It’s time… the glory and the chaos of the holidays is drawing to a close; the new year is ahead now and our sight may drift to the future as we contemplate where we’ve been and where we would like to go… in presence.
Where do you want to go?
This time of year is universal in its opportunity to grow and expand our horizons; to find an inner solace that soothes the past in hopes of wiping the slate clean. We all carry baggage; our bodies often bearing the scars of times past and humanity as a whole has come to see the New Year as the time for fresh starts and letting go…
On the heels of Christmas (I grew up celebrating this time of year in this way), I think we have an Aumazing Opportunity! I mean, let’s think about it… The Spirit of the Holidays is the same, regardless of the Holiday one celebrates… Presence.
“Be like Him that we celebrate today… regardless of race, religion or creed; kindness and compassion. Love everlast.”
Spirit… The Life Force, Consciousness. God. Whatever you choose to call it, even whether or not you choose to acknowledge it, it exists and is the very fabric of reality that weaves us all together in inexplicable ways.
But, what does it want?
I have come to see, through a lifetime of empirical studies, my path, that it, ultimately wants nothing more than to expand into new territories of experience, and we, the human being, appearing to be its most advanced avatar, must realize that in its omnipresence it could not possibly want to destroy us, rather it is the giver of LIFE and without it I could no longer write, sit, think, or type, nor could it experience itself expanding through me anymore… Why would it want to harm me, let alone any of its Creations?
Yet, we look around us today and there is such uncertainty and fear… tumultuous times, I have said often, even now, this Holiday Season, humanity seems to be walking the razor’s edge, precipice on either side, wondering when it all may come crumbling down.
I awoke today, the day after Christmas, with a slight panic… like, something is wrong, and yet, I know this is not true. It means something is out of balance within me, the scales tipped to the darker side of consciousness where fear and uncertainty live and after looking deep inside, again I find my solace; my peace. Presence. Om Shanti.
I have come to realize that I HAVE A HUGE PART TO PLAY IN ALL THIS. (and so do you… it turns out.)
You see, my teachers have all told me, as have pretty much ALL the saints, sages and masters that have come before, that I (and you… ) are Happiness itself… Joy itself… Love itself… BLISS… ANANDA… Ecstasy.
I have experienced this to be true, maybe you have too! Fleeting at times, yet when I release all the stress and trappings of our modern ways, quiet my mind, purify my body and tune into my Souls’ voice… Peace is there. Joy is there. Happiness is there. Presence.
Mark Whitwell tells us that if we come away from our practice in any other state than described above, then we aren’t doing yoga…. I laugh out loud at this now, as it sinks in…
And like a ton of bricks it hits me (again)… head in palm…
I don’t go to my practices to seek aggravation, frustration, anger, or fear… those only exist in my fragmented and unbalanced mind, body and spirt…. NOPE!!!! what happens when I find my way… my balance… is undeniably PEACE…. Happiness, Joy Itself.
THEREFORE… that is the underlying reality for ALL OF US…
So, we have our work cut out for us… and to be true it is our work… your work. Mine.
Focussed practice ahead! Presence.
It is time…. that we come hOMe.
(I am planning to do a spiritual detox and total body cleanse beginning in the next few days…it has helped me in the past to gain, presence and clarity… let me know in the comments if you would like to join in! and Click here to see part 1 in this multi-part blog series!)
We are thrilled to welcome Kathmandu Yogi as one of our 2017 Sedona Yoga Festival sponsors.
Kathmandu Yogi is a Chicago-based, fair trade social enterprise, Their model simple- create limited edition yoga and meditation accessories made by female artisans living in Nepal.
More than a yogi-minded retailer, Kathmandu gives back to the community. Not only are their cusiuons beautiful, well-made, and functional; they also make a human impact.
This holiday season, feel good about where you are spending your money! Purchase mindful gifts for that special yogi in your life from Kathmandu!
