the accidental yogist

living within my means, part 1

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:56:00 +0000

it was sometime in june that i came to the unsettling realization that i had been unemployed for just over six months, with no job prospects in sight. while things had started out quite promisingly back in november -- a slew of interviews, continual dialogue with various headhunters -- the well slowly started to dry up. and despite my best efforts to scan job postings and check in with employment agencies, there really hasn't been anything that has even looked remotely like a possible fit. but i continue to stay positive... after all, you never know...

in the meantime, i decided that i needed to cut back on expenses even more. including all the money i've been spending on yoga classes.

yes, you read that right.

but cutting back on yoga expenses doesn't necessarily mean cutting back on my daily yoga practice. it just means spending smartly. or at least trying to.

so for the month of july, my plan was to take yoga classes at studios where i still had unused series passes and/or work-study class credits. and obviously, at any place that offered FREE classes. the only exceptions would be fundraiser events. and, along the same line, any classes that were taught by teachers who donated to my own fundraising efforts for the city yoga / habitat for humanity yogathon last month. and of course i gave myself full permission to take classes at new studios and/or any places i'd never been to. after all, that's what i do :)

so here's how the first half of my month went:

wednesday, july 1st: it was a doubleheader day of sorts for me. i started with an afternoon class on tantric meditation taught by sally kempton at yogaglo. ok, so it cost me $20 (i broke the rules right from the get-go!), but i'd heard so much about the teacher and the topic that i just had to attend. and it was during sally's guided meditation sessions that i realized that no matter how hard i try, i can't seem to stay awake once i clear my mind of all the chatter :(
that evening, i took a class with athena engleman at truyoga (cost: $0, since i'd won a series of classes at a truyoga event a few months earlier). athena was subbing for someone that day and i was the only one brave enough to take her class -- or so it seemed. but that proved to be a bonus for me -- i ended up getting a delicious private lesson with her! and it was just what i needed; since my lower back had been bothering me, all we did were poses that kept it relatively happy...

thursday, july 2nd: with my back still acting up, i opted for a deep tissue massage instead. i justified the expense as being a necessary medical procedure. it sounded good at the time.

friday, july 3rd: i don't have anything written on my calendar. i think i resorted to doing savasana. in bed. damned back.

saturday, july 4th: i started the independence day festivities on my bike in the santa monica 4th of july parade. i and a few other cyclists rode down main street with the greenpeace group -- including a waving polar bear! -- with the point being that stopping global warming (and riding a bike instead of driving) is patriotic. all i know is that it was fun... and a good way to get me to the doorstep of exhale venice for steven espinosa's level 1 class. i chose the studio not only because of its proximity to the parade route, but also because i thought i still had some unused classes on my series pass. apparently, i thought wrong; right before i walked into class i was told that i had already used up my last class. not wanting to find another place to go, i bit the bullet and bought a 5-pack of classes. argh. i thought i was supposed to be SAVING money, not spending it :(

sunday, july 5th: i took kyra haglund's flow class at santa monica yoga. and this is where i get to pat myself on the back -- not only did i get through kyra's nicely-challenging class, but i also used up one of my work-study class credits! net cost: zero!

monday, july 6th: chris chavez was scheduled to teach his first level 2/3 anusara class at the hub that evening, so i cashed in a work-study credit and joined the giggling group of lululemon yoginis and die-hard anusara addicts as we pushed ourselves through 90 minutes of strength poses and inversions. the result: lots of sweat, zero expense!

tuesday, july 7th: KTLA dropped by yogaglo to tape a segment for kurt the cyberguy. so our small group of yogis (who managed to take the weekday afternoon off) were led through a quick vinyasa class taught by jo tastula and isabelle du soleil. the segment has yet to air, so as i write this, i'm still wondering if i ended up on screen or on the cutting room floor. hmmm...
as the sun began its descent over the pacific ocean, i headed out for one of aaron reed's summer beach yoga classes on the sand, which ended under the glow of a beautiful full moon. yum...
by the way, both classes were FREE!

wednesday, july 8th: it was the first day santa monica yoga would be offering yoga classes at the newly-opened annenberg community beach house. $10 didn't sound like a whole lot of money in exchange for an ocean-view class in a historic venue. as it turned out, our yoga teacher that day, natalie canessa, is a great-grandaughter of marion davies, the original occupant of the property. and while natalie taught our vinyasa flow class, she kept having flashbacks of her summers spent in the same pool we could see from our classroom. how cool was that?

thursday, july 9th: i spent the morning listening to joshua bell and the LA philharmonic as they rehearsed for their performance later that evening at the hollywood bowl (here's a freebie alert -- it costs nothing to sit in on the rehearsals at the bowl. even the parking is free!). then spent the evening schmoozing at the LA bike coalition table at the joan baez concert at the santa monica pier. while on an all-day music high, i somehow neglected to take a yoga class...

friday, july 10th: it was fitness friday at the lucy store in santa monica! a recent graduate from the yogaworks teacher training program, suzi (i can't remember her last name because i can't find the card she gave me!) taught our hour-long flow class. while the class itself was FREE to all, i walked out of the store $30 poorer, only because i ended up buying an adorable wrap that was on sale. but isn't that considered saving money? :)
later that evening, there was a pre-bhaktifest kirtan and party at lululemon brentwood. it was by donation, with the proceeds going to the bhaktifest charity. and it was well worth the money i dropped in the donation box, with performances by bhaktifest musicians donna delory, govindas and radha, chris morro, and larisa stow. plus i won a piece of ganesha artwork, courtesy of yogini rukmini at yogini designs. score!

saturday, july 11th: naime jezzeny, one of the first anusara-certified instructors to teach in LA and who now calls philadelphia home, was in town for a workshop. to celebrate his homecoming of sorts, he taught a FREE class at yogaglo that morning. and if that weren't enough to get me on a yoga high, i spent the evening chanting with krishna das at the wilshire ebell theatre. ok, so it cost me $30 for the ticket. but we're talking KD here, if you know what i mean...

sunday, july 12th: i'm still wondering if i can say i "did yoga" if i took no classes that day, but instead spent the evening at the hollywood bowl in the company of the editor of LA YOGA magazine and three other yoga instructors... at least i can say i didn't spend a dime that day on yoga classes!

monday, july 13th: tara judelle was back in town from an extended vacation/meditation workshop, so it seemed a good idea to check out her evening anusara class at yogaglo. and because i have an annual pass, i didn't have to pull out my wallet to pay for the class. yay!

tuesday, july 14th: i'm ashamed to admit that i spent the bulk of bastille day chasing down lunch trucks -- and eating their wares. for those of you hip to the LA social scene, the big thing around town these days are the twitter-able food trucks, the best known of which is the @kogibbq truck. but since it wasn't in my neck of the woods that day, i ended up at the @marked5 truck (purveyor of japanese-inspired "burgers"), the @green_truck (known for its gourmet organic food), the @chefonwheelsbbq truck (a new kid on the road which specializes in -- well, duh -- barbecue), and the @coolhaus truck (with its architecturally-inspired ice cream sandwiches, such as the frank behry, the richard meyer lemon ginger, and many more). between that and biking around town posting flyers for the upcoming wanderlust, yogamonth, and yoga gives back events, let's just say i put down "karma yoga" on my calendar and left it at that.

wednesday, july 15th: i originally planned to take julian walker's class at exhale that morning (he was subbing for saul david raye, who was out of town), but as luck would have it, i discovered right before i left home that the back wheel of my bike had gone flat. instead of driving to class, i chose to walk my bike to the nearby helen's cycles to get the flat fixed (i know, i should've done it myself to save money, but i'm not yet that skilled in bike maintenance). with the morning gone, i opted to take ryan brewer's vinyasa flow class at the hub that evening (using up another work-study class credit!). after i had run into him at THREE separate events over the weekend (the party at lululemon, the KD kirtan, and the world music night at the bowl), it seemed appropriate to continue the streak and run into him one more time. after his class ended, i was tempted to do a doubleheader and stay for chris chavez's class (and use up yet another credit), but with my back feeling considerably better, i decided not to push my luck. another pat on the back for me :)

thursday, july 16th: the only thing i had written down on my calendar was "10:15am yoga with valinda cochella and girish at lyfe." i had earned a 5-class pass to lyfe yoga, courtesy of the lululemon south bay challenge i did earlier this year, and it was high time i cashed it in. however, expecting a vinyasa flow class, i was surprised to find out that the class was a kundalini class. not that anything was wrong with that, but i probably should've checked before i showed up for class! oops. since i've done enough yoga to confidently handle any class that's thrown my way, i smiled as i found myself going through rounds of breath of fire instead of sun salutes. besides, how can one complain when one has to chant "ek ong kar sat nam siri wahe guru..." for 11 minutes straight while girish skillfully thumps on the tabla? gotta love it!

so there you have it -- the first half of my cost-cutting month. i'll keep you posted on the second half once the end of the july rolls around...

kirtan in the city!

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 06:48:00 +0000

i just got back home from the bhakti fest preview party held at the lululemon store in brentwood earlier this evening. it was an amazing night of music and love shared among the bhakti community in los angeles!

performing for the friday night kirtan crowd were some of the top-billed artists on the bhaktifest line-up: donna de lory, govindas and radha (who were later joined by chris morro), and larisa stow and the shakti tribe. there were many raffle prizes donated by manduka, yogitoes, new chapter, yogini designs, divine blessings, and other sponsors. refreshments were provided by coconut bliss ice cream, luna bar, transition nutrition, and aquamantra spring water.

this event was the first of many pre-bhaktifest teasers scheduled for the days leading up to the actual bhakti fest weekend in joshua tree this coming september 11-13. other pre-fest gatherings are listed on their website at http://www.westcoastkirtanyogafestival.com/.

in the meantime, while all the love was flowing through the racks of yoga-inspired clothing, there were other kirtans going on around the city:

joey lugassy was holding down the fort at the friday night kirtan at bhakti yoga shala in santa monica with c.c. white on vocals, eddie young on cello and bass, and patrick richey on tabla.

and over on the other side of the sepulveda pass, daniel stewart was keeping the bhakti fire roaring at his monthly kirtan at rising lotus yoga in sherman oaks with sarah bergman, sylvie scoville, and emily kerns on vocals, abby scoville on cello, angela devita on flute, jeff harris on guitar, and matthew hufschmidt on percussion.

if there ever was a night to be able to teleport effortlessly from kirtan to kirtan, tonight was definitely it!

tomorrow, saturday the 11th, is going to be an even bigger day for kirtan in LA, with the headline event being the live kirtan with krishna das at the wilshire ebell theatre in hancock park. if you're a big KD fan, you're in luck; tickets are still available for the large 1270-seat venue!

if you can't make that, there are still many other chances for you to share in the experience known as bhakti yoga; here's a brief recap of this weekend's events:

Yoga + Kirtan with Mas Vidal and Tony Khalife
Dancing Shiva Yoga and Ayurveda, Los Angeles
Saturday, July 11th 10:30am-noon
Cost: Regular class price

This Saturday July 11th the mesmerizng Tony Khalife joins Mas for the 10:30am class. Experience this dynamic class with live music that will take your practice to new levels. Ragas, tablas, soulful singing and the energy at Dancing Shiva will leave you blissful. Please arrive on time as this class usually gets very full. Special donation is suggested for Tony.

Krishna Das Live in Concert hosted by Yogaworks Larchmont
Wilshire Ebell Theatre, 4401 w 8th Street, Los Angeles (at the corner of Wilshire and Lucerne in Hancock Park)
Saturday, July 11th 8:00-11:00pm
Cost: $30 in advance, $35 at the door

Join us for an evening of chant with Krishna Das!
A special night at the historic Wilshire Ebell Theater. This is Krishna Das' first show in LA since 2007~sure to be a night to remember...
Yogaworks Center for Yoga in Larchmont will have paper tickets for purchase at the studio; All tickets sold over the phone or at any other Yogaworks studio besides CFY will be Will Call tickets.
Visit www.yogaworks.com or www.krishnadas.com for more info

Saturday Night Kirtan
Bhakti Yoga Shala, Santa Monica
Every Saturday at 8:00pm
Cost: $10-$15 Suggested Donation

July 11th - Kirtan with Michael Thomas

Transcendental Gong Concert with Andrea Centazzo
Yogi Tree, Toluca Lake
Saturday, July 11th 8:00-10:00pm
Cost: $15 show only, $20 includes a copy of Andrea's limited-edition CD

Join us at The Yogi Tree for an unforgettable evening of live performance with the one-of-a-kind Andrea Centazzo.
In this very special, intimate live performance, world-renowned composer, conductor, and gong master Andrea Centazzo offers his singular percussion style, playing on a set of over 200 instruments, complete with electronics, computer sequencing, and digital sampling, bringing to his audience the emotion of a new sonic adventure in jazz, world, and contemporary avant-garde music.
Expand your consciousness. Lift your soul. Open your mind. Move your body. This is one evening of music you have to feel to believe!
Tickets available in advance at theyogitree.com

Kirtan Workshop with Krishna Das
Yogaworks Center for Yoga, Larchmont
Sunday, July 12th 3:00-6:00pm
Cost: $45 by 6/28; $55 after

Krishna Das’s workshops are like mini-retreats of about 3 hours. Along with chanting, Krishna Das shares stories about his experiences on the Path. Workshops with Krishna Das usually include: Chanting (call and response) with musical accompaniment, stories about his Guru, readings from spiritual traditions, teachings, and discussions about life and the spiritual Path. This forum provides the opportunity for Q&A in an intimate setting. Krishna Das has been recording albums of traditional Indian chants and song since 1996 but has been on a spiritual journey his entire life.
**bring a blanket or something soft to sit on during the workshop

go fourth and yogify!

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:43:00 +0000

(my apologies for the title of this post; due to the late hour, i think i started to get a bit loopy... )

earlier this week, i received the following invite from the santa monica chapter of the LA bike coalition:

What: 3rd Annual Santa Monica Fourth of July Parade
When: Saturday, July 4th, 2009, 9:00 AM Check-in; Parade starts at 9:30 AM
Where: Meet up at Santa Monica Civic Center
Why: Greenpeace LA invites the cycling community to join them as they march under the theme of "Saving the Climate is Patriotic!"
What to bring: Water, sunscreen, your bike and yourself decorated as a patriotic symbol of sustainable transportation.
NOTE: Each rider will need to bring a signed waiver at the parade check-in, under 18 require a parents signature. No waiver, no participation.

my first response was to reply immediately with a YES! after all, why wouldn't i want to participate in a 4th of july parade on my bicycle?

but then i realized that with the shortened holiday schedules at many of the yoga studios, it might mean my missing out on a chance to take a yoga class that day... hmmm...

luckily, after checking the holiday schedules, it looks like i have a few 12:30ish class options located right by the parade route. so not only will i be able to be patriotic on my bike, but i'll also be able to celebrate the day on my yoga mat, too!

so here are the holiday schedules i've found so far. if your favorite yoga studio is missing from this list, please feel free to send their information to me so i can add it in... thanks!

the absolute yoga and pilates studio, woodland hills
We will be closed on Saturday July4th and Sunday July 5th, 2009

alive & well, hermosa beach
Closed for Independence Day

angel city yoga, studio city
Saturday, July 4th Schedule:
All Levels Vinyasa Yoga 8:30-9:55am with Stephanie Hechtman
Easier Yoga 10:00-11:15am with Shosha Bottoms
All Levels Iyengar Yoga 11:30-1:00pm with Marta Jasberg
All Levels Yoga Iyengar Style 1:00-2:30pm with Kelli Fish

awareness center, pasadena
OPEN FOR REGULAR CLASSES July 4th, INDEPENDENCE DAY!

beach yoga with brad keimach, santa monica
We will be there as always, so mark your calendar!
Every Saturday and Sunday, 10:30-12 - Walk up Marine Street, which becomes Barnard Way. Keep walking all the way to the water's edge, by lifeguard station #29. By donation.

black dog yoga, sherman oaks
We will be open on Saturday July 4th, but will be having an abbreviated holiday schedule:
8:30a - 9:25a Core Yoga Flow Tracy Haywood
9:00a - 10:25a Gentle Yoga Georgina O'Farrill
9:30a - 11:00a Hatha Flow II * Peter Barnett
10:30a - 12:00p Complete Breath Yoga Flow John Sahakian
11:15a - 12:45p Hatha Flow I Hanna Gilan

city yoga, west hollywood
Saturday, July 4th:
7:00 am 11th Step w/Abbie B.
8:30 am Basics w/ Anthony Benenati
9:00 am Advanced w/ Rebecca Benenati
10:30am Mixed w/ Camilla Bergstrom *last class of the day

earth's power yoga, los angeles
Open on 4th of July one 10:30 am class. Friday 7:30 pm cancelled.

exhale center for sacred movement, venice
Join us for the following class line up on July 4th:
9am Micheline Berry Level 2/3
9:15am Kerianne Telford Level 1/2
10:30am Jason Frahm Level 2/3
11am Steven Espinosa Level 1
12:30pm Ashley Turner Level 1/2
12:45pm Brad Keimach Level 2/3

free spirit yoga, long beach
JULY 4TH ALL MORNING CLASSES ARE SCHEDULED.... CORE YOGA 4:30PM IS CANCELED

glendale yoga, glendale
Saturday July 4th - There will be one all levels class, 10:00 - 11:30 am, taught by Laura

golden bridge yoga, hollywood
Saturday, July 4th 9:30am - Serpent Energy of Light with Gurmukh, Tej & Gurushabd
This will be the only class offered on this day - all other Saturday classes are cancelled

guerilla yoga, hollywood
Just an important reminder that the *Practice* will be canceled this upcoming Friday July 3 for the holiday.

the hub, west los angeles
Regularly scheduled classes will still be held over the weekend

inner power yoga, calabasas
Saturday July 4th - Only two morning classes scheduled:
9:00-10:30 am with Michael & 10:00-11:30 am with Jonathan

iyengar yoga institute, los angeles
Holiday Schedule: July 4th
All levels from 9:30-11am with Marla Apt.
All other classes are canceled that day, the normal schedule resumes Sunday, July 5.

karen shuman's beyond yoga, sherman oaks
Saturday July 4th - The only class for the day will be:
Dario 11-12:30pm Hatha Flow
**Also, the Sunday Pre-Natal class has been canceled for July 5th. It will resume the following Sunday. All other classes will be open on the 5th!!!

karuna yoga, los feliz
July 4th Classes - Morning classes are scheduled:
8:00am Hatha Flow - Kelly
9:30am Hatha - Patty
11:00am Hatha/Kundalini - Robyn

liberation yoga, los angeles
SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY JULY 4th:
10am-12pm - Flow 2-3 with Claudia Fucigna // 12pm-1:30pm - Level 1 with Lynn Taylor // That's it - then it's time for veggie dogs!
THERE WILL BE NO FAMILY YOGA ON SUNDAY THE 5TH!!!

lyfe yoga center, hermosa beach
July 4th Schedule:
8:00am Power Hour 1/2
9:10am Yoga For Beginners
10:35am Iyengar - All Levels

rising lotus yoga, sherman oaks
Holiday Schedule:
7:30 am - Mixed Level Flow w/ Elinore
9:00 am - 1/2 w/ Claire
9:30am - Easy Does It w/ Karen
10:30am - Mixed Level Flow w/ Claire

santa monica yoga, santa monica
We will be closed Saturday July 4

silver lake yoga, silverlake
THE ONLY CLASSES ON JULY 4 WILL BE:
9:30 am Mixed levels II class taught by Caroline Cardino in studio 1
10 a.m. Prenatal class in studio 2 taught by Danielle
11:30 a.m. Beginners class taught by Jonathan studio 1
All other classes will be canceled.

studio surya yoga, venice
We will be closed on July 4th in observance of the holiday.

swerve, los angeles (only yoga classes listed; other classes available)
Friday July 3rd:
7:30am Vinyasa Flow Yoga with Kate Duyn
12:30 pm Vinyasa Flow Yoga with Kate Duyn
Saturday, July 4th:
10:00 am Yoga Booty Ballet *Team Taught by Teigh & Gillian*

u studio yoga, los angeles
5:30pm Friday, July 3rd --Andrea's back!!!!!!!
10:30am Saturday July 4th -- Andrea
10:30am Sunday July 5th -- Andrea

urth yoga, silverlake
SATURDAY JULY 4th - We will have our regular class schedule:
8:30am Gabe 10:30am Rachel 12:30pm Billy 4:30pm Scott

