Women Who Run With The Wolves

One of my blessed privileges in communing as a yoga teacher with yoga students - and how grateful and I for that - is the mutual sharing that arises. Among some wonderful book referrals this year that I've truly appreciated: Caroline Myss, "Anatomy of the Spirit" on the 7 chakras as they relate to the Kabbalah, the Christian sacraments, and medical conditions; "Ask And It Is Given" by Abraham via Jerry and Esther Hicks, and a classic I'd somehow missed before a private student Emily mentioned it: "Women Who Run With The Wolves," by Clarissa Pinkola Estes.

This poetically rendered journey into our deeper, sacred, "wild" and knowing souls is well worth the dip for those who treasure a connection to an older, richer, wiser vein of lifeblood than daily commutes and media afford our senses.

Although the book specifically encourages us to find the twin sisters within each woman - both the tame sweet sister and the raw wild sister - it just as strongly urges women to find the man who is in touch with his own dual nature, and able to respect and treasure her dual nature. Further, Dr. Estes relates the deep wisdom of our inner knowing raw natures through the telling of compelling folk stories in her book, making it entertaining as well as profoundly exploratory - in the best "svadhyiyaya" - self, and sacred, study, sense!

I would go so far as to say that modern living sterilizes and dehumanizes us precisely by robbing us of the deeper, wilder, wolverine reserves within; the dark side, the startling, the wizened, the cackling witch and wizard that crouch beneath our homogenized and refined personas. And we reclaim lifeblood when we dare to enter the cave, and meet her/him. And yes, dance with her/him in life, on our mats, in our moments alone, and engaged with life!

Yes, I realize many of us still need to fine-tune our tame, civilized selves. Far more of us though, and women especially, have only recognized that domesticated self. We can afford to open the basement door and venture downward and inward in search of the stronger darker force that resides within, seeking respect, seeking unity, seeking recognition, ready to give guidance.

"Women ... Wolves" Book

Thanksgiving Restorative Bliss Fest Nov 3

BLESS Fest would be an equally appropriate title for this Spa Yoga two-hour retreat. Thanksgiving encourages us to give thanks for our "harvest" of blessings; for me, Yoga in all of its myriad mind-body-spirit bounties blesses me, and us, copiously. The "tantra" of our flesh-and-blood bodies, infused with unquenchable spirit, is delicious and paradoxical indeed! And, this coming Saturday, I heartily invite you to come and "taste" this body of yours, orchestrated in its beauty, and its harmony, through our two-hour Restorative journey through the seven gem-like chakras in your energy system.

For this Restorative Holiday event, November 3 from 3-5PM, I will select specific Young Living and døTERRA essential oils for our chakra balancing journey. I have confirmed my loving team of assistants to help me nurture each guest, and I do so hope you will join us! And bring a loved one for whom you are thankful.

Space is limited and the more we have signed up by Monday, the more space Pure Yoga East will allot for our workshop, so it would be a blessed gift if you are planning to come, if you are able to register by Monday.

It will be my pleasure to share the proceeds of our Thanksgiving celebration with Heifer International, one of my favorite holiday gift recipients to share the rich resources of our planet.

This will be my last two-hour Restorative for 2012 and until the next one in 2013 either Valentine's weekend or not until Mother's Day.

As always for Restorative, all levels and ages welcome; the sole pre-requisite is s a body and soul in need of rest and restoration.

Nov. 3 Restorative at Pure East

Winter Wonderland: Feb 1-3 Retreat

New York is a wonderful place to live and work, but, even more than everywhere else on the planet, it is all the more wonderful for our being able to escape from it now and then!

My Power In Balance weekend escape yoga retreats are in direct response to that realization; as much for myself and my teacher and assistant team, as for each retreatant guest who comes, realizing that need.

This winter, from Feb 1-3, Friday eve to Sunday brunch, we gather on the beautiful Wagging Tail Yoga studio grounds in Bethel, NY, and we shall explore together that journey of "who we are," through a Yoga palette ranging from Restorative to Vinyasa to Slackline Yoga to AcroYoga to Meditation to Thai Yoga Massage.

We offer indoor and outdoor options for nature walks, snow play, fireplace evening gatherings, and we share all meals around our communal table, healthful brunches and Saturday night dinner together.

All levels of experience and practice are welcomed, encouraged, and challenged, in true ISHTA, "individual" Yoga style. More beautifully and more importantly, a kula of the heart is formed, for our own and our shared mutual, joyous growth.

For more information watch for the online link on my website to go live in the next 2 weeks, after our Fall Foliage retreat guests have a few days first to see it.