Fair trade gifts are gifts that come with a story. It’s the story of the artisans who handcrafted the beautiful products. It’s the story of the artisan’s children who are in school and eating better because the artisan regularly receives a fair wage for the product. It’s the story of the community, the environment, and the cultural traditions that are sustained by the purchase of the handcrafted fairly traded product. When you give a fair trade gift to a friend or loved one, you give a great gift and a story that says so much more.
Kathmandu Yogi has just released limited edition Holiday Bundles. Check out the bundles and shop their one-of-kind collections here!
Kathmandu Yogi was founded with a strong wish that the company’s activities would benefit many, promote cultural exchange, and foster conscious development. This summer they had a successful crowdfunding campaign backed by supporters from around the globe, which raised enough capital to provide work for 100 artisan women.
We are proud to partner with such a wonderful company. When getting your Sedona Yoga Fest tickets, consider adding a travel cushion by Kathmandu Yogi upon check-out. Not only will you support a great company with a mission, but your bottom will thank you. Remember you’ll be doing a lot of sitting and having a comfortable seat is a must!
We’ve been in the flow lately… undeniably so. It has been remarkable and filled with insights and as I was cleaning houses (old and new), I found something! Not a total body cleanse, although important and part of the story, rather something more profound; perhaps a miracle, I have to say the experience has altered me somehow. Or… maybe I was just primed to see something (from my last total body cleanse…), again, to be reminded just how this journey called life works. I marvel at it, truly… and yet, it seems to be a continuous struggle to maintain this view… or did. Let me explain.
We moved…
20 or so days ago, Heather and I spontaneously discussed the perfect place to live; a place we could expand our lives and grow, something we could share with family & friends, a place we could grow our business and share with our tribe. We listed all the things we would want, right down to the neighborhood; we were very specific. Today, I am sitting in the back office of that home writing this blog!
Everyone can relate, I am certain, to the experience of moving… Yet, we both handled it in stride! I admit, there were a few times that it got challenging, yet I was able to literally turn 180 degrees from the thoughts, words or actions that were noticeably blocking the energy of expansion. Somehow, I was able to maintain a peaceful clarity throughout what certainly looked like chaos from the outside, eventually the perceived chaos diminished and now I gaze upon a completely new experience! So, how did I do it?
I didn’t! It was the Flow… We are in it. All of us, all the time. Prana, Chi, Energy, Universal Energy, God, the Great Mystery… on and on the traditions describe something like “a fabric of reality”, something that keeps it all together, connects all creation, and so on… (So I am gonna leave that part alone and know that if you are reading this, we are close enough or on the same sheet. )
I have been shown over & over again, on this near 20 year journey into understanding myself and allowing consciousness to expand through me, that indeed there is something working on our behalf… in the ethers, I like to say. Now, I am thinking, just straight up what I am calling ethers is actually it! But truthfully, I have NO CLUE!
My teacher says, “we are happy… that is our nature.” And all the times I looked at him and thought, “hmmmm…. no shit, there must be something to this”, I am now realizing… yup! there is.
These past several days have shown me yet again that we are indeed part of something much grander than I could ever figure out. I received empirical data to support my conclusions and directly experienced something palpable and profound. The only way to describe it is to say this.
There is a place I found… only I don’t have to go anywhere, although it feels like I leave it sometimes, where I feel safe, secure and nurtured and HAPPY, yes, happy. and I don’t mean ‘happy to have passed the test!’ or ‘happy to see you!’ or ‘my children make me happy’ or ‘happy its friday’, no I am talking about a deep sense of joy or bliss. ultimately, these words do it no justice. but i know the feeling. and when I feel that way, things work out… the Energy wants to expand, Consciousness is evolving and it is doing it through us. Aware or not, it is happening. When I tune into that feeling…
I am that feeling. I have come to that conclusion now and that it is up to me to support this human being in experiencing its birthright. Bliss, ananda… all the sages, saints, mystics and masters have pointed humanity to this fact. Ok… mind blown. again, as I said. I am a yogi, that is what is ironic… one might think, I got it… but the chatter in my mind has had its way with me, too! (and likely will again, albeit each time is less and less intense!)
