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Table of Contents:
Growing Your Yoga
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Greetings and Happy New Year!
Wow! 2013 is over and off we go into a brand new year.
In so many ways today, January 1st of 2014 is going to feel the same as yesterday and many of the days preceeding it. Likely you will feel like the same person, doing the same things, spending time with the same people, bumping up against the same obstacles - it will all feel so very familiar. And yet, this new day of this new year can still be a very potent day for setting the course for how, who, where and what you want to be.
Truly, every day this opportunity exists however the power of this day, this marker of beginning, is especially significant. All around the world this new beginning is being acknowledged. Intentions and goals are being set. The air around you is charged with the energy for change, improvement, and fulfillment. You are standing on the brink of this new year and you are standing here with billions of people who are opening themselves in these same moments to the potential for transformation.
We all know that while many people declare resolutions for the new year, many also fail within just a few weeks. Because of this, many are skeptical, even critical of the New Year's Resolution and have sworn it off completely. Still yet, there is that draw to somehow mark this new beginning. We can do that by setting intention rather than resolution.
How is that different?
(Head on over to my blog to read the rest along with some suggestions for sticking with your intentions this year!)
With many blessings and a wish for you: May 2014 be your very best year yet!
Leslie
And everyone at HeartSong:
Lani, Lynn, Kayci, Kat, Toby, Noemi and Kasey
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Growing Your Yoga
Homemade Chai Latte
It's no secret that I love a good cup of chai. Especially when the weather is chilly, there's nothing quite like a warm cup of steamed milk, black tea, sugar, and spices blended together in perfect harmony. For a long time, the only chai I knew came from Starbucks, but after moving to a yoga ashram in 2009, I experienced homemade chai for the first time...and not to knock Starbucks, but wow. Homemade chai is just a whole nother level of deliciousness, and making it is a lot easier than you might think.
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Did You Know...
about Kirtan Chanting?
A form of Bhakti (devotional yoga) Kirtan is a group practice of call and response chanting that is composed of mantras sung in Sanskrit or other languages.
Often used to bring focus during meditation, Mantras are sacred sounds, symbols or verses that hold spiritual or other significant power. Some mantras on the other hand don't have a particular meaning. They may be chanted purely for the enjoyment of how it feels as the sound emerges.
It truly doesn't matter how much yoga you've studied, how much chanting you've done, or how good your singing voice is. The real joy of this practice comes in co-creating a sacred space with the entire group and feeling the energy within the sound.Want to see what this practice is all about? We're celebrating our 10th year with a kirtan at our Open House on Saturday, January 18th. Local yoga teacher, musician and kombucha-maker Jean-Pierre Parent will lead the way.  Learn more about JP and his teaching at ominvasion.org.
Bring your unique voice to this uplifting gathering!
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Community Corner
Student Snapshot: Sophie G.
How long have you been practicing yoga?
I was first encouraged to try yoga by an acupuncturist I was seeing for a shoulder problem. She suggested that strengthening the muscles around the shoulder joint through yoga would greatly improve the mobility and put my body more into proper alignment, thus taking the burden off my poor, overused shoulder. She was so right, and I'm glad I took her advice. That was six years ago, and I've been practicing ever since.
When did you become a student at HeartSong Yoga and what was it that brought you in?
I went through three studio closings in my area and was starting to feel like I would never find a yoga home. I stumbled onto HeartSong two years ago simply because of its location, but I've stayed for reasons far more important.
Read the rest of Sophie's story...
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Resource Center
SOMA Evolutionary Refreshment
The start of a new year is a great time to we renew our commitment to mindful consumption.
To kick off 2014, we wanted to let you know about a local business that we love - SOMA Evolutionary Refreshment. Behind this company is Jean-Pierre Parent, a Portland yoga teacher (who you can meet and sing with at our open house later this month!) With flavors like Cherry Chai, Pear-Fennel and even a "coffee-boocha", you're sure to find a probiotic beverage of theirs that suits your taste.
Our favorite place to find SOMA kombucha is at the Beaverton Farmer's Market, which will start back up again in February, but if you LOVE good kombucha and can't wait until then, go visit their new speakeasy in the St. John's neighborhood. They're having a grand opening party on January 10th.
You can also check out symplefoods.com to learn more about fermenting, kombucha and SOMA's other tasty offerings.
Here's to making intentional food choices to fuel our bodies in the new year!
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Workshops & Events
 We're Celebrating the start of our 10th year! Join us for an Open House and Kirtan
Saturday, January 18th | 3 - 7 pm Our intention behind this gathering is to bring students, teachers and health and wellness professionals together to honor the special community we have here at HeartSong. We hope you'll come for some or all of this afternoon to enjoy good food, good company and a group call and response chanting session (kirtan) led by special guests Jean-Pierre Parent and friends. | RSVP today!
Start 2014 off on the right foot...
Yoga for Absolute Beginners 
Choose from the following dates:
Sundays, January 12th - February 2nd | 6-7:15 pm
Mondays, January 20th - February 10th | 7:15-8:30 pm Tuesdays, February 4th - 25th | 7:15-8:30 pm
or March 4th - 25th | 7:15-8:30pm
Ready to start taking yoga classes, but want to start at the beginning -- with other students who are also brand new? Enroll in one of our upcoming 4 week series to discover the physical, mental and emotional benefits of yoga in a safe and supportive setting. You'll emerge ready to join any of our Level 1 classes. | Learn More & Register...
Focus on your foundation, find your solid ground...
 Therapeutic Focus: The Feet, Ankles & Knees
with Leslie Ellis
Sunday, January 12th | 12:30 - 2:30 pm
Ever wish you felt more stable in your life? Yoga can help you learn to build support from the ground up. This workshop will focus on ways to improve foot, knee and ankle health and you'll learn about proper alignment in postures that often stress these sensitive joints of the lower body. All levels are welcome! | Learn More & Register...
Feeling a little worn out after the holidays?
Restorative Yoga: 
Medicine for a Fast-Paced World
with Kayci Cavenah
Friday, January 17th | 6 - 8 pm
Our restorative workshops are here for you on the 3rd Friday of each month. These all-levels classes featuring long-held postures and the use of many supportive props offers you a place to take a load off after a busy week, reset your nervous system and
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