Meanwhile see photo albums from our Fall weekend retreat at the Facebook Page below, or read about it on my website at www.maryaranas.com.

Facebook.com/MaryAranasYoga

February 22-March 3 Restorative Teacher Training

My third Mother Mary Restorative Teacher Training will take place at Pure Yoga East over the last weekend in February through the first weekend in March.

The 30-hour training will include 10 days of unlimited class memberships at Pure East and Pure West to encourage trainees to take as many Restorative classes during those 10 days as possible; though by all means trainees are welcome to enjoy all regular scheduled classes for which guest passes apply.

See the detailed descriptions at Pure website; email me for questions on the training, and email Laina Jacobs for details about signing up!

Love, love, Mama Mary

Mother Mary Restorative Training

My Winter Schedule

Upcoming Events:
11/3 Thanksgiving Restorative BlissFest ~ Pure Yoga East
11/11 & 11/12 Slackline Series ~ Brooklyn Boulders
12/31 New Year's Eve ~ Om Factory
2/1-2/3 Winter Wonderland Retreat ~ Bethel, NY
2/22-3/3 Mother Mary Restorative Training - Pure East

Weekly AcroYoga Classes at:
Om Factory Flight School Union Square ~
M-5:30 Acrobatic Flying Basics with Linda Mittel
M-7:15 Jedi 1 Flying Transitions: November Series "Animal House" Washing Machines with Greg Franklin

Weekly Classes, Pure Yoga NYC East or West:
M-10:30 Slow Flow Meditation, East
T-12:30 Restorative, East
Th-11 Yin/Yang, West
Th-5:30 Vinyasa 1/2, East
F-10:30 *Chakra Slow Flow, West
F-5:30 Restorative, East

*If you are a Chakra Slow Flow student, the title on the schedule has been changed to Slow Flow Meditation; we can change the class or keep it Chakra Slow Flow format; I appreciate your input!

My Website: Schedule & More

New Year's Eve At Om Factory

Toot toot! Come see in the New Year with me and friends, at Om Factory's yearly AcroYoga New Year class, celebrating of the joyful end of the old year, the beautiful birth of the bouncing baby new year, all fresh and healthy, wholly open to ANYTHING your l'il ol' heart desires for it!

Let's play, chant, flow, fly, and partner thai in both playful and meaningful mode together to enter 2013 with Sankalpa in our hearts and contentment in our souls and bodies.... More details to come. Let's make some Ommmm.

Om Factory NYC

Photo Thanks; Privacy; Reply

All photos this issue, except for Keoni Movement Arts, Raul Aranas, and the AcroGasm tour, are from Wagging Tail Yoga Studio in Bethel, NY, the site of our Fall Foliage retreat. Thanks to all of our wonderful retreat guests for being great photographers and photo subjects!

See everyone's gorgeous full photo albums at my Facebook page "Power In Balance" at ~ www.facebook.com/maryaranasyoga ~ Check out the nature photos by Charlotte Noruzi, who had a birthday while on the retreat!

Thanks too, to my fantastic teaching team: Ora Ramat, studio owner and hostess extraordinaire, Rebecca Claes, and assistant Chris Martucci! And Fred of the wagging tail, posing here with Rebecca and me!

Your email privacy is sacred with me, and I do not share email lists. Please feel free at any time to Reply, Forward, or Unsubscribe. If you received this issue as a Forward from somebody, you may click Subscribe or simply Reply to me to be added to the monthly email list.

Om Shanti!
Peace, blessings
~ Mary

Wagging Tail Yoga Studio

In This Issue:

Nov 11 & 12 Slackline Workshops

Slackline was developed by creative rock climbers securing their climbing lines between two anchor points and exploring the balancing techniques afforded by the interaction of the line sway with their movements.

Slackline has taken on many forms, including tightlining, or tricklining, as performed by Andy Lewis with Madonna at half time in the 2012 SuperBowl, highlines, longlines, water lines, and more variations.

Slackline Yoga incorporates our energetic interaction with the line movement, to find a stillness in yogic poses, whether sitting, kneeling, standing, lying, inverting, or transitioning between them.

The finding of our "center" in the apparent "sway" of life circumstances, and our own ever swaying thoughts, provides depths of richness for growth in core balance, ease, focus, breath, strength, and awareness, internal and external.

A long and fancy way to say ~ it's extremely fun! Challenging! Exciting! And a great workout for mind and body.