Lets do a little 2+2…
All the saints, sages, masters, mystics…, the Wayne Dyers and Eckhart Tolle’s, the Beatles and other celebs… Jim Carrey, for goodness sake! google it. Jim Carrey Awakening… bam! My teachers… ALL SAYING THE SAME THING.
Now, again… me.
Does that mean what I think it means! yup… AVAILABLE TO ALL… They do call it the Infinite… that means everywhere… you, me, them… over there, here, yesterday, tomorrow… it is here, now. Always.
Cleaning my homes last week (1 old & 1 new) I found something… It was here all the time, silently waiting for me to return; to notice. (yes, i have been here before… maybe you have, too!) I found a temple, a true hOMe that I carry in my heart… a place I can never leave,nor ever go; I have always been here; safe, nurtured, supported and cared for. And so have you.
Total Body Cleanse
It is up to each of us to gain the clarity; consciousness is evolving through us all. Are you stuck? This is where the total body cleanse comes in. Of all the practices I have turned to over the years to gain and maintain my clarity, one sticks out to be the very best and quite honestly a rapid way to achieve clarity and gain insights when you are feeling out of sorts. A total body cleanse has been my goto over the years to feel lighter in body… mind & spirit. I firmly believe that our food system in the US is a contributing factor to systemic issues of low energy, physical & mental illness, along with a host of other issues plaguing our society. Cleaning up your diet for 10 days, is not only a great way to begin to entertain some discipline your life, but the healthy, happy vitality that results from the 10-day Transformation of a total body cleanse will bring some zing back into your life and a sure cure to feeling stuck over or after the holidays. There are many out there so do your research; many are not pure, organic, non-gmo, sustainably harvested, etc… but that may not matter to you. If it does, click here to learn more about the products I use daily.
There are many practices available to facilitate the expansion of consciousness within you… We aim to share what has worked for us: Yoga, Meditation, Energy Medicine, along with dietary support in the form of supplements and organic, non-gmo, minimally processed foods. Please comment below what has worked for you…
Join us in the flow! SYF2017 is right around the corner… and Aumbase Sedona has some great offerings, including a Total Yoga Detox with Luke Ketterhagen January 19-22! and remember, this hOMe was inspired by something bigger than us … look for us on airBnB soon and as hosts to a private total body cleanse retreat in our hOMe… with us.
When you go slow you see things you may have missed zooming right by.
You smell things, you feel things. Your senses come alive to the world around you.
When I’m on my bike I’m in my own world. I can get inside my own head or just tune the world out.
As a dear friend said, “My bike is my physician and my shrink”. I can add another title to that, “my church”. When I’m cycling along the roads of Sedona I feel closer to the creator than at any other time.
The blessing of being physically able to ride my bike and live here in our glorious Red Rock Country is something I am grateful for every day. It’s when we take the time to slow down and breath that the universe can really speak to us. We are truly able to hear our inner voice and be inspired to do great things or just become grounded again when life has gotten in the way. Being outdoors and truly a part of nature while propelling myself along our beautiful roads brings me joy!
Happy customer enjoying her ride!
My purpose in sharing my story with you is this – I want to strongly encourage women of any age to get on a bike and start pedaling! I am now in my late 50’s and I’ve never been in better shape.
Cycling is not only a great way to exercise, it is a great way to meet new people and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. Being challenged to ride long distances on my bike and actually doing it has taught me that I can do what I never dreamed possible and that has changed every area of my life. I now consider myself an experienced cyclist and I’m always up for a new challenge.
What’s your least favorite body part? Do you love your arms but not your back? Do you love your legs but not your tummy? Well I never liked the way my legs looked so one day in the winter of 2004 I decided to do something about it. Running wasn’t really an option since I can’t stand running and I always used the excuse that it’s not good for my joints. The only other activity that I thought would be good for getting my legs in better shape was cycling. A few years earlier my husband and I bought a very old house. In the basement we discovered an old Bianchi stationary bike the previous owner had left behind. It was probably an antique! I hauled it up out of the basement and started riding in the living room so I could watch TV while I pedaled. This was wintertime in VT mind you so riding outside wasn’t an option.
