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Dear Om Sweet Om Family,
| On this Christmas eve, I sit at my computer, having done all the requisite things that someone of my religious background does... go to the movies, and eat Chinese food! I finally have some time to sit and ponder what I'd like to share with you all as the snow is gently coming down outside my window. Even though I don't celebrate Christmas, I get excited by snow on Christmas!
I first wanted to tell you of a few exciting new things going on at Om Sweet Om. If you don't follow us on Facebook, and you haven't been in recently, you don't know about some wonderful physical transformations at the studio. Thanks to the hard work of Sarah Goldblatt and Elena Box, we now have a transformed lounge and waiting area, that will make it hard for anyone to want to leave the studio!
They say one door closes and another opens. Since my last writing we have three new teachers, that we are thrilled to add to our wonderful family of teachers. Returning to us after a few years hiatus is Sara Intonato. Look for her class on Thursday mornings. She has been with us a few weeks, and will be leaving for India for a month to study with her teacher Sharat. When she returns we have some great things planned, so be on the lookout! Lana Russo is another wonderful addition to our teaching family. She teaches Tuesday mornings, and brings with her, her absolutely adorable daughter who is in babysitting during this time. I'm sure she'd love some company, so if you have a child and you need babysitting, we have it on Tuesday! Lana's class is sure to challenge you, it's hard to believe such a sweet face can kick your butt like she does! Lastly we have Jenny Jared, who walked in the door, not knowing we were undergoing a transition, and boy am I glad she took a chance to see if we were hiring! Jenny teaches Thursday evening and Sunday morning, and come January will also be teaching Buddaful Baby and Me, Pre-natal and is part of the teacher training staff! Please read all these teachers bios on our website, I don't want to go on too long here! Needless to say I love our new additions! I am also so grateful to all our existing teachers, some have taken on additional time slots, some have finally gotten a time slot after patiently subbing waiting for something to open up!
You will notice below that we have a Satsang with Lauren, each month a different teacher will do our Satsang. It will give you all an opportunity to get to know a bit about our teachers as they share some insights with you.
"When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."
~Paulo Coelho
As we head into the final week of 2012, take some time to reflect. Think about the things that you experienced that you are grateful for. Even the things that did not seem so wonderful at the time. Decide what things you want to bring into your life in 2013, now is the time to really plant the seeds. Remember that even though we have resolutions in the new year, every time we come to our mat we have an opportunity to begin again, with much less pressure, to set an intention that can turn into something more. May this coming year bring you what you are looking for, and if you don't get what you think you are looking for, I hope you get what you need.
With love and respect,
"Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dream."
~Paulo Coelho
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Satsang with Lauren
 Recently the teachers of Om Sweet Om had a meeting, an opportunity to meet some new faces at the studio and to reconnect to those we don't always get to see. We each took a turn talking about our specialties and what we liked to teach. When it was my turn, I honestly couldn't think of anything uniquely special about my classes and this stayed on my mind. It wasn't until the next morning that I realized what I could have said. I try as best as I can to convey to my students what yoga can really be about. Many of us, myself included, really enjoy the physical practice of the asanas and it's easy to get caught up in what we can or can't do. But can we think of these poses, not as our goal, but as a means to the goal of clearing away anything that blocks us from experiencing and knowing our true selves, our most divine selves? It is through the physical practice of purifying the body and cleansing the mind that we can turn inward and gain knowledge of our true selves. Not all knowledge can be obtained by reading or by being taught to us, it must be experienced. Then it is our job to take our yoga, our connection to our most divine selves off of our mat into each and every moment of our living (as my beloved mentor and friend Gail says at the close of each class).
One way we can live our yoga is to make our life an offering. Practice selflessness every opportunity that we get. If we can clear our minds and be in a receptive state then we can gain insight to a higher inner knowledge. Isvara-Pranidhana is the personal practice (Niyama) of deep respect for, admiration of and faith in this inner knowledge - our inner light of awareness. Then all our actions, our lives, can be an offering to a higher power without any expectations of praise or personal gain.
"Action based on inspiration and not bound by expectation is truly free" ~Nicholai Bachman.
Through practice we can cultivate a heart-mind that sees the divine energy inside each person. Perceiving no difference between ourselves and others. Then perhaps we can give more freely. Give our help, our love and compassion because if even one of us is suffering, can we truly enjoy what we have? If we bring joy to others, we will bring joy to ourselves. We receive because of our giving. Acts of selflessness nurture the spirit.
Can you let go of fear of not having enough, by having faith in the abundance of the universe? Can you let this holiday season be just the beginning of giving? The greatest gift you can give to the world is your most divine, loving, compassionate, peaceful, joyful self each and every day. So keep showing up to your mat to discover who you truly are.
