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"When women are depressed, they eat or go shopping. Men invade another country. It's a whole different mindset."
--Elayne Boosler  | Dear Yoga Friends,
Happy August! This is the women's issue, featuring the 10 Things Every Woman Needs to Know
(see below). There's a very special planetary alignment occurring which can be a powerful catalyst to get unstuck from things we've clung to for security, things we don't really need to feed our souls. Oscar Wilde said that men desire women and women desire men's desire. If that's true, and if Buddha's right about desire as the cause for suffering, that's double the pain! What's needed is a new kind of security and a redefinition of ourselves and our place in the world.
Hopefully your Kundalini Yoga practice is assisting you in sensing your life purpose and in making your body a conduit for great tides of energy. When we are secure in our
bodies (Saturn, Virgo), and connection to Spirit (Uranus, Pisces), we can embrace what we're meant to do. Taking care of ourselves and continuing to open our hearts
is vital! Madelline Albright said that, "Hell has a special place for women who don't help other women." The male dominated media divides and conquers. It turns women against one another. This
may sound like a radical feminist talking, but it happens to be true. No one can deny that the sad state of affairs these days is that women are being backed into a corner by an objectification which increasingly portrays them as one dimensional beings. For a very long time in our culture, boys have been socialized at women's expense. The only hope for women, our society, and the world, is for women to honor each other and what they represent, and do their best to live in higher consciousness and inspire, teach, and heal from that perspective.
Georgia Retreat
We want to thank everyone who attended our retreat in Dahlonega, GA this past weekend. We loved meeting all of you and basking in your beautiful energy! It was an amazing group and we rocked Spirit! We will be planning another retreat soon!
Book Update
Many of you have written to ask about our forthcoming book. It has been written and is in the design stage. We're giving it a final once over and then in September we're going to do a photo shoot. So, in the greater scheme of things, it's almost there!
Sept 24 - 26 Give Yoga Memphis:
The Green Energy for Healing & Transformation Weekend
Public Classes for All Levels
Sept. 24-26 is the seventh session of our 200 hr. Teacher Training Certification at Give Yoga in Memphis! Each of these sessions will include a comprehensive physical workout, profound meditative techniques, and more! Fri: Opening the Heart 5 - 7 p.m. - $45 Sat: The Green Energy Set 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. $45 Sun. K. Yoga Superset: Super Prosperity 9:30 - Noon - $45 (Entire Weekend: $125)
To register: olivialomax@yahoo.com / 901.493.1431
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10 Things Every Woman Should Know*
 Spirit
1. Spiritual women aren't always honored and respected, because the collective consciousness has sunk so low, but as a Spiritual woman you are literally the hope for the world.
2. It may
be a man's world, but it's a woman's Universe! So as a woman you don't have to try to be like men to succeed. You're more powerful than that! You literally embody Adi Shakti, the Feminine Creative Principle. You are the Energy and Creativity of the entire Universe. Feel and be that! (see Adi Shakti Meditation below)
3. So much of a woman's worth in this culture is tied in with youth. Never forget that what makes you truly special is your inner aspect. By the time you're 36, it's imperative that you have already begun to cultivate a daily Spiritual practice and have taken your first steps on a path with heart. Your
life as a woman entails much more than just battling in the arenas
of the first two chakras (1st: security, body image 2nd: sex,
relationship, procreation). Cultivate your gifts. Heal, uplift, inspire!
4. So much of a woman's life revolves around doing things for other people. MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF. Crank up the music and dance. We recommend our Dance the Chakras DVD.
Health & Beauty
5. Your best friend is your yoga
and meditation practice. The human nervous and glandular systems need
yoga and meditation everyday to stay in balance. If you want to stay
young, healthy, vibrant and radiant, then (in addition to your yoga and
meditation) stay away from meat, alcohol, sugar, excess salt, coffee, and the other usual suspects.
Try to stay alkaline. Be a vampire and protect your skin from the sun with some natural sunscreen and a hat
(this can't be overemphasized; DO NOT SUCCUMB to a 'Just this one time," type of rationalization). Exercise enough to break a sweat everyday.