Self Propelled Tours Fun!
Well, that old Bianchi had an odometer on it and I kept track of my miles. It was very rewarding to see it go past 1 mile and then 2.
When springtime rolled around one of my boys suggested that I get a “real” bike and get outside and I did! Each time I went out for a ride I’d keep track of my mileage. Each ride I felt more challenged to see how far I could go. I would increase the distance each ride and was always motivated by distance never speed. I am still a slower rider compared to many of my friends. And this is how my love affair with cycling was born!
When we moved to the Verde Valley in 2007 I thought it would be a great time to change careers and I thought I’d look for a job as a guide with a bicycle tour company. The way I looked at it I could be doing what I love every day and never get tired of it! As I quickly discovered no road bike tour company existed, I fell back on my years as a dental assistant and found work with a dentist.
Being new to the area, I wasn’t familiar with the area roads and I felt hesitant to go out on my bike alone. Then I discovered a wonderful group of cyclists that go out every Friday morning for a social ride. These folks were a godsend! I was able to gain confidence around town as well as people to socialize with.
The best thing about riding with a group is that we all love cycling!
We always have great conversations along the way and yes we’ve solved the worlds problems many times over. As time allowed, I was able to join my new friends for longer group rides, eventually riding all the way to Sedona from Cottonwood, a total of more than 30 miles round trip. I never thought I’d be able to ride up the big hill by the high school but with the encouragement of dear man I made it! Conquering this distance and elevation gain challenged me to go further and so I signed up to ride with a tour group out of Scottsdale from Scottsdale all the way to Picacho Peak SP, almost 100 miles in one day! I did it even though I thought I’d die and wanted to from time to time. Again a sweet friend stayed by my side and made sure I didn’t give up. My love of long-distance cycling was cemented. I continue to ride with my Friday friends when time allows.
Photo Op with Self Propelled Tours!
After a great career as a dental assistant for 27 years my discontent with dentistry, and my painful hands, became too much. And so, in 2013 I started my own road bike tour company! Self Propelled Tours Sedona was born.
I love sharing the magic of Sedona with my guests from the seat of a bicycle! My goal was to offer leisurely, scenic bike tours so people could really get a better feel for Sedona than they can get riding in a car and cover more ground than hiking.
I still don’t love the way my legs look, but you know what, my legs are strong. They have propelled me and my bike many, many miles for many hours with wonderful friends enjoying the beautiful scenery very mile of the way. Cycling has changed my life in only very positive ways. So now I’m going to encourage each and every one of you to dust off your bike, make sure it’s in good working condition and get outside and pedal! It’s good for your lungs, legs and the environment. And above all it’s good for your heart!
SYF would like to thank our SYF2017 sponsor Self Propelled Tours! Check out their website: www.selfpropelledtours.com
When I first heard such a notion in my 200 hour yoga teacher training, I was dumb-founded. I was a person who had always prided herself in being honest, strong and true. I spoke with little regard for others feelings, if it meant altering what I wanted to say in the first place. I felt if I did this, it would be dishonest, and lack integrity, because it would essentially be “sugar-coating” my thoughts. Right?
Be compassionate, as careful with yourself as you are with others.
I used to believe that by being brutally honest, and speaking the words as quickly as they came bubbling up, was a form of compassion. ‘I was waking people up.’ I falsely believed, that I was single handedly dropping the truth that would change peoples lives, not realizing, I was actually still operating from a place of ego, deep pain from trauma, and unbridled emotion.
In the months that followed, my personal spiritual journey yet again transformed my life. 200 hours of yoga teacher training, 3 years of consistent practice, Vegan, practicing daily meditation-& hiking everyday. I saw in those moments, just two weeks into my program- that I still needed so much growth.
The more we learn, the more we discover new unseen depths.
I thought… how magnificent. After time had its healing pass, I came to realize that this was an opportunity. How beautiful to witness consciousness evolution right in this moment, happening to you, right now.
