallas (DFW)Depart 5:30 pm
to
London (LHR)Arrive 8:35 am
"Flight arrives on Mon 25-May"
"The arrival date for this flight is one day after the departure date."
+1 day
4,747 mi(7,640 km)Duration: 9hr 5mn
BA Flight: 192
3Economy/Coach Class Boeing 777
Mon 25-May-09
London (LHR)Depart 9:55 am
to
Delhi (DEL)Arrive 11:00 pm
4,169 mi(6,709 km)Duration: 8hr 35mn
BA Flight: 143
3Economy/Coach Class Boeing 777
Total distance: 9,271 mi (14,920 km)
Total duration: 19hr 0mn (21hr 40mn with connections)
Traveling to Chicago
Sun 7-Jun-09
Delhi (DEL)Depart 8:15 am
to
London (LHR)Arrive 1:10 pm
4,169 mi(6,709 km)Duration: 9hr 25mn
BA Flight: 256
3Economy/Coach Class Boeing 777
London (LHR)Depart 3:35 pm
to
Chicago (ORD)Arrive 6:05 pm
3,953 mi(6,362 km)Duration: 8hr 30mn
BA Flight: 297
3Economy/Coach Class Boeing 777
Total distance: 8,122 mi (13,071 km)
Total duration: 17hr 55mn (20hr 20mn with connections)
Mon 8-Jun-09
Chicago (ORD)Depart 6:00 am
to
Dallas (DFW)Arrive 8:20 am
799 mi(1,286 km)Duration: 2hr 20mn
AA Flight: 2301
Dallas (DFW)Depart 9:05 am
to
Corpus Christi (CRP)Arrive 10:20 am
355 mi(571 km)Duration: 1hr 15mn
AA Flight: 3565 Operated by: AMERICAN EAGLE
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