Russell Simmons at the Tantris Yoga opening party in West Hollywood

From the Editor

These days, it feels as though we need something to anchor us and keep us grounded amidst the challenges we face in everyday life on the local and global scales. I believe that gratitude can be one of those anchors. It is an anchor even when we may not necessarily feel grateful, when we have to call it up, make a list, or focus on the feeling. Our attitude may be crowded by any number of other experiences or challenges, but simply pausing for a moment to reflect on even one item from our gratitude list can be that anchor that gives us the strength and fortitude to take action effectively in the world: with ourselves, our family, our community, and the planet as a whole. These days require the best from all of us and we would do well to remember everything that fuels our resilience.

As we move through the Winter Solstice, the holiday season, and into the New Year, beginning or recommitting to a gratitude practice can serve as a powerful ally for our strength and faith. I love Tisha Morris’ suggestion for a 12 day Gratitude Practice as part of the ritual to celebrate this time of year.

Another way that you can build resilience is through all other kinds of practice—Tantris Yoga in West Hollywood is offering free classes throughout the month of December to support the LA YOGA community. The new studio is a sanctuary for the body and soul in the midst of the city.

However you practice and spend the holidays, may you be grateful for small miracles as well as great ones.

With Gratitude,

Felicia Marie Tomasko, RN

12 Days of Gratitude Practice

Regardless of your religious or spiritual beliefs and practices, the holidays are ripe for getting in touch with your higher power. Gratitude is one of the best ways to do just that. By placing your focus on positive thoughts and experiences for which you are grateful, you instantly take yourself to a higher vibration.

Take a few minutes each day for 12 consecutive days to journal what you are grateful for. This is an easy practice before you go to bed. Keep a Gratitude Journal on your bedside table. It can be a small notepad designated for gratitude or an ongoing journal. Jot down a few things you are grateful for during your day. Start with the prompt, “Today I am grateful for….” Even on the worst of days, you can find a few things to be grateful for. Taking a few moments to note these will immediately shift your energy positively and attract more of those good things to you. Go to sleep with gratitude and you will wake up on the right side of the bed every time. Read more of Tisha Morris’ suggestions here.

Free Yoga in December for LA YOGA Readers

The new studio Tantris Yoga, in West Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard, is offering LA YOGA readers free yoga classes in the month of December. Nestled in the heart of West Hollywood at 9200 Sunset Boulevard, the Tantris Yoga all-inclusive studio offers high-end, hot yoga classes, meditation, workshops, wellness services, kirtan and teacher trainings. Here you will be led by world-renowned yoga teachers and experts in field of yogic science. Despite the luxurious amenities, I assure you the studio is keeping it real with monthly themes to complement the essence of the ancient yogic teachings and a primary emphasis on the three pillars of Tantris Yoga: Daily Practice, Devotional Study and Karmic Duty. Read more about Tantris Yoga in Kumi Yogini’s article online here.

Sun Salutations as an Expression of Gratitude

The next time you practice sun salutations, consider the debt you owe to the sun. Offer your heart up. Then, bow down and say thank you. Offer gratitude. Move with intention. Match the movement of your body to the movement of your breath. Close your eyes. Concentrate on your heart and visualize the sun there. Imagine this light is within you; imagine you are this light. Take your time; you can’t rush a thank you.

Thanking the sun each day shifts our perspective through the practice of gratitude. Practicing gratitude can help to release our attachment to the ego and the desires of the mind. The intentional practice of gratitude is a powerful practice of yoga. Practicing gratitude is practicing yoga.

Read more of Garth Hewitt’s story here.

Best of Boston Yoga: How Yoga + Writing Deepens Practice

Both yoga and writing are a practice, a salve, and an exploration. A way to connect us more deeply to ourselves, make sense of our human experiences and, in sharing our own voice and journey, connect us more directly to others by way of our shared humanity. Both yoga and writing can create the space for us to slow down, connect in, navigate change (especially as we transition now further into fall), and support us in honoring the way that the body is a vessel for emotion and experience. Mindful movement and creative self-expression can be vehicles of self-sustaining support, portals for transformation, and allow us to embrace a sense of wholeness, fullness, and sensuality by embracing all of who we are. That may be one of the ways we carry our freedom with us off the mat, and that itself is truly beautiful.