YAS, venice
WE ARE OPEN ON JULY 4TH
YOGA for ATHLETES®
7:00am-All Levels-Myrna
8:30am-Level 1-2-Denis
10:00am-All Levels-Kimberly Fowler

YRG with diamond dallas page, playa vista
This Saturday, July 4th, is going to be beautiful so come on down for some YRG at the Sports Park! FREE!
10-am at Playa Vista Sports Park, 13212 Bluff Creek Drive

yoga blend, burbank
Saturday, July 4th Schedule
8:15am-9:30am Level 1 with Heather
9:45am-11:00am Yoga Stretch with Susan Q
10:00am-11:30am Level 1-2 with Keric
11:45am-1:00pm Level 1-2 with David
All other classes are CANCELLED!
Studio Closes at 1pm following Level 1-2 class.
Our regular schedule resumes Sunday, July 5th.

yoga circle downtown, los angeles
Fourth of July Weekend:
Closed Saturday July 4
Sunday July 5, 10:30am only

yoga darsana, alhambra
Studio closed on Independence Day

yoga groove, north hollywood
There will be only one class on July 4th!! Come join us for an all levels 10:00 am class to celebrate Independence day!

yogahop, santa monica
Friday, July 03
9:15AM - 10:45AM Level 2/3+ - Jennifer Moore
1:00PM - 2:00PM Cancelled - Cancelled
6:00PM - 7:30PM Cancelled - Cancelled
Saturday, July 04
6:55AM - 7:55AM Level 2/3 - Jennifer Moore
8:15AM - 9:45AM Summit 2/3+ - Matthew Reyes
10:00AM - 11:30AM Summit 2/3 - Matthew Reyes
4:00PM - 5:30PM Cancelled - Cancelled
5:40PM - 7:10PM Cancelled - Cancelled
Sunday, July 05
8:15AM - 9:15AM Summit 2/3+ - Matthew Reyes
9:30AM - 10:30AM Summit 2/3+ - Marko King
4:00PM - 5:30PM Summit 2/3 - Kourtney Kaas
5:40PM - 6:40PM Cancelled - Cancelled

yoga kingdom sanctuary, pasadena
Remember this Saturday July 4th we will have only 2 classes in the morning 8:00 am taught by Naader and 8:45 am taught by Maria, that would be it for this 4th of july.

yoga loft, manhattan beach
Friday, July 3: All Regular Classes will be held
Saturday, July 4:
9:00-10:00am Level 2/3 with Genevieve Fischer
10:15am-11:15am Level 1/2 with Amy Beausang
Sunday, July 5: All Regular Classes will be held

yoga loft, woodland hills
PRACTICE YOGA JULY 4TH @ 8:30 & 10:30 am

yogi tree, toluca lake
WE ARE CLOSED FRIDAY, JULY 3 - SUNDAY, JULY 5 TO CELEBRATE THE FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND!

yoga at the village, glendale
We are open as usual during the 4th of July weekend.

yoga west, los angeles
July 4th class with Gurudhan Singh!
Come for Yoga & Meditation with your Yoga West family in the only class of the day: 8:30 - 10 am
All other classes are cancelled
Regular schedule resumes on July 5th

yoga works, los angeles locations
JULY 4TH HOLIDAY SCHEDULE - Click on the location for class schedule:
Center for Yoga
Main Street
Montana Ave
Pacific Palisades
South Bay
Valencia
Westlake Village
Westwood

yoga world, long beach (downtown and los altos locations)
Both Studios will be closed for the 4th of July Holiday, but we will reopen on July 5 with our full schedule of classes

yummy yoga, los feliz
Wednesday, July 1:
7:45 PM ~ All Levels Ali Laventhol subbing for Ducky Punch
Thursday, July 2:
7:30 AM ~ Power Hour Caroline Cardino subbing for Ducky Punch
4:30 PM ~ Level 1/2 TBD subbing for Ducky Punch
6:00 PM ~ Level 2/3 Ali Laventhol subbing for Ducky Punch
Saturday, July 4:
10:30 AM ~ All Levels with Ali, only! All other classes cancelled
Sunday, July 5:
5:30 PM ~ Level 2/3 Ali Laventhol subbing for Jeff Bass

let the insanity begin!

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:06:00 +0000

i'm sitting on my bed, doing nothing (and thinking practically nothing). i'm taking this time to sit still and energize my batteries for the craziness that will commence in about two hours...

friday, 12:30-1:30pm: vinyasa flow level 2 class with jo tastula at yogaglo, santa monica

after class, i'll spend some time helping the mills clan get the studio all spiffed up for the summer festival later that evening, then go home to get myself all spiffed up :)

friday, 5:00-10:00pm: here comes the sun summer kick-off festival at yogaglo, santa monica

A FREE Summer kick-off festival celebrating the Yoga community, partner business and nonprofits working together for social change.

Enjoy complimentary food and cocktails, raffle prizes and a marketplace featuring local vendors who share a passion for giving back. This is more than a party; it's a chance to gather with other members of a like-minded community for networking to figure out how we can make a difference in the world and celebrate everything we are grateful for in our lives today. Let's spend our Friday night at a social gathering with purpose.

Music by the Hypnotic Gurus and DJ Drez

Friday June 26 5:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Yogaglo Studio
1800 Berkeley St., Santa Monica CA 90404

unfortunately, i'll have to bail early for my next event of the evening...

friday, 8:30pm: aretha franklin in concert at the hollywood bowl

Aretha Franklin returns to the Hollywood Bowl for the first time in 35 years! Join the queen of soul on Friday, June 26th, for an evening under the stars featuring her innumerable classic hits. Don’t miss the sizzling, gospel-charged voice that Rolling Stone declared Number One in its "100 Greatest Singers of All Time."

with luck, i'll get home by midnight so i can get a good night's rest...

saturday, 9:00am thru sunday, 9:00am: yogathon 2009! at city yoga, west hollywood

here's how those next 24 hours are going to go:

YOGATHON SCHEDULE!

9:00 – 11:00am Opening Asana: Rebecca and Anthony Benenati

11:00 – 12:30pm Asana: Noah Maze

12:30 – 2:00pm Lunch
Lunch donated by Tender Greens: Happy Vegan Salad, Chinese Chicken Salad (chicken on the side), Shrimp Ceviche with Chorizo on the side, Crostinis with olive oil, and berries for dessert

2:00 -3:00pm Keynote speaker: Pauley Perrette of CBS’s NCIS; Family Member: recipient of a house through Habitat for Humanity

3:00 – 5:00pm Thai Yoga Massage: Phoebe Diftler

5:00 – 6:30pm Asana: Tony Giuliano

6:30 – 8:30pm Dinner with Kirtan: Govindas and Radha
Dinner donated by Great India Café: Vegetable dish, Lentil Dish, Rice, Naan Bread, Chocolate Chip cookies by Stella

8:30 – 10:30pm Restorative: Sharon Skok

10:30 – 12:00am Drum Circle: Traci Dinwiddi

12:00 – 2:00am Kirtan: Daniel Stewart and friends

2:00 – 2:30am Break

2:30 – 3:00am Yoga Comedy: Carrie Snow

3:00 – 5:00am Meditation and Asana: Kristopher Nelson

5:00 – 5:30am Sunrise Comedy: Beth Lapides

5:30 – 7:30am Sunrise Asana: Anthony Benenati

7:30 – 8:00am Breakfast
Breakfast donated by Beverly Hills Juice and The Bagel Broker: A selection of juices and bagels

8:00 – 9:00am Closing with Habitat for Humanity representative, presentation of ceremonial check

Snacks donated by Whole Foods and Larabar: Energy bars and fruit.
Beverages: Coconut Water by Vita Coco, Reeds Ginger Brew, Arrowhead Water

and when that's all over, i'll have to quickly get myself back home and in bed for some quality snooze time before heading out one last time for the weekend...

sunday, 7:00pm: adele, etta james and the roots band, and janelle monáe in concert at the hollywood bowl

KCRW's World Festival - Jason Bentley, host
Grammy-winner Adele delivers heartbroken soul, blues and jazz with beguiling vocal power. Legendary vocalist Etta James returns to the Bowl, and newcomer Janelle Monáe, dubbed “the female OutKast,” opens.

insane? yes! but then again, would you expect anything less from me? :)

other ways to donate to the yogathon

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:49:00 +0000

i'm passing along some information i've received from the city yoga yogathon organizers. the silent auction items look extremely interesting... hmmmm....

We are only days away from Yogathon '09!
If you can't do the whole thing there are plenty of other ways to get involved.
We have all been called this year to serve, in any way we can.
Service is the backbone of a society and our yoga practice. It's time to step up.

Here's how:

1. Make a donation!
www.firstgiving.com/cityyogathon <<< or better yet, sponsor me at www.firstgiving.com/ayogist :)

2. Attend a class with the yogathoners!
$30 suggested donation for each class; contact Stacey Wiren at yogathon09@gmail.com or stop by the front desk to reserve your spot:

Saturday June 27
11:00am - 12:30pm Noah Maze' (then stay for a yummy lunch from Tender Greens for a $10 donation)
5:00pm - 6:30pm Tony Giuliano
6:30pm-8:30pm Kirtan with Govindas

3. Silent Auction beginning Wed. 24th at 6:30am and ending Friday 26th at noon!
Place your BID in person or call the studio at 323 654-2125

Yoga Bundle: A yoga starter pack from Manduka including: eko mat, strap, large mat bag, e-Qua towel, and cork block ($169 value), 3 piece winter white yoga outfit from Prana, 2 Chakra tank tops by Didi and a Yoga Private with Rebecca Benenati.
Bidding starts at $100

Art Bundle: A Painting by talented artist and City Yoga student Stephanie Bast. Stephanie's most recent shows were a triumphant Fall '08 exhibition at the wonderful GINA Gallery & Café, on the Piazza di Spagna in Rome, The C Gallery in Los Alamos, and is currently showing at The Judith Kaufman Gallery in North Hollywood. She works in acrylic on canvas. You can view her work at: www.stephaniebast.com. (Gallery Price: $1000)
This bundle also includes a beautiful necklace handmade by another talented City Yoga student, Doria Ragland.
Bidding starts at $100

Culinary Basket: Black and Decker mini food processor, cupcake pan, cookie kit from Williams Sonoma, multi colored mixing bowls, $50 gift certificate to Tender Greens & more!
Bidding starts at $75

Pamper Yourself Bundle: A gift box from Lush of Beverly Hills (all natural beauty and skincare products $50 value), $50 gift certificate for any hotel, restaurant, or nightclub in the SBE group including: SLS Hotels, Sahara Las Vegas Hotel, Katsuya, XIV-The New Michael Mina Restaurant, The Abbey, Hyde Lounge, and Area.
Bidding starts at $75

Brunch Bundle: 3 Calphalon Pans, $50 gift certificate to Cheebo, $25 gift certificate for Jinky's Cafe and a private yoga session with Stella Choe.
Bidding starts at $50

Thanks again for all your energy and support!

desperate times call for desperate measures

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:43:00 +0000

i'm desperate.

and in a way, my desperation is self-inflicted. i thought i'd do something crazy to raise money for a charity, and from the looks of it, no one seems impressed by my efforts. maybe it's because they know i'm always doing crazy things, so what's one more? hmph.

you see, back in february, city yoga sent out this challenge:

SAVE THE DATE FOR YOGATHON! June 27-28, 2009
ROLL OUT YOUR YOGA MAT AND OPEN YOUR HEART!

It's 6:00 am on June 28th and the sun is breaking through the arched windows of the upstairs studio. You salute the sunrise, your body buzzing with the effects of 22 hours of yoga. You are part of a community that has just raised enough money to build a house; with Yoga!

Celebrate 10 Years of City Yoga!

Give thanks for the City Yoga roof over your head and help raise a roof for a deserving family. On Saturday June 27 at 8:00 am 60 yogis will gather for 24 hours of:
~ Asana
~ Restorative
~ Meditation
~ Thai Yoga Massage
~ Chanting
~ Live Music
~ FOOD

All the rejuvenating aspects of a yoga retreat right here in town.

We are raising money for Habitat for Humanity. Any money made will go toward building a house but if we reach our goal of $100,000 then the house will be called "The House that City Yoga Built"! You know there are people in your life that would support you taking on this challenge. It's just crazy enough to work and we've proven it. The last 2 Yogathons raised $80,000.

and yes, i was one of the 60 participants at that last yogathon back in 2007. not only did i survive the 24-hour physical challenge, but i was also able to raise a decent enough amount of money for habitat for humanity -- decent enough at least to meet the minimum each of us was expected to raise at that time: $500. a few months later, i was actually able to work on that house that the yogathon helped finance. it required even more physical effort on my part, including my having to overcome my fear of heights to hammer roof studs for a good many hours, but at least i knew that my aching muscles helped build a beautiful home that a happy family now lives in.

so when i heard about this year's yogathon challenge, i jumped at the chance to build yet another home for another needy family. yes, i would push the limits of physical endurance one more time, hoping that my temporary bout of insanity would inspire people to pitch in once again.

when i signed up in april, i was told that the fundraising minimum had been raised to $750. with no job and no co-workers to rely on for support, i knew it wasn't going to be easy for me. i considered dropping out, but i knew -- and hoped -- that there were good-hearted people out there who would see the need and contribute. i also hoped that with all the fundraisers i had helped publicize and had even given money to, maybe some of the people involved would reciprocate and share the love. well, maybe...

i sent out emails to my family and close friends. some money trickled in.

i posted requests for sponsors on my facebook page. some more money trickled in.

i promised blog coverage to the yoga studios and teachers that i knew. a little more money trickled in.

and then the trickling came to a complete standstill. when i checked to see what had come in so far, a deep depression set in. after two months of begging and pleading, all i was able to raise was a measly $333. not even close to the $500 i had raised two years earlier.

so with only two days left before i place down my yoga mat at city yoga to spend 24 hours doing a variety of forms of yoga (including savasana!), it now looks like i have to make one more last-ditch attempt...

thanks to the generosity of derik mills of yogaglo (who, by the way, will be hosting THE block party of the summer in santa monica this friday, june 26th), i'm now able to offer a fabulous prize to one lucky donor:

a FREE one-year membership to yogaglo worth $216!

with this membership, you will be able to access an unlimited number of yoga classes and lectures taught by some of the best teachers in LA. you can either stream them from the yogaglo website in the comfort of your home, or if you live in the LA area, you can attend any of their in-studio classes at any time. and yes, all of this will be FREE to you for one entire year!

here's the deal:

for every $10 that you donate, you will get one entry into the drawing. only donations received on or before sunday, june 28th (the end of the yogathon) are eligible to win. the easiest way to donate is through the use of a credit card at my firstgiving page at www.firstgiving.com/ayogist. if you'd rather pay by check or cash, you can drop it off at city yoga's front desk in an envelope with "joni" written on the front.

the winner will be drawn on monday, or whenever i'm lucid enough to do the drawing :)

considering the tepid response i've received so far, your chances of winning are excellent! so please donate now... and i'm keeping my fingers crossed that you win!

the feel-good party of the summer

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:19:00 +0000

you're a good person.

and regardless of what others may think, deep down inside, you know you have it in you to do something good for your community. problem is, you just don't know where to start. or maybe you just need someone to give you a nudge.

here's your chance to network with other good people -- people who are equally passionate about making the world a better place. and while you're all busy schmoozing, there'll be lots of FREE food and drink and music to keep you all entertained. and raffle prizes, too!

so what's the catch, you ask?

there is none. the only requirement is that you show up, have a great time, and maybe even come away with a few new friends.

so whatever it is that you have on your calendar for next friday, cancel it. right now. because this is going to be way more fun!

Yogaglo and LA YOGA Magazine invite you to:

"Here Comes the Sun"
Friday, June 26th, 5:00-10:00 p.m.
Yogaglo Studio
1800 Berkeley St, Santa Monica, CA 90404 (near Stewart and Olympic Blvd)

A FREE Summer Kick-off festival celebrating the Yoga community, partner business and nonprofits working together for social change.

Enjoy complimentary food and cocktails, raffle prizes and a marketplace featuring local vendors who share a passion for giving back. This is more than a party; it’s a chance to gather with other members of a like-minded community for networking to figure out how we can make a difference in the world and celebrate everything we are grateful for in our lives today. Let’s spend our Friday night at a social gathering with purpose.

This event is a time for all of us to get to know each other better off the mat. Show up, or risk missing the event of the summer!

Participating Sponsors:

Aline Marie Yoga Mats
Jesse Arana
Fertile Goddess
Flowers by Mikiko Ideno
Fulfilled Pastries
Fusion Arts
GH Press
Goudas and Vines
The Grain Collective
The Green Truck
Green Yoga Association
Hard Cards
The Hill St. Meditation Center
HOPE Events
Inconvenient Bag
Karma Rescue
Kosmic Music
Life Rolls On
Lois Leonhardi
Loyola Marymount University Extension Program
lululemon athletica
Massage by Patricia
Native Foods
New Roads School
NextStep Fitness
Off the Mat into the World
One Hope Wine
Oxylent
Rebekah Vandenberg
Ria Ray
Samosa House
Safe Ride Solutions
Scent of Samadhi
Shades Hair Studio
Sky Wellness Jewelry
Soleo Organics
Surfrider Foundation
Sustainable Works
Tada! Café
Tiny Stars
Tom’s Shoes
Wells Bring Hope
Whole Foods Market Santa Monica
Vapika Spirit
Vitacoco
Y Catalog
Yoga Month
Yoga Tribe and Culture
yogitoes
and more!

the ananda LA center is on the move!

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 06:26:00 +0000

the ananda LA center in santa monica will be closing its doors at the end of this month.

not to worry; from what i've heard, it appears that they're merely migrating from a centralized system to a distributed system (my apologies, but that's the computer geek in me talking!)

here are some excerpts from the email updates i've received so far:

Ananda LA is changing form and relocating in order to serve you better.

Two years ago we brought Ananda to LA and opened this Center in Santa Monica. It's been a great location-very visible and successful in getting us anchored and starting to establish a presence.

Swami Kriyananda describes Ananda as a spiritual movement rather than a place. The word itself means bliss or happiness, a state of mind rather than an outward form. One of Ananda's main focuses is building spiritual community. We've created communities in several cities and in three countries. These have taken many different forms, often starting with a big house that served as an "ashram" for people to live together.

Many of you come to Ananda LA from long distances and have expressed that you can't come as often as you would like. In order to serve and involve more of you and at the same time start a community effort, we've decided to make two changes: Create a dynamic team of traveling teachers, so we can come to your area and provide classes; Rent a large group house to begin to provide community. This way we'll be able to hold classes, retreats, kirtans etc. in several locations, along with using the house as an Ananda LA Center.

Ananda LA in Santa Monica is giving birth to 6 Ananda Meditation/Satsang groups in Southern California:

Santa Monica: Rose Gradel with Francis Taub and Sharon McElroy
Thousand Oaks: Sherwood and Gayle Brown with Jill Barker
Pasadena: Ana Romero
Orange County: Elizabeth Schendel and Rosie Cameron
Encinitas: Casey and Joy Hughes
West Hollywood/Hancock Park: Paul Fetler and Lisa Kaz

Ananda SouthBay Center: Turiya Moore began this Center in 2002 and is well established. He and Ashleigh Bayer are dynamically serving the South Bay area. www.anandasouthbay.org

What Ananda LA will be offering:

· Regular weekly meditations through the Meditation/Satsang groups.
· Sunday Morning Inspiration in one location or in a rotation of two locations, twice per month.
· Four theme Retreatson various topics and two weekend Yoga Retreats per year led by Ananda teachers, in locations around L.A.
· How to Meditate workshops, at least once per month, at locations around the LA area.
· Ananda Yoga Teacher Training.
· Meditation Teacher Training.
· Spiritual Counselor Certification Program.
· Lectures throughout the LA area, open to the public.
· Pilgrimagesto Yogananda's shrines twice per year. These also give you a chance to meet Ananda folks from all around the country.
· 7-10 day Yoga Vacation/Retreats at an eco-resort in Mexico. You can look forward to a week of yoga on the beach, as well as spa treatments and spiritual practices.
· Brook and Sean will host at least one Social Event per month, at a variety of venues, just to get together and have fun.