6. Today's idea of beauty is hugely distorted. There seems to be one impossible ideal at a time (big chests on tiny bodies, big bootie on tiny bodies, etc....) and we diminish ourselves trying to conform to these media-driven trends. Yet, we are our most beautiful when we ignore current trends and embrace our uniqueness which is true natural beauty, by widening our concepts and adding important items to the list of what's beautiful. These include self-confidence and radiance.
7. Good posture makes any body stunning and engenders powerful presence. We are all proportioned when our spines are aligned. Whether we are an apple, pear, cantaloupe or a string bean, we look proportioned and sexy when we've cultivated a straight spine. Standing tall projects confidence and that's always super attractive!
Relationship
8. Don't validate yourself based on the attention (or not) you receive from men. Validate yourself as a royal soul who walks in radiance and whose very presence is a healing force. As a woman you are inherently subtle, intuitive, sensitive and fine tuned. To honor that you have to live in a way which supports your subtlety and grace. Set good boundaries and high standards. No one can do it for you but you.
9. The man in your life may make fun of your yoga and meditation practice. Kundalini Yoga does look pretty weird to innocent bystanders. Laugh along with your man and keep up with your practice and continue to set an example. Once he sees the positive changes in your appearance, vitality, health, and attitude, he'll be asking what Kundalini Yoga can do for him!
10. As a
woman, your relationship (or lack of one) with your father, determines
to a large extent, how you contend in the world. If your father was
absent, abusive, withholding, or disapproving, then you probably define
yourself based on men's attention or approval. If your father treated
you like you could do no wrong, then you probably have an inflated sense
of yourself, a dynamic which will eventually cause you or others pain. Be honest with yourself. Try to understand your patterns and
work from the inside out (Kundalini Yoga and Meditation), and the
outside in (heal your relationship with both of your parents, internally and if possible, in
actuality).
*Gay woman please extrapolate where appropriate. Also, we realize that men and women have masculine and feminine qualities and that's it's a little glib to make these types of sweeping generalizations. Nevertheless, we all need guidance and we hope this helps!
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Specials of the MonthMany of our titles are on sale on Amazon.com for as low as $11.99. If your order is $25 or more you get free shipping!
  
Amazon.com Specials
Kundalini Yoga Transformer All-In-One Workout - 20% off
The Kundalini Yoga Meditation & Breathing DVD - 20% off
Kundalini Yoga Solar Power All-In-One Workout - 15% off
Fat Free Yoga - 20% off
Kundalini Yoga for Beginners & Beyond - 20% off
Ultimate Stretch Workout - 15% off
Best Yoga DVD's for Women
Fertility, Endurance, Strength: Warrior Workout, Yoga House Call (Fertility & Potency Segment), KY Cardio
Health Bones, Body Symmetry: Yoga House Call (Strong Bones & Muscle Tone Segment),Kundalini Yoga for Beginners & Beyond (The 5 Tibetans Segment)
Hip Release, Flexibility: Yoga Bliss Hips, Yoga for Beginners & Beyond: Stretch, Strengthen, Be Stress Free, Ultimate Stretch Workout
Confidence, Personal Power, Focus, Will: Navel Power
Heart Opening: A Journey thru the Chakras(Heart Chakra)
Stress Relief: The Kundalini Yoga Meditation DVD
Stubborn Life Issues: A Journey thru the Chakras, (Foundation Segment)Kundalini Yoga for Beginners & Beyond (Rise & Spine Segment)
Creativity: Throat Center on A Journey thru the Chakras
Radiance & Attractability: K.Y. for Energy & Super Radiance
Positive Weight Control: Fat Free Yoga
Detoxification: Yoga Cleanse
Best Overall Workout for Women: Yoga Beauty Body
Please note that many of our DVD's are also
available on amazon.co.uk as well as amazon.ca
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Questions of the Month
Husband Blues
Hi Ana, I thought I would ask for an opinion on something. I had my third baby last year. The issue: my husband makes comments once in a great while about me having gotten back in shape quicker after the second baby and that I'm not at the same point now as I was then. If I eat a little too much dessert he will remind me of this and proceed to tell me that I'm 35 and that it is harder to stay in shape in your thirties. By the way I am 116 pounds and 5 feet 5 inches. I am offended because I feel like he is concentrating too much on the outside instead of the in and not understanding a woman's body, particularly in regards to childbirth. I am healthy and feel good physically, and I do take care of myself. Am I right to be offended by this or am I overreacting? I am not as toned as I would like to be, but definitely not out of shape, but the fact is being pregnant, especially multiple pregnancies, does seem to change a woman's body. I feel like celebrating the fact that I have carried and given birth to three healthy and beautiful children rather than on concentrating on whether or not I look the way I did after my second childbirth. He also insists that yoga and walking is not really working out. Opinion? Thank you and many blessings!
