Feb 6, 2014 | Sedona Yoga, SYF2014 Presenters, Yoga Festival, Yoga Festival Experience, Yoga Pre-Conference
Time sure does fly quickly when you’re having fun! We are all working hard with stellar smiles on our faces and stars in our eyes as all the angels arrive and congregate to get this festival ready for you to arrive and delight in the experience of your transformation.
As you can see from the schedule above, we have a lot more going on than the festival itself. There are lots of free things for the community to participate in at the Heart Center Vendor Village.
If you are attending the festival, this will be the location that you check-in for registration. To help that process go smoother, we ask that you print out your ticket for easy scanning.
Please bring your yoga mat, your shining faces, an open heart, and a clear mind!
Our Opening Experience is taking place–THIS EVENING at 6:30 p.m. in the Heart Center Vendor Village. If you haven’t already, please take a look at the beautiful work-of-art that just so happens to be our program, where you will find schedules, maps, local information and helpful guides moving through the festival. To view the program, click here.
Much like a heart, the Heart Center Vendor Village has a flow and rhythm that moves in and out of the vendor’s huts, registration, John Soderberg’s sculpting studio, the outdoor stage, around a pond and
reaching out to the limbs of free yoga classes, local eats and areas to breathe. Bundle up and get familiar with the yoga community that is already forming around us all to create that beautiful lift and rise of consciousness.
Starting at 7 p.m. Friday night at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre, filmmaker Suzanne Bryant presents her film, “YOGA IS a Transformational Journey” . Through this journey, Suzanne meets the most prominent Yoga Gurus and teachers in the west and travels to India to explore the power of this ancient practice. Along the way she discovers what YOGA IS. Be sure not to miss her Tea Time Fireside chat on Sunday at L’Auberge Cottage from 3:30pm to 5:00 p.m.
Chris Spheeris will moderate Friday evening where he will show his short film, “Facets of Infinity” that has been ten years in the making. A collection of stills of cacti and succulents folding into mandalas and kaleidoscopes come alive in the perfect setting of Sedona. Be sure not to miss his other offerings, including his inspirational workshop, “All you have to do is Listen” .
Feb 4, 2014 | Sedona Yoga
As a life-long dancer and performer, it is my belief that nothing can simultaneously
connect you to your body and the Divine like dance. Through this ancient practice, one
is able to surrender to the moment and find the “sweet spot” of uninhibited movement
infused with the healing vibration of music, that inspires the physical and emotional
expression of our greatest joys and deepest sorrows.
My background in psychology and my work as an intuitive healing arts practitioner has
been a catalyst to my own healing, so when I received the message that guided me to
combine my passion for dance with energy medicine, I was ready to answer the call.
“The chakra energy dance the other morning was very deep and
emotional and conjured up feelings of the freedom to be not only who
I want to be…but who I really am… I am looking forward to continuing
this series.” – S. Moncada
The Chakra Energy Dance practice that I created, also known as Sacred Circle Chakra
Energy Dance, is an exciting, holistic, whole-being dance experience that combines
energy healing with free-flowing movement to revitalize and realign the energy vortexes
of the body known in Sanskrit as Chakras. The Chakras or “Wheels of Light” are the
source of optimal health and well-being.
Ideally, the chakras are spinning, promoting positive energy flow within the body,
however through emotional traumas and physical illnesses, the chakras can slow their
pace or come to a complete standstill causing energetic blockages resulting in a loss of
physical vitality.
Chakra Energy Dance is an amplified, expressive movement therapy that combines
pulsating global beats and Eastern trance music with guided visualizations that hold a
safe, sacred space for individuals to take an inner journey through the chakra system.
Each dance represents various aspects of the chakras: color, rhythm, element, health
and psychology.
With quiet minds and grounded energy, the focus is turned inward to listen to the cues
of the body since it knows exactly what it needs to heal. Each movement combined
with intention, releases blockages, stress and tension while offering the subtle benefits
of cardio exercise. During the dance, breath work (pranayama) is emphasized to
cleanse the body as the heart rate increases and to bring the awareness from the head
(crown chakra) down to the lower chakras, creating a calming and centered state of
being.
This class has proven to be affective in creating profound shifts in energy and
consciousness. Some of these amazing benefits include the following:
• Helps gain tremendous personal insight
• Reconnects and heals the inner child
• Grounds energy in the body
• Increases energy and stamina
• Builds community in a fun and supportive environment
• Stimulates imagination and creativity
• Releases stagnant energies
• Compliments yoga practices
If you’re a yogi interested in learning about the chakra system or looking to enhance
your knowledge in a way that goes beyond the norm…this class is for you. The
awareness of the chakras and the physical strength that is built during the class, will
give you a deeper connection to each asana and benefit your overall practice. Every
class is unique. Classes have a flexible structure and are presented intuitively based
on the energies of the participants. Dance experience is not required, there is no
technique involved. It’s a free-flowing, let it all loose dance!
