Message from Karen

Dear Friend,

Autumn leaves are falling bringing cooling dryness to the atmosphere and to our bodies. This time of year brings changes that are welcome by some and causes anxiety for others. Change can be exciting and unsettling. Change can bring out the best in us and the worst in us. This is the wave of life that we ride.

The link below takes you to an article written by John Doulliard. John has written a few books on Ayurveda including "Mind, Body, Sport" and "The Three Season Diet." John's article includes a discussion of the koshas, the topic for my next workshop on October 14th at Mystic Yoga Shala. Read more about that below.

Early in September I spent 10 days at Kripalu. The first 7 days were spent in "Multidimensional Asana Practice: The Foundation of Yoga Therapy" training with Integrative Yoga Therapy. This was an intense and exciting program that provided more tools for my yoga teacher toolbox including several new posture flows that I've been introducing into your classes.

The last 3 days at Kripalu were spent assisting Amy Weintraub's program "Breathe to Beat the Blues," a program that introduces yogic breathing techniques to relieve depression and "beat the blues." This was a great program to assist because I learned new pranayamas and new ways to use the breath to calm the mind. Amy has written a wonderful book called "Yoga for Depression." (There's a link from my website to this book.)

I will be returning to Kripalu for the annual yoga teachers conference during the week of October 16 - 22. Reminder: There will be no classes that week. All classes resume October 23rd.

While at the conference, I signed up for workshops that will enhance my skills as a yoga teacher including: Refining the Art of Assisting, Fine Tune Your Tapas (Discipline), Megayoga: Yoga for Plus-Size Practitioners and Yogagaia: The Yoga of Earth and Kosmic Consciousness. I have also been blessed with the honor of presenting a workshop at this conference called "Yoga on the Move: Strategies for Teaching in Your Community" a topic that I've come to know very well! The conference won't be all work and no play. One of the evening programs will be filled with "ecstacy and laughter" with Swami Pajamananda or Swami PJ for short!

Thank you for inspiring me to do this life affirming work. I feel truly blessed and honored to have you as my student.

Namaste,
Karen

Workshop * Saturday, October 14, 2006

The Koshas:
Doorways to Body, Mind & Spirit

Mystic Yoga Shala
107 Wilcox Rd. Stonington CT
(860) 536-0237
Time: 1 - 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $35 Pre-register to reserve your space!

Integration of body, mind and spirit is the basis of body / mind health. The first step in bringing about this integration is awareness. Yoga brings awareness to each of the koshas and peels back the layers to reveal the essence of who we truly are. In this workshop, we'll learn through experience how language brings awareness to the practice of asana, pranayama and deep relaxation inviting bliss to happen.

Deepen your Yoga practice and life force awareness with a journey through the gross and subtle bodies, the three Shariras (bodies) and the five Koshas (sheaths):

Annamayakosha – the food sheath,
Pranamayakosha – the life force sheath,
Manomayakosha – the mind sheath,
Vijnamayakosha – the wisdom sheath, and
Anandamayakosha – the bliss sheath.

Instructor: Karen Clarke has taken several training programs that focus on the koshas as a model for health and healing including Integrative Yoga Therapy Teacher Training. She highlights the koshas in her yoga classes as a way of bringing awareness to our integrated, true nature. yogahealsus@yahoo.com

Note to yoga teachers: This workshop meets the Yoga Alliance standard for CEs. Yoga Alliance RYTs will receive a certificate of attendance upon request. RYTs receive up to 3 CEs for each workshop.

Workshop * Saturday, October 28, 2006

Adaptive Asana for Every Body

Mystic Yoga Shala
107 Wilcox Rd. Stonington CT
(860) 536-0237
Time: 1 - 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $35 Pre-register to reserve your space!

Most yoga teachers regularly encounter students whose health conditions or physical limitations require a creative approach to postures. If you are a student you may want to learn how to adapt postures for your safety and comfort. If you are a teacher perhaps you teach populations who are using yoga specifically as a healing modality, or maybe you'd like to become more confident offering posture modifications within multi-level classes. In this workshop we'll have an adaptive asana experience and then explore:

*Modifications and variations of asanas typically taught in basic-level classes.
*The use of props to safely accommodate students with limiting physical conditions.
*Alternative asanas for students who are disabled, elderly, or obese.
*A developmental approach to postural alignment and sequencing that safely guides students into their personal experience of the asanas.

Instructor: Karen Clarke developed this workshop as part of Teaching Adaptive Yoga for MS Teacher Training. A variation of this workshop was presented at the Kripalu Yoga Teachers Association (KYTA) annual conference in October, 2005. yogahealsus@yahoo.com

Note to yoga teachers: This workshop meets the Yoga Alliance standard for CEs. Yoga Alliance RYTs will receive a certificate of attendance upon request. RYTs receive up to 3 CEs for each workshop.

Local News

Greene's Books and Beans will be closing their doors to relocate in New Mexico. Here's Nancy's message:

"With mixed emotions I am writing to tell you that after 10 and 1/2 years in downtown New London, Greene's Books and Beans will be closing it's doors forever on Saturday, October 21. We are very grateful for all of the friends we've made over the years, for the children who have grown up before our eyes, the young people who have graced our shop and considered us friends and for the support and good will you have given us. Thank you so much for a wonderful 10 years!"

I will miss dropping into Greene's for coffee and friendship, not to mention the great water views, great books, jewelry and gifts. I wish Nancy and Pat the best.

_____

Stonebridge Herbary will also be closing this fall. Here's Bonnie's message:

"It is with great sadness yet excitement that I share with you my news. I will not be renewing my lease in Olde Mistick Village, which is up in December. I will be closing the shop no later than the end of November. I thank everyone who has supported Stonebridge Herbary over the last 10 years and will miss everyone.

As one door Closes another will Open. Namaste Bonnie and Mercedes"

I will miss dropping into Stonebridge Herbary for uplifting conversation, great music, gifts and friendship. Bonnie and Mercedes, I wish you the best.

From: Thought for the Day

Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right.
– I Corinthians


In My Fair Lady, Rex Harrison sings in exasperation: "Why can't a woman be more like a man? . . . Why can't a woman be like me?"

It did not surprise me to learn that this was a very popular song. In every emotional relationship, even if we don't put it into words, each of us has a rigid set of expectations which requires the other person to act and think in a particular way. Interestingly enough, it is not that person's way; it is our own.

When he or she acts differently, we get surprised and feel irritated or disappointed. If we could see behind the scenes, in the mind, this sort of encounter would make a good comedy. Here I am, relating not to you but to my idea of you, and I get irritated because you insist on acting your own way instead!

It is really no more than stimulus and response. If you behave the way I expect, I'll be kind. If you behave otherwise, I'll act otherwise too: rude, or irritated, or disappointed, or depressed, depending on my personality, but always something in reaction to you. It means, simply, that none of us has much freedom; our behavior is dependent on what other people say and do. To live without self-centered expectations is the secret of freedom in personal relationships.