Spring is here, and the possibility for growth and abundance is literally at our fingertips. Whether you are brand new to gardening, period, or new to organic gardening, having a community and support system to start and grow a garden can make a world of difference. Whether we have one potted plant, or an expansive organic farm, we all have something to offer each other.

If you made it to our introductory session and want more, you're in the right place! If you missed it, and still want to jump in and grow your own produce, you're in the right place, too.

During the second meeting of the 2012 Organic Gardening Co-op, we'll get into the "Nitty Gritty" of tending to your soil and sprouts. Here you will learn about how to maintain and harvest your own backyard-grown food. We will give you your starters, and talk about how to plant them, tips for different plants (including organic plant food options), and what to look for as your garden starts to grow.

Bring your Organic Gardening books (included in the Co-op kit), and don't be shy with any questions or obstacles you're facing! 

Click here for more information on the Co-op!

With spring coming, new flowers are blooming, the weather is shifting, and new growth is abundant. We are no different! We are meant to grow, to shift, and to bloom, because we are even more beautiful and vibrant than we ever thought possible. Commit to living and exploring YOUR possibilities with the VEERA CHALLENGE! 

Through this 6 week program, you will be guided, encouraged and held accountable for your goals, personal growth and transformation. We will combine the practice of yoga asana (postures) with nutrition, self-exploration, meditation and pranayama (breathing practices) to ensure the best possible result. 

Dates: May 4th through June 8th

Meeting Dates: Fridays: 7:30pm-9pm

Early bird discount: 

$279 for those who register by April 20th!

 (Click here for free viewing of this month's video)

This month's review is a follow-up piece to The Power of our Vulnerability by Brene Brown (to be found on TED.com). The follow-up talk is entitled Listening to Shame. Dr. Brown discovers her own vulnerability and the essentials of overcoming shame. It turns out that our vulnerability is our most accurate measure of courage, and the contemporary myth that vulnerability is weakness is emotionally dangerous. Her research indicates that when we experience someone else as emotionally vulnerable we think they are brave and courageous.

To create, to innovate, to change, requires a willingness to be vulnerable.  What stops us is our own experience of shame, "the swampland of the soul."  Most of us think that to experience our shame means to set up permanent residence there. We need to move through the shame to find ourselves. Shame says, "You're not good enough" or "Who do you think you are?" 

Shame according to Dr. Brown thrives on secrecy, silence and judgment; the antidote to shame is empathy. To rediscover our true selves and each other means to engage in empathy for ourselves and for others. As we practice yoga on and off the mat, we can begin to notice the inner critical voice. If we engage our empathy for ourselves and others we can forestall judgment and shame. Namaste!