I am one of 59 YogaSlackers certified to teach Slackline Yoga in our Redefining Balance series. Please come to Brooklyn Boulders for any or all the 3 classes I'll be teaching on Nov. 11 and 12, subbing for Adi Carter while she travels.

These workshops are designed as a foundational series, offering the option for continuing practice on your foundations each workshop, and beginning to work toward more intermediate skills for those with more experience and comfort on the line.

We will work from the ground first, then the line, learning to kneel, sit, stand, arm balance, and lie down, including partner skills and line drills, for a thoroughly enjoyable and comprehensive learning and workout experience!

Slackline at Brooklyn Boulders

Keoni Movement Arts & Yo-Dan-Nastics™

My friend Paul birthed Keoni Movement Arts from his passion for gymnastics, dance, and philanthropy. In KMA, I find a joyful inspiration for Frederick Buechner's definition of vocation:

"Vocation is the place where our deep gladness meets the world's deep need."

I invite you to check out Paul's classes for all ages from teen to adult, and all income levels, for yourself or someone you know!

Yo-Dan-Nastics™
Taught and created by Paul Keoni Chun

Sundays, noon - 2pm
Ages: Teens and Adults

Where: DANY Studios, 305 West 38th St. (just off of 8th Ave.)

Cost: By "Dana" or "Generosity" … pay according to your means

Yo-Dan-Nastics™ is a unique, daring and fun blend of yoga, dance and gymnastics and a great cross-training workout for your body, mind and spirit!

Benefits of the class include:
- learn basic gymnastics skills in a non-competitive environment
- develop concentration and focus
- experience peace and calm

This is an ongoing class. Here is the schedule for the next month: 10/28; 11/4; 11/11; 11/18; all classes held in DANY Studio 11.

Keoni Movement Arts: Expanding Access to the Movement Arts of Yoga, Dance and Gymnastics

Keoni Movement Arts

"Giant" Musical at NYSF

I find marriage a dance of sharing space, giving space, and holding space. In my marriage, longer than many of my friends' lifetimes thus far, I've enjoyed many mini-lifetimes in our adventures both shared and individual.

And I've enjoyed the lifetimes within each of our theatrical or touring experiences. This year saw several for my husband Raul, and my son Raphael too, each adventure with a lifetime and a family of its own.

The musical of Edna Ferber's book "Giant" at the New York Shakespeare Festival, running now, is so many lives in its own lifetime. Raul has recreated the role of Polo, senior ranch boss on Jordan Benedict's Riatta, through many incarnations over 7 years and many cities.

We are delighted to welcome Texas to glittering New York City, and hope for a long and fruitful run of this rich, beautiful epic on family, land, love, nation, endurance. Long may it endure! Enjoy, if you can go!

10/26-12/2 "Giant" at Shakespeare Festival

Mission: Possible

Maybe ... just maybe ... our role on our yoga mat resembles our role in every context; that is, with people. To raise up the best in people, allowing people to show up with their best self, by expecting, trusting that they will.

We do that on the mat when we are able to show up for ourselves and with ourselves. And is that not really what we desire the most in a teacher, a parent, a friend, or any leader?

Marianne Williamson in "A Return to Love" describes this role as being a miracle worker. To hold space for ourselves and each other in such a way as to bring out the best in each one: that is certainly what I hope for in my role as teacher or friend or parent. And struggle to do so for myself.

What if we were to feel THAT as our Yoga, on the mat and off? So much so, that our stronger, more limber bodies are just the blessed, joyful side-effects, and not the main event? Mmm...

You may say I'm a dreamer ... but I'm not the only one.... John Lennon and me. And maybe you. Peace on!

Facebook.com/MaryAranasYoga

Alignyo Article

I'm honored to be in today's Local Classes feature in Alignyo New York, the online connection of yogis to myriad resources in their community. See my Restorative classes touted as "one of the best in New York". Alignyo is a free subscription so you may choose to subscribe if it appeals to your needs.

Alignyo: Local Classes This Week

Advanced Acrobatic Dec 14-16 Weekend

The AcroYoga community worldwide and in the US and in New York have all been growing in leaps and bounds, often literally!

Amongst the leading edge of acrobatic innovators are Lux of Seattle, and the YogaSlackers of Bend, OR.

2012 marks Tour 2 for this team teaching together their challenging and creative partner acrobatics material. They are here in New York Dec. 14-16, at The Muse in Brooklyn. Space is limited at this venue so pre-registration is strongly advised.

See link to note precise skill pre-requisites. If in doubt about skill level, contact Lux@acroyoga.org.

AcroGasm Tour 2012