Megan Monahan Tells Us: Don’t Hate, Meditate!

“Stop Pressing the Snooze Button on Your Awareness.” To me, this says it all. It’s the first subhead in the first chapter (“Meditation—Your New Nonnegotiable”) of Megan Monahan’s first book, Don’t Hate, Meditate! In these pages, Megan fully delivers the methods to make this happen. The series of practices offered show us how we can stop fussing with the mental snooze button in order to wake up and live an aware life.

The book is arranged into six chapters. In addition to suggesting that meditation is your new nonnegotiable, they are: Presence, Acceptance, Intention, Nonjudgment, and Trust. Within each chapter, she speaks to the modern meditator with discussions such as, “Trust Doesn’t Require a Cosigner.” And “Are You Believing Every Thought You Have?” As well as “Evict Energetic Roommates.”

Megan is the teacher I would have loved when I was first beginning my practice and she’s one of the teachers I am grateful for now.

Collect Spiritual Extra Credit

Some of the many things I love about her book are the ways in which Megan’s brings it home. She includes assignments for Spiritual Extra Credit, quizzes that guide choices for practice, and takeaway reflections.

We hear more and more these days about the benefits of meditation. Megan shows us how to experience those benefits when we meditate with purpose. You’ll find yourself underlining words of wisdom such as, “It’s not in the effort and ‘trying’ that we find the greatest success. It’s in the consistency with which our micro-actions align with our truths and intentions.” Megan’s must-have guide to encouraging consistency of practice to find this meditative inner alignment is a welcome addition to the contemporary literature of meditation instruction.

Felicia M. Tomasko

Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.

www.blissnetwork.com

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Krishna Das Photo by Ann Summa

The art of kirtan is the sacred practice of repeating the names of god. It is the collective practice of praising all aspects of the divine through repetition, melody, rhythm, and song. Kirtan is a participatory practice in which a concert becomes an event of worship, of community gathering and connection, and an experience of group meditation.

Krishna Das (KD) is one of the artists who have popularized this sacred practice in the modern world. His 16 albums have planted the seeds of kirtan around the world. KD has shared this music at the Grammy Awards, is the subject of the film One Track Heart: The Story of Krishna Das and the author of Chants of a Lifetime: Searching for a Heart of Gold.

Krishna Das and Musicians Photo by DJ Pierce

Join him and a group of master musicians for a special weekend in Los Angeles.

Peace of My Heart Workshop with Krishna Das

Saturday, April 6, 1-4pm
Wisdome LA, 1147 Palmetto St, Los Angeles

Learn more and register for the Krishna Das workshop

Peace of My Heart Concert with Krishna Das

Sunday, April 7, 7-9:30pm
Wilshire Ebell Theatre, 4401 W 8th St, Los Angeles

Learn more and register for the Krishna Das kirtan 

KD’s voice reverberates with a powerful devotional commitment to the Sanskrit mantras. His enthusiastic and transformative events are not to be missed.

Learn more and purchase tickets at: krishnadas.com

Felicia M. Tomasko

Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.

www.blissnetwork.com

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Try the Unique Style of Sumo Yoga in LA

Sumo Yoga combines basic Yoga asanas and Sumo wrestling movement classics. We developed a unique style of Yoga which focuses on developing extra hip strength and flexibility. Each class is accompanied by the recording of a live Japanese drum. Come join us for our free classes to enjoy the physical mental benefit of Yoga and Sumo.

Benefits of Sumo Yoga

Sumo movements are infused by rich Japanese traditions. By incorporating Sumo elements, you will experience not only the physical effects of strengthening and stretching but also the mental effect of getting more grounded.

Class Length

This class is 60 minutes long.

Cost and Levels

This is a FREE class and open to ALL levels.

Please note that filming and photography may occur during the classes. We may ask you to participate in an interview after class.

SUMO YOGA Schedule in LA

Studio Surya

https://www.studiosuryayoga.com/
March 17 2:30-3:30pm
March 23 6:30-7:30pm
March 24 2:30-3:30pm

Location: Studio Surya Yoga, 1501 Main Street #106, Venice, CA 90291

Light On Lotus

http://www.lightonlotus.com/2018/
March 20 2:30-3:30pm
March 21 4:30-5:30pm
March 22 2:30-3:30pm

Location: Light on Lotus Temporary Location, 12024 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

Sign up for a Sumo Yoga Class

Pre-registration: Email at matsui@be-lifecreate.com

Felicia M. Tomasko

Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.

www.blissnetwork.com

The post Participate in Free Sumo Yoga Classes appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Progressive Activism

What was the turning point in your life when you started to dedicate your energies to activism and how do you include this in your life today? And how can people become more involved at this crucial time?

Richard Greene on Actions for Progressive Activism

I have always loved politics and civics. I served as a Congressional Intern and I ran for Congress myself. In addition, I was a Fellow at The Constitutional Rights Foundation. Over the years, I have coached countless Presidents, Prime Ministers, Governors, Congresspersons, Senators, and Mayors. I have even hosted a national show on it for three years on Air America Radio.

What inspires me is a whole new vision for politics. And a whole new way of doing politics. In short, I believe that politics and political action is the quickest and most powerful way for large scale spiritual change and evolution. And I’ve designed a disruptive yet super simple new way to get there based on an epiphany I had. An epiphany that “told” me that there was a “Magic Number” for America (and every other country) to get whatever we want.