How You Can Participate:

· Get involved in a Meditation/Satsang group near you.
· Volunteer to host a class in your home or in a venue nearby.
· Place flyers advertising classes and retreats.
· Come to Classes, Retreats and take part in a Pilgrimage.
· Start a Meditation/Satsang group in your area. Sean and Brook will help you get started and Pranaba, overall Ananda Meditation Group coordinator, will help give you any training you need.
· Support Ananda LA financially.

Special Meetings and Satsangs:

Saturday, June 13th:
Workday, 10am-5pm: We need your help to finish clearing out the Santa Monica Center. We could use your help. Also, during this time, we will also be having a:
Boutique Sale: everything is 50-75% off, including statues, malas, books, music, meditation supplies, altar cloths, body products, and more. We will also be having a:
Yard Sale: Everything must go! Including furniture, fixtures, and more.

Sunday, June 14th, 10:30 am: Our last Sunday gathering at the Center on 2210 Main Street. We'll end this phase with deep gratitude, and begin the next with prayers for an auspicious start. We'll also discuss and brainstorm ideas for this next phase. Please do what you can to come! This is going to take all of us and we want to hear from you. (Bring a cushion to sit on, as most of the chairs will be gone.)

Thursday, June 25th, 7:30pm: Jyotish and Devi, Spiritual Directors of Ananda Worldwide will be here to host a "visions for the future" meeting. We invite you to join us to help to launch this new phase with your ideas and inspirations. The location will be at Krishnadas and Mantradevi's apartment in Santa Monica. We will supply the address and directions in future emails.

If at all possible, please do come to at least one of this weekend's events. We look forward to seeing you.

In Divine Love and Light,
Krishnadas, Mantradevi, Sean and Brook
For Ananda LA

an inner feeling of certainty

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:51:00 +0000

i have a very dirty car. and i'm damned proud that it's gotten THAT dirty.

you see, ever since i started getting around town via bike or bus, my car has remained parked under a tree in front of my place. tree sap, bird poop, dust and grime. you name it -- it's on my car. and i never really notice how dirty it's gotten until i have to use it to do errands that require hauling mass quantities of stuff around town. or for getting to places that would take HOURS to get to by bike. or even by bus.

i've gotten so used to staying local that i recently mentioned to a friend that my yoga practice has definitely become westside-centric. and while that's not a bad thing (especially since the santa monica/venice area is yoga central of the world -- prove me wrong!), i needed to expand my horizons once again to check on what was going on east of where i live. which is basically anything east of the 405 :)

so last thursday, i decided to visit christy marsden and her class at yoga blend in burbank. she, too, gets around in the yoga community; every now and then i run into her in unexpected places. like at daniel stewart's kirtan at rising lotus in sherman oaks. or at yoga classes at exhale in venice (see what i said about the westside being yoga central?). it would be nice to visit her on her home turf for a change. and maybe even drop by a few other places near her. like the pastry counter at porto's. yum....

christy's level 1-2 class was at 11:35am. i could leave home after the rush hour traffic had subsided and save myself from needlessly burning even more gas while creeping along at sub-20mph speed.

i hopped into my car shortly after 10:30am and immediately noticed that i couldn't see out my windshield. not a problem; a little windshield wiper action took care of that. i was off and running! i got on the 10; things were moving along really nicely. i turned up the music on my CD player and was marveling at how nice the day had turned out to be...

it was only when i had reached the vermont exit that i had realized: i'm on the wrong freeway!!! why was i going through downtown to get to burbank? and just then, traffic came to a screeching halt. arggggggghhhhhh!

i could see it now. from where i was, i would have to take the 110. to the 101. to the 134. and if all i could muster was a measly 5mph, i wouldn't reach burbank until friday! it was 11am. could i get there in time?

i started considering my options. bail at hoover and take side streets to catch the 2 to the 5 to the 134? or keep on the current absentmindedly-charted course and suffer through the gridlock?

i needed help from above. but who could do an online traffic check for me?

i called my friend BDB, who was supposed to be home recuperating from his heart attack. luckily, he was heeding my advice to stay home and rest. he whipped out his iphone and fired up the freeway condition app. the 110 is red, he said, but the 101 is moving (i can't remember if he said it was yellow or green; all i know is that some movement was good news). i decided to stay on course. then called 411 to get yoga blend's phone number.

an actual human being answered the phone. so far, so good.

how late into a class do you close the doors?, i asked her.

15 minutes, she said.

i explained that i was coming from santa monica, was stuck in traffic, and was trying my best to get there on time.

you still have 20 minutes, she added, hoping to sound encouraging, i'm sure.

so could i make it from downtown to burbank in that much time? if things were moving, no problem. if things weren't moving (as they were. or weren't), it was iffy.

long story short, i finally reached the 101, traffic DID open up past the vermont exit (funny how i had suffered from one end of vermont to the other), and when traffic started to slow down again, i exited at barham then went flying down the road until i reached olive in burbank. i was sooo close!

as luck would have it, i pulled into the lone available spot in their small parking lot. i ran out of my car sans yoga mat and stuck my head in their door. did i get here in time????, i asked the person behind the front desk.

christy had a feeling it was you who called, she said (i must be the only person who'd drive in all the way from santa monica in the middle of the day!), so as long as you got here before noon, it was ok for me to let you in. she looked at the clock. and it's noon!

i trusted that i would make it. and i did.

by the time i snuck into the room, the class had just finished their surya warmup and were moving on to standing poses. christy motioned towards an empty spot in the room and i put down my mat.

sraddha was the theme for the day's class. faith, trust, and belief that something you're doggedly working towards WILL happen.

it's like she had read my mind as i pushed on through traffic to get to her class!

sraddha that as a beginner, the poses will become more familiar.

sraddha that as an intermediate yogi, you will begin to move on to more advanced asanas.

sraddha that for those who are trying to master arm balances and inversions, it will happen if you work at it long enough.

i know i had missed her "talk" at the beginning of the class, but from the references she was making in class, it sounded like she managed to overcome an obstacle to get to where she is now. and all because she had sraddha.

next thing i knew, she had us attempting eka pada koundinyasana ii (which is just as tough to do as it is to say). it really isn't that hard, she said. it all about using a seesaw action to get your back leg up. back leg? i couldn't even get my FRONT leg up!

but i persisted. and not only did i manage to get my front leg up and somewhat straight, but i ALMOST got my back leg up! maybe if i didn't worry about it so much...

then we worked on handstands. i could get there nicely with the help of a wall. try it away from the wall, she instructed. move back a few feet and try it. all of a sudden, i was spastic. one leg would move until it was vertical, but the other leg had no clue what to do. just work on getting that one leg up and keep the second leg horizontal.

class flew by so quickly that before i knew it, we were in savasana (but then again, it didn't help that i was half an hour late). before we parted ways, we chanted the mantra for the day:

shraddha virya smriti samadhi prajna purvakah itaresham

which, according to the swamiJ site, translates to this:

shraddha = unconditional faith, trust, confidence, belief, certainty
virya = energy, strength of will
smriti = memory, intentful remembrance, mindfulness
samadhi = deep absorption of meditation, entasy
prajna = wisdom, discernment, super cognitive
purvakah = preceding, coming before, prerequisite
itaresham = of other people

Shraddha is a faith that you are moving in the right direction. It is not a blind faith in some organization, institution, or teacher. Rather, it is an inner feeling of certainty that you are moving in the right direction. You may not know exactly how your journey is unfolding, but have an inner intuition of walking steadily towards the goal of life.

after class, i asked christy to fill me in on her story that i'd missed at the start of class. here's what she sent me:

The class was about achieving goals and I told the story of wanting to open a yoga studio when I was in Nashville, TN and how I got really close and then ended up leaving my husband, losing my job, the housing market crashed and I lost tons of money...but despite the huge obstacles, I still had 'sraddha' (faith, confidence, trust) that I could reach my goal...just not in the way I thought. It took another 5 years, but I did it and it ended up being here in LA instead where I am very happily re-married.

So, the class was about that deep sense of belief that you can achieve what you desire (whether it is physical, spiritual, mental, emotional) despite the obstacles...you don't lose sight of the goal, because that is what will get you up and motivated to do the work in the present. If you come into yoga for back pain, but don't really believe it will work, it will be difficult to stick with it, do the practice, commit, etc.

this clearly is something i have to keep in mind, especially now that i'm trying to figure out my next career move... so if you've ever thought that yoga is nothing but getting all bendy and twisty so that you can wow your friends at the next party, think again!

i love how i get to learn something new everyday :)

watch this space

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:44:00 +0000

if you want to find a way to kill time, sign up for facebook to keep track of your friends' thoughts, photos, videos, links, whatever. and if you want to kill even more time, sign up for twitter so that you can stalk everyone else in cyberspace...

i joined facebook over a year ago, and while i can say that it's been a great source of event information for me -- and this blog -- it's also been a great distraction. i found myself blogging less and less; because i was so busy checking on people, i never seemed to have time to write. or even time to THINK about what i wanted to write. then last march, i joined the twitterverse. and then things got even worse... witness the fact that i had NO event calendar for april. and while the month of may was a bit better, i only sent out the info in dribs and drabs.

it's time to get back to business!

so with my extremely distracted attention span, i'm going to try to get back on track for june. what you see here is what i've gathered so far. and i'll keep hunting and gathering... as time permits :)

so keep watching this space for updates!

by the way, many of these events will be held at the new bhakti yoga shala in santa monica. it's located at 207 arizona avenue, at the corner of arizona and 2nd (in the courtyard behind the lighthouse restaurant).

ongoing events:

Community Fitness Classes
lululemon Calabasas, 4719 Commons Way
Every Wednesday 7:30-8:30pm
Cost: FREE

Join us for complimentary yoga and fitness classes on Wednesday evenings at 7:30pm! Come relax and rejuvenate, or come to build those muscles - you choose what class you would like to take!

Beach Yoga with Brad Keimach
On the beach at Barnard Way and the water's edge in Santa Monica
Every Saturday and Sunday, 10:30am-12:00pm
Cost: By Donation

In honor of the great weather coming up (which will continue till next January), Beach Yoga will now take place on BOTH Saturday and Sunday, at 10:30am! It is a startlingly beautiful experience, unexpectedly profound. Come and enjoy!
How do you get there? Easy: just walk down Barnard Way, towards the beach. Go right on to the sand, and continue all the way to the water's edge. I will be there to greet you! This is a donation class. Be sure to wear sunscreen. A LARGE beach towel will work, as well as your mat. I've ordered dolphins and seals again, and I believe that since the temps will be approaching 80, they will make an appearance. Class will be canceled if it rains.

Kirtan at Bhakti Yoga Shala
Bhakti Yoga Shala, Santa Monica
Every Friday at 8:30pm and Saturday at 8:00pm
Cost: By Donation

1st Friday, Andres Salcedo
2nd Friday, Joey Lugassy (starts at 9pm)
3rd Friday, Terra Gold
4th Friday, Kalidas

1st Saturday: Govindas and Radha (Chanting for Charity)
2nd Saturday: Michael Thomas
3rd Saturday: Zat Baraka
4th Saturday: Travis Eliot

Kirtan at SMPY West
Power Yoga West, Santa Monica
Every Saturday 8:00-10:00pm
Cost: By Donation

Our instructors will hold a candlelit evening of Kirtan/Chanting every Saturday of the month. Different instructors lead each week and always on donation basis.
1st Saturday of every month, Govindas and Radha (kirtanwithgovindas.com)
2nd Saturday of every month, Travis (traviseliot.com)
3rd Saturday of every month, Andres (powersoulyoga.com)
4th Saturday of every month, Terra and Friends (terrawellness.com)
Bring meditation cushions or blanket (no yoga mat). Wear comfy clothes.
Come sing from the deepest corner of your heart!

Complimentary Fitness Class
lululemon Beverly Hills, 334 North Beverly Drive
Every Sunday 9:30-10:45am
Cost: FREE

Every Sunday we host a complimentary fitness class featuring different styles of yoga, Pilates, dance and personal training. All levels are welcome - perfect for beginner, intermediate or advanced practitioners. Check out our events page for up to date information!
June 7th - JK Zen Fitness Trainer: Yoga
June 14th - JK Zen Fitness: PILATES FUSION
June 21st - JK Zen Fitness: ADULT PLAYGROUND CLASS
June 28th - JK Zen Fitness: CIRCUIT WORKOUT

Complimentary Fitness Class
lululemon Brentwood, 11920 San Vicente Blvd
Every Sunday 9:30-10:00am
Cost: FREE

Every Sunday we host a complementary fitness class for all ages and levels. Join us and some of the area's best fitness instuctors for yoga, pilates, dance, and other formats of fitness classes.
Weekly classes are followed by healthy snacks!
We have mats for the community or bring your own.
Starting June 1st, our Sunday in-store yoga classes will begin at 9:30am. Catch up on those zzzzz's Brentwood!
June 7th - Yoga with Jay Co from The Hub and SM Power Yoga (There is going to be a 5K/10k run that morning out on San Vicente, so you probably want to try and make it a little early)
June 14th - Yoga with Stephanie Phelan from Maha Yoga
June 21st - Yoga with Sarah Ezrin from The Hub
June 28th - Yoga with Meagan McCrary from The Hub

Community Fitness Classes
lululemon Calabasas, 4719 Commons Way, Suite R9
Every Sunday 9:30-10:45am
Cost: FREE

Join us for complimentary classes on Sunday mornings from 9:30-10:30am! Come take yoga, pilates, or a fitness class from your favorite local instructor. Check out our community calendar for more details!
June 7th - gTonnicks with Mr.G
June 14th - Fitbody workout with Stephanie Vitorino from Equinox Gym. Please wear sneakers!
June 21st - Kundalini Yoga with Tracy!
June 28th - Mat Pilates with Leah Watts, from Tone Pilates

Yoga on the Green
lululemon Glendale, 233 South Brand Avenue
Every Sunday 9:30-10:30am
Cost: FREE

Come and join our free fitness classes every Sunday from 9:30-10:30am at our store in the Americana at Brand! We host classes ranging from yoga and salsa to pilates and acro yoga!
Limited mats available, light refreshments to follow
See our "Community Events" page for more info!
June 7th - Yoga on the Green w/ Jennifer Black of Rising Lotus Yoga in Sherman Oaks
June 14th - Hand Balancing w/ Trapeze School of NY founder Jonathon Conant
June 21st - Yoga on the Green w/ Elyse Briggs, Glendale Ambassador and owner of Yoga at the Village
June 28th - Pilates on the Green w/ Kelly Tourgeman

Sunset Yoga!
lululemon Santa Monica, 331 Santa Monica Blvd
Every Sunday 7:00pm **NEW TIME!**
Cost: FREE

Sunset Yoga is back and moving to the evenings so we can flow to the beautiful sun setting into the ocean.
June 7th - Sunset Yoga Flow with Garth Hewitt
June 10th - Vibration & Movement w/ Annie Carpenter & Omstream.com
June 14th - Sunset Core Fusion with Dene Selkin
June 21st - Sunset Yoga w/ Off the Mat Into the World's Rennie Yabiku
June 28th - Sunset Yoga Tune Up® w/ Jill Miller

In-store Fitness Classes
lululemon South Bay, 2008A East Park Place
Every Sunday 9:30-10:30am
Cost: FREE

Join us every Sunday for our FREE fitness classes! Check out our events section for complete details.
June 7th - Hatha Yoga with Jenn Tamera
June 14th -Yoga Flow with Garth Hewitt from Equinox
June 20th (8:30am) - Beach Bootcamp with Leslie Cordova. Bring a towel, water, can come prepared to sweat! We will be meeting in the sand where Rosecrans meets the beach.
June 21st - Yoga Flow with Steve Leigh
June 28th - Power Yoga with Amy Beausang

All-levels Yoga
lululemon Pasadena, 110 W Colorado Blvd
Every Sunday 10:00am
Cost: FREE

Every Sunday at 10am we have an All Levels Yoga class. We feature various teachers from the Pasadena community.
Limited "community" mats are available. Bringing your own mat is encouraged. As classes fill up quickly, and space is limited, please come early.
Please dress in layers so that you may remove articles as you warm-up during the class. Our space is outdoors behind the store on the patio (accessible through the alley on Delacey).
June 7th - PILATES PLUS Mat Class with Amy Sowers
June 14th - PILATES PLUS Mat Class with Kate Forster
June 21st - PILATES PLUS Mat Class with Elizabeth Faunce
June 28th - PILATES PLUS Mat Class with Kate Forster

YOGA ON THE SAND with Howard Davis
Will Rogers State Beach, Pacific Palisades
(Selected Sundays of the month) 9:00am
Cost: $20

If you've never experienced the exhilarating joy of doing yoga outdoors, please join us at 9am. Don't eat breakfast, bring a towel and layers of clothing, and park on Temescal Canyon.

Yoga on the Beach with Claudia
Next to the Lifeguard Tower on Ave H, left side, close to the water, Redondo Beach
(1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays of the month) 10:00-11:15am
Cost: $10 or more is gratefully appreciated

IF YOU CAN BREATHE. YOU CAN DO YOGA. YOGA IS FOR EVERYBODY. ALL LEVELS WELCOME!
Yoga in nature is very powerful since we are connecting with the 5 Elements of the universe. Sometimes we see the dolphins. Let's greet them with the dolphin pose (asana). Yes there is a pose.
More info at www.feelthebliss.wordpress or 310-370-3278

Friday Night Groove Night with Brigette Dunn-Korpela and Pete Korpela
Yoga Groove, North Hollywood
Friday, June 5th 8:00-9:30pm
Cost: $8 Suggested Donation

Come and take your yoga flow off the mat and into space. Brigette and Pete will fuse and intertwine yoga asana postures with the creative freedom of dance and live percussion and give birth to a whole new level of movement and spiritual expression.
Breathe and weave your practice throughout the sounds and vibrations of world, classical, and contemporary rhythms. Focus will be on breath, alignment, and a creative rhythmic flow.
Transform your yoga practice into an artistic form of self-expression and enjoy the experience of pure freedom of mind, body, and soul!

Kirtan with BhaktiMa
Lyfe Yoga Center, Hermosa Beach
Saturday, June 6th (1st Saturday of the month) 6:30-8:00pm
Cost: $10 Suggested Donation

In the spirit of building community join BhaktiMa for a wonderful evening of music with our neighbors and friends and family.

Kirtan in the Canyon with Andrew and Michele and Friends
Yoga Desa, Topanga
TBA (1st Saturday of the month) 7:00pm

Singing these special songs with full enthusiasm is a meditation in itself and can leave you quite happy and high. See for yourself.
Call (818) 340-6088 for information.
www.artoflivingla.org/public.html

FREE Community Night: Immunize Yourself: The Ayurvedic Approach to Prevention with Mary-Alice Quinn, CAS
City Yoga, West Hollywood
Tuesday, June 9th (2nd Tuesday of the month) 7:30pm
Cost: FREE

In a time where rogue viruses constantly threaten our health, it is now more important than ever to look to our own immune strength as our leading source of protection.
During this free, interactive talk we will explore:
• Prevention as the cheapest form of medicine
• The Ayurvedic perspective on immune system health
• Simple practices to build your immunity.
Bring a friend!

Kirtan with Daniel Stewart & Friends
Rising Lotus Yoga, Sherman Oaks
Friday, June 12th (2nd Friday of the month) 8:15pm
Cost: By Donation

Come join Daniel Stewart and many talented musical friends this Friday February 13th @ 8:15 for a joyful evening of musical meditation and chanting. Daniel will be singing with Larry, Steve, and Keelan on drums, Sarah and Sylive on vocals, Angela on flute and Jeff on guitar.
No singing experience needed, only a willingness to open your heart to the joy.
The energy of our chanting keeps growing. Thank you for helping to make these events so joyous and powerful.
Hope you'll come and help us warm up the room and spread the joy at the Lotus. Jai Ma!

