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recipes
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how to meditate
sit down somewhere
lengthen your spine
let your hands rest in your lap
still your body
you may close your eyes
or
leave them softly open
drop your attention to your breathing
focus on each breath as it comes in and goes out
do not try to stop anything, nor to empty your mind
instead when you notice that your mind has drifted off the breath (as it most surely will), just courteously escort it back to focus on the breath
do not give yourself a hard time
sit like this for a while
enjoying your breath
sweet potato bake recipe
easy and delicious
2lbs sweet potatoes
3 Bartlet pears
1 T. oil
2T. sweet cooking wine
1 T. maple syrup
3/4C. walnuts or pecans
3/4C. raisins
cut potatoes and pears into same size bits.
mix all with oil and wine.
then
mix all with syrup and nuts.
Roast in flat baking pan, covered with foil, at 350 for 30min.
Add raisins, roast 30 more minutes.
This vegan recipe can be served with sausage for meat eaters.
One recipe for
Mountain Pose TADASANA
Stand.
place both feet under your pelvic bones
or
together, big toes touching.
engage the soles of your feet with the earth by lifting and then placing the toes.
stand tall
contract your perineum and press up thru the crown of your head.
grow an inch.
30% engage your abdominal muscles.
drop your tailbone.
relax your shoulders.
draw your arms and hands up overhead with palms facing, fingers pointing to the heavens.
let your arms be just a bit behind your ears
relax your shoulders
stand tall
draw your low ribs toward your spine
now engage the mind in mountain, connecting heaven and earth
solid
firm
able to tolerate all weathers
opening to the snow blanket of winter, the reds of early spring, the runoffs, buds and flowering,
summer's fields of flowers and intense heats
the brilliance and melancholy of autumn
mountain endures
perseveres
rests calmly
solidly
gracefully
what else does mountain pose invoke for you?
And then the release,
drawing your arms down. But first press your palms together, close your eyes and then
let your hands and arms drift down, slowly, listening to the prana (energy) and what it delicately invites your body to do next.
Then.
The second half of the pose.
Stilling and listening to the echoes and reverberations of having entered into mountain pose, in your heart, mind and body.
Enjoy your day today. taste each breath, each pose that you find yourself taking off the mat and the after echoes.
Its your life.
Live it in harmony with yourself.
From Thai Forest Master Achaan Chah
"Try to do everything with a mind that lets go
If you let go a little, you will have a little peace
If you let go a lot, you will have a lot of peace
If you let go completely, you will know complete peace and freedom.
Your struggles with the world will have come to an end."
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Sorrows and Joys
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February 2010 |
Dear Ones,
Namaste.
Our hearts go out to Haiti! Great suffering and struggle on a scale such as this can crack our hearts. We open with prayers for the living and the dead and a moment of pause for each of us. Perhaps taking this moment to reflect on our own safety and security, fundamental to living a healthy life in body, mind and spirit. Join us in metta (loving kindness) practice - offering:
May all beings be happy
May all beings be healthy
May all beings live at ease
May all beings be free
Om Shanti, shanti, shanti.
Jane Schaeffer
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YOGA NIDRA WORKSHOP
Class to be offered in April
We had an unbelievable 15 people come to take yoga nidra this past Saturday Feb 6th. About 1/3rd of the group is interested in pursuing this practice further. To that end we will be having a 3 week class on 3 saturdays in April. April 10, 17 and 24. This should prepare us for enjoying spring and summer to the fullest extent possible.
If you are interested in signing up for this class. Please contact me soon at (802)447-0393 or by email, jane.schaeffer@gmail.com
Blessings upon all who participated so deeply this past Saturday.
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KIRTAN
CHANTING WITH DEVI
Evening of Ecstatic Chanting
FRI FEBRUARY 12 7PM
Come sing, dance and be blissful at the Yoga Place in downtown Bennington with the band DEVI.
On
Friday, February 12 at 7 p.m. Spirit Hollow and the Yoga Place present
a kirtan. Kirtan is ecstatic chanting from the Indian Bhakti tradition
that takes us into the sea of bliss. Singing the names of the Divine
using sacred mantras in Sanskrit and English tunes and heals our bodies
and opens and expands our energy fields. Chanting is a perfect
augmentation to any yoga or heart-opening practice, as it cultivates
love, devotion and deep peace.
Accompanied by harmonium,
guitar, drums, we sing kirtan 'standards' and original chants and folks
songs. The event is audience participatory; everyone sings together
from their hearts. No experience or special skill is needed; just a
desire to be in a satsang of like-hearted folks. Sing, dance, or simply
close your eyes and lie down allowing the waves of song to wash over
you. Kids are welcome. Bring rattles, tambourines, finger cymbals or
drums!
DEVI is composed of musicians from Shaftsbury, Manchester
and Schenectady, NY. Cost is $10 at the door. Call 802-447-3895 for
details.
Note: I cut and pasted from Facebook and do not know how to delete the stuff below....and wanted you to see the picture....sigh
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CIRCLE SINGING
BRING YOUR VOICE AND HEART
Circle Singing with Evita
Cobo
In the Aboriginal culture of Australia, when someone is
troubled, she or he goes to the medicine man or shaman, rather than a
therapist. And, the first thing
the shaman will ask is, "When did you stop singing?" They believe that their lives are inextricably connected to
others and to Spirit through their voices and singing, and that they can even
navigate in unknown territory, from one point to the next, in the belief that
their songs will lead them to their final destination. They rely with great trust in what are
called Song Lines in their ritual Walkabout.
We, as a culture, have lost this deep connection to our
voices and to the riches that it can bring us. We believe that singing is only for those who are "trained"
or professional in some way, not that it is really one of the most natural
expressions that a person can experience. There is also scientific evidence that singing
together strengthens our immune systems and it brings deep joy and a strong
sense of community.
Join others in a safe, supportive and fun environment where
we will learn simple vocal exercises and games, sing songs and explore ensemble
and circle singing. There will be
opportunities for solo work for those who are interested in this. There is no experience necessary, just
a desire to sing and share in this transformative and healing experience with
others.
Classes:
Tuesday evenings, beginning February, 2010 from 5:30-6:45 $15.00. COME SOON.
Please call Evita at 802-249-0645 for registration.
Evita is a jazz vocalist and psychotherapist, with over 50
years of combined experience in these areas. She performs in the tri-state area, in New York City and
Boston, Georgia and recently in Point Reyes, California. She has studied
over the past seven years with Rhiannon who is a colleague of Bobby McFerrin
and a founding member of McFerrin's vocal improvisation group, Voicestra. Her CD, Invitation, is available through
cdbaby.com. She is a certified
Kripalu Yoga Instructor and teaches Body Awareness and Fundamentals of Singing
for the performing arts program at The Community College of Vermont.
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