 For those of us who love period drama and historical fiction, we may enjoy a grim pleasure, scarifying thrills, in knowing we are living and we are making historical drama each day. We may well feel perplexed: "where are my best actions, how do I want my role to be in this story?" as each new subplot unfolds in our life, our city, our country, our world.
One framework may be to ask, "How do I conduct myself in word and deed, that I am pleased with myself at the summation of my life?"
 A deck of Don Miguel Ruiz's The Four Agreements Toltec wisdom cards recently came to me, and I find them a helpful reminder of his book.
1) Be impeccable in your word. When I feel tense and fearful, my own words can sound like swords, or bludgeons, sooner than I know. If I shall wield my word as weapons, I want to choose to do so impeccably. I don't want to bruise the innocent as collateral damage.
2) Don't take anything personally. There is strength in unity, weakness in isolation. When I feel offended it is useful to remember that "they" do, too; both those more affected than me, and those who disagree with me. I can take more effective action, the clearer head I have.
3) Don't make assumptions. We often want to "be ready for the worst." But let us also make sure we do not create the worst by jumping to conclusions or making assumptions.
4) Always do your best. "Show up anyway" Don Ruiz: "Regardless of the quality, keep doing your best — no more and no less than your best. If you try too hard to do more than your best, you will spend more energy than is needed and in the end your best will not be enough. When you overdo, you deplete your body and go against yourself, and it will take you longer to accomplish your goal. But if you do less than your best, you subject yourself to frustrations, self-judgment, guilt, and regrets."
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Transformational Coaching
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 Twenty years teaching Yoga full-time has been a blessing ~ twenty-five years practicing Yoga. I've never felt more connected, alive, learning, thriving, and sharing. And, along the way, I've added so much adjunct healing learning, in the way of: Yoga Therapy, Reiki, Non-Violent Communication, Compassion course, mindfulness training, Yoga Nidra meditation, and more.
And excitingly, all my passion paths converge as I enter the next stage of my path, offering Transformational Coaching. For the months of August/September I will offer a limited number of free 45-minute coaching discovery sessions, on phone or zoom. These may fall in the area of Health Coaching or Life Coaching; either way they are part of the Transformational Coaching Method of HCI (Health Coach Institute). Email me for an invitation letter with more details, information, and remaining time slots for the complimentary discovery sessions.
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 Ever wanted to be a Restorative Yoga teacher? How about a Yoga Nidra teacher? A Reiki practitioner? For yourself, and for others (human and animal, and yes, plants and situations)?
Now, with Pure Yoga's Advanced Teacher Training digital platform, I will offer all of these, in a blended online live and pre-recorded Teacher Training over two 50 hour modules, this fall and winter.
October and November months have one weekend training each month, on Basic and Advanced Restorative Yoga, respectively, using all five senses and the 6th sense. Local trainees may come to Pure Yoga in person for classes and may sign up for an assistant's option.
 January and February months have one weekend training each month, on Yoga Nidra and Reiki, Level One and Level Two.
Teachers, students, and wellness pros are welcome to take these modules, as a bundle, or in modules. Email Andrea Borrero for questions and to register. Pure teacher/member rates available.
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YINspirations January Retreat
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 It may feel months away, but are you thinking of getting away in the winter yet, if you live in the Northeast? Raul and I found the golden, expansive Puerta Plata beaches in the DR last July, and we have been there twice in a year, besotted with the year-round 85-degree sunshine, sweet breezes, relaxed vibes.
We return January 4-10, 2023 for a refreshing YINspirations New Year's Retreat, with Vinyasa and Slow Flow Yoga, Restorative and Yin and Yoga Nidra, nada yoga, the yoga of sound, and Kundalini, courtesy of co-teacher Donna Davidge of Sewall House, Maine.
 It will be the most relaxed and relatively independent, kicked-back, yoga vacation. Water sports are free, beaches and pools and all-inclusive food and drink are copious and pamper you.
Anything additional ~ excursions or massages or shopping ~ are entirely your prerogative. To that end, bring friends or family, even kids have their own rate, and non-yogi friends have their own rate. We share Yoga, and some meals, but otherwise, we enjoy the vacation campus as we each choose to, on our tropical New Year's Escape.
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We were blessed with the utmost perfect weather and the most wonderful, fun-loving crowd of retreat yogis this past weekend at Wagging Tail Yoga Center's "Rediscovering Self."
This was our #16 collaboration between co-teacher and studio owner Ora Ramat and myself, and our 10th year of them!
Date/time/details await final adjustment for Sept. 16-18, but mark your calendars for Fall Foliage in the Catskills.
Reply to have your email be on a retreat update list, for when the retreat is finalized, with new times, schedules, rates.
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Organizations that are mobilizing to offer immediate support for women on the ground, include:
Plan C Up-to-date information on how people in the U.S. can access safe, at-home abortion pill options online.
National Network of Abortion Funds
The National Network of Abortion Funds builds power with members to remove financial and logistical barriers to abortion access by centering people who have abortions and organizing at the intersections of racial, economic, and reproductive justice.
Donation options:
-5-org campaign supporting the future of access
-Telehealth Abortion Freedom Fund
-In-person clinics via ACN
-80+ abortion funds NNAF
-Repro legal defense fund
-Plan C Organization
Actions
-Join rapid response efforts at:
shoutyourabortion.com
-Learn the movement history at: sistersong.net/reproductive-justic
-Spread the word about abortion pills by ordering stickers, printing materials or becoming a volunteer at: plancpills.org/support-abortion
-Abortion storytelling at: wetestify.org/
-Help expose fake clinics: exposefakeclinics.com/
Yes, there's actions to take in other arenas too: climate change, gun safety, other civil and human rights issues. For this issue, for the interests of space, this is what we have. Thanks to Regena Thomashauer and her monthly Sisterhood series for links.
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Photo thanks this issue to: Chris Rosen, NYBG & Orchid Show 2022.
I honor your privacy and do not share email lists. Please feel free any time to Reply, Forward, Subscribe, or Unsubscribe.
With so much appreciation ~
OMMMMMMmary
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