Kirtan with BhaktiMa
Harmony Yoga, Redondo Beach
Saturday, June 20th(3rd Saturday of the month) 7:00pm
Cost: $10 Suggested Donation

Join us for an evening of live music and chanting inspired by the ancient Indian tradition of bhakti yoga.

Full Moon Yoga Hike with Hilary Kimblin
Michael Lane and Trailer Canyon Fire Road, Pacific Palisades
Sunday, June 7th (Once a month) 7:00-10:00pm
Cost: $15 in advance, $20 day of

We will be on the trail by 7pm and out by 10pm. Please bring a yoga mat or towel, warm layers, water, decent walking shoes/boots, a snack to share and a sense of adventure!
Yoga Under The Trees is a great way to introduce a friend or partner to yoga, and also a wonderful way to meet new people. Beginners and the “completely rigid and inflexible” welcome. Join a hike today and Find Peace in the Wild.
Please RSVP hilary@yogaunderthetrees.com or call 323.841.3606

Chanting with Steve Ross
Maha Yoga, Brentwood
TBA (Once a month) 8:00pm
Cost: By Donation

Come to Maha Yoga for an enchanting evening of chanting with Steve. Open your heart and fill the studio with bliss. Sing along or just sit back and enjoy. Bring a cushion to sit on and wear comfortable clothing. Donation for our musicians.

other special events:

Lakshmi Puja (fire ceremony) and Photo Exhibit Featuring the Photographic Works of Julianne Reynolds
with Pujari/Tantric Vedic Priest, Sri Shiva Kumar
Urban Remedy, 1509B Abbot Kinney Blvd,Venice
Friday, June 5th 7:00-11:00pm
Cost: $10 Suggested Donation

Vedic Exhibition is an interactive art and puja exhibit with the intent to educate and change the way we approach our lives. The foundation of this project is the importance of rituals to invoke the spiritual awakening of the divine within.
Julianne Reynolds, documentary filmmaker, yogi and director of this exhibition, has been traveling and filming Indian Vedic Priest, Sri Shiva Kumar throughout the US and India. Julianne and Sri Shiva Kumar have developed a project to invite anyone interested in learning more about the vedic arts. As a photographer and filmmaker, this unique exhibit will showcase Julianne’s photographic work over the last two years.
Music Performed by Mathew Hufschmidt and David Watts
Tonic Herb Drinks, Shaman Shack
Limited Seating for Puja
Proceeds from these exhibitions will help educate underprivileged children in the USA and India.

Concert with Vikhash Maharaj and Prabhash Maharaj
Yoga Kingdom Sanctuary, Pasadena
Friday, June 5th 7:30pm
Cost: $20 Donation

Vikhash Maharaj and Prabhash Maharaj are Music Maestros from India seldom experienced in the West. They trace their lineage back fourteen generations of Varanasi musicians. Their music is direct tantric transmission of Shakti. They say, "This was given to our family by Shiva Himself and it is our task to give it to you." Just listening will transform you. An unparalleled resource for the Yoga Community of Los Angeles/Orange County.
Come and experience the complex rhythms, inspiring improvisation and the breath and depth of the healing benefits of this music. Their music is a truly powerful experience that will transform you from the inside out!

Acoustic Kirtan with Daniel Stewart & Friends
YogaWorks Valencia
Saturday, June 6th 6:00pm
Cost: $15 in advance, $20 at the door

Join Daniel Stewart and many talented musicians for an evening of call and response chanting. No experience necessary, just a willingness to open your heart and surrender to the blissful flow.

Dance Night at Maha Yoga
Maha Yoga, Brentwood
Saturday, June 6th 7:30pm
Cost: $15 per person

Come dance and shake it loose!
Anna Vitalia will lead you on a journey through the 5Rhythms to a soundscape of ambient, hip hop, rock and roll, house, world beats and more.
This is a casual and fun dance practice much like yoga.
A space to come and dance wildly to your own beating pulse, let loose, exercise, stretch, meditate and emerge with a glowing smile.
No experience is necessary.
Just wear comfortable clothes and bring a bottle of water.
Feel free to email 5RhythmsLA@gmail.com with any questions.
Please vist www.gabrielleroth.com for more information.

Special Event: Kirtan with Shyamdas
Bhakti Yoga Shala, Santa Monica
Saturday, June 6th 8:00pm
Cost: $15 Suggested Donation

Shyamdas, well-known devotional practitioner, author, and musician, presents Bhakti Yoga programs that combine ecstatic kirtan singing with stories and teachings from the path of devotion. He speaks from his background as a Vedic scholar and Sanskrit translator to share the philosophy of non-dual reality.

Do Yoga... Feed the Homeless with Ryan Brewer, benefitting the Gettlove Foundation
Bhakti Yoga Shala, Santa Monica
Sunday, June 7th 12:00-1:30pm
Cost: By Donation

This is my debut class at the Bhakti Yoga Shala in Santa Monica and I've turned it into a charity event that could REALLY USE YOUR HELP! All proceeds from this DONATION-BASED class will go to benefit the Gettlove Foundation, a wonderful group dedicated to assisting the homeless in Los Angeles. Please come support me and this amazing organization! Just bring a mat, a couple friends, a towel (we're gonna sweat), and a donation of any amount. Please arrive a little early so we can get everyone in!

DO GOOD. DO YOGA: Yoga Bear Community Benefit Event with Jennifer Pastiloff, Nicole Reed, and Michael Ruccolo
Lyfe Yoga Center, Hermosa Beach
Sunday, June 7th 1:30pm
Cost: $10 online, $15 at the door

Yoga Bear is stoked to partner up with Michael Ruccolo of LYFE YOGA CENTER as we throw our very first Yoga Bear Community Benefit Class: "Do Yoga. Do Good." in Los Angeles. 100% of the proceeds will go directly to our SoCal chapter! Come out and play with us...
1:30 Doors Open.
2:00 Yoga Starts.
3:00 Speakers/Discussion/Community.
www.yogabear.org

SUMMER SUNSET ROOFTOP YOGA IN VENICE with Psalm Isadora
Urban Remedy, 1509B Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice
Sunday, June 7th 5:30-9:00pm
Cost: FREE (Bring a potluck dish to share)

*COMMUNITY * WELLNESS * YUMMY FOOD * MUSIC *
Kundalini Tantra & Vinyasa Yoga with Psalm Isadora
Join us on the rooftop of The Farmacy/ Urban Remedy
Warm up, chill out and watch the sunset
Bring something yummy and healthy to share
All food offerings are appreciated as donations from the heart.
Classes begin at 5:30, potluck at 7pm
BYOM (bring your own mat)
BYFF (bring your friends and family)
BYHF (bring yummy, healthy food)

Sacred Chant with Shyamdas
Narayan Mandir, 1668 Rising Glen Rd, West Hollywood
Sunday, June 7th 7:30pm
Cost: Suggested Donation $15

Special night of Kirtan with the world renowned teacher, sanskrit scholar and author, Shyamdas in a rare southern California appearance. Shyamdas was recently featured in the movie
Enlighten Up and has led Kirtans with Sting, Paul Simon, and Mike D of The Beastie Boys.
Please bring cushion to sit on, please no infants or children.
If you've seen Shyamdas at the Narayan Mandir before, then you know how special it is! DON'T MISS THIS EVENT and please tell your friends to join us!

The Intuitive Flow: Yoga for Actors with James Morrison
Yogi Tree, Toluca Lake
Friday, June 12th 7:30-9:30pm
Cost: $30 PLEASE Pre-Register, Space is Limited

Accessing intuition, celebrating freedom, honoring instincts, and trusting the process are key to manifesting our creativity. In this very special, intimate evening with acclaimed actor, filmmaker, and yogi James (24's Bill Buchanan) Morrison, your spirit will be touched, your intuition and imagination freed, and your deepest creative reservoirs tapped. Witness your creative potential expand in the compassionate, inspiring presence of Morrison, a White Lotus Foundation-trained yoga instructor.
Begin the evening with a full-length intuitive flow yoga class, led by Morrison, who offers an eclectic, energetic practice with an enthusiastic regard for the evolutionary art and infinite possibilities of Hatha yoga. Then enjoy never-before-seen film clips from Showing Up, Morrison's forthcoming, much-anticipated documentary about the highs and lows of life as a working actor, featuring interviews with Sam Rockwell, Philip Baker Hall, Kristin Chenoweth, and countless other acting greats. The evening will conclude with a candid Q&A/discussion in which Morrison will answer your most compelling questions about craft and practice alike.

Sound, Rhythm and Nature: The Music of Pandit Vikash Maharaj (Sarod) with Prabhash Maharaj (Tabla)
Exhale Center for Sacred Movement, Venice
Friday, June 12th 8:00-10:00pm
Cost: $15, $20 day of

Pandit Vikash Maharaj shreds the Sarod (a 19-stringed instrument) as only a true master can and Prabhash sets the Tablas on fire playing with blinding hand speed! Your chakras will be energized and you'll leave floating on air when they are done! They have an utterly engaging way of sharing this system of music showing how it heals the body, opens the heart, and connects us with the nature of life. Their music is powerful, charged and universally joyous! The Maharaj family tradition is now 15 generations deep and can be traced back over 500 years – ancient and healing sounds directly from the source. Pt. Vikash Maharaj is a gifted artist and together with his son, Prabhash, he creates an ambiance that is both deep and moving.

DONATION YOGATHON in support of breast cancer prevention!
Yummy Yoga, Los Feliz
Saturday, June 13th 8:00am-6:00pm
Cost: By Donation

*Ten 55-minute classes taught by wonderful instructors from all across LA
*Refreshments and comraderie all day
*Raffle prizes for donations over $20
Take as many or as few classes as you'd like - the day will be by donation only (cash or check only)
Saturday's Schedule of Donation Classes ~
8am..........LEAH MILLER
9am..........RUTHIE ZALDUONDO
10am........ALI LAVENTHOL
11am........MICHELLE RINGLER
NOON........DUCKY PUNCH
1pm..........CAROLINE CARDINO
2pm..........MARY DIGNAN
3pm..........HEATHER FUNSTON
4pm..........ASHLEY RIDEAUX
5pm..........DUCKY & ALI - team teaching!!
Please pop in throughout the day for refreshments in support of Sivan.
Any donation over $20 will be entered into a raffle for prizes, including:
- YogiToes
- One-hour massage from Leah Miller
- Monthly Unlimited Series at Yummy Yoga
- Eco-Friendly Jade Yoga Mat
- Gift Certicificates to local shops
....and other fabulous prizes!!!!

Sivan's Story ~
Sivan, one of Yummy's yogis, is having a risk-reducing mastectomy at the end of June in order to prevent breast cancer. She's only 27, but doctors have recommended she have this surgery after learning of inheriting the BRCA 1 gene mutation from her mother. Sivan's Aunt Linda died of metastasized breast cancer at age 49, leaving behind two sons. Sivan's grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer around that time. As it turned out, Sivan's grandmother had passed down the gene. Sivan's Aunt is unknowingly responsible for saving the lives of the women in her family, including Sivan's mother, who underwent preventative surgery when she learned of her gene diagnosis.
Sivan and her friends are making a film to document her surgery and recovery, and to educate viewers regarding new research in hereditary cancers for both men and women. Additionally, with her film, Sivan will bravely show women that this surgery can provide them with peace of mind, beautiful cosmetic results, courage, and a sense of true empowerment. We hope you can join us in support of not only the cause, but also a fellow member of the YUMMY community!

Karen Shuman's Beyond Yoga Open House!
Karen Shuman's Yoga, Sherman Oaks (formerly Annie's Yoga Studio)
Saturday, June 13th 10:00am-6:00pm
Cost: By Donation

Yoga, Live Music, Healthy Food and Healing!!! What more could you ask for in a day??
~~ 30 minute Sample Classes ~~
10-10:30am Hatha/Kundalini Mix w/ Karen
11-11:30am Hatha Flow w/ Dario
12-12:30pm Gentle Hatha w/ Vida
1-1:30pm Iyengar w/ Jay & Andrea
2-2:30pm Gentle Therapeutic yoga w/ Avalon
3-3:30pm Kundalini Yoga w/ Sylvia
4-4:45pm Intro to Meditation w/ Randall
5:15-6:00pm Live music/Sound Healing with the Didgeridoo and Drums

~~ Mini Healing Sessions (Sign in Sheet Available) ~~
Treatment Room 1:
Tarot Card Reading
Hypnotherapy
Ayurveda
Treament Room 2:
Massage
Reiki

GIVE--YOGA FOR AFRICA
Black Dog Yoga, Sherman Oaks
Saturday, June 13th 5:00-8:00pm
Cost: Suggested donation $25

Do you love yoga?
Do you love supporting the Black Dog Yoga family?
Do you love to help the fight against HIV/AIDS?
Please join Anusara-inspired teachers Rachel Jackson and Jenny Brill for an evening of playful yoga open to ALL LEVELS! The evening will feature live acoustic music from local artists.
This yoga workshop is helping to raise money for Colleen Hill (student at Black Dog Yoga) and One Heart Source, a non-profit organization going to Tanzania this summer as they work to house children orphaned by HIV/AIDS and to educate people of all ages about the epidemic.
So come show your support for Colleen, for greater well being in Tanzania and join us in sending some good karma out into the world! Learn some new poses, and even some Swahili!
workshop 5:00-7:00
refreshments 7:00-8:00
if you can't come for the workshop, feel free to come afterward and hang out.
Proceeds go directly to building an orphanage in Tanzania!

Celebrate and Radiate: Kundalini Yoga with Kia Miller
YogaWorks Main Street, Santa Monica
Saturday, June 13th 6:00-8:00pm
Cost: $25

Surrender the mind, listen to your heart, and befriend your soul. Delve into the magic of your own energy enhanced and revitalized through this evening of yoga, live music and meditation. Discover ancient yogic techniques for radiant health, happiness and longevity. Chant to connect to your highest potential. Live music with Aykanna and Anne Marie Solo. All levels welcome.

Live Concert: An Evening of Transcendental Gongs with Andrea Centazzo
Yogi Tree, Toluca Lake
Saturday, June 13th 8pm
Cost: $15/concert only or $20 includes Centazzo's latest CD

In this very special, intimate live performance, world-renowned composer, conductor, and gong master Andrea Centazzo offers his singular percussion style, playing on a set of over 200 instruments, complete with electronics, computer sequencing, and digital sampling, bringing to his audience the emotion of a new sonic adventure in jazz, world, and contemporary avant-garde music. Expand your consciousness. Lift your soul. Open your mind. Move your body. This is one evening of music you have to feel to believe!

Summer Solstice 2009 at Yoga West
Yoga West, Los Angeles
Sunday, June 14th 1:00-4:30pm
Cost: $50

2009 equals 11 equals LIBERATION
Summer is the season when seeds of Spring are grown by the Sun
Come and grow toward liberation in this Summer Solstice workshop
Summer Solstice is the annual moment of our Sun's highest energy... the source of physical light and life. This is the time to sit with the "you in you" the God within -- detach from the mind's trillion thoughts and develop your conscious path to destiny.
At this course we will practice a series of kriyas and meditations that bring mind and emotions into alignment with intentions. We will then begin a 40 day personal practice (sadhana) to actualize our intentions.
Please attend in comfortable clothing. Bring a soft mat to sit on, materials to write with, and a piece of fruit.

Amma's North American Tour
Radisson Hotel at LAX, 6225 West Century Blvd, Los Angeles
Monday thru Friday, June 15th-19th
Cost: Public programs are FREE

We are truly delighted to have Amma's physical presence in North America again this year.
On most public program days, there are two programs each day i.e. during the day (at 10:00 am) and the evening (at 7:30 pm). During these programs all are welcome to come and meet Amma and receive her darshan. Darshan means receiving a blessing in the form of a compassionate hug from Amma. Devi Bhava programs (ceremony in celebration of the Divine Mother) occur once in most cities on the last day of the program during the evening (at 7:00 pm). Please find more details below.
Numbered tokens for entering the darshan line to meet Amma are distributed one hour before each program, with priority given to those meeting Amma for the first time.
Please Note: Due to time constraints token availability may be limited.

Public Program
Monday and Tuesday, June 15 - June 16
Morning Programs:
Darshan: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Evening Programs:
Spiritual programs: 7:30 pm - end
Dinner: 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm

Devi Bhava - Public Program
Friday, June 19
Atma Puja: 7:00 pm
Darshan: 8:00 pm - end
Dinner: 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm

A Free Screening at Golden Bridge Yoga: "Invisible Children"
Golden Bridge Yoga, Hollywood
Tuesday, June 16th 7:00pm
Cost: FREE, Donations appreciated

Can a story change the world? In the spring of 2003, three young Americans traveled to Africa in search of such a story. What they found was a tragedy that disgusted and inspired them. A story where children are the weapons and the victims. The “Invisible Children: Rough Cut” film exposes the effects of a 20-year-long war on the children of Northern Uganda. Children who live in fear of abduction by rebel soldiers, and are being forced to fight as part of a violent army. This wonderfully reckless documentary is fast paced, with an MTV beat, and is truly unique. To see Africa through young eyes is humorous and heart breaking, quick and informative - all in the same breath. See this film, you will be forever changed.
The screening is free; donations are greatly appreciated with 100% of proceeds going to the Invisible Children Inc. to provide health, safety and education for the children of Northern Uganda who are affected by this 20-year-long war.

The Historic Summer Solstice Celebration: LIVE H2O: Concert For The Living Water!
Belmont Shore Beach, Ocean Blvd near Granada Ave, Long Beach
Friday thru Sunday, June 19th-21st
Cost: FREE

Join in with millions of people as we honor the living water and pray for world peace, health, and prosperity
Everything is possible with LOVE, faith, and people united in prayer! This 72-hour global event is designed to bring humanity back to unity and security in the name of LOVE, by celebrating Water.
website: www.myspace.com/liveh2ola

Yoga Blend will be teaching at this event on Saturday, June 20th and Sunday, June 21st. More details to come!

Operation Shanti - Summer Solstice Charity Yoga Flow Event with Garth Hewitt
Equinox Fitness Clubs - Woodland Hills, South Bay, Santa Monica
Friday thru Sunday, June 19th-21st (see below for times)

Join yoga teacher Garth Hewitt for this Summer Solstice Charity Event to kick off the summer!
Attend one of the three classes or attend all three!
Each event location will include a raffle for great prizes, an art auction, an art exhibition featuring Garth's photographs from India and refreshments.
Help Raise Money For This Great Organization That Helps Children In Mysore India
PLEASE RSVP!
Equinox - Woodland Hills - Friday, June 19th - 5:30pm (Yoga Class - 5:30pm - 7pm)
RSVP: Stephanie.Vitorino@equinoxfitness.com
Equinox - South Bay - Saturday, June 20th - 4pm (Yoga Class - 4pm - 5:30pm)
RSVP: Deborah.Delarosa@equinoxfitness.com
Equinox - Santa Monica - Sunday, June 21st - 4pm (Yoga Class - 5pm - 6:30pm)
RSVP: Amy.Dixon@equinoxfitness.com

Summer Solstice: Harnessing the Vibrancy of the Sun's Full Force with Gurmukh Khalsa
Golden Bridge Yoga, Hollywood
Friday, June 19th 7:00-9:30pm
Cost:$20

This is the time of year when the Sun’s Energy is at its highest, radiating the most vibrancy. Join us on this most auspicious night as we begin with a very powerful kriya given by the Ancient Ones to open good luck.
This sacred set was handed down by the powerful Master Rishi Anand, the Mahan Tanrtic of the time, thousands of years ago. We will clear the karmas, and open you to the radiant light of your own destiny, allowing prosperity, new opportunities and good luck to enter your life.
Through meditation we’ll bring out and enhance our own Excellence. As we relax to the sacred sound of a Double Gong, we’ll allow the effects to set into our very cells.
Stay after class for Summer Treats!