Thanks for writing. We're sorry to hear that you are having a life challenge. You are right, you should be proud that you gave birth to three beautiful children! The first thing that came to mind is that your husbands comments may be more of a reflection of how he feels about himself than you. You are definitely not over-reaching and we can understand that your husband's comments are hurtful. As Jennifer Aniston so aptly put it - some men are missing a sensitivity chip! Yoga and walking are definitely "exercise." In fact, walking is better than running (which batters the body, is not good for skin, and actually supplies less cardio benefits than brisk walking). Yoga is the ultimate exercise because it's all inclusive. The old model of burning calories and muscle burn is a one dimensional one. For success in anything, mind, emotions, Spirit, and (in terms of our bodies) glands, nerve, energy flows, and inner rhythms, must be addressed. Our advice is to let your feelings be known and to talk about your feelings with your husband. This can be a win-win because it may be a catalyst for improved communication and a deeper bond with your husband, not to mention taking walks and maybe even doing Kundalini Yoga together! You can also use this to spur you on to get in to your best shape ever! At 35, and as a K. Yoga practitioner, all doors are open to you! Please keep us posted! We wish you joy, health, and many blessings!
P.S. Fat Free Yoga and Navel
Power, are Great DVD's to practice to get back in shape after pregnancy.
Getting Pregnant at 35
Hello Ana and Ravi; I am writing you in the hopes that you can assist me in selecting a yoga dvd that would suit the purpose of making me more succeptible to pregnancy. My husband and I have been together for 5 years and he is about to under go surgery next week to reverse a vasectomy that he had done years ago. I am 33, and have never tried to become pregnant. I know at my age there can sometimes be obstacles in achieving this, and I want to make sure that I do my part at making me as fertile as possible. I know that extensive research has shown yoga to be effective in reducing stress, detoxifying the body, and has also been known to be effective in increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs. I understand that completing chakra work on the 2nd chakra can also improve vitality to the reproductive organs. I currently own your dvd Fat Free Yoga and absolutely love it!! There are hundreds of yoga dvds out there and many are targeted at improving fertility, etc. however I would rather purchase a dvd that the two of you created because I know it will be of high quality and it will be effective at achieving the results that I am looking for. Out of your collection, can you recommend which dvds would work best at preparing my body for this amazing journey? Is there a dvd that you would recommend for my husband as well? I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. Thank you for all that you do! Namaste;
Thanks for writing and congratulations on your desire to become pregnant! We recommend the Potency & Fertility segment on Yoga House Call as well as our Yoga for Beginners & Beyond: Stretch, Strengthen, Be Stress Free, Fat Free Yoga, and Yoga Beauty Body.
Yoga, especially Kundalini Yoga, is extremely beneficial for fertility. The most important elements are to keep tension from forming in the area around the ovaries, a strong nervous system, healthy glandular system, and spiritually to create "good karma," so that positive desires are fulfilled. The aforementioned DVD's will work on all of those things. The Mantra sung at the end of Ultimate Stretch Workout is for "miracles" In addition, the Sa Ta Na Ma meditation at the end of Yoga Quick Fixes and Yoga House Call would also be really great to practice. Sa Ta Na Ma is the cycle of life and creation and will put you in harmony with the rhythms of life When trying to become pregnant it is important to maintain an alkaline diet (cut out coffee, sugar, red meat, and alcohol. Eat green vegetables and be careful not to overeat.)
Please keep us posted! We wish you joy, health, and many blessings!
Raviana Raw Sparkle & Shine Super Smoothie
Hi, Ana I just wanted to remind you about that awesome smoothie recipe you mentioned you would put in your newsletter. You made it for all of us at the yoga retreat this past weekend. I was literally buzzing with energy through the morning workshops and it's got me interested in exploring the whole raw food lifestyle. I really appreciate it! Thanks for your time and many blessings!