279 for Change Campaign

In my 279 for Change Campaign (www.279forChange.us), I explain that Citizens can get – literally – anything and everything we collectively want. This includes revolutionary climate change and environmental legislation and a vibrant “Green New Deal” that creates visionary 21st Century environmental infrastructure with lots of new jobs, money out of politics, GMO Labeling and, indeed, a ban on GMOs and pesticides and even a mandate for agriculture to be 100% regenerative, affordable healthcare for all, total income equality across the country, equal pay for women, lower college tuition, and on and on.

If we in The United States can elect 279 people who are committed to passing these kinds of bills this will be done. It can happen almost immediately. We need 218 people to vote for these bills in The House, 60 in The Senate and 1 person to sign them in The White House.

We need to “Billify’ not Vilify” in America.  Let’s forget political parties, politicians, “politics as usual” and HIRE candidates who will commit to these bills.  And on November 3, 2020 we can re-elect 218 in The House who already believe in them (Democrats), flip 13 of the 23 Republican seats that are up for re-election in The Senate to reach 60 and elect a Democrat who will sign these to The White House.

We are 14 people away from getting what the vast majority of spiritually oriented people – and, in fact, all Americans – want . . . but only if some of the 100 Million, mainly young people, who will not otherwise participate, start believing in a positive vision of politics and actually vote!  #SpiritualPoliticalNirvana2020

Progressive Activism at The Conscious Life Expo

Richard Greene is one of the notable speakers participating on a panel on Progressive Activism Panel at the 17th Conscious Life Expo on February 23, 2019 at the LAX Hilton.

The Conscious Life Expo is a four-day experience promoting a sustainable lifestyle Sustainable Lifestyle Offering Real Solutions Through New Technology, Innovative Modalities and Motivational Learnings for the Global Community. Held February 22-25, 2019. Learn more at: www.consciouslifeexpo.com

Dawna Shuman

Dawna Shuman runs the boutique PR Agency, Lighthouse Public Relations, in Los Angeles specializing in eco-sustainable campaigns and socially cause-related projects that enhance and impact global awareness, merging socially conscious life changers and  visionaries with social and mainstream media.  

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Conservationist, Activist, and Filmmaker Rob Stewart on the Need for The Revolution

The late Film Director and Conservationist Rob Stewart was well-spoken, armed with facts and driven with an intoxicating optimism that powerfully draws people in. Naming the conservation movement, “The largest movement that has ever existed.” Stewart emphasizes collaboration and unity of all environmentally-minded organizations.

He was convinced that children are humanity’s biggest hope because they will fight the hardest for their rights.

Education through The Revolution

The mission for education includes distributing the 2014 documentary film Revolution for free. Rob Stewart and his team have created an educator’s online platform at TheRevolutionMovie.com.

This interview was completed after a Los Angeles screening of the film Revolution.

LA YOGA: Tell us more about how children are humanity’s biggest hope.

Stewart:  Creating a revolution is the task of the young generation. We need to change the educational system entirely so kids are taught what’s going on in the world and they can tackle this with everything they’ve got. The more they understand, the more they know, the more rewarding it’s going to be because they are going to get better at changing the world.

The situation’s getting more dire, but the conservation movement is a great filter for amazing people coming into your life by working for good. I’m sure you know that karma. If you start working for good, the Universe aligns behind you. Young people get this right away. They don’t have to deal with the baggage that adults have to deal with, like ‘Really? This is working out so beautifully for me?’

LA YOGA: What do you say to people who feel, “I can’t possibly make a difference. Look at all that pollution in China. Look at all that trash in the sea. What is one more plastic lid or plastic water bottle going to do?

Stewart:  It’s always been individuals who are going to change the world. Seven billion individual actions is a lot of plastic bottles. You’re going to incur karmic debt by doing destructive s*** and knowing it morally, so start pushing your world and your actions in the right direction.

LA YOGA: You emphasize creating a unified eco-activism that approaches conservation differently. How do we unite all the different groups out there?

Stewart: I started an organization called United Conservationists. I figured, it’s the biggest movement that’s ever existed. All we have to do is bring everyone together and we will crush the oil and consumptive industries, but it’s so hard to get these organizations to work together. They’re like children in sand boxes, protecting their own little castles.

I think that the reason the environmental movement has failed is because our ambitions are so small. Tell your kid that by the middle of the century there will be no fish, no rainforests and that people will be fighting over what remains. And yet the government and the adults will celebrate a 10% reduction in emissions.

Any child is going to realize that that this small victory will buy you half a percent more time in a hugely degraded world. It’s like Einstein said, “You can’t solve a problem by using the same thinking that created it.”

By fighting against our problems, we are just stooping to the level that the oil industry and the consumptive industry. We need to be immediately radical. You can’t be the biggest conservation group in the world and go up against a $20 billion company and not be radical. They’re funding our governments. They’re entrenched in everything. Fighting against our problems is the main reason why we’re failing.

What if humanity came together and imagined what the world could look like. What if we designed it to be beautiful for us and all species? That might be exciting enough for kids to go, “Wow, what could happen if we could have bears on our roofs and grow food locally and all the rivers and lakes were teeming with fish and that’s where we got food from.”

