Spring 2012 Newsletter

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News from     In this issue     Summer Sun What's New? Form Current Schedule       What's New?     Soon: My art will be available for purchase on my website. Different print configurations possible. Keep an eye out!   Check out the link at the bottom to go to the Yoga Journal Conference in San Diego from July 12-16! All Students get $50 off registration with the code below. I hope to see you there!   Take a moment and visit   www.amurielyoga.com   and tell us what you think!     Forward to a friend     Know someone who might be interested in this email? Click here to forward this email to them.       Unsubscribe     Don’t want to receive these emails anymore? Click here to unsubscribe.     Summer 2012 Summer Sun Summer is already here and it brings thoughts of growth and fruitfulness. In California we are blessed with a seeming endless growing season but some plants will still only bear fruit at its right time of the year. There has to be some deep truth in this. Our body/mind/spirit knows the internal timing for our growth despite the external variables. Come celebrate that knowledge, honor your essence with me in the timeless practice of yoga.     Form By Ann Muriel RN, RYT   The word Form is both a noun and a verb. The word itself is in a state of flux. It suggests a container, a vessel to be filled, a framework, or a space to be in; at the same time insisting on the action of forming, shaping, and fashioning of the container itself. This physical form we inhabit; a formed body we may not like the look of, is the form we are given in utero to express ourselves. We form a human life from our collected experiences, forming our character, thought patterns, and muscle memories. Just as each mountain, wave, or cloud is a form filled unlike any other on the planet; each body/mind/spirit is a unique form. "We are the mirror as well as the face of it. We are tasting the taste this minute of eternity. We are the pain and we are what cures pain. We are the sweet, cold water and the jar that pours." Rumi   Being human, our monkey mind can also think about the form and forming of our thoughts. Do our thoughts fit a negative, self-defeating form? Repeated deformed and unconstructive thoughts will wear a rutted and muddy neural path in your mind. Is this what you have chosen? Is this your peaceful preference? I'm always so grateful when I remember that those thoughts are formed in our own minds. This means we can morph, reform them to aid, to calm, to heal, and to benefit us instead of harming ourselves. Reformation takes compassion, courage, resolve and perseverance. The corporeal body continually reforms as old cells die and the reusable parts are recycled to new cells. This miraculous process, if nurtured properly, can gradually improve and heal previous harmful habitual patterns of movement. In yoga practice; each pose our bodies form becomes the vessel containing the form we wish our body to fulfill. If you are willing to explore the limits of that aligned pose, perhaps you sense a smidgen of wisdom. The spirit body can be strengthened and healed by choosing affirmative ways of responding to the world. Each thought becomes the framework of our mind, the expression of our humanity. Each breath we take fills our form with fresh fuel to reform the corporeal body, mind and spirit. And each breath we take reconnects us with the flow of presence, the ever-changing form of the present moment. When you use that breath to express yourself in word form, how important it becomes to speak with metta or loving kindness. From the Dhammapada, sayings of the Buddha The thought manifests as the word. The word manifests as the deed. The deed develops into habit and habit hardens into character. So watch the thought and its ways with care. And let it spring out of love Born out of concern for all beings… As the shadow follows the body; as we think, so we become. width="25">   Copyright © AM Yoga - 551 Forrest Bluff, Encinitas, CA, 92024 Ph +1-760-633-1024 Designed by Concurrence Designs.

