Well....... how did it go with our first health goal? For those that missed it, last month our goal was to drink enough water. Using the minimum guideline of taking 1/2 your body weight and drinking that many ounces a day. Way to go for embarking on this journey of optimal health this year!

As you may have found it is challenging to change habits or in this case make a new habit. Don't beat yourself up. We are all in the same boat. You will forget and thats ok. Start again once you remember that you have started to fad on your goal. The more you start again the more that will imprint a new pattern. These things take time so be compassionate on yourself. And hey, go grab another glass of water as you sit to read the rest of this newsletter :)

A couple exciting events are coming up at the studio. 

Sunday February 22nd we will be celebrating the recent graduates of our teacher training program with a potluck gathering/party. Come from 3-5pm and wish them luck and share a plate of scrumptious food with us. We are opening it up to potluck so bring your favorite dish to share.

March 21st will kick off our more advanced training program, Yoga as Structural Therapy, for those who are already yoga teachers or work with people in a body oriented way like Pilates, Massage, Physical Therapy etc. I am very excited for this 100 hour program as it is where I get to geek out on the body the most. If you are a yoga teacher and want to offer more in-depth one on one sessions with those who have injuries, illnesses or issues with the body, this course is geared to giving you the confidence to work with anyone. Email me or drop by and I will be happy to talk with you more about the program.

You can also get more information here: 

http://yogarepatterning.com/content/yoga-structural-therapy-course-details

Well, enjoy this month's health goal and hope to see you at the potluck gathering.

In Wellness,

Melonie

Many Blessings from the rest of the teaching team:

Tish, Lauren, Lindsey, Matt, and our 2014 Yoga Trainee graduates; Kelly, Jenny, Debra & Pierre

This book recommendation comes from our Community Yoga teacher Debra Hoose. Enjoy!

"Start Where you Are, A Guide to Compassionate Living",  by Pema Chodron.

  I am sure that you are familiar with Pema, she is an American Buddhist nun.  This book is a wonderful guide based on the Buddhist philosophy wherein Pema  provides tools, that if practiced, we can awaken our trust to find that that we have everything we need to live a wise and compassionate life.   I would like to share two of my favorite passages from this book:

"Stop struggling against the fact that things are slipping through our fingers.  Stop struggling against the fact that nothing is solid to begin with and things don't last.  Knowing that can give us a lot of space and a lot of room if we can relax with it instead of screaming and struggling against it. "  

Seed of Virtue.  "Let yourself fall apart into wakefulness.  The strength comes from the fact that the seed is already there; with warmth and moisture it sprouts and becomes visible above ground.  The practice is about precision and seeing clearly.  None of that implies searching.  Searching for happiness prevents us from ever finding it."
 

If you have a movie  or book you would like to recommend to our Yoga community, write a short summary of it or what about it resonated with you,  and send it our way for a possible spot in an upcoming newsletter.

Second Sunday of the Month

10-11:30am $20 per class

Next one Feb 8th

Each month Dr. Zorn will explore a different philosophical topic of the mind or heart. Topics and lectures are inspired by those who come and how the dialogue unfolds organically between Dr. Zorn and his students.

This upcoming talk and meditation will be on the topic of death and grieving. We will look at how meditation can aid in the process of grieving as well as teaching us to face our own mortality gracefully

Upcoming topics will be:

Kundalini

Being the seeker

The inner heart

Mantras

Digestive teas

Digestive teas and herbals are a stable in Ayurvedic cooking, as your digestive fire is seen as the most important link to your immune system. Tea is a very simple way to help support your bodies ability to digest.

Here are 2 simple recipes:

#1

You know those spices that are at the checkout counter to Indian restaurants? Well they are very key digestive aids.

In this recipe you can steep them and strain them out or place them in a tea ball or fillable tea bag and soak for 5-10 minutes. 

2 cups water

1 tea coriander seeds

1 tea fennel seeds

1 tea cumin seeds

#2

Ginger is one of the simplest and most powerful aids to our digestive system along with have strong cleansing properties to our GI tract.

1-2 cups water depending on how strong you want your tea.

1 inch peeled and chopped ginger root

Steep 10 + minutes

Add honey, lemon or another flavored tea like peppermint as desired.

Many times i chop 1-2 inches of ginger, put in a thermos and refill with hot water throughout the day.