Ritusamhara: Summer Solstice Celebration with Sara Ivanhoe
YogaWorks Main Street, Santa Monica
Friday, June 19th 7:45-9:45pm
Cost: $25

“Ritusamhara” is a traditional Indian celebration. Literally translated as ‘Garland of the Seasons,’ we have been celebrating “Ritusamhara” 4 times a year, and now is the time for Summer Solstice! This mini-festival will include asana, pranayama, mudra, mantra and music- all in praise of summer, the top of the inhale, the peak of light. Come honor the sun, soak up the heat and get ready to radiate- it’s going to be a great summer!
The asana portion of the program will be gentle. A light meal one hour before commencement of the practice is permissible.

Summer Solstice Yoga Sound Bath with Heather Hudson and Jamie Bechtold
Yoga Blend, Burbank
Friday, June 19th 8:30-10:30pm
Cost: $30 by June 14th/$35 after

Come celebrate the summer solstice with a night of yoga and gongs! You will be guided through gentle and nourishing restorative yoga poses while the magical sounds of gongs and singing bowls fill the air. Your entire body will feel relaxed and balanced. Register early and save $5.

Southern Asian Art Council Panel Discussion: The Path of Yoga Through Art
Brown Auditorium, LA County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles
Saturday, June 20th 2:00pm
Cost: Free, RSVP to saac@lacma.org by June 15

In Indian culture, worship pervades all aspects of life and sacred art is everywhere, from a humble doorway to a king's palace. This panel discussion explores religious philosophy and the yogic path depicted in selected artworks from LACMA's renowned permanent collection of South Asian and Himalayan art. Panelists include: Christopher Key Chapple, Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University; Joseph Prabhu, Professor of Philosophy, Cal State Los Angeles, Program Co-Chair, Parliament of the World's Religions 2009; Felicia Tomasko, RN Chief Editor of LA Yoga and Ayurveda and Paula Fouce, Director, Producer President of Paradise Filmworks International. A screening of the film ORIGINS OF YOGA: Quest for the Spiritual will follow the discussion. This program was made possible by the Southern Asian Art Council at LACMA.

Summer Yoga Mala "Lite" with Jo Tastula
Yoga Loft Manhattan Beach
Saturday, June 20th 5:30-7:00pm
Cost: $20

Do the 108 sun salutes in the traditional Yoga Mala make you nervous? Well then, we have created this special summer version of the Mala for you! 75 surya namiskara "A" (sun salutes), meditation, intention-setting, and yoga nidra.

Summer Solstice Celebration with Bekah Finch
Yoga Blend, Burbank
Saturday, June 20th 6:00-8:00pm
Cost: $15 suggested donation

The Summer Solstice celebrates joy,warmth and laughter.
Cultures from all over the world have honored the one day a year where there is more light than dark.
It is even believed that Stonehenge was created specifically for the Summer Solstice ritual!
Our ancestors wanted to do all they could to strengthen and pay homage to the energy of the sun.
Summer Solstice is also a reminder that after today, the nights begin to grow longer and autumn is not far away; it is the perfect time to really honor and enjoy all the beauty in our lives.
Join Bekah for a night of drumming, dance, yoga, intention and creation to honor the summer!

Summer Solstice Vinyasa Flow with Live Drumming with Julie Rader
YogaWorks South Bay, El Segundo
Saturday, June 20th 7:30-9:30pm
Cost: $25 for members; $35 for nonmembers

Experience absolute freedom as you celebrate summer solstice during this creative vinyasa flow class with live drumming. This workshop is intended as a ritual to welcome in the new season on the longest day of the year. We will energize the body through an invigorating, creative vinyasa flow class with live drumming. The music and movement will leave you feeling open, blissful and inspired.

Special Screening: An Evening of Environmentally-Themed Documentaries with Oscar-Nominated Filmmaker Leslie Iwerks
Yogi Tree, Toluca Lake
Saturday, June 20th 7:30pm
Cost: $10

Leslie Iwerks is an Oscar® and Emmy nominated documentary director and producer with an unerring, unflinching eye for the places in life and humanity where passion and compassion are simultaneously most present and most absent. Join us at The Yogi Tree for a very special evening of documentary films that will open your heart, expand your mind, and change your soul.
*Downstream, short-listed for a 2008 Academy Award, traces the courageous actions of a doctor fighting for the lives of residents living and dying of rare cancers in a native community downstream from one of the largest and most toxic oil sands operations in the world in Alberta, Canada. http://www.downstreamdoc.com
*Recycled Life, nominated for an Academy Award® in 2006 and winner of nine top film festival awards, chronicles the thousands of people who have been living and working in the largest and most toxic landfill in Central America over the last sixty years - the Guatemala City garbage dump. Narrated by Edward James Olmos, the film had its television premiere on HBO’s Cinemax Channel in August 2007. Iwerks’ accompanying short film, A Safe Passage: A Tribute to Hanley Denning, aired on HBO-On-Demand and has helped garner over $3 million worth of individual financial contributions to the children and families living in the Guatemala City Garbage Dump. http://www.recycledlifedoc.com
Filmmaker reception and Q&A to follow.

Sitar and Drums for the Soul with Hypnotic Gurus
The Hub, Los Angeles
Saturday, June 20th 8:00-10:00pm
Cost: $25

A night of groovy music. Producer & Drummer, Sunil Narang, propelled by his trademark deep pocket groove, blends powerful beats with eastern sounds using a variety of percussion including tablas, electronic triggers and Tibetan, kathak and elephant bells. AJ Rikhi Ram, legendary sitarist of Rikhi Ram Musical Instruments Mfg. Co., evokes moods and textures from lush and melodic to sparse and moody.

An Evening of Chanting with Dave Stringer
Urth Yoga, Silverlake
Saturday, June 20th 8:00-11:00pm
Cost: $20 in advance, $25 day of the show

Dave Stringer, an accomplished composer, multi-instrumentalist and singer, has a special gift for bringing people together in ecstatic chant, call and response mantra singing. Punctuating the traditional mantras with flights of improvisation, he chants with luminous intensity and a freedom that is contagious. Dave Stringer’s sound marries the transcendent mysticism of traditional Indian instruments with the exuberant, groove-oriented sound of American gospel.

Summer Kick-Off Festival
Yogaglo Studio, 1800 Berkeley St, Santa Monica
Friday, June 26th 5:00-10:00pm
Cost: FREE

LA YOGA magazine and Yogaglo present: Here Comes the Sun!
A summer kick-off festival celebrating the yoga community and partner businesses working for social change
Enjoy complimentary food & cocktails, raffle prizes and a marketplace featuring local vendors who share a passion for giving back
With music by DJ Drez and the Hypnotic Gurus

BIJA KIRTAN DRUM CIRCLE with Tuesday May
Dancing Shiva Yoga and Ayurveda, Los Angeles
Friday, June 26th 7:30-9:00pm
Cost: $10.00 Suggested Donation/Free to all

Activate your Aura and participate in a guided chakra meditation, followed by "Bija Mantra" kirtan with Tuesday May.
Hand drums, Percussion, Bells, and Shakers welcome! Connect with your community!

YOGATHON! 2009
City Yoga, West Hollywood
Saturday and Sunday, June 27th-28th
Registration Fee: $45 (includes gift bags, food, prizes and much more)

Roll out your mat and open up your heart because it's time for Yogathon 09! Come celebrate 10 years of City Yoga. Give thanks for the roof over your head and help raise a roof for a deserving family.
On Saturday June 27, 60 yogis will gather for 24 hours of: Asana, Restorative, Meditation, Thai Yoga Massage, Chanting, Live Music, and FOOD.
100% of the net proceeds go to Habitat for Humanity.
Sign up now to save your spot!
*We are also seeking donations of goods, services and prizes

Venice Eco-Fest 2009
Venice Beach Recreation Area, Windward Ave and Ocean Front Walk, Venice
Saturday, June 27th 10:00am-6:00pm
Cost: FREE

This festival will feature:
~ Solar Powered Sound Stage with a full program of performers, dignitaries, celebrities, and environmental speakers that will both attract and educate people.
~ Booths representing green businesses, environmental organizations, and various environmentally and globally oriented non-profit and educational groups.
~ Food Court featuring organic and healthy foods.
~ Artists from the Venice and LA area.
~ Interactive Art Zone/Creative Play Area where people of all ages, focused especially for children, will spontaneously create, play, and interact in artistic and environmentally aware ways.

108 Sun Salutations with Live Mantra Chanting: A Yoga Fundraiser Event at the Venice Eco-Fest
Venice Beach Recreation Center
Saturday, June 27th 11:00-12:30pm
Cost: By Donation

Join Vishnuprem, Akemi on harmonium, the LA Sivananda Center, and LA Yoga Magazine for a ceremony of the 108 Surya Namaskara mala. Bring water and a mat or towel to enjoy a celebratory practice.

Charities Benefitted:
~ Green Yoga Association
~ Karma Animal Rescue
~ Sivananda Center Green Yoga in Practice
~ Learning Garden at Venice High School's Youth Gardening Project

You can support this event in two ways:
~ Download a pledge form from www.sivananda.org/la and find friends and family to sponsor you for a flat donation or per sun salutation completed.
~ Show up the day of the event, register, make your donation and participate in the event.
Checks and cash will be accepted. Please make checks payable to Green Yoga Association.

Radha Prasad Live in Concert
Golden Bridge Yoga, Hollywood
Saturday, June 27th 7:00-10:00pm
Cost: $18 in advance, $23/day of

Golden Bridge is honored to host internationally acclaimed flute artist, Pandit Radha Prasad for an uplifting night of Traditional Indian classical and folk music on Bamboo Flute. Radha Prasad is a gifted musician who was born and brought up in India and taught himself to play the bamboo flute at an early age. Radha Prasad is a senior most disciple of India’s foremost and world-renowned flutist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia. He also received advanced training in Classical and Traditional folk music from Veena Pani Rastogi, world famous vocalist from Jaipur, India.
This event is presented by Golden Bridge Yoga Studio and Radha Prasad School of Music with support from California Traditional Music Society.
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to experience sublime beauty of Indian devotional musical tradition live at Golden Bridge.

A Night of Hypnotic Downtempo Yoga w/ Jo Tastula + the Hypnotic Gurus
Exhale Center for Sacred Movement, Venice
Saturday, June 27th 8:00-10:00pm
Cost: $20, $25 at the door

Feed your heart & soul with a night of classical sitar mixed with deep downtempo grooves and Jo Tastula's signature yoga flow sequencing. Dance/ Play/ Practice/ Sit to the hypnotic rhythm or whatever moves you!

Embodying the Goddess with Erika Faith: A playshop with Yoga, Art, Music and Surprises
Lyfe Yoga Center, Hermosa Beach
Sunday, June 28th 1:00-4:00pm
Cost: $30 in Advance, $35 at Door

All the words we have to distiguish the feminine seem to have a masculine association: s*he, fe*male, wo*man. Can we fully accept ourselves as the glorious representations of our divine crative power? Let us explore together in this very special afternoon with Erika Faith of Cloud Nine Yoga and friends.

recession busters!

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:29:00 +0000

i'm broke. you're broke. everyone else we know is broke.

or at least that's what seemed to be the gist of my conversation with some random guy i met at the laundromat last night.

you see, my washing machine decided to throw a fit yesterday. and of course, it had to happen the day before my daughter was due to leave home to return to philly for her summer job. needless to day, trying to pack a suitcase full of soaking wet, half-washed clothes was definitely out of the question.

so we threw the soggy mess plus the rest of our laundry into trash bags and hauled them to nearest laundromat, where we spent the last hours of our mother-daughter bonding time feeding mass quantities of quarters into machines, then waiting for those machines to perform their magic.

next thing i knew, this guy beside us was talking about how he saw someone depositing an unemployment check at the ATM. and not that there was anything wrong with that because he, too, was on unemployment. and from my knowing nod, he gathered i was in the same predicament.

welcome to the club.

so it's nice to know that the sources of donation-based and affordable yoga classes are becoming easier and easier to come by.

here's a list of what's out there. bookmark this page because i'll be adding more as i find them:

FREE!:

indoor classes --
~ community classes (usually on sunday mornings) at the lululemon stores around town: beverly hills, brentwood, calabasas, el segundo, glendale, pasadena, santa monica
~ "first class free" offer at many yoga studios, usually available to locals only
~ yoga potluck with psalm isadora, santa monica: free classes once a month; bring a potluck dish to share with everyone after class (click on link for meetup group)
~ black dog yoga, sherman oaks: one free class during the month of july with featured teacher of the month, jenny brill. mondays, wednesdays, fridays, and sundays at 10:30am. click here for coupon
~ the hub, west los angeles: four FREE one-hour mind, body, spirit class "tasters" on the last sunday morning of every month, starting june 28th
~ santa monica yoga, santa monica: try a new class in july for FREE. choose from one of four new classes; must be new to class. click here for coupon

outdoor classes --
~ FREE YRG yoga for regular guys (and gals) with diamond dallas page, playa vista: saturdays at 10:00am at playa vista sports park, playa vista and bluff creek drive (click on link to get on mailing list for updates)
~ FREE summer beach yoga series with aaron reed, venice: Practicing yoga on the beach is fun. We will explore how to use the topography of the seashore to make certain poses easier and more enjoyable. Emphasis will be on playing in the sand and watching the sunset. At the water's edge at the intersection of Rose Ave and the Pacific Ocean. 7:00pm until last light on the following evenings:
Wednesday, June 17 / Tuesday, June 23 / Wednesday, July 1 / Tuesday, July 7 / Wednesday, July 15 / Wednesday, July 22 / Tuesday, July 28 / Wednesday, August 5 / Tuesday, August 11 / Wednesday, August 19 (click on link to get on mailing list)
~ FREE yoga on the pier with lori rischer and joan hyman, santa monica: Every Saturday Morning from June 27th through August 29th 8:30 AM to 9:30AM. Make sure to bring your mat and a towel...and a valid photo ID in order to participate. It will be a mixed level vinyasa flow class – all levels welcome. Arrive early. You'll need time to walk to the end of the pier - and sign a release form before 8:30am **Pier Parking for Yoga participants will be validated. Bring cash for parking - you will be reimbursed with Validation
~ mommy and me yoga at the grove, los angeles: tuesdays, 9am

online classes --
~ yogamates, online: FREE streamed videos updated monthly; click on "free classes" for class choices
~ yoga to the people, online: FREE downloadable audio classes (itunes or mp3); click on link for class list

DONATION-BASED (i.e., pay what you can):

indoor classes --
~ bryan kest's power yoga east and west, santa monica: ALL classes
~ bhakti yoga shala, santa monica: ALL classes
~ home simply yoga, santa monica: most vinyasa classes; check schedule
~ black dog yoga, sherman oaks: Taught by our wonderful Teacher Trainees on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4:30pm, these Hatha I-II level classes are available to anyone and everyone regardless of your ability to pay. Give what you can, ALL proceeds will benefit local charities
~ santa monica yoga, santa monica: mondays/wednesdays 1:45-3:15pm, saturdays 2:45-4:15pm - level 1-2 donation classes with new SMY teacher trainees
~ yoga loft, manhattan beach: Tuesdays & Thursdays 12:00-1:00pm ALL LEVELS LUNCH FLOW with Amy Beausang $10 suggested cash donation
~ guerilla yoga, los angeles: A suggested minimum donation of $10 can be made by cash or check payable to the instructor
~ LA yoga collective, los angeles: All classes are Pay What You Can with a Suggested Donation of $15
~ yoga circle downtown, los angeles: To all un- and under-employed...we are, as always, a donation based studio. We want you all to feel comfortable continuing your practice even though you may no longer have the full price of our classes to donate, especially now when stress may be the dominant factor in your life.
~ yoga and meditation by donation with hilary kimblin, miracle mile: mondays, wednesdays, and fridays 7:45-9:00am (click on link for meetup group)
~ yoga at the village, glendale: surya namaskar class with maya gingery, sundays at noon starting july 12th. suggested donation $10-$15

outdoor classes --
~ runyon canyon yoga, hollywood: Bring a mat or a towel and a donation if you like. Anyone is welcome
~ beach yoga with brad keimach, venice: saturdays and sundays at 10:30am. santa monica beach, where marine meets the water (click on link to get on his mailing list)
~ outdoor yoga with sierra, long beach: $5 is the suggested donation, and is greatly appreciated, but certainly not required to participate, all are welcome! (click on link for meetup group)
~ donation classes on the cliffs with shana meyerson, santa monica: tuesdays and thursdays at 11am. palisades park on ocean avenue, just north of alta

online classes --
~ yogichocolate, online: You will find downloadable audio mp3s of recorded live yoga classes, meditations, and everything else yoga. All downloads are offered on a completely donation-basis

OTHER LESS EXPENSIVE OPTIONS:

indoor classes --
~ community classes at most yoga studios. most of them are half-priced, or close to it
~ urth yoga, silverlake: $5 hour-long classes at urth yoga. 7am and 12:30pm daily. cash only
~ mission street yoga, south pasadena: $5 hour-long classes with jose alvarado at 12:30pm mondays and wednesdays
~ studio surya yoga, venice: ALL classes only $10
~ yoga loft, woodland hills: DURING THE MONTH OF JULY enjoy an "Economy Class" - A single class is $10, bring a friend with you and pay just $15. Valid only for the classes listed below and not with any other offer: Wednesday 7:00-8:30pm, Saturday 10:30-12noon
~ dharma mittra yoga la, los angeles: two-for-one partner yoga ($12 for two!) every 3rd and 5th friday of the month 7:30-8:45pm
~ adult yoga at annenberg community beach house, santa monica: 3 different styles of yoga offered by Santa Monica Yoga. Wednesday: Vinyasa-style class with Nathalie Canessa. Friday: Slow Deep Stretch with Cindy Fraser. Sunday: Vinyasa flow class with Guin Lyster. ALL levels welcome. 11:00am-noon. $10 per class. Mat provided - towel suggested.
~ exhale center for sacred movement, venice: $10 all-levels classes with ashley turner all summer. thursdays 7:35-9:05pm

outdoor classes --
~ beach yoga with vanda mikoloski, venice: on the beach at the end of rose ave. two series of 4 classes, $20 - tuesdays starting july 7th at 6pm until 7:15pm. thursdays starting july 9th at 6pm until 7:15pm. can swap days if needed. $6 single class. click on link to prepay classes using DVD purchase button

online classes --
~ yogaglo, online and in santa monica: for $18 per month, UNLIMITED yoga classes streamed in HD online and/or taken in studio; free 15-day trial
~ lulu bandha's monthly video subscription, online: for $15 per month, access to kira ryder's live classes recorded and posted online; free 30-day trial

opening the gates

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Fri, 29 May 2009 05:21:00 +0000

a new yoga studio will be opening its doors this coming monday, june 1st: the bhakti yoga shala. located at the corner of arizona and 2nd in santa monica, this studio will be offering daily yoga classes and weekend kirtans -- all on a donation basis.

to celebrate and bless this special space, a non-stop 12-hour kirtan will be held this sunday, may 31st. many of the performers are also on the teaching schedule at bhakti yoga, so come and chant with the yogis you'll be practicing with!

12 HOUR MAHA KIRTAN RITUAL
May 31, 2009
11:00 AM - 11:00 PM

...to light the flame and open the gates at the Shala...

We will have many amazing kirtan singers and musicians
Come for a little while and enjoy...
or turn it into a Bhakti Maha sadhana - come all day from beginning to end and sing your heart out!
One thing for sure, the mantras, music, and celebration will continue nonstop for the entire 12 hours. Please come join us for this auspicious new beginning...
Jai Ganesha!!

