Sweet & Light: Yoga is Sukha

I love when Yogiraj Alan Finger reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously.

"The minute you become 'A YOGI'" ~ he screws up his face and furrows his brow, a parody of a self-important, intently meditating Yogi ~ "You've become something else that you are attached to." He relaxes and beams at us from Lotus, which he does beautifully standing on his head, though not that morning in class. "You've already lost it. The point is to be without attribute."

Clean. Light. Full of Ease, or Sukha. Even in Padma Sirsasana. And especially in Savasana Streamasana, demonstrated here by my better half Raul on retreat.

Ishta Center Opens May 1st with Alan Finger and Seane Corn leading a celebration practice. See the full complement of Ishta teachers and classes below, including moi. Ask me for a card for your "Free First Class."

Summer Monastery Retreat July 18-20

Want to escape NYC in mid-July? Come breathe and stretch in my Yoga and Art Retreat, July 18-20 Friday evening to Sunday lunchtime, in West Park NY, less than two hours out of the city by Metro North or Amtrak.

The Benedictine monks chant holy offices five times a day, and guests are welcome. Meals are shared in a magnificent windowed hall overlooking the river and grounds. Labyrinth, reading room, meditation chambers provide a peaceful retreat space.

Elizabeth Lewin leads Art as Meditative Expression and I will lead daily Yoga with a meditative, Bhakti mood, tailored to the level of my participants, seeking a perfect balance of effort and release. $450 does not include travel, for which I have details. $200 deposit, or $400 if paying in full. Email me at MaryAranas@yahoo.com to register.

Recycling: Talents, Thongs, Thinking

Three teachers I admire showing great ideas and initiative in sharing and recycling to make the world a little bit sweeter and lighter:

* Jake Brenner's Teacher Trades: teachers join a Teacher Trade group and take free classes, e.g. Salsa Dance and Improvisational Comedy, each taking a turn to teach, too. Enlarging talent, community, friendship, skills, and networking!

* Lila Donnolo's Clothing Swap Parties: throw a fun party where guests bring clothes, accessories, jewelry, DVDs, books etc. to donate. Everyone takes what they like, enjoys meeting new and old friends, and the party host donates the remainder to charity. The joy of partying plus "buying new stuff" while recycling and doing good. Especially delicious for actors, artists, yoga teachers and anyone on a limited consumer budget.

* Adi Carter's SLACRO Fest in McCaren Park, Brooklyn, THIS Saturday, May 3, 3PM-Sundown. Your $10 donation goes to Cambodian Children's Fund for Adi's SEVA Mindfulness Challenge, part of "Off the Mat Into the World." Everyone enjoys food, friendship, fun. If you've ever seen AcroYogis or Slackliners, Yoga on Slackline will amaze you. My son Raphael watched Youtube Slackline clips and said, "Can we please go?" Yes, Slacro and Acro teachers will be there to help you learn! DO pre-register and donate below!

New Classes!!! New Studios!!

I have 3 new classes! Studio links at sidebar. Flying off in August for a 17-day AcroYoga Teacher Training as well, so when I come back, watch for new AcroYoga classes to begin to pop up on my schedules.

Group Classes (All classes are 60 minutes):

* (NEW) Monday 11:15 Restorative ~ Ishta Center, 56 East 11th St.
* Tuesday 1:05 Vinyasa Flow ~ NY Health & Racquet Club, Chelsea
* (NEW) Wednesday 11:15 Ishta Basics ~ Ishta Center
* Friday 10:45 Ishta Level 1 ~ Yoga Works East Side
* (NEW) Friday 12:45 Restorative ~ Om Factory, 265 West 37th St.

I am hoping to change my Yoga Works East Side class this summer or autumn to either a Gentle/Restorative or a Rock Your Asana flow class at Level 2 or 2/3. Yoga Works students, please be generous with your input and feedback in the studio suggestion boxes and to me. Help shape your own studio experience.