Join us for Chakra Energy Dance: A SOULful, Whole-Being Healing Experience on
Saturday, February 8th
Experience the energies of the chakras for yourself through this transformative,
meditative dance where bodies are flexible, minds are still and spirits are lifted.
3:30pm-5:30pm at the Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa Ballroom.
Stephanie Colletti is a Certified Empathic Reiki Master and Teacher, Yogi, Shamanic Practitioner, Writer, Public Speaker, Chakra Energy Dance Facilitator and Founder of Sacred Circle Healing & Dance. She has been on a healers journey all of her life, recognizing her intuitive, multi-sensory abilities at an early age. She began studying dance at the age of three and has performed under the direction of world renowned instructors. In 2012, Stephanie found her niche and true inspiration when she was led to combine Energy Medicine with expressive movement and dance creating a new generation of energy healing. Based in Atlanta, Stephanie offers in-person and “virtual” Energy Medicine sessions worldwide and facilitates Chakra Energy Dance classes and workshops throughout
the country. Learn more about Stephanie by visiting the Sacred Circle Healing & Dance website at
www.sacredcirclehealinganddance.com and by following her on Facebook at Sacred Circle Healing &
Dance.
Feb 3, 2014 | Sedona Yoga, Yoga Festival, Yoga Festival Experience
- Amara Resort and Spa
We are proud to work with many sensational Sedona venues and after taking the final walk-throughs and measurements, we couldn’t help but share the exquisite beauty that honors Sedona in all of her glory. Each location holds an incredible space for transformation, growth, imagination, exploration and creativity.
Come take a look with us and plan your SYF2014 Transformation!!
Salt water hot tub burrowed in the salt water infinity pool nestled cozily above the creek at Amara Resort and Spa. Here you can catch Pamela Quinn’s Ayurvedic workshops, Barbara Matsura’s Qigong’s Ba Duan Jin classes, and Robert Sturman’s Yoga Photography classes.
- Heather admiring one of John’s many phenomenal bronze sculptures that highlight the Sedona Creative Life Center.
Sedona Creative Life Center. Dedicated to creativity, fulfillment, growth and coming together in a diverse spiritual community for personal spiritual advancement, the Creative Life Center offers magical views of Sedona, beautiful spaces to gather and lifting rooms for learning. Home of our Mindful Therapeutic Yoga Practices for Veteran’s 2-day Intensive Training for Yoga Teachers, You’ll get to enjoy a healing meditative sonic journey on Saturday evening with East Forest from 7pm-10pm. Mark Whitwell presents Sunday morning as we move into Sarah McLean’s Meditation Gathering for World Peace at 1pm.
Start your mornings off right at 7 Centers Yoga Arts. Each morning there will be a Morning Sunrise Agni Hotra and Meditation at 7am with Ruth Hartung. There are many fulfilling classes here, Shelly Prosko’s “Happy Hearts Healthy Backs”, Liz Tucker’s “Bhavana in Motion” and Julia Mick’s “Biology of Ecstasy”. Sunday sit with Rama Jyoti Vernon for the World Peace Meditation at 1pm as Sarah McLean leads the broadcast Live to the World!
SYF 2014 Staff hard at work visualizing the magic and music that will unfold at the Sedona Rouge Hotel and Space. Starting Friday off, we have Barbara Matsuura’s “Sheng Zhen Gong, Unconditional Love Practice”, Saturday Stephanie Colletti gets our chakras dancing in her, “A SOULful , Whole-Being Healing Experience” and Sunday, Ana Brett and Ravi Singh encourages us to balance those crucial “glandular go-getters” in their, “Happy Hormones: Kundanlini Yoga” class with live gong music!
- Agave’s Terrace
Agave of Sedona is walking distance from our thriving Heart Center Vendor Village and home to one of the most breath-taking views here in West Sedona. Himalayan Institute’s Luke Ketterhagen will be teaching his class, “Agni Sara, The Master Practice” here, where you are sure to become the energy, light and transformative qualities of fire in this strengthening class. Finishing Friday off, Marguerite Baca will have us laughing, dancing with Outlaw Yoga and spinning fire with SYF’s Artistic Director, Matthew Hunsaker and tribe! This is where I’ll be Friday night, for sure!!
That’s just a few venues for now! Stay tuned for more visually stimulating captures that will be caught by our team of photographers and active participants!