With love and light,
Lauren
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Last Stop
Free yoga class on Christmas morning 10-11:30 with Gail
bring a can or box of food for Island Harvest. Please be prompt, doors will be locked after class begins.
Please make sure to check our schedule online for the holiday schedule. We will be closed Christmas day other than the 10 am class. We are closed New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Our new schedule begins January 2nd, 2013, please pick one up at the studio or see it online. |
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| Click here to register for events at
Om Sweet Om
Winter/Spring 200-Hour Teacher Training begins January 11th, 2013
click to register
Ayurveda workshop
with Jody Polevoy and Neelu Kaur
Saturday January 5th, 1:45-4:45PM
Cost: $45.00*
*each participant receives a gift bag with products to support your daily routine
During this workshop, you will learn to:
- identify and become familiar with your own individual Ayurvedic Constitution
- begin to develop a practical daily routine for a healthy lifestyle according to Ayurveda
- learn how to adjust any yoga practice to balance your doshas.
 Leslie Kaminoff
will be joining us for two weekends of Anatomy January 19th & 20th (note date change) & February 9th & 10th 2013-see flyer for details (click on image to download a pdf)
YogaKids Foundations Training
Learn to teach yoga to kids!
January 22 & 23rd, 29th & 30th, and February 5 & 6th
9:30-2:30
registration is through YogaKids
David Newman (Durga Das) & Mira will be back with us
Friday January 25th at 7:30 pm
for an evening of Kirtan
$22 in advance, $25 at the door
If you've never heard their beautiful music click here (even if you have, it's always nice to hear an old friend singing!)
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Posture of the Month
photo by Michael J. Aronoff
Sit in Dandasana with your legs straight out in front of you. Bend your left knee or keep the leg straight. Bend your right knee and hug it into your chest. Place your right arm infront of your leg and then bring your right hand underneath your right leg, planting your finger tips firmly on your mat. Reach your left hand to your right foot and straighten your right leg as much as you can by taking your left arm overhead, and straighten that as well. Try to get your leg over your shoulder like you were putting on a coat.
From here, turn your head to the left and gaze toward the ceiling. Work on straightening your spine and leaning back slightly to increase the stretch in your right hamstring and left side of the body. Keep rotating the torso like a compass.
Hold for five breaths, then bend your right leg and arm and release your right leg back to the floor. Then repeat this pose with the left leg.
Physical Benefits: Intense hamstring stretch and shoulder opener
Spiritual Benefits: As we create an opening in our bodies, we feel the sense of sun shining on us in our glory, as a compass shows us the way, so does compass pose shows us how to be open to what lies before us
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Yogi of The Month
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Julie Freeman wrote this as a testimonial, it seemed perfect to describe our Yogi of the month!
She's shown here with her mother Mary Lee Marlowe and her daughter Molly.
 I have dipped my toes in yogic waters many times. Intrigued by the promises of wellness and bliss, I wondered if I, too, might be able to attain one of those beaming, secretive smiles of a practiced yogi. In my 20's and 30's, I tried a few classes at my local gym. I even practiced at the chic Jivamukti studio once or twice. As suspected, I enjoyed most classes and was a bit intimidated by some. Yoga undoubtedly warmed some harsh single-girl Manhattan moments, but my practice (if you could call it that) was primarily an anonymous one.
About five years ago, as a new mom and in the wake of a very painful divorce (is there any other kind?), I turned to my mat and I stayed (to be more accurate, I clung on for dear life). I "vinyasaed" my way through each obstacle my life offered (parenting, teaching, anxiety, depression, anger, re-marriage and more). It was my great fortune to meet and practice with the lovely Marina who suggested I try Om Sweet Om. And so I did.
Over time, I reaped the rewards of practicing in a loving, nurturing and blossoming yoga community. My little asana-centered tree began to sprout more limbs and bear beautiful fruit. Practicing at Om Sweet Om is the opposite of anonymous; we share our most honest (and often sweaty) selves. Here, we are known as we come to know ourselves. Imagine a yogic version of Cheers, if you will. Simply replace the beer with green tea. I am honored to practice with a group of dedicated and wonderful yogis and yoginis. I am proud to be one of "the regulars."
My practice is occasionally a messy one: my ribs boink out in trikonasana, my eagle is neither soaring nor proud and my fear of crow is straight out of a Hitchcock movie. Nevertheless, I try. Not doing so would render me a hypocrite; I could not ask my students to write so much as a paragraph if I am unwilling to explore my own limitations.
Om Sweet Om provides me with the roots and tools that I need to carry this post-savasana feeling with me throughout my day and life. For me, there is no such concept as "off the mat" and, yes, I have attained one of those smiles.
With much love and gratitude,
Julie
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