Yogis Play Paradise: Winter Retreat

Yogis Play in Paradise will be a Multi-Teacher retreat with Acro Yoga, Sunrise Yoga, Vinyasa, Restorative, and Beginner and Family classes if appropriate. Teachers interested in signing up should speak to me. Assistantships available after teacher roster is filled.

Spotlight: Paul Chun

I love the range of vigorous and restful Yoga we have available to us. My personal practice mirrors this, in challenging vinyasa and Acro work on the one hand, and deeply rejuvenating Restorative yoga to balance me.

Paul Keoni Chun exemplifies Yang and Yin yoga for me in this way, too. An athletic gymnast, performer, and vinyasa teacher, Paul is also certified by Restorative master teacher Judith Hanson Lasater as a Relax and Renew trainer. He comes from the gentle, nurturing land of Hawaii, and Paul's kindness and encouragement with his students of all levels are evident in his teaching and an inspiration to them.

Paul is one of the superlative teachers I work with to meet my private clientele referral needs. For more on his background and training, and the others I work with, see my Yoga Housecalls team web page.

Please Forward; Reply

If you wish to no longer receive my monthly ENews updates, please Reply asking to be removed from my list. If you remain, you will NOT get on other lists or receive other emails. You'll get mine and other Yoga community news, and you can unsubscribe anytime and/or respond directly to me anytime.

Please forward to anyone you think may enjoy the notices or links. They can then, if they wish, Reply to me to be added into my monthly email list for future ENews.

Peace, Joy, Light!

Om, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

Mary

In This Issue:

Ishta Center

Yoga tailored to the needs of the individual, integrating Tantra and Ayurveda with Hatha lineages; come taste Ishta! My classes:

Mon. 11:15 Restorative
Wed. 11:15 Basics

New: Ishta Center

Om Factory

This is the New York home of AcroYoga, and one of my favorite places on earth!

Vibes of love reverberate, along with Kirtan, Yoga parties, strong flow practices, and now Restorative Yoga with yours truly, Fridays at lunch hour! Contact me for a First Class Free card. My class:

Fri. 12:45 Restorative

Om Factory

Yoga Works: EVite

Four NYC and a Westchester studio, several CA, expanding nationally and globally, Yoga Works rocks!

Through April, e-vite people to try a free week of Yoga! My class:

Friday 10:45 Level 1

Yoga Works April E-offer

NY Health & Racquet

I only work at great places, and this is one.
Chelsea Spa has pool, jacuzzi, steam, sauna, great classes. Go to Cooper Square on Sundays at 4 for Lila's AcroYoga, and try their grotto whirlpool. My class:

Tuesday 1:05 Vinyasa

NYHRC~23 St. Spa

Past ENews Links

You may notice I'm saying less per issue about a specific Chakra I may reference...

Sacral Chakra for example, being the orange-hued, hip-located home of emotions, pleasures, desires, sexuality. This is because I've written 2-3 issues on each already, so, rather than repeat myself, I'm providing links to previous issues, as below in Links.

Click here for an index to all of them.

ENewsletters Index

Chakra Guru

My NYHRC student Marci studies aromatherapy and chakras; thanks Marci for this link for Caroline Myss, a knowledgeable authority on the Chakras, for those interested in pursuing this area more.

Caroline Myss: Chakra Guru

Love words? Try this!

Thanks Sara Beth! This site tests and builds your word power, AND donates rice to the UN World Food Program for every word you define correctly!

Okay, I loved it. My first sitting, I put 3000 grains of rice into the wooden bowl.

At 20 grains per word, that means I defined, or learned and defined correctly, 150 words.

Useful, fun, and giving.

FreeRice: Words for Food

Photo Credits

Photos this issue courtesy of Om Factory, Yoga Works, Tropical Escapes, Holy Cross Monastery, Alan Finger, Paul Chun, Lila Donnolo, Adi Carter, and Nature's Best Photos Awards.

Food creations Chef Bobo Lindstrom, The Edge at Rodney Bay, St. Lucia.

Tropical Escapes: Retreat Partner