Feb 2, 2014 | Sedona Yoga
Many people come to yoga via the physical discipline of hatha yoga. It is a great place to start, but at some point, we start to ask ourselves important questions about our life, and want to find ways to improve it. I think that this can be where an intentional spiritual practice can start to germinate, and we can remold what is a very fixed set of prejudices and loyalties that are within us all. It does not have to be that difficult if we bring the teachings consciously into something we do every day, like shop for food, 
cook and eat!
The “Yoga Sutras of Patanjali” is an ancient text that many yogis become familiar with. Making the teachings come alive in our daily lives on practical basis however, can be a little challenging. Patanjali “seasons” throughout the yoga sutras that success comes with “Constant practice and continued dispassion”, which indicates that we need to live our practice, and not just practice it a few times a week.
We are immortal, and as such, can never die. What then would you do for the rest of eternity if you became enlightened? We are here to enjoy ourselves and not become an evangelical yogi, trying to convert the whole family to become vegan and think the same way we do. To try to understand, and more importantly, embody the teachings takes time, as we have all the time in the world mystically, why not have fun with 12 vital sutras that can change your concept of what you thought the yoga sutras could be about. Avidya is, of course, the basic reason we are all here. We have forgotten our true nature or we would not be here. Most people cannot remember what foods that they have eaten at the end of the day. So how can we remember how we can bring the teachings alive in our life, chew them over and digest what is meaningful?It is from this viewpoint that Camella Nair will be talking about the yoga sutras in her scheduled workshop on Saturday at 9am at Stargate Productions.Camella will be introducing “Cooking the Yoga Sutras” at the Sedona Yoga Festival In February and at the Bermuda Yoga Festival in April 2014. For more information about Camella, visit her site at:
www.camellanair.com
Jan 23, 2014 | Sedona Yoga, SYF2014 Presenters, Yoga Conference, Yoga Philosophy
Yoga for Lawyers
The practice of law is a challenging profession. Years of intense study of the law, competition and high stakes negotiations combined with long working hours, high burnout, adversarial colleagues, pressures to bill more hours and to exceed expectations. It takes book-smarts and street-smarts to really succeed; it’s no wonder that most lawyers are Type A perfectionists and life-long overacheivers. The job demands mental strength, physical health and emotional balance. Many lawyers develop physical health issues as a result of long hours seated at a computer, not getting enough exercise and overeating or over-drinking in response to stressful conditions at work or socially with colleagues and clients.
How Can Yoga for Lawyers Help?
Yoga for Lawyers is based on the four paths of yoga and the traditional eight-limb yoga ashtanga system, or as the Yogattorneys MCLE material calls it “the four paths, eight limbs and ten fingers” of yoga. The ten fingers refer to the five yamas and five niyamas that make up the the first and second limbs. These paths, limbs and fingers are a combination of ethical guidelines, physical poses and mental focusing exercises that all work together to build stronger, healthier attorneys who respond to conflicts and challenges in a more relaxed and resilient manner.
In many ways, the practices of yoga are complimentary to the ethical guidelines that govern attorney behavior. For example, the practice of Karma Yoga, or yoga through service or action, is in harmony with ER6.1 which is worded strongly to remind attorneys of their duty to be of service through providing pro bono service to worthy causes.
About Yogattorneys
Yogattorneys MCLE classes we under the guidance of the State Bar of Arizona and the Arizona Bar Association will be holding a Yogattorneys workshop in Tucson, Arizona on May 15th. Classes are a mixture of a lecture on law and yoga, including the similarity of the professional ethics rules and the traditional eight-limbs, yoga instruction and self-study. MCLE credit may be available for attorneys in other states, as well. Information is available on the Yogattorneys website.
Lawyers are busy people with busy schedules and billable hour requirements. But the physical and mental benefits of yoga, alone, make practicing it worth your time.
Benefits of Practice, Extra Incentives for Lawyers
The benefits of yoga practice are well documented and include physical health, strength, flexibility and balance. Repeated practice generally leads to the development of these qualities in an intangible way, as well. Developing a strong mind, being able to adapt and feeling mentally balanced are all virtues that can be expected from a yoga practice and that are particularly beneficial for attorneys.
Yogattorneys was set up in part to give lawyers even more incentives to try yoga than just the mental and physical ones. Like, offering continuing education credit and tips on how yoga can make the challenges in law more fun.
There may be financial incentives for lawyers to try yoga, now, as well. Lawyers should talk to their tax advisors about the amount of are business travel and education costs they can may be able to “write off” for qualified Yogattorneys classes and MCLE retreats.