We are so happy to hear that you guys enjoyed the smoothie! Morning smoothies are a great
way to transition to a raw diet. Once you feel the energy and vitality from your morning smoothie, you will want to continue eating great for your whole day! We feel this one is beautifully balanced with everything a body needs to feel supercharged and ready for anything. Its also super hydrating and so, very cleansing! We have also snuck some greens in. Parsley has a nice light bright energy (and flavor) and its one of our favorite green additions to a fruit based smoothie.
Sparkle & Shine Morning Energy Smoothie
1 fresh young coconut water and meat
1 10 oz. bag of frozen pineapple (can be replaced by fresh pineapple or
frozen or fresh mango)
1 frozen bannana (freeze a bunch of ripe peeled organic bananas
overnight)
1 generous scoop raw vanilla protein powd(we use Sun Warrior)
10-12 large ripe strawberries (can be repaced with 1 cup or more of
blueberries)
1 half lime (just the juice!)
1/2 inch by 1/2 inch piece of peeled ginger
1 tsp bee pollen
2 capsules live probiotics (Udos or other)
1 handful fresh parsley
2 cups of filtered water (can use ice cubes as well)
optional: sprinkle of cinnamon for after poured into glass (for extra
insulin balance)
Add all ingredients in your blender. Open the capsules of live probiotics and pour into the mix. Blend until well blended and super smooth. Enjoy! This will make 2 very generous servings. Have seconds!This smoothie is guaranteed to be rocket fuel for your day (or Kundalini Yoga journeys!) It contains:
ELECTROLITES (for optimal hydration)
ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS
ENZYMES
PROTEIN (highly absorbable raw vegan)
PRO-BIOTICS to help insure optimal digestion.
ANTI0OXIDANTS, FIBER, and VITAMINS, & MINERALS for cardiovascular health,
BROMELAIN in the pineapple as well as the ginger and lime are excellent anti-inflammatory agents.
B VITAMINS plus our GREEN POWER ingredient!!! parsley is an excellent tonic for the blood vessels, it contains vitamin K which is great for the bones and is high in vitamin A, beta carotene and vitamin C. Traditionally parsley has been used for congestion and inflammation of the kidneys and bladder. It is also a tonic for the liver and spleen. Parsley is a specific for the adrenal glands, powerfully therapeutic for the optic nerves, brain and the sympathetic nervous system. We wish you smoothie sailing!
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Meditation of the Month
 In the yoga tradition, a woman is the embodiment of Adi Shakti, the energy of the Universe in manifestation. This amazining mantra will invoke the compassion and blessings of the Feminine Creative Principle in answer to the deepest prayers of your heart and soul. It will also give you the awareness to understand how to access the inner strength to be the answer to your own prayers. This mantra consists of phrases which are aspects of the Eternal Feminine. It means:
Primal Energy; I call on you. Source of All Energy I call on you. That that the Universe creates through; I call on you. Spirit Rising, Divine Mother, I call on you.
Adi Shakti, Adi Shakti, Adi Shakti, Namo, Namo,
Saraba Shakti, Saraba Shakti, Saraba Shakti, Namo, Namo,
Pritam Bhagvatee, Pritam Bhagvatee, Pritam Bhagvatee, Namo, Namo,
Kundalini, Mata Shakti, Mata Shakti, Namo, Namo
If nothing seems to working in your life, to the point where it seems like a cosmic conspiracy, do this mantra 108x. Also do it if you find yourself in a situation in which your grace is not being upheld. This mantra can be heard and chanted along with on ourKundalini Yoga Cardio, Stretch, & Strengthen DVD
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Check
Out These
Links!
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Facebook - Join us here
for real time news. Make the Fan Page your daily destination
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of you when
I'm not teaching in a city near you."
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Our Website - Check out our tour schedule, A - Z Health Archive, More!
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We wish you an exhilarating, joyful August!
 All Best, Ana Brett & Ravi Singh
www.raviana.com / ravianayoga@aol.com
Disclaimer: The advice we give is in no way intended as a substitute for medical counseling. Please consult your physician before beginning any exercise program or nutritional protocol
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