What if pollution were illegal and we weren’t negotiating over what quantity of toxic contaminants corporations could put into our food water air and bodies? Doing it right, I think, would be inspiring enough to people to fight for it. Moving towards that goal would immediately make pollution illegal. And we’d unleash the genius of corporation to do what it needed to do to make its product without destroying the world we depend on for survival. We wouldn’t have to get down in the trenches with Exxon or whatever. We would just chart our pathway where we wanted to go.

LA YOGA: Your website says, “Revolution won’t stop until a sustainable human population is reached.”  What does that mean to you? Does that mean we should be having fewer kids? How do we monitor consumption?

Stewart: We need to decide as a species what our population should be, based on what level of living we want to live at. Knowing the technology that we have now and the technology that we’re using, we’re moving towards having too many people on this planet.

If we did things right, we could probably burn fossil fuels and still capture carbon and soil in the atmosphere. I think that we should have fewer kids. Because more than eating meat or driving a car, putting a whole new human in this world consumes a lot. You might be able to say that my kid is going to be a revolutionary and change the world and save everything. That would be amazing, but right now, we’re in a massive predicament. In putting out another person, we take away from someone else’s ability to survive in an

Aria Morgan

Aria Morgan is a yoga teacher, doula and music lover who finds inspiration in nature: ariamorgan.com.

www.ariamorgan.com

The post Rob Stewart on The Revolution Movie appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Coverage of sports bras that support a range of sizes

Brooks Running

Uphold Crossback Bra ($44)
A company known for running gear crafts sports bras suitable for both streets and trails. The medium impact Uphold Crossback Bra provides both breathability and support with contoured cups and light padding. Range includes larger cup sizes.
Brooksrunning.com

Coobie

Seamless Sports Bra ($22)
Coobie has mastered the comfortable smooth fit of the versatile seamless bra in a variety of style including the Seamless Sports Bra with adjustable racerback straps. This season’s color innovations include the mermaid tie-dye (pictured) and are offered in multiple size options. Other designs include the Coobie Fusion Yoga Bra ($22) and the Coobie Fusion Racerback Yoga Bra ($22).
Shopcoobie.com

Yummy & Trendy

Camo Bra ($68)
Veronica Rosas has named her line Yummy & Trendy to reflect the fit and fabric of the clothing as well as the design aesthetic. She has succeeded with comfortable, 4-way stretch fits that work well under clothing or as stand-alone pieces. The Bluesign approved recycled fabric denotes social and environmental responsibility.
Yummyandtrendy.com

Goldsheep

Retro Cube–Black Crop Top ($65)
Founder and head designer Keri Wilson and her team hand-create each piece with love in Orange County, California. Their playful and fashion-forward matching leggings and crop tops in a variety of patterns and styles are crafted from performance wear fabrics. Overall, they’re perfect for practice.
Goldsheepclothing.com

Wacoal

Sport Underwire Bra ($72)
This Japanese lingerie design company received the Salon International de la Lingerie in Paris Designer of the Year Award for 2018. Their sports bras combine wearable fashion with high-impact support and are available in a wide range of sizes (including up to a G cup). The Sport Underwire Bra has mesh detail, underwire frame, and convertible and adjustable straps.
Wacoal-america.com

Felicia M. Tomasko

Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.

www.blissnetwork.com

The post Top Tops: Trending Sports Bras appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

The Life of Yogananda

What’s to be gained from a second telling of a story that has already transformed so many lives? Plenty, as it turns out. Yogananda’s version mostly omits his career as the first global guru, with all the grunt work of expounding spirituality in a world where bills must be paid, misunderstandings addressed, and prejudices confronted — especially if you’re a brown man with throngs of adoring white female disciples.

Because that messy world is our world, this new version is, in some ways, actually more instructive than the first. After Yogananda’s years of awakening came decades of schlepping: homesickness, exhausting lecture tours, fraught organizational politics. Luckily, Philip Goldberg is a lively storyteller, and, as he showed in his indispensable American Veda: How Indian Spirituality Changed the West, he knows this territory like few others.

A tireless researcher, Goldberg has unearthed biographical nuggets that will surprise even the most devoted Yogananda disciple. And, crucially, he himself is a respectful, clear-eyed nondisciple who understands that even enlightened people are people. In sorting out the scandals and lawsuits, he draws careful lines between what’s known, what’s unknown, and what’s unknowable, and lets the reader decide how much any of it matters. Goldberg is a grown-up writer presenting a grown-up Yogananda for grown-up seekers. The Life of Yogananda is a must-read for anyone interested in the story of this influential teacher.

Dean Sluyter

Dean Sluyter (DeanWords.com) teaches meditation in Santa Monica and leads workshops throughout the United States and beyond. His latest book is Fear Less: Living Beyond Fear, Anxiety, Anger, and Addiction.

www.deanwords.com

The post The Life of Yogananda by Philip Goldberg appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

More yoga studios are including sound meditation classes on their schedules.  The healing, soul-soothing powers of instruments like singing bowls are becoming more accessible and widespread. It is an unbeatable experience to be  bathed in the vibrations of singing bowls a mere few feet away from your yoga mat as you lie in savasana. Michael and Jahna Perricone deliver the next best thing with their new release Toning: Ancient Tibetan Singing Bowls & Ethereal Voice. Comprised of four songs, Toning provides nearly an hour of beautiful meditative music. Toning offers the kind of transformational soundscape that instantly puts you into a calmer, clearer state of mind.