Kirtan Schedule:
11am - Govindas and Radha
12pm - Kalidas
12:30pm - Angela Meilandt
1pm - Michael Thomas
1:30pm - Ryan Brewer
2pm - Ena Vie and Howard Lipp
2:30pm - Joey Lugassy
3pm -Terra Gold
3:30pm - Daniel Stewart
4pm - Andres Salcedo
4:30pm - Cyrus
5pm - Andrew Behla
5:30pm - Govindas and Radha
6pm - Randall Reel
6:30pm - Kalidas
7pm - Daniel Stewart
7:30pm - Andres Salcedo
8pm - Joey Lugassy
8:30pm - Travis Eliot
9pm - Zat Baraka
9:30pm - Michael Thomas
10pm - Moose Ali Khan
10:30pm - Govindas and Radha

Other musicians include:
* Shiva Baum
* Dahveed Hari Bol Das
* Marla Leigh
* David Watts
* and many more!!

a very lucky man

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Thu, 28 May 2009 06:49:00 +0000

i was busy helping myself to the food and drink samples at the LA marathon race expo last saturday when i felt my backpack vibrate. i reached in to answer my cell phone, but by the time i'd gotten to it, the call had already been routed to voice mail.

i looked at the phone display and it said that i had missed not just one, but TWO calls. both were from my good friend BDB. that's strange, i thought. he only calls me if he needs something. and for him to call twice in the span of fifteen minutes, he must've REALLY needed something.

i listened to the first message he left:

i went to a yoga class and i'm not feeling very well at all. i'm here at the starbucks by the yoga studio. give me a call...

then to the second:

i need your help. please call me as soon as you get this...

the tone of his voice had changed dramatically from the first message to the second. i immediately called him back. he answered his phone, sounding even weaker. i started to worry.

according to him, earlier that morning, he had taken the subway from his home in downtown LA, then biked to yoga class in west hollywood. since he had been busy with work and had missed all his usual yoga classes during the week, he was looking forward to making up for lost time. feeling exhausted after rushing to make the 10:30 power yoga class, he chose to push through with the class anyway.

after coming down from a handstand midway through the class, he started to feel woozy and lightheaded. he sat in child pose, hoping that the dizziness would pass. it didn't. he continued to follow along with the class but realized that he was just making things worse. he rolled up his yoga mat, walked out of the classroom, and sat outside to get some fresh air. that didn't seem to help, either.

eventually, he hopped back on his bike and made his way to the starbucks shop a few blocks down the street, hoping that maybe some food and drink would make him feel better. but when he got there, there was a long wait and he felt he was too weak and uncomfortable to stand in line. that's when he decided to sit down and call me.

since both my friend michele -- who happened to be standing next to me -- and i had taken the bus from santa monica to the convention center, neither of us could drive out to west hollywood to pick him up and take him home. i knew that we had other friends who were roaming around the expo, so i told him i'd check with the others and call him right back.

but the more i thought about how weak and desperate he sounded, the more i realized i didn't have time to find an alternate ride for him. i called him back to tell him to call 911. he assured me that not only had he just done that, but he had also tracked down anita, a mutual friend of ours, who was already on her way to him.

relieved that help was on its way, michele and i finished what we needed to do at the race expo and caught the bus back home.

from the bus, i called BDB one more time. the paramedics had examined him and were about to take him to cedars-sinai medical center, a little more than a mile away. it's probably just an electrolyte imbalance, he said. after all, i did sweat a lot in class and didn't really drink much before nor during class...

yeah, it could be, i assured him, hoping that whatever it was that he was suffering from could easily be treated with some extra fluids fed intravenously through his veins. or at least something as routine as that.

since anita was still on her way to get him, he asked me to call her and tell her that she should just turn around and go back home. by the time i reached her, she was already at the starbucks and was trying to find him.

he just left, i said. the paramedics took him to cedars.

oh my god. he must have been in the ambulance that i had to pull over for on my way here! she proceeded to catch up with him at the hospital.

i got home, and as i started up my car, i called BDB for an update. he said that the ER staff had run some tests and had decided to admit him. it was obviously more serious than either of us had thought it would be. anita was already by his bedside and both of them were waiting for him to be transferred to a room.

i called again when i arrived at the hospital. he was on the fifth floor. the cardiac floor. yikes. this was definitely serious. i gave him a hug when i saw him and asked him for details. all he could say was that he already felt much better.

you may be feeling better, i said, but they obviously think there's something wrong, otherwise they wouldn't keep you overnight...

just then, his cardiologist walked into the room. after getting his patient's ok to have us in the room while they discussed his condition, the doctor said that he was concerned that BDB's heart rate was too slow and that there were three possible reasons why. he either had a heart attack, his thyroid levels were too low, or he needed a pacemaker. he then ordered some lab tests and an echocardiogram. he also described how a pacemaker would be inserted, if one were needed.

whatever the outcome would be, it looked like my dear friend was going to be confined through the memorial day weekend.

he sat there, stunned. he had just celebrated his 53rd birthday two months ago. his father died from a massive heart attack at the ripe young age of 56.

anita and i kept him company while the hospital staff continued to poke and prod him. when we realized that nothing was going to happen any time soon, both anita and i left to retrieve his bike from where he had parked it outside the starbucks store; she then took the bike home with her and i went straight to the kirtan i had planned to attend that evening.

when i got home later that evening, i read the following email message sent from BDB's iphone:

Subject: How I spent my Saturday night

Angioplasty!

About 9:30 tonight the Cardio MD who saw me in ER early this afternoon came into my room to inform me that a blood enzyme was elevated and my EKGs didn't jive indicating that I did have a small heart attack. Furthermore, same MD just let me know (10:33PM) that I'll be going for angioplasty in about a half hour! The reasoning is that there's no blockage now but they don't want one to develop by morning. They're prepping me now!

It will be alright! Love to all,

B

by then, it was 1:30 in the morning. i called the hospital to see how he was doing. he was still in the cath lab, according to the nurse. she assured me that a procedure lasting more than two hours was nothing to be worried about. that sounded good enough for me, so i went to sleep.

BDB called me the next morning to fill me in on the excitement that had gone on after we had left. he summarized it best in an email he sent out later that morning to his close friends and family:

... Things didn't really get exciting until after visiting hours ended at 9PM. My cardiologist came running into my room just as I was beginning to tell my brother why I was in the hospital. One look at the cardiologist's face, and I told my brother I'd have to call him back and hung up. Certain blood enzyme tests were elevated and the EKG from the ambulance didn't jive with one taken later in the day: I, in fact, had had a heart attack.

By 10:30PM I had been rolled up to the cardio ICU, and by 11:30PM, after several consults with my cardiologist and my brothers (How did we live before iPhones and Blackberries?), I was prepped for angioplasty. Surgery started at midnight and ended at 3:00AM.

To paraphrase Martin Lawrence, "Me so lucky!" That I would have an attack a few blocks from one of the top hospitals in the world; that my surgeon is world-renowned as a cardio interventionist and had just gotten off a plane at LAX from Barcelona at 5:30PM that day; that my attack occurred in 2009 and not 1976 when my father had his sternum sawed in two for bypass surgery instead of the catheter fished up my left arm vein to my heart; that out of laziness and no one to join me, I didn't go backpacking in the High Sierra six miles from the nearest road; and that in spite of myself, even I knew to call 911 - I am dumbstruck but very appreciative of fate. Surgery revealed that a major artery to my heart muscle was 90% blocked as well as two others in bad shape. So three stents later, I miraculously have no damage to my heart muscle and will probably check out of the hospital in a day or two and be back to work in a week. I imagine I will immediately earn distinction in cardio rehab when I ask how soon it will be before I can do a handstand in yoga class again...

after spending two and a half days in the critical care unit (where he was probably the least bedridden patient on the floor), BDB was discharged early yesterday afternoon. luckily for him (yet again!), i was available to check on his place in his absence, pick him up from the hospital, drive him to the pharmacy to get his prescriptions filled, and make sure he had everything he needed before he turned in for the night.

for the next week or so, i'll be checking on him to make sure he's ok. but since he already has a list of things he wants to get done before he goes back to work, it appears that my job will be to keep a tight rein on him to make sure he follows his doctor's orders to get lots of rest!

to increase your chances of a similar happy ending if you ever find yourself or a loved one in the same situation, here are the warning signs of a heart attack, as found on the american heart association's website:

Some heart attacks are sudden and intense — the "movie heart attack," where no one doubts what's happening. But most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:

~ Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.

~ Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

~ Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.

~ Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

Learn the signs, but remember this: Even if you're not sure it's a heart attack, have it checked out (tell a doctor about your symptoms). Minutes matter! Fast action can save lives — maybe your own. Don’t wait more than five minutes to call 9-1-1.

giving back once again

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Wed, 27 May 2009 05:27:00 +0000

last month, i shared with you a post about a group of yogis -- joel bender, kayoko mitsumatsu, and jason kolker -- who have joined together to form yoga gives back, a charity whose mission is to raise funds for microfinance in india. i also posted the details about a few fundraisers that had already been held, including two at liberation yoga in LA and a third at black dog yoga in sherman oaks.

there are many more fundraisers for yoga gives back in the works, including yet another one at liberation this coming weekend; this time, it will be taught by christine burke, co-owner of liberation yoga. it promises to be another great class for the same great cause:

Defining The Art Of Love Through The Art Of Yoga with Christine Burke
Liberation Yoga, Los Angeles
Sunday, May 31st 2:00-4:00pm
Cost: Suggested Donation $20 - Benefits Yoga Gives Back!

Our entire lives are affected and driven by our ability to give and receive love. Our relationship to love and how we define it for ourselves colors, informs and often decides our relationship with ourselves, others and the planet on which we live. When we feel out of balance, stuck or disconnected it is often due to a lack of clarity about what love means to us. This may lead to feeling that we don't know how to "get it" ot "keep it" or "experience it". Yoga can give us the space and context in which to explore this powerful feeling, which is actually a state of being and which is actually what we are - LOVE!

Come spend a liberating afternoon with Christine and begin to unlock the doors of your heart through an all levels vinyasa class that will include mudra, mantra, chanting and meditation. There will also be a raffle and vegan and veggie pizza!

Yoga Gives Back is an incredible organization founded by our very own Joel Bender, Kayoko Mitsumatsu and orgaized and produced by other dedicated yogis including other Liberation students such as Jason Oslo Kolker. Visit www.yogagivesback.org to learn more.

september is national yoga month!

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Mon, 25 May 2009 23:43:00 +0000

i know that september's still a long way off, but we need to start discussing national yoga month NOW if we want it to be a success here in LA!

here's the event flyer i received the other day:

Calling All Yoga Studios, Teachers and Students: Participate in National Yoga Month 09.2009

September marks a significant milestone in the “yoga for health” movement. It is the first official National Yoga Month (designated by the Department of Health & Human Services) designed to build awareness of yoga’s proven health benefits and provide people with actionable guidance and tools to better their own well-being.

How to Participate in National Yoga Month:

Host an event: Create a Yoga Month event such as a yoga class, workshop, peace party or community class during the month of September and register it at yogamonth.org.

Donate a Yoga Class: Contribute the proceeds from one or more classes taught in September to the National Awareness Campaign and Yoga Health Foundation.

Join the Yoga Month Card New Student Program: Yoga studios and teachers can participate by offering one week of free yoga to new students.

Volunteer: Become a Yoga Month Ambassador in your city, helping to spread the word and inspiring your community.

Join our Email List: Become a part of the Yoga Month community.

Events are planned across the country, including:

One week of free yoga - By going to www.yogamonth.org/yogamonthcard, people can find participating studios and teachers, print out the Yoga Month Card and redeem it for One Week of Free Yoga at locations in nearly every city across the country.

Local Yoga Month events - Hundreds of yoga studios, teachers, individuals and event organizers will create free or donation-based National Yoga Month events in their city for everyone from those trying yoga for the first time to experienced yogis.

The National Institutes of Health Mind-Body Week - To address the pervasive challenge of stress – and its adverse affects on health - this weeklong series of events, held in the nation’s capital, will provide resources to achieve personal wellness goals.

Global Mala Yoga for Peace Celebration - On September 20, beginners and advanced yogis alike will gather in Los Angeles for four hours of yoga, raising both funds and consciousness for today’s most pressing issues.

High level support - People and organizations from the likes of NIH to Mariel Hemingway are lending their support to National Yoga Month.

Yoga Month 2009 is all about local involvement to generate a truly influential National Awareness Campaign.

www.yogamonth.org

a heads-up for this coming monday

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Sat, 23 May 2009 14:45:00 +0000

the memorial day weekend is upon us. and not only will the class schedule at your usual yoga studio be affected this coming monday because of the holiday, but your ability to get there or any other place in town may be affected by the street closures for the LA marathon which will be held on that day (note: you're not imagining things -- it's always been held in march, but it was changed this year. just know that it's being moved back to march next year...)

to help you plan your transportation on monday, here are some helpful links:

LA marathon course map
LADOT road closures
MTA schedule changes

so here are the memorial day weekend schedule changes that i've received so far:

the awareness center, pasadena

Mon. May 25th Memorial Day - CLOSED
All weekend, regular class schedule.

back for yoga, el segundo

We will be open on Friday, May 22nd and Saturday, May 23rd with our regular scheduled classes.
On Sunday, May 24th, only the morning classes (8:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.) will be taught. There will not be a class on Sunday Evening at 5:30 p.m.
We will be closed on Memorial Day.

black dog yoga, sherman oaks

We will hold classes up until noon on Monday. The studio will close at 1:30p.

city yoga, west hollywood

Modified Schedule
First class from 8:30-10am basics with Anthony Benenati
and our last class will be from 12:30-2pm basics with Linda Berton

exhale center for sacred movement, venice

9:00am Matthew Cohen Level 2/3
9:15am Kerianne Telford Level 1
10:30am Saul David Raye Level 2/3
10:45am Sherry Brourman Level 1/2
12:30pm Ashley Turner Level 1/2
12:45pm Brad Keimach Level 2 community

free spirit yoga, long beach

Saturday: 8:30AM, 10:00AM, and 11:30AM 1pm & 4:30 Canceled
Sunday: 9:00AM and 10:30AM 5pm canceled
Monday: only 9AM chant and 9:30AM Level 1 & Meditation afternoon classes are canceled.

garden of yoga, woodland hills

We will be closed on Monday, May 25th for Memorial Day.

golden bridge yoga, hollywood

Special Memorial Day Class!!!
Monday, May 25th 10:00am - 12:00pm
Beyond duality: Living Through the Heart with Gurushabd Singh
Cost: $20/adv or $25/day of

Today we live in a world where the greatest precept has become the science and logic of the mind.
When we project and create solely from the mind, our intention might be good but because of the mind’s dualistic nature it will always create both good and bad. Within the heart is a scared place where you and the world can be remade and there is only purity.
On Memorial Day we will celebrate by coming together and practicing an ancient yogic technology to bring about a shift in you, transforming duality into unity.
We will enter the sacred space of the heart to transcend the challenges of the times and discover a new realm of possibilities, creativity & healing.
These most sacred teachings were brought by the yogis to earth to bring peace for the next 5000 years. Come be a part of it!
Open your heart. Free your mind. Elevate your consciousness.
Enjoy delicious watermelon after class!

This will be the only class offered on Memorial Day. All other classes cancelled.

the hub, west los angeles

Canceled classes:
7:00am Mixed Level Flow
6:15pm Vinyasa Yoga
All other classes as usual, including 8:00pm power yoga with Jay Co

karen shuman's beyond yoga, sherman oaks

Monday June 1st, 2009
10:00-11:30am Hatha Flow Dario
12:00-1:30pm Gentle Hatha Vida
Closed for the rest of the day.
We are back to a normal schedule on Tuesday!!

liberation yoga, los angeles

10:00AM-12:00PM Vinyasa Flow Ashley Albrand
12:00PM-1:30PM Level 1 Jeanne Korn

rising lotus yoga, sherman oaks

Monday, May 25th
9:00 - Level I with Sarah Bergman
10:35 - Mixed Level Flow with Daniel Stewart
12:15 - Lunch Flow with Michelle Goldstein

santa monica yoga, santa monica

Please note that we are CLOSED next Monday, May 25 for Memorial Day. The schedule for the weekend is the same as usual, and the regular schedule resumes on Tuesday.

swerve, los angeles

8:30 am Pilates Plus with Kim Director
9:30 am 6 - Pack Abs with Kim Director
10:00 am Yoga Booty Ballet with Lauren Haze
11:15 am Goddess with Tracie Hendricks
12:30 Vinyasa Flow Yoga with Courtney Munch

truyoga, santa monica

Join us on Memorial Day, Monday May 25th for a special all levels class at 10 a.m. taught by Yoga Groove founder Karen Russell. This will be the only class given for the day, regular class schedule during the weekend.

u studio yoga, los angeles

Monday, May 25th - 9:00am with Andrea (only 1 class this holiday Monday)

the rest of the weekend is our Usual schedule
Fri 5:30 --Andrea
Sat 9am and 10:30am --Andrea
Sun 10:30am and 4pm --Andrea

YAS, venice

Hi everyone. We wanted to let you know that YAS Venice will be open with our regular schedule on Memorial Day (Monday).
Come spin and do yoga with us either before or after your barbecue and have a guilt free holiday!!

yoga blend, burbank

Monday, May 25th
9:30am-11:00am-Level 1 with Nicole
11:30am-12:45pm-Gentle with Bekah
12:00pm-1:30pm-Level 1-2 with Keric
1:00pm-2:00pm-Stretch with Bekah
The studio will close at 2:00pm

yoga groove, north hollywood

Join us on Memorial Day, Monday May 25th for a special all levels class at 10 a.m. taught by Yoga Groove founder Karen Russell. This will be the only class given for the day, regular class schedule during the weekend.

yoga kingdom, pasadena

ONE Class May 25thMemorial Day
9:30 to 11:00 AM Classical Hatha All Level with Maya
Normal schedule resumes Tuesday

yoga loft, manhattan beach

FRIDAY, MAY 22 THRU SUNDAY, MAY 24~ ALL REGULAR CLASSES WILL BE HELD
MONDAY, MAY 25~ 9:00AM ALL LEVELS WITH GENEVIEVE Only

yoga works center for yoga, larchmont

8:00-9:25 Yoga Blend 1 Hazel Patterson
8:30-9:55 Yoga Blend 2 Steven Freedman
9:30-10:55 YogaWorks 1/2 Amy Lafond
10:00-11:30 Yoga Blend 2/3 James Morrison
11:00-12:30 Yoga Blend 2 Clay Kyle
11:45-1:15 Yoga Blend 1/2 Jeanne Heileman
12:00-1:30 Pre & Postnatal Patti Lewis
1:30-3:00 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Joan Hyman

yoga works main street, santa monica

9:00-10:40 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 + Kundalini Pranayama Kia Miller
10:45-12:15 YogaWorks 1/2 Billy Asad

yoga works montana, santa monica

8:00-9:55 Ashtanga Sonya Cottle
8:00-9:25 YogaWorks 1 Al Tavera
9:30-10:55 Iyengar 2/3 Lisa Walford
10:00-11:25 YogaWorks 1/2 Birgitte Kristen
11:00-12:30 YW Flow 2 Heather Seiniger
11:30-1:00 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Jesse Schein
12:45-2:15 Iyengar 1/2 Chris Stein

yoga works pacific palisades

8:30-10:00 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Patti Asad
10:15-11:45 Yoga Blend 1/2 Nichola Dunne
12:00-1:30 Iyengar Yoga Larry Heliker

yoga works south bay, el segundo

8:00-9:25 Iyengar 1/2 Jennifer Edwards
8:15-9:45 YW Flow 2 Casey Coda
9:30-10:55 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Julie Rader
10:00-11:25 Yoga Blend 1/2 Leeann Carey
11:00-12:30 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Marla Wedge
11:30-12:55 Kundalini Aimée Donahue
12:40-2:40 Ashtanga Natale Ferreira
1:00-2:25 Yoga Blend 1/2 Zhi Myers
2:30-3:45 Gentle Yoga Amy Drucker
2:45-3:45 Mat Pilates Alisa Wyatt

yoga works westwood

9:00-10:30 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 David Lynch
9:00-10:25 YogaWorks 1/2 Thomas Taubman
10:30-12:00 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Caleb Asch
10:45-12:15 Power Yoga 2 Kara Price
12:15-1:45 YogaWorks 1 Romy Phillips
12:30-2:00 Pre & Postnatal Anita Manglani

yogi tree, toluca lake

Saturday
9:00-10:30 am Hatha Yoga Mixed Level - Keirin Brown
10:30-11:30 am Kundalini Express Yoga - Crystal D'Angora
11:30-12:30 pm Mat Pilates - Crystal D'Angora

Sunday
9:00-10:00 am Kundalini Express - Jennifer Kelly
10:00-11:30 am Hatha Blend Yoga Level 1 - Keyah Merah
11:30-1:00 pm Prenatal Yoga - Keya Merah

Monday - CLOSED
TUESDAY RESUME NORMAL SCHEDULE

your neighborhood studio, culver city

Memorial Day is this Monday, May 25th and we are OPEN with a REGULAR SCHEDULE!!!

yummy yoga, los feliz

Monday, May 25 - Yummy is offering two classes on Memorial Day!
9:00 AM ~ All Levels with Rabia
6:00 PM ~ Core Class with Caroline
All other classes cancelled.

dare to go bare?