Register for the YOGATTORNEYS MCLE Package at SYF2014
About Trisha Lotzer, JD
Trisha started practicing yoga in law school as a way to stay fit and deal with stress. She practiced on and off for years until she was diagnosed with PTSD in the wake of 9/11. Now she credits that period of crisis and the healing process that followed for a major breakthrough in her law and yoga practices. She began to travel the world studying different forms of yoga and mediation practices. She founded Yogattorneys in 2008 after completing her 200 hour yoga teaching training with Ganga White and Tracey Rich. In 2008 she started the Lotzer Law Group, PC which allows her the flexibility she needs to travel and continue her yoga studies while work with clients around the world. You can read more about Trisha on her website TrishaLotzer.com
This year at #SYF2014, Trisha will be presenting Open For Blissness, a two-part yoga workshop for business owners, yogattorneys and any one else who is interested in finding and combining bliss and business.
Jan 18, 2014 | Sedona Yoga, SYF2014 Presenters
Wow! Here is a wonderful blast from the past… Silvia Mordini, describes her experience at the inaugural Sedona Yoga Festival last year… Check out her #SYF2014 offerings at https://syf2014.sched.org/speaker/silvia2#.UtrWc3kQGb8
February 8, 2013. Feels a little bit like the first day at a brand new school. Starting today, I am presenting at the Sedona Yoga Festival to a whole new group of yogis. It is my first time teaching in Arizona (although I’ve taken many a workshop/training here in my Anusara days).
As always before teaching, my thoughts turn to how will I best touch the hearts and minds of my students. What will they think? Will they understand me? Regardless of your experience, Yoga Teachers still get nervous. I may have over 11,000 hours of teaching experience but today will be my first hour in the teacher’s seat at this first ever Festival!
One of my biggest strengths is my humanness. After leading 15 RYT200 Teacher Trainings, I work hard to keep myself off the pedestal and keep things real. I am imperfect, fallible, sometimes quirky, certainly silly, and a bit earnest when it comes to manifesting happiness. Being born in Ecuador to an Italian father and Ecuadorian mother only adds to my uniqueness.
If you know anyone in Sedona coming to the festival, applaud them! They—like me—are First Penguins. The first penguin is a term coined by the late Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch who offered his last lecture there when he was dying of cancer. Here is one of his key pieces of advice: Be the first penguin. “I encouraged students to attempt hard things and not to worry about failing…failure is not just acceptable, it’s often essential.”
Pausch rewarded his students who took the biggest risk with a stuffed penguin representing how when a group of penguins takes to the water, one of them has to take the FIRST plunge. If that penguin survives in the potentially predator filled, dangerous water, then the other penguins follow.
I am grateful to everyone involved with Sedona Yoga Festival. It is heroic to manifest—from nothing—an entire yoga festival, replete with teachers, searchers and healers from all over the world. To every single attendee, presenter, volunteer, and staff, I present you the First Penguin Award! Thank You Silvia!!!
You are magnificent and your courage to jump into the water not knowing what will happen is inspiring. And that is why I am proud to be involved—even if I am also a bit nervous.
To those who are considering doing something that really scares you this year, be encouraged. Manifest your biggest dream! The world needs more First Penguins in yoga, in art, in science, in relationships, in life. Love yourself, love your day, love your life! Silvia
ABOUT SILVIA MORDINI, Happiness Coach, Yogipreneur, lululemon ambassador, manduka ambassador
Enthusiasm to love your life is contagious around Silvia. Her expert passion connects people to their own joyful potential. Silvia lives her happiness in such a big way that you can’t help but leave her classes, workshops, trainings and retreats spiritually uplifted! Born in Ecuador, raised traveling around the globe she is an enthusiastic citizen of the world and spiritual adventurer. She is a long-time Experienced Yoga Teacher (E-RYT) with over 10,000 hours of teaching experience, owned a yoga studio for 9 years and has been teaching and practicing yoga over the last 15 years after being run over by a car and using it to recover physically and emotionally. Silvia will be leading a Tuscan Adventure in Happiness week long retreat in June 2013 and an Amalfi Coast Wellness Adventure in July 2013 as well as offering her Alchemy of Yoga RYT200 Yoga Teacher Training in Costa Rica this August 2013. Silvia is currently writing a book about Prescriptions for Happiness and has a popular blog called Loving Your Life, along with producing her “Loving Your Day” videos.
Connect with Silvia Mordini:
Web: www.alchemytours.com or www.silviamordini.com
Email at silvia@alchemytours.com
Twitter @alchemytours @inspiredyogagal
Facebook Silvia Mordini (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1164596386)