Music on Toning: Ancient Tibetan Singing Bowls and Ethereal Voice

The entire album is cohesive and could be played from start to finish enjoyably. At the same time, each song also has its own unique character. The album’s subtitle, Ancient Tibetan Singing Bowls and Ethereal Voice, is a perfect summation of what you can expect to hear. The voice and bowls are joined at times by other instruments—including guitar, flutes, and harp. This introduces just enough variety without distracting from the tranquility of Michael’s singing bowls and Jahna’s vocals.

Three of the songs are each close to 10 minutes long. These are perfect for a short meditation session or a luxurious savasana. They are my go-to choices for moments of stillness, both in my own practice and in the yoga classes I teach.

The track “Les Nuages,” which is French for “the clouds,” is appropriately reminiscent of European sacred music. “Les Nuages” conjures up images not only of clouds but also of church choirs and people in quiet prayer. “Dawn Extended” is nearly 30 minutes long. It is still as peaceful as the other soundscapes on the album. Yet at the same time, it takes the listener through a carefully choreographed variety of sounds. “Dawn Extended” has an effect like a journey along a long, meandering path. In fact, the album credits aptly describe each of the songs as “journeys.”

You don’t have to be a yoga instructor or even a meditation practitioner to enjoy this album. But take a listen. You just might find yourself being drawn into an internal meditative journey that leads you to unexpected places.

Alisha Maxine

Alisha Maxine is a yoga teacher, climber, world traveler, and handstand enthusiast.

www.yogawithalisha.com

The post Toning: Ancient Tibetan Singing Bowls by Michael and Jahna Perricone appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

The cover of this inspiring book, Dancing in the Unknown features the collection’s editor Betsy Chasse as a vibrant, be-dazzled, ethereal figure leaning back into…. well, the unknown. She represents every person who ever took a leap of faith, even if they had no clue where they would land.

What Happens if we Jump off the Ledge?

Chasse is a prolific author and filmmaker, best known for the iconic What the Bleep Do We Know?! This compilation of true stories features writers who talk about the visceral moments in which they asked themselves the question, “What happens when we jump off the ledge?”

In this book’s introduction, Chasse sets the stage on which she ushers readers to vicariously dance with the contributing authors. She breaks down the word knowledge into its component parts know and ledge, inviting readers to acknowledge that when we seek to know, we teeter precariously at the edge. It can be frightening or enlightening, un-nerving or invigorating.

The collection’s articulate authors range from attorneys to coaches, from sales managers to producers, from teachers to business owners, from photographers to therapists. Each one of them shares their steps in the process of actually making that jump. The chapters cover a multitude of topics.

Dancing in the Unknown Topics Covered

These include some the following ideas:

• The ego, which gets a bad reputation, can be used to elevate and not separate us from each other.
• Combining the concept of YOLO (You Only Live Once) with accessing the self-loving part of us.
• How our children can become our teachers and help grow us up.
• Trusting in divine guidance on a whirlwind tour that leads to intimate ecstasy.
• Ways that commitment in the face of uncertainty reaps rewards.
• Entering the vortexes in Sedona and finding home there.
• How stormy seas prepared one man for navigating cancer treatment.
• Being one’s own graceful dance partner.
• How one can tame their inner anger dragon.
• Trusting instinct and intuition to make decisions.
• Recovering from brain injury and re-creating a life.

Become a Mover and Shaker in Your Own Life

The book concludes with Chasse’s invitation to become a mover and shaker in your own life, as you immerse yourself in the music that perhaps only you can hear and the drumbeat/heartbeat that is unique to you. She has also created a community of kindred spirits on Facebook who dare to dance in the Unknown as well. When you pick up the book and start reading, be open to the wonders that await you!

Edie Weinstein

Edie Weinstein, MSW, LSW, is a creative journalist, inspiring transformational speaker, radio host, and the author of The Bliss Mistress Guide To Transforming The Ordinary Into The Extraordinary, among other work: opti-mystical.com

www.opti-mystical.com

The post Dancing in the Unknown Book Review appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Right in the thick of some of the darkest moments in today’s world, Krishna Das releases his new and 15th album of mantra music. The album is Trust in the Heart. And I feel the timing is perfect.

Krishna Das and Mantra Music

I immediately listened to the complete work when I received this album. I unequivocally can say this: For his fans, Trust in the Heart is classic Krishna Das. Everything you’ve ever loved about his voice, his use of melody, and his music is here. On top of that, the album features two versions of the beloved chant the Hanuman Chalisa! The rest of the tracks are steeped deep in the heart of devotion.

Recommending Trust in the Heart

The album has the feel of a family reunion that you’d want to attend. The overall tone contains the warmth of being under the blanket fireside on an early winter’s night as the season begins to change.

Inside (and outside of ) the genres of sacred mantra chanting and devotional music, many artists are often compelled to experiment in different directions after decades of albums. Here on Trust in the Heart, Krishna Das doubles down on his strengths. In every track, he unabashedly shares the fruits of his musical inspiration and his commitment to his spiritual practice.

The result is a compelling reward. It is a gem that is likely to be loved and embraced by everyone who has enjoyed his music as their faithful companion on the spiritual path.