Spring 2011 Newsletter

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News from     In this issue     Check it out! What's New? Yoga for Stress Relief Current Schedule       What's New?     It's Official... A few months ago we launched our webpage. Now we have a new logo and officially own our domain name. Take a moment and visit   www.amurielyoga.com   and tell us what you think!     Forward to a friend     Know someone who might be interested in this email? Click here to forward this email to them.       Unsubscribe     Don’t want to receive these emails anymore? Click here to unsubscribe.     Spring 2011 Check it out! I'm happy to announce the Wednesday 9:30am classes are a success. We have dedicated students who have committed to showing up on the mat Wednesday mornings. Are you ready to join the fun? Please RSVP here as space is limited!   I am subbing as an instructor at Foundation Yoga on Monday March 14 at 10:30am. Come by and try it out.   I will be attending and intensive Prajna Yoga immersion on Friday March 18 and Saturday March 19. Check it out here. I will have a sub on March 18th for my usual Friday 5:45pm class at LA Fitness. Keep calm and carry on, I will return the next Friday and I'll be fresh with new information!   Yoga for Stress Relief By Ann Muriel RN, RYT   When your life is in transition, stress is an inevitable component of that process. Even when all is going well, our dynamic bodies react to the moment to moment changes in our daily existence. We actually want this to happen because it ensures that we are alert and ready for whatever life throws our way. It is only when stress is chronic and unrelieved that the body/mind/spirit has no chance to recover or reset to the appropriate stress limit. The link between chronic stress and disease has been well documented. The beneficial effect of practicing yoga for stress relief is increasingly recognized by Western medicine. (McGonigal, 2010) If the body/mind/spirit perceives a threat, you immediately initiate a biochemical defense in the form of cortisol sent throughout the body. With continuous high levels of cortisol, the cascade of adverse effects influences all systems of the body/mind/spirit. Many disease processes are exacerbated by chronically high cortisol levels. Yoga has repeatedly been found to decrease levels of this stress hormone. (McCall, 2007) The holistic nature of yoga can positively affect the way your body/mind/spirit perceives and reacts to stress for hours after a yoga class; and, if practiced often, can significantly increase physical well-being, clarity of the mind, and uplifting of the spirit. Regardless of the origin of stress there are ways to access the positive effects of yoga. Although yoga does not require faith to realize its benefits; a willingness to explore your own body/mind/spirit does help. Breath is the most accessible and present tool we have to calm the mind and focus the attention on the flow of the present moment. Diaphragmatic breathing fills the lungs completely on inhalation; exhalation empties the waste product, carbon dioxide, from the lungs and gently massages internal organs to increase circulation. Imagine your breath as the flow of a wave as it rolls in and recedes. Combine this simple breathing technique with the immensely restorative pose, Viparita Karani, or Legs up the Wall to get quick results. This pose is contraindicated for pregnant and menstruating women. Set up for this pose by identifying an open spot on the floor against a wall. Sit on the floor with your left hip close to the wall with knees bent. Use your arms to support the torso as you roll on to your back and raise the legs up the wall. Adjust your body until the weight is evenly on the hips, knees are soft (not hyper-extended), and tuck the shoulder blades under and down the back to open the chest for full breaths. The soles of the feet are facing the ceiling, hands gently resting on the belly to feel it rise as you inhale and fall as you exhale. Try to make your inhalations slow, deliberate, and full; make your exhalations equal in length and depth. Closing your eyes can help maintain focus on the flow of breath, the flow of the present moment. Your monkey mind will stray….gently bring it back to the flow of breath…… again and again…..If at any time you feel the breath is too forced, return to normal breathing. Stay in this restorative pose for 3-5 minutes; as you become more at ease, increase the time. Dismount gently from the pose by rolling to the right and settle into a fetal position for 3-5 breaths before you sit upright. Turn your attention inward and do a gentle scan of the body/mind/spirit. Do you feel less achy, more clear-headed, and more light-hearted? Yoga is an ancient and reliable gentle system for stilling the fluctuations of the mind. An introductory yoga class requires no experience to begin reducing your stress level. The cumulative effects of a restorative sequence of poses can be even more profound. (McCall, 2007) A yoga practice can provide a solid framework to help you navigate through stressful times. "Learning to give ourselves the gift of twenty minutes of quiet relaxation and reflection each day is one of the most powerful things we can do to improve our health."   Come relieve your stress in a free introductory class at AM Yoga, Wednesdays at 9:30-10:45am.   Lasater, J. H. Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times. McCall, T. (2007). Yoga as Medicine. New York, NY: Bantam Dell.McGonigal, K. (2010, June). Your Brain on Meditation. Yoga Journal , pp. 69,70,92-97. by B-real   Copyright © AM Yoga - 551 Forrest Bluff, Encinitas, CA, 92024 Ph +1-760-633-1024 Designed by Concurrence Designs.

January 2011 Newsletter

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News from AM Yoga     In this issue     New Year! What's New? New Beginning January Schedule       What's New?     Webpage launch We have launched our new webpage and would love it if you took a look. The link below will take you there. My regular schedule, special events, monthly newsletters, and contact/location information will be posted. We welcome comments and contributions.  Our new web page.     Forward to a friend     Know someone who might be interested in the email? Why not forward this email to them.       Unsubscribe     Don’t want to receive these emails anymore. You can unsubscribe here.     January 2011 Welcoming a New Year! Welcome the New Year with a dedication to harvest the benefits of personal yoga practice. I offer a peaceful, quiet retreat for restorative therapeutic yoga. Drop your worries at the door. Breathe deeply and listen to your body with compassion and gentleness. Private yoga is tailored just for you to address your strengths and limitations, challenging you to advance your practice safely and relieve painful stress! New Beginning ~ Wednesday, January 19th 9:30am - 10:45am This revolution around our magnificent sun will reveal an intimate new space for Yoga every Wednesday at 9:30 - 10:45am. I invite and welcome you to Yoga in my home overlooking the beautiful east hills in Encinitas. Weather permitting in our lovely SoCal, class will be held on the garden patio or alternatively in the cozy firelit upstairs room. Mats, straps, blocks and a variety of props are available. Experience the first class free! Please RSVP here for your special spot. January Schedule   Copyright © AM Yoga - 551 Forrest Bluff, Encinitas, CA, 92024 Ph +1-760-633-1024 Designed by Concurrence Designs.