Read the rest of Lindsey O’Neill’s article here.

The Perfect Gift for East Coast Friends: Superflow Tickets!

Featuring a dynamic line-up of yoga talent from both coasts in a spectacular downtown setting, SUPERFLOW is THE opportunity to commune with kindred spirits and power up naturally in preparation for one of the country’s most celebrated sporting events.  Three hours of cutting edge yoga, the latest in yoga apparel and accessories, high-powered products and community. This is an afternoon not to be missed.

Bring a friend and join us for our Second Annual SUPERFLOW right here in Boston. For more information and tickets, click here.

Sometimes Brilliant Book Review

Forty years in the writing, Sometimes Brilliant details the arc of Larry Brilliant, a young hippie doctor from Detroit who began living his dharma marching with Martin Luther King Jr in 1963, engaging deeply with the social movements of the time. He traveled overland from Western Europe to India with Wavy Gravy and the Hog Farm Commune in an unsuccessful attempt to bring aid to the cyclone-devastated Bangladeshi island of Bhola. A year later, he was dragged unwillingly back to India by his wife Girija  to meet the great saint Neem Karoli Baba, at whose feet Larry realized his destiny to become a key player in the eradication of smallpox, an ancient disease that killed more than half a billion people in the twentieth century alone. Read the rest of Benjy Wertheimer’s book review here. sometimes-brilliant-book-review

Vedic Astrology with Sam Geppi

On December 28, The Sun and Moon come together today in Sagittarius, which begins a new cycle focused on hope, inspiration, and higher purpose. For the next 30 days we will be focused on what inspires us or what disappoints us. Often they are the same thing. That may sound ironic, but it is not. Being disappointed with one type of teaching or teacher compels you to seek another who you more relate to more effectively. Be vigilant and able to recognize to false teachers or overly simplistic answers to complex problems. While influenced by Sagittarius, we may be tempted to follow the simple belief that doesn’t require our inquiry and understanding.

This New Moon happens in Mula Nakshatra, a cycle related to the goddess Kali, the destructive force of the universe. This destruction is necessary for greater wisdom. Your old paradigm has been destroyed and you must resurrect hope from the ashes of the past.

For the full Jyotish forecast for December/January click here.

Doug Corbett

Doug has had a long and varied career in the magazine business in sales, marketing, editorial, and printing. As one of the original partners of Healing Retreats & Spas magazine Doug experienced publishing in the mind, body, and spirit space and has never looked back. 
In 2003 he dove headlong into the online space with the wellness website and e-commerce store Find Bliss based on the concepts he developed at Healing Retreats & Spas. He joined forces with Felicia Tomasko in 2011 to create the Bliss Network with the merger of Find Bliss, LA Yoga Magazine and Bliss Kit.

The post December 22 – Inspiration and Events appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

(Foreground L-r) MICHAEL PEÑA as Simon, KATE WINSLET as Claire and WILL SMITH as Howard in New Line Cinemas’, Village Roadshow Pictures’ and Warner Bros. Pictures’ ensemble drama “COLLATERAL BEAUTY,” a Warner Bros Pictures release.
Photo by Barry Wetcher

From the Editor

Every day, I experience something that reminds me to appreciate the present moment as well as the community around me at any particular time. It may be meeting friends for yoga class and then laughing over a cup of coffee, a funny text message from my sister, a sunrise, a sunset, an unexpected visitor, a cupcake at my doorstep, a supportive message, a shared cry, or a night out at the movies. Every day that I am aware of the news of the world, these moments become increasingly more important. These simple moments fuel our resilience, our ability to see the beauty in every moment, to appreciate our shared community, our interconnectedness.

