|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Moon Dates
New Moon July 1
Full Moon July 15
New Moon July 30
Full Moon August 13
New Moon August 29
|
|
 Happy July! I hope you're enjoying this month of transitions, rapid acceleration, and balance. Yes, finding balance and staying neutral and peaceful throughout your journey is paramount! ... And this month you're finding new ways to dig deep to find the right tools to help you along the way. To get things fired up properly we began this month with a new moon and solar eclipse on July 1. Just in case that "rocket launch" left you a bit wobbly or off center, this full moon brings us in direct contact with our lineage of teachers for an infusion of wisdom and assurance that all is in perfect alignment. |
|
 | | Swami Satyananda Saraswati |
Guru Poornima
The Full Moon in July is joyfully celebrated as a time to honor and respect the presence and inspiration of the teacher or guru. It's a beautiful time to reflect upon and connect with love and gratitude to those in your life that have provided you with guidance and support.
I'd like to take this time and space to honor a great man, Swami Satyananda Saraswati. His presence and teachings have been, and continue to be, a guiding beacon in my life.
... in the words of Swamij Satyananda Saraswati:
I am an invisible child of a thousand faces of love,
That floats over the swirling sea of life,
Surrounded by the meadows of the winged shepherds,
Where divine love and beauty,
The stillness of midnight summer's warmth pervades.
Life often cuts at my body and mind
And though blood may be seen passing,
And a cry might be heard,
Do not be deceived that sorrow could dwell within my being
Or suffering within my soul.
There will never be a storm
That can wash the path from my feet,
The direction from my heart,
The light from my eyes,
Or the purpose from this life.
I know that I am untouchable to the forces
As long as I have a direction, an aim, a goal:
To serve, to love, and to give.
Strength lies in the magnification of the secret qualities
Of my own personality, my own character
And though I am only a messenger,
I am me.
Let me decorate many hearts
And paint a thousand faces with colours of inspiration
And soft, silent sounds of value.
Let me be like a child,
Run barefoot through the forest
Of laughing and crying people,
Giving flowers of imagination and wonder,
That God gives free.
Shall I fall on bended knees,
And wait for someone to bless me
With happiness and a life of golden dreams?
No, I shall run into the desert of life with my arms open,
Sometimes falling, sometimes stumbling,
But always picking myself up,
A thousand times if necessary,
Sometimes happy.
Often life will burn me,
Often life will caress me tenderly
And many of my days will be haunted
With complications and obstacles,
And there will be moments so beautiful
That my soul will weep in ecstasy.
I shall be a witness,
But never shall I run
Or turn from life, from me.
Never shall I forsake myself
Or the timeless lessons I have taught myself,
Nor shall I let the value
Of divine inspiration and being be lost.
My rainbow-covered bubble will carry me
Further than beyond the horizon's settings,
Forever to serve, to love, and to live.
~Swami Satyananda Saraswati
|
 Ayurveda Tips We're in the peak of summertime Pitta Season. We're in close relationship with the elements of fire and water. For more info about ways to keep cool this summer, check out last month's newsletter in the archives for lots of Pitta balancing tips. Here is one of my favorite ways to soothe my skin in the summertime: Before and after showering, massage your skin with organic sesame oil mixed with several drops of sandalwood and rose...... aaaah, heavenly! |
Pranayama Simple Abdominal Breathing (diaphragmatic breathing)
Your diaphram is a sheet of muscle separating your lungs from your abdominal cavity. Abdominal breathing is the most natural and efficient way to breathe, and it ensures that your lower lobes of the lungs are being fully used. Sometimes, poor posture and stress causes us to constrict our diaphragm and we begin to breathe in shallow, choppy, restrictive patterns. With practice, you can become more sensitive to the movement of the diaphram and restore correct breathing. The result will be a great improvement in your overall sense of well being and radiant health.
Begin by lying on your back and relax your entire body.
Breathe naturally and simply observe your breath and body.
Relax here for a little while.
Place your right hand on your abdomen above the navel.
Place your left hand on the center of your chest.
Your right hand will naturally move up as you inhale and down as you exhale. Your left hand stays still.
There should be no tension, just relax.
Feel your abdomen contract and expand without moving the ribs or shoulders.
Breathe slowly and deeply.
Once you get the hang of it, you can practice (without placing your hands on your belly and chest) anytime while you go about your daily routine.
|
3
Quinoa with Fennel, Zucchini, Cranberry Here is my favorite dish this month. It's light, nutritious and versatile. It's super easy to make and can be served warm, room temp or cool. I've made it with several variations - adding avocado, raisins, celery, sunflower seeds. I brought a dish to a girfriend's house in Oak Creek Canyon and it earned rave reviews - so I wanted to share it with you. 3 cups cooked Quinoa (I like to use 2 cups red, 1 cup white) 2 medium zucchini diced 1 bulb fennel chopped 3/4 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup chopped parsley Olive oil Salt Pepper Cardamon (just a pinch) Nutmeg (just a baby pinch) 1/4 fresh lime Lightly saute zucchini with olive oil. Add fennel until softened. Add cranberries, quinoa, parsley and spices. Remove from heat and toss with a little more olive oil. Place in a serving dish and garnish with a little more chopped parsley, a few cranberries and a squeeze of lime. |
There's a New Kiln in Flagstaff So what have I been up to this summer? I'm up here in Flagstaff on the NAU campus building and firing a very special wood burning kiln! This picture was taken around midnight, July 15. We're still firing the kiln... stoking it with lots of wood donated by the forest service. We should be ready to remove our pieces on Monday or Tuesday after they're completely cooled. (If I've figured out how to blog by then, I'll update with more pictures!!) So why is this kiln so special? Takashi Nakazato is a very famous ceramics artist from the Karatsu region of Japan (he's sitting in the front in the pic below). His family has been creating pottery for over 400 years - 13 generations! He is here with Jason Hess's NAU ceramics program with his assistants, Kazu Oba, and Etsuji Noguchi. Etsuji designed this kiln.... which we call the "Double Headed Dragon". This kiln is a "Switch Back" Train design that has a fire box and chimney at both ends. It can fire from both directions creating heavy ash deposits at either end.... resulting in beautiful pottery!
Etsuji Noguchi, Jason Hess, Alex, Takashi Nakazato
 Kazu, Etsuji and Jason during construction  The master kiln designer, Etsuji, inside the kiln |
|
|
|
Coming Up Next Month
I'll bring more news from Flagstaff, Iyengar Yoga in San Franciso, and back to the Valley of the Sun.
|
|
Love, love, love .... and more love
"All you need is love, love, love. Love is all you need." John Lennon, Paul McCartney
|
|
Contact Info: deborah garland deb@kaivalyadesigns.com
Please feel free to pass this newsletter along to a friend, and contact me with any questions, comments or suggestions. Thanks for being here!
|
|
|
|
|