Musicians and Chants on Trust in the Heart

Trust in the Heart was recorded at the legendary Avatar studios in New York. It was produced by both KD and recording industry luminary, collaborator, and friend Jay Messina. The album features some of KD’s most long-time musical companions. These include Nina Rao, Arjun Bruggeman, David Nichtern, Genevieve Walker, and John McDowell. In addition, Trust in the Heart features a particularly special return of vocalist (and KD’s own daughter) Janaki Kagel. Janaki appeared with KD in the chant “Mere Gurudev” (one of the jewels of the Door of Faith album). On Trust in the Heart, she sings on the new song “River Of Mahamantra.”

Trust in the Heart marks the first Krishna Das mantra music album to feature an original chant composed to his guru, Neem Karoli Baba (commonly called Maharaji). It is the emotionally stirring track “Namoh.” Over many decades of chanting, Krishna Das has introduced Maharaji to numerous generations of spiritual seekers.

This musical treasure will find a special place in the hearts of those souls. It certainly has in mine.

Shiva Baum

Shiva Baum is a record producer and peak performance coach. With an expertise in sacred mantra chanting, he is the head of music programming for the world renown yoga music festivals Bhakti Fest and Shakti Fest. He lives in Topanga Canyon. Find him on Facebook. 

The post Trust in the Heart Mantra Music by Krishna Das appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

How to Survive Your Childhood Now That You’re an Adult by Ira Israel is both scholarly and accessible. Ira Israel is a prolific and accomplished psychotherapist, meditation teacher, and author. He graduated from University of Pennsylvania and subsequently studied for 25 years in Paris, India, Los Angeles, Connecticut, and Santa Barbara. Israel earned graduate degrees in philosophy, psychology, and religious studies (Buddhism, Hinduism, and Kabbalah). He has also studied and sat with a long list of spiritual masters like Fred Luskin, Jack Kornfield, Rodney Yee, and Richard Rosen, to name just a few.

Authenticity and our Longing for Unconditional Love

Ira Israel has spent his adult life traveling freely between the worlds of academia and spirituality. This explains how he is able to deliver such comprehensive work. Driven by the breadth of his education and experience, Israel lays down a comprehensive and well-argued analysis of the suffering (resentment, addiction, neurosis, et cetera) around our inherent longing for unconditional love. He adeptly deconstructs the many layers of influence—from human nature to a system of complex structures and customs— that cause us to drift from authenticity.

Ira Israel on the Tenets of Authenticity

Leaning into his deep knowledge of Eastern spirituality, Ira Israel then offers a path to wholeness by redefining authenticity in terms of five tenets. The five tenets he describes are: attachment, at-onement, attunement, presence, and congruence. When we are able to incorporate these practices into our lives, we can cultivate happiness.

The uniqueness of Israel’s approach does not lie solely in his content, but also in the way in which he delivers it. You can add to his credentials a firm grasp of popular culture and idiom that make his style relevant, relatable, and irresistibly personal.

If you are looking for ways to live a life of authenticity, this is the book for you.

Staff Writer Lakshmi

The post How to Survive Your Childhood Now That You’re an Adult by Ira Israel appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

“A broken heart is also an open heart… our willingness is all it takes for healing to begin.” – David Kessler

I had the opportunity to study with David Kessler, who is the world’s leading grief expert, and I found his work to be revolutionary and insightful – simple and poignant. I bought a copy of every one of his books that day including You Can Heal Your Heart: Finding Peace After a Breakup, Divorce, or Death, which Kessler co-wrote with Louise Hay.

You Can Heal Your Heart includes people’s stories of loss and grief as well as insight into these stories gleaned from years of Kessler’s experience combined with Hay’s teachings on the power of thoughts and the use of affirmations. As the subtitle says, topics covered range from breakups and divorces, to the deaths of loved ones and pets, while also acknowledging a wide range of other forms of grief.

“Your loss will also be a window into your old wounds,” the authors say. When we experience a loss, our entire world changes, and in that moment of transition, we even have the grace and gift of the opportunity to heal old wounds that may have been suppressed and ignored. You Can Heal Your Heart provides tools for accepting and healing these existing emotional wounds. Many people, even those experiencing deep grief, often avoid the pain of allowing themselves to experience their grief fully.

“Hard times can serve as a reminder that our relationships are a gift.” The contrast of challenging experiences reveals the positive experiences. Looking at the way we grieve, we can begin to understand the grieving process and better support ourselves and loved ones. As new ideas are introduced, and new stories shared, there are new affirmations included, affirming healthy, healing beliefs around self-worth, love, and wholeness.

Through You Can Heal Your Heart, readers learn to harness the power of their grief and to “allow a new life to unfold,” guiding them on to the next chapter of their lives without ever escaping or denying the feelings that come with living through loss.

Ben Decker

Declared by Conscious Lifestyle Magazine as “one of the world’s leading meditation teachers,” Ben hosts popular classes, trainings, and events on meditation, social justice, and related studies at The Den Meditation, Wanderlust Hollywood, Divine Meditation, and Unplug Meditation.

Once praised by Forbes as a “legendary PR maven,” and “a shining example of the talent the philanthropic community needs to attract,” Benjamin W. Decker left a prolific career in Hollywood to dedicate his professional life to conscious activism.

He has worked closely with humanitarian organizations including anti-human trafficking organizations Unlikely Heroes & Saving Innocence, as well as Generosity.org, Children of the Night, the American Red Cross, and many others.