Do what you love- love who you are- allow yourself the space to be imperfect.
When I heard this, I started crying, I laid on my mat and covered my face. Forgive myself? This would mean opening a deep ocean of emotional secrets. The more I unravelled the tattered frays of my past, the more I became dismantled.
Practice self forgiveness from all the “should haves” – and remember that YOU are a beautiful soul learning and growing just like everyone else.
I took off. I jumped in my car and drove to the mountains. If my consciousness was going to expand – it wasn’t going to happen in a classroom.. It needed thousands of miles and tops of mountain to grow.
What I found there, in those days in the mountains is as follows.
Pic by @heaven_and_highwater
Surrounded by city – I do my best to unscramble these thoughts. Inward my mind travels as I imagine my soul, a placid lake of forgotten dreams waiting to be awoke. With shores subdued in quiet, an expansive aquatic terrain of glass . . . silver and cobalt, reflects tiny starlight twinkles in her slithering wake. The lake she sleeps- stirring slightly only at midnight like a gentle giant. Her upper lip quivers delivering kisses made of silk, wet and firmly pressed against the omnipresence of the Moon.
In the black expansiveness of silence – I AM.
I source my own sense of being through her glassy, reflective eyes as I dwell. I swallow bubbles of air and dive below even the furthest reaches of the surface light. It’s quiet in the bottom of the lake.
I think I will like it here with no struggle to float, I can flow like honey. Here, the insistent restlessness of dog paddling for freedom, does not exist. I embrace the deep waters and there is no struggle. Here, I embrace my life as is -instead of fighting against it. Maybe the drowning is inevitable, to appreciate the breath upon its welcomed return.
Humans are such funny things with minds wound up so tight.We fire thoughts like coil springs against ourselves, waging wars and epic battles in the name ego, in the name of self-righteousness. I sit in coffee shops contemplating the days, when we all stop pretending to ignore each other.
Chatter regurgitates from below, stirring the pool. We begin to heat the mysterious lake we once hid beneath…killing the fish, boiling the plants, churning the air into toxic gas. All mythology, love and wild magic spirits slink away from the trouble we have begun to create with our spinning self-deprecating negative minds.
The reflection becomes troubled, skewed and tumultuous…we lose our connection to the higher source now unable to see the anchoring light of the moon.
We do not see at first that the reflection in this lake is representative of our connection to her- to him… to this unearthly goddess of light… an avatar of the everything that is inside us. We do not see- that which we desire, causes us this suffering. We do not see how we boil the water with our misguided thoughts.
Remember that there is no perfectly guilty party in life and no one who gets away scot-free.I say, do not succumb to the torture of loss.Let it wash over you like the tide.Let the burns heal and the internal battle fade into a blaze of your memory.
Life and amazingly wonderful things want to happen to you- sometimes you just have to get out of your own way to see it.
Pic by @heaven_and_highwater
Jump off waterfalls, go play in a park, meet someone new, buy yourself a fancy healthy dinner or cook an awesome meal for one. Don’t criticize- acknowledge- that this is where you are today. You are amazing and capable.
Breathe. Bend and Stretch.Help others.Be good to yourself.Love completely, practice random acts of kindness.
Yoga music and a Yoga DJ’s are becoming common place with events sweeping the nation infusing the celebratory festival environment, with yoga practice. Just five years ago, having a live DJ or live band in your local studio was a rarity. Some may have heard of a DJ Drez playlist, or if your were in LA you may have gone to a special event to hear MC Yogi. However, for the most part, you probably practiced yoga in silence.
Today, there’s an entire roster of DJs on yoga-festival lineups, and up-and-comers like (SYF Presenter, DJ TAZ), Bhakti Styler, and more booking regular gigs in studios and event spaces across the country.”– Andrea Ferretti of Yoga Journal
But what is yoga music? Is yoga music simply derived from a series of Sanskrit chants? Is it Kirtan? A Gong? Or, is it a playlist created by the teacher for his or her flow class? Does music played in a yoga class, lessen the authenticity of yoga? Many of us have asked these questions ourselves, and have heard both sides of the argument.