This Friday, December 16, the film Collateral Beauty opens in theaters. It is a film that reminds us of just how much we cannot expect to hold onto time, how much love fuels every moment of our lives, and how much the presence of death is the reminder to cherish all the time we have for love. Go see it. Bring tissues. I found that watching the movie was a powerful reminder to take every moment to remember the fleeting beauty that is this life and to take the time daily to recognize all of it.

In moments of practice, we can also enter this space of appreciation. For the month of December, the new studio Tantris Yoga in West Hollywood is offering free yoga classes to LA YOGA readers in order to have a chance to experience the studio and the teachers. Bring your friends and family and take the time to immerse yourself in practice. Turn off your devices, rebuild your strength, reconnect with the world and each other.

With Gratitude,

Felicia Marie Tomasko, RN

Upcoming Events

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15

December 15 – December 16. Jala Warehouse Sale. Jala is having a massive WAREHOUSE SALE! Save up to 80% Off! Stop by and take advantage of amazing deals on one-of-a-kind and closeout styles at rock bottom prices. Jala HQ. 4050 Spencer St., Torrance.

11:00 A.M. – 11:00 P.M. Kathmandu Boutique Open House. Reena Gauchan prepares a variety of traditional Nepali dishes to share at this day of community that includes special sales, tarot readers and massage therapists, and musicians and artists performing. Bring your own plates, silverware, and cups for this waste-free event. $10-20 donation for meals. 1844 Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica.

2:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. Advanced Neuromuscular Therapy Demonstration. Learn more about advanced neuromuscular therapy as a vital bodywork technique at the National Holistic Institute Studio City Campus. National Holistic Institute. 10969 Ventura Blvd., Studio City.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16

December 15 – December 16. Jala Warehouse Sale. Jala is having a massive WAREHOUSE SALE! Save up to 80% Off! Stop by and take advantage of amazing deals on one-of-a-kind and closeout styles at rock bottom prices. Jala HQ. 4050 Spencer St., Torrance.

5:30 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. Restorative Yoga & Sound Therapy. Join yoga instructors Christy Graniere and Julie Murray for restorative yoga, which can be described as active relaxation. Restorative yoga consists of gentle, supported postures that nurture and soothe the nervous system. We will incorporate props, massage, sound therapy, and guided meditation. $35. Lotus 7 Yoga & Pilates. 22521 Avenida Empresa, Ste. 116/117. Rancho Santa Margarita.

6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. Sun, Moon & Earth w/Mas Vidal. Mas Vidal’s new book Sun, Moon, and Earth discusses the integration of Yoga and Ayurveda for the modern world. Free. Mystic Journey Bookstore. 1624 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17

December 17. Wanderlust Community Gathering. Take a breather from the mall and OM in the holiday cheer with your Wanderlust community this Saturday! Enjoy FREE yoga, dance and breathwork classes, take advantage of 20% off the Wanderlust marketplace, shop with purpose from guest trunk show vendors Erbaviva Skin Care, Parks Project, and MyIntent and chow down on new cafe menu items! Wanderlust Hollywood. 1357 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles.

10:00 A.M. Force of Nature Women. An experiential live class for activating the Spiritually and Erotically awake Warrior Woman. Online.

10:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. Yoga Expo LA. Take a variety of classes throughout the day, connect with like-minded yogis, try a new practice, meet new people and teachers, visit the marketplace, shop for yoga products, and learn more about opportunities to take classes or pursue continuing education. $35 / $45 includes Yoga Rocks Fundraiser. Los Angeles Convention Center.

12:00 P.M. – 7:30 P.M. Winter Solstice All-Day Meditation. Spend time in meditation to celebrate the light of the inner Christ and begin a new solar year with an immersion into spirit. Sunburst Sanctuary. 7200 Highway 1. Lompoc.