Decker is the Founding Executive Director of The Providence Project, President of the Board of The inerHEALTH Foundation, and Founding Spiritual Director of Full Circle Venice.

The post You Can Heal Your Heart by David Kessler appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Jai Uttal at the Parmarth Niketan Ashram

The Dream

A few weeks after his experience climbing a Stupa (read more here!), Jai traveled to the northern Indian city of Allahabad, where the Khumba Melas are held. The Maharaj-ji was rumored to be visiting there, soon.

Jai told me the story, “By that time, I was broke. My girlfriend had broken up with me. I’d had dysentery. I was alone and depressed. Every day, I would go to the place where Maharaj-ji was supposed to be, but he never came. I had one of those, ‘Why the heck did I come to India’ moments.’ Here I am, crashing on the floor of this little apartment with a bunch of people I don’t know.”

“Then one night, I have this dream. I’m at the Allahabad train station, all by myself, waiting for a train. There’s no one else on the platform. A train arrives and the only person on the train, steps off. It’s the Maharaj-ji, with a blanket wrapped around him, like he always wore. He wraps his arms tightly around me as I’m weeping and weeping. ‘Finally, you’ve come back to me,’ he says. ‘Finally, you’ve come back to me’.”

“It was such a profound dream that I woke up. It was 1:20am.”

“The next morning, I realize that the Maharaj-ji has been my protector and my savior, lifetime after lifetime, but I’m still not exactly sure what this means. I go to the same house I’ve been going to for weeks, and everyone is dead silent. I asked, ‘What happened?’ ”

“The Maharaj-ji came early this morning. He arrived at 1:20 am by himself on the Allahabad Express and called us from the station to pick him up..”

Jai pauses, looking me in the eye across the Skype screen. “That was the exact time of my dream.”

Aria Morgan

Aria Morgan is a yoga teacher, doula and music lover who finds inspiration in nature: ariamorgan.com.

www.ariamorgan.com

The post The Dream — Jai Uttal and his Guru meet at the Train Station appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

That’s what The (not so) Little Book of Surprises is. In a world flooded with self-help manuals, it’s refreshing to find a book that is so full of wisdom. A book that doesn’t imply that I’ve failed miserably at life and if only I’d meditate properly, set the right affirmations, and let go of my annoyance at bad drivers I’d be rich, happy, and fulfilled.

The (not so) Little Book of Surprises isn’t quite a self-help book, it’s a magical, mystical journey into your heart and soul. It’s art, poetry and wisdom all beautifully packaged in an inspirational book you can leave out for everyone to have their own moment of surprise.

The hard cover, coffee table-style book is filled with gorgeous imagery by artist and photographer Endre Balogh paired with poetry and words of wisdom from mystic, poet and guide Deidre Hade. The entire experience is masterfully curated by filmmaker, physicist, and all around quirky guy William Arntz.

One of the thought-provoking moments of verse is as follows:

True thought and presence is within the silence.

It is within the pause between the syllables and the pause between the breath.

This pause is infinity. This pause is where we go to embody the mystery of fullness.

As the authors share in my interview with them (view it in the review online at layoga.com), having surprise in our lives opens our hearts and our brains to possibility, to other realms and ways of being, and is a much-needed ingredient to a happy and fulfilling life, and yes, I should probably lighten up on the freeway.

Check out the interview with William and Deidre here:

To learn more about The (not so) Little Book of Surprises please visit: bookofsurprises.com

Betsy Chasse

Betsy Chasse is an award winning filmmaker (What The Bleep Do We Know?!, Song of the New Earth, Pregnant In America) and best selling author (Tipping Sacred Cows, It Came Out of My Vagina, Now What?! – A book on Conscious Parenting) You can learn more about her at www.betsychasse.net

betsychasse.net

The post The (not so) Little Book of Surprises by Deidre Hade, William Arntz, and Endre Balogh appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Richard Rosen’s book YOGA FAQ: Almost Everything You Need to Know About Yoga – from Asana to Yama is a portal. Through Rosen’s modern lens we traverse the history and evolution of yoga from its ancient spiritual practice to its contemporary incarnation primarily as asana. Mister Rosen is a much better Sanskritist then he realizes and his sense of wonder – as well as his realism/skepticism – is refreshing, compelling, and infectious.

This is the ideal book for all 200-hour yoga teacher training students and it will inspire them to go down sundry rabbit holes to discover for themselves how yoga can help them tame their egos and/or “merge with the godhead,” as Eliade put it.

Before YOGA FAQ, one of the the best bridges to cross the schism between academic and popular yoga was Mark Singleton’s Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice, but now Richard Rosen has offered the perfect text to accompany all students who want to understand what yoga is and what yoga isn’t.

YOGA FAQ carefully weighs the essential texts and compares them with how yoga has evolved in America since Vivekananda spoke at the Parliament of World Religions in 1893—through Krishnamacharya down through the Iyengar lineage and Rosen’s own practice in the 1980s, which culminated in founding a yoga studio with Rodney Yee in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Much of the book is devoted to answering the typical questions of yoga students; however, I greatly appreciated the research that Rosen did and more specifically his point of view. Rosen exercises healthy amounts of doubt, sarcasm, and humor to help readers sink their teeth into topics such as Vedanta, the yamas and niyamas (ethical precepts and restrictions), the subtle body versus the gross body, mudras, bandhas, how pranayama relates to yoga, and then the evolution of asanas.