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Sat, 23 May 2009 05:13:00 +0000

lululemon has recently been promoting their online shopping site with the catchphrase: shop nude! the idea being that when you're shopping from the comfort of your home, it doesn't matter what you're wearing; in fact, you don't have to be wearing anything at all (just make sure you have the shades pulled down when you do!)

it seems like someone else wants to similarly promote their yoga studio by inviting all students to come practice nude. but there's a catch: you have to be male. and gay (although i didn't hear anything about straight men not being allowed to attend).

so while i'm posting this promo that was recently sent to me, i'll never get a chance to check the place out for myself and see what it's like. but since it IS about a yoga studio in LA, i probably should pass the information along. especially since it involves mingling with other like-minded yogis at a grand opening party on the 31st of this month. hmmm... maybe someone can write back and tell me how it went?

anyway, here's the invite. by the way, i'm sure the place is legit because i know one of their teachers and have taken many classes with him... at your usual male/female fully-clothed yoga studios, that is :)

Aaron Star's Hot Nude Yoga
Los Angeles Opening Class and Party
May 31 @ 4:30 PM
Opening Class @ 7:00 PM

I am excited and thrilled beyond measure to tell you that we have a new home, and it is our real home now. It is a large house located at 1400 N Fuller Ave (between Sunset and Fountain) with a beautiful large space for our practice.

Please join us for our Opening Celebration and Party on Sunday, May 31 at 4:30 PM.
We will be offering a class at 7:00 PM. (The door will close at 6:50 for this class.)
(No RSVP required!) Please bring some refreshments!
Please remember that we close the doors on time. If you are late, you will not be let in.
Please park on the street as there is plenty of free parking.
Cost: $20

If you wish to participate in this special opening class, please bring the following to class as they are NOT provided:
Towel
Water
Yoga Mat We rent mats at the studio for $5

and here's a little bit more about the studio itself:

NYC Hot Nude Yoga Founder Reaches Out to LA and Opens HNY LA’s First Studio Home
* Aaron Star of the ‘Hot Nude Yoga Series,’ Featured in Out Magazine and On Here TV, becomes ‘bicoastal’ and opens new Hollywood yoga studio.

Los Angeles - May 14, 2009 - Hot Nude Yoga, the first Gay Owned and Gay Run yoga studio exclusively for men looking for a greater sense of freedom and connection with each other, is opening a studio in LA.

For the past eight years, Aaron Star has been teaching Hot Nude Yoga at his New York City studio and leading workshops and retreats from India to Columbus, Ohio, and France to Costa Rica. Gay.com recently wrote, “Many people credit Aaron Star of New York's Hot Nude Yoga with starting the gay naked yoga revolution.” Recognized world-wide as groundbreaking for Gay Men and for the Yoga World, Star’s videos are available on Here TV.

Information and downloadable videos available at: HotNudeYoga.com.

What makes Hot Nude Yoga Hot?
Many gay men have no option but to practice yoga in classes with straight women in the majority. Hot Nude Yoga offers a haven for Gay men to feel at home, while being taught by certified teachers of popular yoga styles such as Jivamukti , Anusara and Vinyasa flow classes.

Aaron Star also offers his signature Tantra Yoga classes, embodying the ideals and motto of Hot Nude Yoga.

Hot Nude Yoga hopes to attract new students with ads using the tag line: “Take Your Consciousness To A New Realm.” Star explains: “Coming to yoga is not about having a tight ass that looks and feels great naked -- it’s more. It’s about learning to feel at one with your self as a man in today’s society, being confident and clairvoyant with one’s self. Our motto is -- "Live Fearlessly and Become Limitless.”

Hot Nude Yoga offers up to 10 classes a week plus special workshops. Drop-ins for regular classes are $20. For class times and location information log on to: www.hotnudeyoga.com

who needs bikram when we have vinnie?

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:23:00 +0000

yes, i live in LA. and yes, this is the town where being a celeb -- or knowing even just a few select ones -- can't hurt.

we have our share of yoga rock stars whose names are familiar to the yoga community around the world. shiva rea. bryan kest. erich schiffman. gurmukh. steve ross.

but unless you're a die-hard yogi here in LA, you probably haven't heard about the yoga teacher who packs in each and every of his classes with students who are there to prove to themselves -- as well as to everyone they know -- that they have what it takes to survive his class.

his name? vinnie marino.

and yes, i'm just as guilty as the rest of them.

just the other day, after feeling like i had been slacking off in the intensity of my yoga practice, i biked over to the yogaworks studio on main street. since i had arrived late (that is, less than ten minutes before the start of class), i was worried that the class would already be full and i'd be turned away. but they let me in the room. lucky me.

the yoga mats of the 70 students in the classroom were so closely laid out on the floor that there were only about three inches of bare floor separating us from our neighbors. but as far as vinnie's classes go, that wasn't even considered that crowded at all; usually, he can jam in as many as 85 students into the same room, with only about an inch between mats.

with a room that packed, it can get really cramped. and hot. and intimidating. and in my case, scary, only because there was a pregnant woman who was three weeks from her due date beside me. and she was right there, doing balance poses with the rest of us. god forbid i lost my balance and fell on her! but i didn't. whew!

anyway, the new york times decided to publish an article about him in yesterday's paper. here are some excerpts from that article. click on the title to read the entire article...

He Rocks, They Flock: The Yoga King
By DEBORAH SCHOENEMAN
Published: May 20, 2009

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — The yogis arrived toting their mats and towels and SIGG water bottles. Some had waited a half hour before being allowed to claim tiny plots of floor just inches from one another. They jostled and chatted while setting up their spaces, some kicking up into handstands to loosen up.

It was 9 a.m. on a recent Saturday. The decibel level rose to that of a rowdy cocktail party. The crowd was a mix of Type-A careerists and tattooed freelancers who mold their work schedules around their yoga practice — or professionally accessorize their Lululemon outfits with heavy engagement rings. Today everyone seemed relatively calm; in the past, eruptions of mat rage have led to tears.

And then the teacher walked in. He had a gray crew cut, a message-free tank top and shorts, without a Buddhist bead or Sanskrit phrase visible anywhere.

“Come on people, let’s get started,” he said in a New York accent, as if leading a conference call.

Then he cranked up “Misty Mountain Hop” by Led Zeppelin and led the students through a warm-up of sun salutations. Soon he had them stretching into a difficult split pose.

“Didn’t you see the torture memos this week?” called out Jane Harman, a 63-year-old devoted student in the front row, who also happens to be the United States Representative for the South Bay region of Los Angeles County.

The teacher responded, “That’s why I’m doing this.”

His name is Vinnie Marino and he is the unlikely Yoga King of Los Angeles. A few other yoga teachers pack their classes, but Mr. Marino elicits a special kind of loyalty from his students and rewards them with some very tough love. The 50-year-old recovering drug addict says being from the other side of the country is one of his strengths.

“Coming from New York City, I have really good boundaries,” Mr. Marino said. “I know when to let people in and I know when to back off.”

Mr. Marino leads challenging classes of nearly 90 people, six days a week, twice a day, at the Yoga Works studios. His class fuses different types of yoga that incorporate flowing from one pose to another (vinyasa and Ashtanga) and holding certain poses for a long time while focusing on alignment (Iyengar). The sweat alone makes it seem closer to a high-impact aerobics class than a discipline with a meditational aspect.

More than a grueling workout, Mr. Marino’s class is a community, maybe even a benign cult. Students go almost daily to keep fit, as well as for the social life. They bond at his retreats. Some have gotten married.

STAR sightings rival those at Chateau Marmont: students include Heather Graham, Kate Hudson, David Duchovny, Jeremy Piven and Adrien Brody. (Mr. Marino teaches Robert Downey Jr. in the privacy of his home.)

“It hurts so good and I feel euphoric after,” said Ms. Graham, who drives an hour to take Mr. Marino’s class. She finds it a safe space for celebrities. “Yoga people on a whole are super cool and everyone is there to work on their own thing,” she said. “I don’t find any creepy people in his class.”

It would be hard for a gawker to fit in. “That class is torture if you’re not really good at yoga,” said Ms. Graham, who dragged her boyfriend, the filmmaker Yaniv Raz, to class on her birthday last year.

“It nearly destroyed me,” Mr. Raz said.

Mr. Marino, the son of Italian immigrants, grew up in New Hyde Park, N.Y. He took yoga in gym class in high school and studied Transcendental Meditation on his own time. But that wasn’t all he did. By 13, he was drinking and smoking pot, he said, and he soon moved on to psychedelics and pills. He shot up cocaine and heroin until age 26, when he went to rehab. (He has been sober for more than two decades.)

After moving to Los Angeles in the early ’90s, Mr. Marino discovered vinyasa yoga. At the time, he was waiting tables and working as a massage therapist and as an assistant to Grace Slick, the lead singer of Jefferson Airplane. She convinced him to become a yoga teacher, even paying for his first teacher training program.

“I felt very lost in my life,” Mr. Marino recalled. “Grace told me to do what I love and the money will come, but she’s not New Agey. She’s a hard-core rock ’n’ roller. I believed her because she was so successful. Also, she said something like, ‘I’d rather take yoga from you than some weird dude in a robe.’ ”

Mr. Marino talks about his past while he teaches, making jokes about how it’s miraculous that he is alive. He says he thinks his life experiences make him a better teacher. There are parallels between an addict, or an extreme seeker, he says, and a passionate yoga student.

“The intensity of a drug addict to find peace is a similar thing to someone getting involved with a spiritual practice,” he said. “I think my drug history lets people know that we’ve all been through some heavy stuff and change is possible.”

Popular as he is, Mr. Marino’s teaching style is not for everyone. A 33-year-old producer who had practiced yoga for a decade tried Mr. Marino’s class after hearing friends boast about it. She said she will not go back.

“I’m not sure if it was the insane heat of the room or because there were too many people for Vinnie to make adjustments or if it was an off day for my body, but I did something to my lower back that I’ve never done before,” said the producer, who asked not to be named. (It’s not good karma to criticize yogis.) “It was pinched and cramped and was blindingly painful. The pain persisted for the next few days.”

Mr. Marino does offer easier variations of advanced poses and looks out for beginners. “I’m an alignment freak and I make sure, even in crowded room, that I’m always helping people keep their bodies safe in the poses,” he said.

For (another of Vinnie's students), just dealing with the stress of taking Mr. Marino’s class — errant flop sweat, securing a spot amid the stampede, the occasional outburst of mat rage — helps her take life in stride. “I will be on the crowded subway in New York, freaking out,” she said. “All of the sudden, I’ll find my breath. It will make me happy. That balance is a direct benefit from Vinnie’s class.”

Other instructors in Los Angeles teach advanced yoga classes to crowds of devoted followers, including Steve Ross of Maha Yoga in Brentwood, and Steven Earth Metz of Earth’s Power Yoga in West Hollywood. But Mr. Marino teaches about twice as many classes as those competitors.

Bryan Kest of Santa Monica Power Yoga, another star teacher, is often on tour; he will be traveling most of the summer. At Yoga Works, Sara Ivanhoe is another popular teacher, but her class is more spiritual, with traditional Indian chanting and music.

After the Saturday morning class, sweaty students streamed out of the studio, an intimidating sight for the next class waiting for the room to be mopped dry. Ms. Harman, the congresswoman, paused on a bench to catch her breath before heading back into the sunny day.

“I’m feeling very thin,” she said, grinning.

shri k pattabhi jois, 1915-2009

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Tue, 19 May 2009 06:03:00 +0000

i woke up this morning and found a long list of tweets from my yoga cohorts, all pretty much saying the same thing:

shri k pattabhi jois, father of ashtanga yoga, passed away today in india at the age of 93

the official announcement appeared on the home page of the k pattabhi jois ashtanga yoga institute website:

May 18, 2009

Guruji passed away today at 2:30pm (Indian Standard Time). Thank you for all your condolences and prayers. Please kindly refrain from contacting the family directly at this time.

even though pattabhi jois had been ailing for some time now, his death came as a shock to the entire yoga community.

guruji was just two months shy of his 94th birthday. for him to have lived for that long can probably be attributed to his genes, his lifestyle, his regular yoga practice. or all of the above.

many yoga instructors paid tribute today to this wise teacher at the start of their classes, with some even leading their students through modified ashtanga poses instead of their usual vinyasa flow sequences.

while i could post excerpts of pattabhi jois's life and teachings from various sources, i'd like to refer you instead to the collection of videos and posts about the founder of ashtanga yoga on the elephant journal website.

Om
Swashti Praja Bhyah Pari Pala Yantam
Nya Yena Margena Mahi Mahishaha
Go Brahmanebhyaha
Shubhamastu Nityam
Lokaa Samastha Sukhino Bhavanhtu
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

Om
May prosperity be glorified
May administrators rule the world with law and justice
May divinity and erudition be protected
And may people of the world be happy and prosperous
Om peace peace peace

-- ashtanga closing prayer, as chanted by pattabhi jois

shri k pattabhi jois -- his guiding light will continue to shine brightly long after his passing...

postscript:

jodi blumstein, owner of shanti shala, a home-based yoga studio near downtown LA, will be hosting a memorial day potluck. here's her invite; jodi will give you directions to the shala after you've sent in your RSVP:

Dear Friends,

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing this morning of Sri K Pattabhi Jois. He died surrounded by his family and he leaves behind an enormous international community of students and friends who have been profoundly affected by his work. We have been so blessed to have such a loving and generous teacher, a radiant being of light and the most gifted master of yoga.

On Memorial Day, we invite you to celebrate his life with us and to enjoy the rich community that we all share because of his efforts.

Please join us at Shanti Shala on Monday May 25th.

9 - 10:45AM Intro to 2nd Series
This will be a fun and lighthearted exploration of the first half of the second series. Open to anyone who is currently practicing the full primary series. $15
RSVP at Shantishala@gmail.com

11 - 1PM Mysore Class
All Levels, beginners welcome. $15
RSVP at Shantishala@gmail.com

11AM - 4PM Raw Food Potluck in memory of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois
Bring a dish, or chat with Jodi about bringing ingredients and making your dish here. Play in the Shanti Kitchen, mingle with your community and nourish your body with delicious nutritious and energizing food.
RSVP at Shantishala@gmail.com

Class sizes are limited. You must email me to hold your space in one of the classes. The potluck is open to EVERYONE, so bring someone you love and share this special day with them!

before i dash out the door...

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Fri, 15 May 2009 15:58:00 +0000

i can't seem to figure out where the week went. it seems like just yesterday when i was running from kirtan to kirtan... and that was last saturday!

anyway, speaking of running around, it looks like i'll have to do that again this weekend because there are so many good events to go to! maybe i'll see you at one of them?

Inner Light Shine with Stephanie Phelan
Maha Yoga, Los Angeles
Friday, May 15th 7:30-9:00pm
Cost: Regular single class price of $18 or use your Maha Yoga class series

Treat yourself to a truly heart opening evening as Stephanie Phelan teaches a mindful yoga class. As a special treat, Govindas and Radha will be playing music and chanting during the entire class.

Robert Sturman Art Show
lululemon Beverly Hills, 334 N Beverly Drive
Friday, May 15th 7:30-10:30pm
Cost: FREE

The official visual artist of 2005's 47th Annual GRAMMY Awards, Robert Sturman has developed and refined an improvisational, labor-intensive process that synthesizes both his photographic and painterly expertise. His "other worldly" images start as an instant Polaroid photograph that Sturman immediately carves with a variety of handmade tools while the surface of the photo is still wet and supple. Robert touched the yoga community with his technique and talent last year, taking portraits of yogis in and around the Los Angeles Community in a series now titled "Poetry of the Gods." In celebration of his work and as a thank you from the yoga community, lululemon athletica of Beverly Hills cordially invites you to an art show featuring Robert Sturman and his yogis. Come join us for a night of cocktails, live yoga performance art, and a meet and greet with the artist. Festivities begin at 7:30pm.

SPIRITUAL MOVIE NIGHT!
Dancing Shiva Yoga and Ayurveda, Los Angeles
Friday, May 15th 8:00pm
Cost: $10

It's back! Kick back and relax and join Mas and our spiritual community to watch a movie that educates, inspires and awakens us to our highest purpose. Were showing a special documentary about India, the people, culture and the great spiritual tradition. Bring your friends, a pillow and an open heart. The evening begins with some chanting and meditation.

Kirtan with Daniel Stewart and Friends
Yogaworks Main Street, Santa Monica
Friday, May 15th 8:15-10:15pm
Cost: $20 prepaid, $25 at door
Click here for $5 OFF coupon!

Join us for this special gathering with Daniel Stewart and friends. No experience is necessary. This evening of music mixed with call and response chanting, is perfect for those old and new to Kirtan. Daniel creates a safe, vibrant space for exploration, fun, and inspiration that you won't want to miss.
Suggested to bring a pillow or blanket to sit on.
Tribes musicians for the night:
Daniel Stewart: Vocals, Harmonium
Birdie Bergman: Vocals
Sylvie Scoville: Vocals
Emily Kerns: Vocals
Jeff Harris: Guitar
Angela DeVita: Flute
Abby Scoville: Cello
David Watts; Bass Guitar
Matthew Hufschmidt: Vocals, Percussion
and other surprise musical guests.

LA ART presents "Ego Armageddon"
Golden Bridge Yoga, Hollywood
Saturday, May 16th 7:00-12:00am
Cost: $10 Suggested Donation

“Ego Armageddon” is an “OPEN” Gathering @ Golden Bridge. There will be 100 local artists showcasing original work in the “Ego Armageddon” Showcase
LA ART will be providing the recovery community with an inspired night of creative expression. We will have two stages of live music, DJ’s, dance performances, art showings, silk screening, interactive art, guided meditations and yoga classes, designers, healers, psychics and more.
This is a total creative collective whose goal is to bring artists together and help people in and out of recovery begin to engage their own creative inspiration.
Our philosophy is that when someone takes creative action they are not reacting to their self defeating beliefs which lead to isolation and drug and alcohol abuse.
Live Performers will include: The Lucent Dossier Experience, Vaud and the Villains, Sounds of Asteroth, The Sunshine Apocalypse Band, Brent Fellows, Hysterica Dance Troupe, Ahimsa Clown troupe, Unbound Dance Troupe.
There will also be an Interactive art experience provided by Art Rebel Studios, a Short film festival and a Yoga/meditation experience from 7:30pm - 8:15pm taught by Sat

New World Fair
Pasadena Convention Center, 300 E Green St, Pasadena
Saturday May 16th 10 AM-8 PM
Sunday May 17th 10 AM-6 PM
Cost: Tickets sold at the door: $10 Admission for the Entire Weekend! Children Under 12 Free

The Third Annual New World Fair is a one-of-a-kind expo featuring amazing exhibits, speakers, and workshops, along with fun, interactive activities and marvelous stage entertainment. More than 10,000 guests are expected to connect and unite this weekend at Pasadena Convention Center.
Visitors are invited to play in a 100-piece drum circle, experience the inspirational power of walking a labyrinth, try stone balancing or create patterns in a Zen sand tray. Continuous live entertainment on the Plaza Stage includes belly dancers, and jazz and world musicians. Actor Ed Begley Jr. will provide the event's keynote address.
Strolling through the fair, visitors can sample organic foods and beverages, learn about the latest in natural health care, shop for jewelry, clothing and green-living and fair trade products, get a massage, or have their palm read. Plus the fair features more than 70 lectures and workshops presented continually in five rooms. Visitors can also feast on delicious vegetarian and non-vegetarian specialties.
Go to www.newworldfair.org to join their e-mail list and they'll send you a coupon for $2 off the admission price.
Also, be one of the first 500 fair visitors Saturday or Sunday and you'll receive a reusable fabric shopping bag donated by Gelson's Market with goodies inside.
There is plenty of nearby parking. Most local parking garages charge $7 on weekends.