6:00 P.M. – 10:00 P.M. Venice Foto 2016. Opening reception for fine arts collective. VMW Gallery. 1003 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19

6:00 P.M. – 11:00 P.M. Holiday Boutique Bazaar. Hosted by SITA Couture featuring Jessie’s Place and the incredibly awesome arts & crafts made by the disabled refugee’s in Rawanda. 1130 Meadowbrook Ave., Los Angeles.

7:30 P.M. Marianne Williamson. Lecture, prayer, and discussion based on A Course in Miracles with New York Times best-selling author Marianne Williamson. $15 suggested donation. The Saban Theatre. 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21

4:00 P.M. – 8:30 P.M. Winter Solstice Celebration. Winter Solstice Celebration with a suggested donation of $20 (net proceeds to go to Boystown USA). $20. Lotus 7 Yoga & Pilates. 22521 Avenida Empresa, Suites 116 & 117. Rancho Santa Margarita.

Collateral Beauty invites you to Find Your Why

When a successful New York advertising executive suffers a great tragedy he retreats from life. While his concerned friends try desperately to reconnect with him, he seeks answers from the universe by writing letters to Love, Time and Death. But it’s not until his notes bring unexpected personal responses that he begins to understand how these constants interlock in a life fully lived, and how even the deepest loss can reveal moments of meaning and beauty. Starring Will Smith, Edward Norton, Keira Knightley, Michael Peña, Naomie Harris, Jacob Latimore, with Kate Winslet and Helen Mirren.

Check out Collateral Beauty here

Life is about people. The cast of Collateral Beauty challenges you to “Find Your Why” in this new featurette. Watch the “Find Your Why” featurette on YouTube here. Collateral Beauty in theaters tomorrow, December 16.

The 2017 Sedona Yoga Festival

You’re invited to the 5th Annual SYF 2017 conference, taking place March 9 – 12th! This consciousness evolution event, is held annually in Sedona, AZ with its core focus being on yoga, meditation and spiritual awakening, set against the iconic Red Rocks in the undisputed spiritual center of the West.

SYF 2017 will offer over 200 sessions for registrants to choose from, 40 vendors, 88 presenters and new special events and stages, registrants will be sure to have an experience like none other! Classes will cover the full range of class offerings including; rockin’ vinyasa, powerful meditation manifestations, flow, yoga writing workshops, yogi tunes and dancing, guided healing journeys, Sedona hiking, additional CEU’s, PTSD training and so much more! Get your festival ticket today at sedonayogafestival.com

Photo Credit: Dex Creative Imagery

Benedetta

This really is food for your skin. The delivery of raw, alive, holistically formulated preparations allows the skin to recognize and utilize the nutrients, similar to eating organic fresh foods.” Julia Faller – Founder/Formulator

Benedetta is holistically formulated to stimulate the skin’s natural ability to Correct, Protect, and Rejuvenate at deeper levels. For more than 20 years, Benedetta has pioneered the use of 100% botanical formulas allowing them to be actively effective.

With a keen formulative understanding of what the skin needs for youthful longevity, Benedetta is unsurpassed for authentic and original formulations.

Shop Benedetta online at www.benedetta.com or in person at the San Francisco Ferry Building Marketplace.

Create Space at Home for Happy Holidays

Jala is having a massive WAREHOUSE SALE! Save up to 80% Off! Stop by and take advantage of amazing deals on one-of-a-kind and closeout styles at rock bottom prices.

Where:
Jala HQ
4050 Spencer Street, Unit C
Torrance, CA 90503

When:
Dec. 14-16, Wed.- Fri., 12pm – 6pm

For more information, click here.

Free Yoga in December for LA YOGA Readers

The new studio Tantris Yoga, in West Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard, is offering LA YOGA readers free yoga classes in the month of December. Nestled in the heart of West Hollywood at 9200 Sunset Boulevard, the Tantris Yoga all-inclusive studio offers high-end, hot yoga classes, meditation, workshops, wellness services, kirtan and teacher trainings. Here you will be led by world-renowned yoga teachers and experts in field of yogic science. Despite the luxurious amenities, I assure you the studio is keeping it real with monthly themes to complement the essence of the ancient yogic teachings and a primary emphasis on the three pillars of Tantris Yoga: Daily Practice, Devotional Study and Karmic Duty. Read more about Tantris Yoga in Kumi Yogini’s article online here.