YOGA FAQ is an essential text for curious yoga students – particularly those who partaking in yoga teacher training programs or a lifetime of ongoing study – who yearn for a more comprehensive understanding of the history and evolution of yoga.

Staff Writer Lakshmi

The post YOGA FAQ by Richard Rosen appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

They say that for every one thousand saints there is only one siddha, and yet so many of these people seem to have sprung forth from the tiny Kumaon region of Northern India. One of the most well-known of these siddhas was Neem Karoli Baba, or Maharajji, as his devotees call him. He is the teacher or guru of well-known figures including Ram Dass, Krishna Das, Jai Uttal, Dr. Larry Brilliant, and others. When these seekers arrived in India, Deva Bhumi author K.K. Sah introduced them to Maharajji and served as their translator and beloved guide.

K.K. Sah was sprung from his mother’s womb directly onto the spiritual path. His family is from this region, and they have been in the company of siddhas for generations. The history of these enlightened beings, like Sombari Baba and Hairakhan Baba, is contained not in books, but in the stories told by the people who lived among them from generation to generation—until now.

In Deva Bhumi, K.K. Sah has masterfully assembled stories about these Kumaon teachers including Neem Karoli Baba. The tales here are essential reading for anyone interested in the rich history of devotional yoga and Hindu spirituality because K.K. Sah successfully communicates the experience of what it is like to be in the presence of the siddhas. It is as though their energy and teachings—known as their darshan—is transmitted through these pages. For more information, visit Love Serve Remember.

Staff Writer Lakshmi

The post Deva Bhumi: The Abode of the Gods in India By Krishna Kumar (K.K.) Sah appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

The Ego gets a lot of flack. People love to hate on it. It’s got more contracts out on it then Joey from the neighborhood. Everyone wants to kill their Ego and everyone wants to be Enlightened, because that’s apparently what happens when you finally put the bullet between the eyes of the Ego. It dies and you’re enlightened.

Hmmm… maybe, maybe not. In her new book The E Word, Ego, Enlightenment & Other Essentials, Cate Montana breaks the Ego/No Ego conundrum down in a way that helps us realize we can holster our weapon, stop the shoot-out, and train our Ego to work with us, and not against us. This way we can hopefully attain the “happy place”—that place of peace, fulfillment, and abundance that we erroneously believe Enlightenment will deliver.

Life is good—all of it. Knowing how to be fully human is the trick. And it’s actually not that hard to do.

According to Montana, this process starts with a conversation with your “self.” Who are you? Are you Betsy or Cate, Harry or Joe? Black, white, brown, Buddhist, Baptist, democrat, man, woman, spiritual/ not spiritual? No! That’s your ego! That’s your “story.” And that story—the Cate or Betsy story—can never become Enlightened. What lies beneath those things? That’s the question and the quest.

When enlightenment occurs, sadly you won’t be around to enjoy it. Why? Because enlightenment is the absence of any sense of personal self. As Cate says in The E Word, “Bliss happens without “ME”. There is no one home to BE enlightened. No one home to declare victory. No one home to be liberated. You can’t be enlightened with an Ego. But without our dearly departed Ego, where would “WE” be in this world?

Don’t fret, you can still be happy, filled with love and light and joy, because you can learn to manage your Ego and have a totally awesome, aware life, taking the middle road. Cate and her book will show you the path.

Check out my interview with Cate Montana

Betsy Chasse

Betsy Chasse is an award winning filmmaker (What The Bleep Do We Know?!, Song of the New Earth, Pregnant In America) and best selling author (Tipping Sacred Cows, It Came Out of My Vagina, Now What?! – A book on Conscious Parenting) You can learn more about her at www.betsychasse.net

betsychasse.net

The post The E Word, Ego, Enlightenment & Other Essentials appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Counter-cultural icon, Daniel Pinchbeck, known for his controversial views on the shamanic and medicinal use of psychedelics, brings us what appears to be a personal messianic manifesto, his new book How Soon is Now. With a preface by living musical and philanthropic legend, Sting, and an introduction by actor and Transcendental Meditation poster boy, Russell Brand, Pinchbeck’s latest book is poised to be a guaranteed commercial success.

Pinchbeck calls for a “planetary initiation,” in which all people of the world (or at least a critical mass), must come to a collective understanding of the immense proportions of the challenges we face. In a surprisingly thorough outline, we journey through what Pinchbeck believes to be the primary concerns of our time – including climate change, sex, religion, farming, money, and energy.

A survival guide to the millennial generation (and really – all of humanity), How Soon Is Now is written by a man humbled by his own taste of fame, world travels, and exposure to some of the brightest minds of our time. Pinchbeck draws upon the teachings of these elders (living and dead), in each of the many areas he covers. Always giving credit where credit is due, readers are introduced to fascinating characters and underserved content, doing a powerful service in promoting other influential works.

More than just a drawn out explanation of “everything wrong in the world,” and more than a polarized spiritual or political response, Pinchbeck feels like “one of us.” He’s calling for a maturation that wisely integrates the darkness of our psyches, the desires of our hearts, guided purposefully by the forces of light every step of the way. How Soon Is Now is made up of scientific intelligence, spiritual understanding, ancient wisdom and objective finesse, brought together with revolutionary fervor and a refreshingly humble tone – most of the time.