“While some yoga teachers dismiss the live-music trend, as a mere ‘distraction’ from yoga’s most powerful exercises, such as listening to your breath or observing your thoughts to bring calm and focus, others see it as a tool for going inward, for timing the breath to the beat, or for simply feeling joy during the practice.” – Andrea Ferretti of Yoga Journal
“There is a time and place for a quieter, more introspective practice, and you shouldn’t dismiss that,” says Stephanie Snyder, a San Francisco–based vinyasa teacher who travels across the United States and Europe and teaches some classes with a live DJ.
Lets start with the basics. Music played in a yoga class most notably, provides a new way to market the practice to a more diverse demographic such as those from other regions, spiritual beliefs, physical shapes and ages. Since the benefit of yoga, we hope, is to bring it to everyone. Therefore, some yoga, is better than no yoga. Right?
Perhaps what we should look at is that music itself, in this scenario, is getting a bad rap. Music for thousands of years has aided the human condition, aided our consciousness evolution, provided solace in every emotional scenario, and plays an integral role in virtually every culture since the beginning of time.
Enter DJ Taz, a person who both defines this new sub genre, but also is growing inside of it. While India may be a starting point for this indescribable subset of music, musical accompaniment, that flows as we do – it has become an integral part of our lives in the Yoga community.
“My Mission in life is to help awaken the collective consciousness with music. “ DJ TAZ
Isn’t that good news for a brighter future for yoga? If the term ‘yoga music’ seems so fleeting and undesirable perhaps its speaking to something deeper. If the point is union, why are we judging the vehicle that carries us there?
“I’ve talked to a handful of classical Indian musicians who say that their music is their yoga, which makes sense: classical asanas and pranayama were performed at certain times of the day, to attune the yogi to nature’s rhythm. Ragas were invented with the same idea in mind.” – Derek Beres
Tazdeen Rashid is a yoga DJ. brings a high vibrational energy to any crowd instantly by mixing a wide range of music beats and rhythms including, Ancient New World, hundreds of electronic Remixes, House, Kirtan, Devotional, and cosmic sounds. His vision is to be a channel to cause the expansion of all those around by tapping into the creative wisdom of the body and allowing them to feel, let go and awaken.
For DJ Taz, his music is his yoga. Taz has been producing and part of creating mindful events globally over the last few years and as a musician, he plays guitar, keyboard, Native American Flute, didgeridoo and hand percussion. He takes these instruments and connects to the Divine and what comes through has the ability to move his crowd to connect to their Divine higher selves.
The aim of the yogi: unifying all seemingly disparate elements into one continuous moment. Just as we celebrate the change in our physical practice as we progress and bend into new asanas and states of meditation, we can also appreciate the changes in our perception.
Still, a persistent yet undefined image of ‘yoga music’ continues to wield its confusing head. I say, breathe and let it go. The fact is friends, while India may have been a starting point for this indescribable subset of music, the result is an amazing new platform in which we can all come together and celebrate.
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20 or so days ago, Heather and I spontaneously discussed the perfect place to live; a place we could expand our lives and grow, something we could share with family & friends, a place we could grow our business and share with our tribe. We listed all the things we would want, right down to the neighborhood; we were very specific. Today, I am sitting in the back office of that home writing this blog!
Yet, we both handled it in stride! I admit, there were a few times that it got challenging, yet I was able to literally turn 180 degrees from the thoughts, words or actions that were noticeably blocking the energy of expansion. Somehow, I was able to maintain a peaceful clarity throughout what certainly looked like chaos from the outside, eventually the perceived chaos diminished and now I gaze upon a completely new experience! So, how did I do it?
Prana, Chi, Energy, Universal Energy, God, the Great Mystery… on and on the traditions describe something like “a fabric of reality”, something that keeps it all together, connects all creation, and so on… (So I am gonna leave that part alone and know that if you are reading this, we are close enough or on the same sheet. )
Lets do a little 2+2…