Combine Strength Training & Yoga

When we consider the practice of modern yoga, we can consider using all the tools available to us from the equipment at the gym to techniques from physical therapy, physical fitness, and strength training. Using everything available to us in the context of yoga can help us to be more intelligent in how we use our body in practice. I have seen first-hand how strength training can help with some of the more challenging asanas. Strength training gives power to our larger muscle groups for strong poses like handstands. Done with awareness, strength training can also help us become more adept at yoga’s subtle effects. One of the most subtle and important actions that we enjoy in yoga is the ability to engage our bandhas. Read more of Desi Bartlett’s article here.

Best of Boston Yoga: Claiming Kindness

I consider myself fortunate… since losing my paternal grandmother at the age of seventeen, it wasn’t until my third decade of life that I experienced another loss of a loved one. Then this past May, my grandparents passed away within two weeks of each other. My grandfather succumbed to complications from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, a condition that slowly and stealthily disintegrated his ability to breathe on his own.  As for my grandmother, her death certificate reads “respiratory arrest”, but we like to think that she died of a broken heart. For the past several months, this loss has cast me into a revolving state of sadness, curiosity, introspection, and personal growth. Read the rest of Kathleen Collins’ story here.

Superflow Boston Tickets Available

Featuring a dynamic line-up of yoga talent from both coasts in a spectacular downtown setting, SUPERFLOW is THE opportunity to commune with kindred spirits and power up naturally in preparation for one of the country’s most celebrated sporting events.  Three hours of cutting edge yoga, the latest in yoga apparel and accessories, high-powered products and community. This is an afternoon not to be missed.

Bring a friend and join us for our Second Annual SUPERFLOW right here in Boston. For more information and tickets, click here.

Mercury Retrograde—What’s it Good For?

We’re coming up to a Mercury Retrograde cycle. Before you hide your computer under your bed and lock your doors, according to scholar and practitioner Dr John Casey, “These retrograde periods are said to be excellent times to catch up on bills, paperwork and correspondence, as well as engaging in review processes and consolidation of details connected with projects already underway. Not something to fear, this Mercury Retrograde will be good time for sending out Christmas cards, thank you notes and end-of-the-year newsletters. Unleash the power of the planets in practice.” Read more of John’s discussion of Mercury Retrograde here.

Vedic Astrology with Sam Geppi

On December 13, the Moon will be full in Taurus today, which brings contrast to the Sun in Scorpio. This full moon cycle helps us harmonize the intensity and dynamism of Scorpio with the stability of Taurus. The Moon is exalted in Taurus due to Taurus’ consistency and materiality. While it can be easy to become seduced by emotional drama with the Sun in Scorpio, this Full Moon in Taurus helps us relax into a deeper sense of peace and connection with our family and other loved ones.

This Full Moon happens in Mrigashira Nakshatra, which is symbolized by a deer wandering through the forest, curiously exploring its surroundings. Feel that sense of peace, family, and curiosity now on this Full Moon.

For the full Jyotish forecast for December/January click here.

Doug Corbett

Doug has had a long and varied career in the magazine business in sales, marketing, editorial, and printing. As one of the original partners of Healing Retreats & Spas magazine Doug experienced publishing in the mind, body, and spirit space and has never looked back. 
In 2003 he dove headlong into the online space with the wellness website and e-commerce store Find Bliss based on the concepts he developed at Healing Retreats & Spas. He joined forces with Felicia Tomasko in 2011 to create the Bliss Network with the merger of Find Bliss, LA Yoga Magazine and Bliss Kit.

The post December 15 2016 LA Yoga Newsletter appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.