Easy to read, well-organized, legitimately entertaining, and contextually profound – How Soon Is Now is easily the most important book of the year.

Join Ben Decker and Daniel Pinchbeck for a conversation related to How Soon is Now? at the Den Meditation on March 19 5:30-7:30pm. 

Ben Decker

Declared by Conscious Lifestyle Magazine as “one of the world’s leading meditation teachers,” Ben hosts popular classes, trainings, and events on meditation, social justice, and related studies at The Den Meditation, Wanderlust Hollywood, Divine Meditation, and Unplug Meditation.

Once praised by Forbes as a “legendary PR maven,” and “a shining example of the talent the philanthropic community needs to attract,” Benjamin W. Decker left a prolific career in Hollywood to dedicate his professional life to conscious activism.

He has worked closely with humanitarian organizations including anti-human trafficking organizations Unlikely Heroes & Saving Innocence, as well as Generosity.org, Children of the Night, the American Red Cross, and many others.

Decker is the Founding Executive Director of The Providence Project, President of the Board of The inerHEALTH Foundation, and Founding Spiritual Director of Full Circle Venice.

The post How Soon is Now by Daniel Pinchbeck appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

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.

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 test video appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

In her book, Once Divided: Words and Images, Susan—who serves as both author and photographer—offers a curated selection of professional images she shot over many years combined with her own personal verse.

The musings are perfect to be read aloud to settle students into savasana, as fodder for guided meditations or meaningful contemplations, or to serve as a springboard for creative journaling sessions. In order to facilitate the reader’s creative process, Susan even includes a few pages without words yet touched by the soft visuals that speak to her signature style as an artist.

Both the photos and words reveal something about Susan’s own practice. Her years as a yoga student, well-loved teacher, and sincere meditator are evident here. The soul that shines through the pages becomes even more obvious on repeated readings. I found myself re-reading meaningful passages such as her poem titled “interludes” with her reflection on “inhale, exhale….reach, fold….the small spaces tucked in between, infinite opportunities, game changers, the effects rippling…”

It’s what you leave out, what is left unsaid… this is the sound of less.

The effects of this work certainly ripple and offer a signpost for the reader’s own wanderings. Through her poems, Susan gives us as the reader permission to find the space between our thoughts and the moments between items on our to-lists. These moments are when we can ponder ideas like, as Susan eloquently says, “It’s what you leave out, what is left unsaid, this is how we arrive, this is the sound of less.”

The sound of less can give us much more in terms of insight and reflection. Fortunately, the size of the paperback is just right for sliding into a yoga mat bag. Once Divided is perfect for a teacher looking for new inspiration to read to students, or for any of us to spark our own insight.

Connect with Susan Currie at www.susancurriecreative.com.

Once Divided is published by Shanti Arts Press.

Felicia M. Tomasko

Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.

www.blissnetwork.com

The post Once Divided Book Review appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Click on image for larger view

Photo By: David Young-Wolff
Yoga Pose: Ellette Craddock
Hair: JJ Jeffries
Makeup: Dawn Sorenson
Styling: Bree Montanarello
Shot on location – Young-Wolff Studios Santa Monica
Check out full slideshow: LA Yoga 2016 Fashion Slideshow

Some of the ways in which we move the body through variations of poses are as important as the poses themselves. The latest performance gear allows students and practitioners of all levels to bend and stretch with ease. These leggings by Eagle Rock Werkshop are hand-crafted in Los Angeles from compression fabric made in Italy. Original designs by artist Chriztina Marie (aka Tina Z) like the octopus tentacles winding up yogini Ellette’s legs add a creative whimsy to practice. The bra top by Los Angeles-based activewear experts Funky Diva is soft on the skin and suitable for a variety of different poses and fitness activities. Ellette is wearing bracelets by Five Star Hippie. Designer Janine is a NYC native who visited Los Angeles and captivated by the sun and surf—stayed on the West Coast to build her spirit-inspired jewelry company which supports ocean conservation initiatives.

Felicia M. Tomasko

Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.

www.blissnetwork.com

The post Side Lunge at LA Yoga 2016 Fashion appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Click on image for larger view

Photo By: David Young-Wolff
Yoga Pose: Ellette Craddock & Kate Hinkens
Hair: JJ Jeffries
Makeup: Dawn Sorenson
Styling: Bree Montanarello
Shot on location – Young-Wolff Studios Santa Monica
Check out full slideshow: LA Yoga 2016 Fashion Slideshow

While yoga is an individual practice, sharing a class with other people can be a powerful motivator and a fun community building event. Here, Kate and Ellette match poses and outfits in a variation of King Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana). They are both wearing the new Loving Bra by Electric Yoga. One of the places to buy Electric Yoga in LA is at fashion designer Michele Boubot’s Namastday Yoga Studio in Beverly Hills.

Kate and Ellette paired the Loving Bra with pants by Bohemian Island. The Thai company’s harem pants are comfortable enough to live in and perfect to practice in. Bohemian Island’s pants are hand-stiched with a noticeable attention to detail and 10% of proceeds support the Soi Dog Foundation on Phuket, an organization who looks after 1,000 stray dogs and cats and advocates for animal adoption.

Felicia M. Tomasko

Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.

www.blissnetwork.com

The post King Pigeon Pose Eka Pada Rajakapotasana at LA Yoga 2016 Fashion Shoot appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.