Worldfest
Woodley Park, Encino
Saturday, May 16th 10:30am-7:00pm
Cost: Adults $7, Seniors $5, Kids 12 and Under FREE

WorldFest is a solar-powered celebration of music, the environment, animals and humanity. We’re helping people learn what they can do for the Earth and its inhabitants.
The WorldFest 2009 Earth Day Festival will be held at the beautiful outdoor setting of Woodley Park in Encino, CA. We welcome our attendees to a magnificent day filled with entertainment, education and enlightenment. The combination of great music, empowering speakers, environmental, humanitarian and animal welfare non-profits, kid's activities and a delicious food court make for an earth-friendly experience that is sure to be inspiring and enjoyable for all.

AcroYoga Series-Flying with Lara Catone
Rising Lotus Yoga, Sherman Oaks
Saturday, May 16th 1:30-3:30pm (last class of series)
Cost: $18 drop-in

The AcroYoga Series is one of the deepest ways of experiencing this heart opening, playful practice. We start with foundations and build new skills each week as we grow together in an intentional community. Committing to a series will allow you to soar in body, mind and spirit!
In the Flying Series we will introduce all families of therapeutic flying (forward flying, back flying and high flying whale). We will begin to link postures in a flying flow and learn basic transitional moves. Previous yoga experience required, AcroYoga beginners welcome. No partner necessary.

Fundraiser Class with Sachie Alessio
Urth Yoga, Silverlake
Saturday, May 16th 2:00-3:30pm
Cost: By Donation

Please join Sachie on Saturday, May 16th at 2pm for a fundraising class! This class is donation only, with all the proceeds going to Habitat For Humanity.
Take a great class knowing your contribution is directly benefiting your community! 100% of the funds raised will go to Habitat for Humanity. Last year a group of yogis raised over $56,000, help us reach this year’s goal of $100,000.

Sarasvati with Hagar Harpak
Black Dog Yoga, Sherman Oaks
Saturday, May 16th 5:30-8:00pm
Cost: $30 in advance $35 on the day

Sarasvati is the goddess of knowledge, speech, art and poetry. She invites you to give things your own unique flavor. Find your own voice, your own articulated expression. She shows us that living life is an art form, and reminds us that we are the artist.
Sarasvati is the river of the light of existence. The current of artistic, creative expression.
In this workshop we will flow inwardly to soak in our creative juices, to root into the ground of our own being, from which the lotus of life, with its many different petals emerge.
Learn about Sarasvati through storytelling. Discover her important symbols and their meanings. Learn a mantra to invoke Sarasvati’s energy. We will focus on hip openers, as a way to become grounded in the movement of life.
Sarah Bergman will be singing and leading some chants during the workshop.

Yoga Trance Dance with Lara Catone
Rising Lotus Yoga, Sherman Oaks
Saturday, May 16th 7:00-9:00pm
Cost: $15 suggested donation

Yoga Trance Dance blends breath-initiated yoga into a flow of free-form movement for an ecstatic connection to our creative energy, or shakti. This guided experience leads us into embodied freedom and the ultimate intuitive flow. Yoga Trance Dance is both energizing & deeply therapeutic. Lara Catone danced into the world at birth and hasn't stopped since. She has studied yoga and meditation since 2001 and teaches vinyasa yoga, yoga for women and AcroYoga. Lara is certified in Yoga Trance Dance by her teacher, Shiva Rea.

Movie Night at the Yogi Tree: The Shift by Dr. Wayne Dyer
The Yogi Tree, Toluca Lake
Saturday, May 16th 7:00-10:00pm
Cost: Tickets are $10, light refreshments served

Best-Selling Author and Renowned Spiritual Teacher, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Presents His First Feature Film-The Shift (formerly titled Ambition to Meaning).
What is The Shift? It's the story of the most important moment of your life-when you stop striving and start arriving! It's the choice you make to move toward a life that gathers up the pieces of your best, most fulfilled, most loving self. It's the moment when you start living a life rich with meaning and begin playing the music you came here to play!
Are you ready to make the shift that changes everything? When will you find the joy, the peace, and the love that you came here to give and to receive?
In this inspiring new movie, you'll enjoy an engaging, heartwarming and humorous tale of transformation on vacation. You'll marvel at the beauty of the windswept ocean scenery. Share the characters' delight as they receive the most precious gift-permission to follow their hearts. Hear Wayne say, "Don't die with your music still in you" and see everyone set free to join the orchestra!

Kirtan at SMPY West with Andres Salcedo
Santa Monica Power Yoga West, Santa Monica
Saturday, May 16th 8:00pm
Cost: By Donation

Our instructors hold a candlelit evening of Kirtan/Chanting every Saturday of the month. There are different instructors each week, and it's always on donation basis.
1st Saturday of every month, Govindas & Radha
2nd Saturday of every month, Travis
3rd Saturday of every month, Andres
4th Saturday of every month, Terra and Friends
Bring meditation cushions or blanket (no yoga mat). Wear comfy clothes.
Come sing from the deepest corner of your heart!

Fundamentals of AcroYoga With Sarah Vosen
Santa Monica Yoga, Santa Monica
Sunday, May 17th 10:00am-noon (1st of 4 in workshop series: May 17, 31, June 7, 14)
Cost: $100 if pre-registered by May 11; $120 after

AcroYoga blends the spiritual wisdom of yoga, the loving kindness of Thai massage, and the dynamic power of Acrobatics. These three ancient lineages form the foundation of a unique new practice that cultivates trust, connection and playfulness. Our highest aim is to bring individuals into a state of union with themselves, with each other, and with the divine. From this place of mutual support the true self can be realized, honored and shared for the benefit of all. Each class may contain some or all of the following elements; circle ceremony, asana warm-up, partner flow, partner acrobatics, inversions, flying, and Thai massage. The first class will cover the basic elements of AcroYoga and will be tailored to suit the group. Each of the next 3 classes will build upon the solid foundation created from the previous classes. Please come with an open heart and mind, along with a willingness to connect and play with the group. Please bring a yoga mat, water and comfortable clothing that you can go upside down while wearing.
Open to the community, all levels welcome. No partner necessary.

Donation Yoga Class with Ed Rumann
Maha Yoga, Brentwood
Sunday, May 17th 7:30pm
Cost: By Donation

Maha Yoga and Ed Rumann will give their time for you to enjoy an ideal way to wrap up your weekend. Ed Rumann will teach a fun, flow DONATION yoga class with the latest contemporary music . 100% of proceeds collected during the evening will be given directly to the Sojourn House in Santa Monica. Sojourn House is a safe haven for domestic violence victims and their children. Please open your hearts and bring a cash or check donation in ANY denomination for the Sojourn House. And treat yourself to a signature Maha Yoga class.
For more information on the Sojourn House, please visit opcc.net/tabid/281/Default.aspx

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and don't forget: BEACH YOGA!!!

from brad keimach:
WHAT: Beach Yoga
WHEN: Every Saturday and Sunday, 10:30-12
WHERE: Santa Monica. Walk up Marine Street, which becomes Barnard Way. Keep walking all the way to the water's edge, and I'll be there to welcome you!
COST: Donation
Thank you for your generosity and support for these classes!
BRING: Mat, or very large towel. Sunscreen! A sense of adventure and beauty! I'll bring the dolphins...
QUESTIONS: Feel free to call or email me with any questions (310-826-6958)

from howard davis:
YOGA ON THE SAND
Will Rogers State Beach, Pacific Palisades
SUN 5/17 @ 8 AM
COST $20
If you've never experienced the exhilarating joy of yoga outdoors, please join us this Sunday . Don't eat breakfast, bring a towel and layers of clothing, and park on Temescal Canyon.

from claudia:
Yoga on the Beach with the dolphins
Ave I/Esplanade, Redondo Beach (left side of Lifeguard Tower Ave H close to water)
Sunday, May 17th 9:00-10:15am ~ be on time
Cost: $10
IF YOU CAN BREATHE. YOU CAN DO YOGA. YOGA IS FOR EVERYBODY.
Yoga in nature is very powerful since we are connecting with the 5 Elements of the universe.
Sometimes we see the dolpins. Let's greet them with the dolphin pose (asana).
Beginners are welcome! Teach a lot of variations, so everybody can benefit from it.
Bring large beach towel or blanket, sunscreen, water and hat.
More info at www.feelthebliss.wordpress.com

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and here are the lululemon FREE community yoga offerings for this weekend:

lululemon athletica Brentwood
9am-10am
Need a pre-Farmer's Market workout? Come play with Ryan Brewer as he leads a fun and free vinyasa flow class. Be prepared to sweat! The class will be from 9am-10am. Bring your own mat or we can provide you with one. Class is for all levels.

lululemon athletica Calabasas
9:30-10:30am
Join us for a relaxing Ashtanga Yoga class with Bobbi from Yoga Loft. All Levels

lululemon athletica Glendale
Bootcamp: 8:30-9:20am. Yoga: 9:30-10:30am
This Sunday join us at 8:30am for Bootcamp with All About You! And stay for 9:30am Yoga with Bekah Finch of Yoga Blend! Get your sweat on and your OM fix all in one shot!

lululemon athletica South Bay
9:30am-10:30am
Don't forget as always Sunday Yoga from 9:30-10:30am this week featuring the much anticipated Marla Wedge.

lululemon Santa Monica
Saturday, May 16th 9:00-10:00am
Desi Bartlett introduces her new signature workout for new moms, the MILF workout. Mothers into Living Fit incorporates strength training, cardiovascular training, dance and Yoga. The best part about the workout is that it is all done with your baby. No need for a babysitter, personal trainer or expensive equipment. The workout is a 45 minute dynamic, fun, effective way to get back in shape after childbirth. Special emphasis is placed on core training and functional training for lifting our little ones. Best of all the babies have a great time moving and dancing with mommy! BellyBar will be providing snacks for the workout! Philosophy will be gracing us with their presence to pamper Y-O-U, mom! See you and your beautiful chidren.
Sunday, May 17th 8:00am
STOMP OUT Breast Cancer! You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk? lululemon Santa Monica has a team for the Second Annual Love Walk in the Pacific Palisades. Join us as we walk the walk, raise awareness and STOMP OUT Breast Cancer.
NOTE: No In-Store class, as we will all be walking!
May is an amazing month at lululemon, we are offering COMPLIMENTARY Pink Ribbon embroidery on any purchase for the entire month! Come support!

need a hug?

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Thu, 14 May 2009 05:13:00 +0000

with the way things have been going these days, my guess is that everyone could use one. especially one from amma, otherwise known as the hugging saint.

for those unfamiliar with amma, here's a brief introduction:

‘Amma’ as she is known all over the world today, has inspired and started innumerable humanitarian services. She has earned international recognition for her outstanding contributions to the world community. She is recognized as an extraordinary spiritual leader by the United Nations and by the people all over the world.

For the past 35 years Amma has dedicated her life to the uplifting of suffering humanity through the simplest of gestures – an embrace. In this intimate manner Amma had blessed and consoled more than 25 million people throughout the world.

i was fortunate enough to meet this amazing woman two years ago, the last time she was here in LA. click here to read my blog post about that first time i listened to her speak, chanted with her, and received my own personal hug.

luckily for us here in southern california, amma will be returning to los angeles on june 15th, with programs open to the general public on june 15th and 16th, a retreat (pre-registration required) on june 17th thru 19th, and the big event, the devi bhava, on the evening of june 19th.

all events will be held at the radisson hotel at LAX.

here are the details:

Radisson Hotel at Los Angeles Airport
6225 West Century Blvd
Los Angeles, CA - 90045

Public Program
Date: June 15- June 16
Time: 10 am and 7:30 pm

Southern CA Retreat (pre-registration & fee required)
Date: June 17 - June 19
Please visit the Retreats page to learn more about Retreats (Pre-registration & fee required)

Devi Bhava - Public Program
Date: June 19
Time: 7:00 pm

On most public program days, there are two programs each day, i.e. during the day (at 10:00 am) and the evening (at 7:30 pm). During these programs all are welcome to come and meet Amma and receive her darshan. Darshan means receiving a blessing in the form of a compassionate hug from Amma. Devi Bhava programs (ceremony in celebration of the Divine Mother) occur on the last day of the program during the evening (at 7:00 pm).

Numbered tokens for entering the darshan line to meet Amma are distributed one hour before each program, with priority given to those meeting Amma for the first time.

Please Note: Due to time constraints token availability may be limited.

Morning Programs:
Darshan: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Evening Programs:
Spiritual programs: 7:30 pm - end
Dinner: 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm

Devi Bhava Programs:
Atma Puja: 7:00 pm
Darshan: 8:00 pm - end
Dinner: 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm

more information about amma, her works, and her north american tour can be found on her website: www.amma.org

and while it took almost seven hours from the time i arrived to pick up my darshan token to the time i actually received my hug the last time i saw her, i'm definitely going to make it a point to see her again this year. you never know; maybe getting a blessing from her might be the one thing that'll give me that stroke of luck that i've been waiting for!

let's all bike to work this week!

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Wed, 13 May 2009 04:18:00 +0000

and to the store, to the beach, and if you're like me, to almost anywhere within biking distance of home, including, of course, every yoga studio in town :)

may is national bike month, and here in LA (as well as in many other cities), this week has been designated bike to work week.

here's a brief description of the week's events, courtesy of the LA county bicycle coalition (LACBC):

The week of May 11-16 is Bike to Work Week! Join thousands of bicyclists in celebrating Bike to Work Week in Los Angeles and across the country. Riding a bicycle to work is a great alternative to driving a car that can save you money, keep you healthy and decrease pollution levels in LA.

Come out and show LA that cyclists are a growing community that need more facilities, funding, and ongoing support in Los Angeles.

Monday May 11th - Bike to Work Week's Kick-off Event at Olvera Street at 8:30am

Come out and meet some representatives from city departments, regional transportation agencies, LACBC's very own Jen Klausner and other speakers. This is a great opportunity to let them know that we need more bike facilities!

Tuesday May 12th - Blessing of the Bikes at Good Samaritan Hospital at 8:00 am

For more information, visit www.goodsam.org/news/blessing_bicycles.php

Wednesday May 13th - Downtown LA Bike Ride, Civic Center Metro Red Line Station to City Hall at 8:00am

A huge ride will be starting in Downtown LA at the Civic Center Metro Red Line Station and will ride through Downtown LA to end at City Hall. Press will be there following the ride. This is a great opportunity to show other Angelenos who do not ride yet, how sexy riding to work can be!
Let's show our Mayor and other elected officials that LA is not just for cars!

Thursday May 14th - Bike to Work Day

Commit to riding to work and join thousands of other bicyclists celebrating Bike to Work Day in Los Angeles and across the country.
Check the Bike to Work Day website at www.metro.net/biketowork to learn more about the events planned for the day, including pit stop locations and free rides for cyclists on the Metro and other LA County transit operators!

Friday May 15th - Bike to School Day

For more information contact bike_at_school@la-bike.org. Also visit Safe Bicycle Routes for LA Schools at sr2s-la.blogspot.com

since i've recently been spending most of my time riding around town on my lime green electra townie, i decided to attend the blessing of the bikes ceremony at the good samaritan hospital near downtown LA. not only would it be nice to get it blessed to ward away evil spirits and bad karma, but it might even protect me and my bike from careless and inconsiderate motorists. or at least that was my hope.

so that's exactly what i did this morning. and what an adventure that was!

needless to say, i wasn't about to ride my bike the 14 miles from santa monica to downtown AND expect to get there by 8am. so i did the next best thing; i took my bike with me on a bus bound for downtown. in theory, it sounded simple enough: the bus would arrive at the bus stop, i'd put my bike on the rack at the front of the bus, i'd secure the bike with the support arm, i'd hop on the bus, and the bus driver would take both of us to our destination.

long story short, i left home at 6:30 this morning to ride my bike to the first stop on the bus line, i barely was able to lift my 30-pound cruiser onto the bike rack at the front of the bus (these things weren't made for short people!), and we arrived at good sam just as the 8am event was about to get started. happily, we both made it in one piece, despite my hour-long panic attack while i watched my bike bounce up and down at the front of the bus every time we hit a pothole!

the turnout was amazingly large, given the day, the time, and the location. most of the people in attendance were employees of the hospital, LAPD bike patrol officers, LACBC members, and other cycling commuters much like myself. we all stood by our bikes as the ceremony got underway.

after good samaritan CEO andy leeka welcomed the crowd of cyclists gathered in the hospital driveway, he presented the golden spoke award to councilman tom labonge (see labonge's coverage of the event, including a photo which shows me standing nearby, beside my green bike). after that, a former morbidly-obese cyclist told us about how riding a bike has helped him lose 180 pounds and has literally saved his life, and school children read essays they had written about the importance of cycling. finally, after the names of cyclists who were killed in roadside accidents were read, and prayers were said by an episcopalian minister and a jewish rabbi (somehow, the catholic nun and the buddhist monk scheduled to appear never got there), we rode past the minister as he sprinkled us and our cycles with holy water. we did a quick ride around the block, then regrouped back at the start for breakfast and some goodies from bike week sponsors.

here's a video of the local fox news coverage of the event: www.topix.com/business/healthcare/2009/05/blessing-of-the-bicycles-observed

i spent the rest of the morning at the LACBC office, helping the staff with various office tasks and talking about the upcoming LA river ride to be held on june 7th. since i had no other plans for the afternoon, i considered riding my bike all the way back home when i was done. but when i realized how long that would take (most likely over an hour), i decided to take the easy way out -- i put my bike on the speedy freeway flyer (yay big blue #10!) and got home in time to bike to and take vinnie marino's class at yogaworks on main street. what a perfect way to end a busy day!

by the way, if you haven't checked out my facebook page, i've posted some photos of my bike in action. click here to check out the photo album on the accidental yogist page (and don't forget to become a fan... i'd love to find out who all my loyal readers are!)

(full) moon, mom, and music!

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Fri, 08 May 2009 15:09:00 +0000

the moon is at its fullest on friday, mom's day is on sunday, and music will be playing all over town... celebrate this busy weekend at a yoga studio near you!

Full Moon Kundalini Yoga for Healing
Golden Bridge Yoga
6322 De Longpre Avenue, Los Angeles
Friday May 8th 9:00 am with Tej or 4:00 pm with Harijiwan
Cost: $16/keytags

Join us for these special classes that call upon the powerful energy of the moon. Enhance the rhythmic Dance of Life and balance your mind, calm your spirit, and energize your soul with full moon magic, when your mind is most open and you can manifest your prayers!
We will do a healing meditation dedicated to all who are going through diseases on any level.

Mellow Flow with Live Music with Ashley Turner + Chris Murphy
Exhale Center for Sacred Movement
245 South Main Street, Venice
Friday, May 8th 6:00-7:30pm
Cost: Regular Class Price

Deepen your yoga with the power of Nada Yoga - the art and science of transformation through sound and tone! Join us every Friday night and melt into the weekend with a mellow flow accompanied by acclaimed guest musicians. Take your practice to another dimension.

Full Moon Yoga Hike with Hilary Kimblin
Michael Lane and Trailer Canyon Fire Road
Pacific Palisades
Friday, May 8th 7:00-10:00pm
Cost: $15 in advance, $20 day of
Please RSVP hilary@yogaunderthetrees.com or call 323.841.3606

We will be on the trail by 7pm and out by 10pm. Please bring a yoga mat or towel, warm layers, water, decent walking shoes/boots, a snack to share and a sense of adventure!
Yoga Under The Trees is a great way to introduce a friend or partner to yoga, and also a wonderful way to meet new people. Beginners and the “completely rigid and inflexible” welcome. Join a hike today and Find Peace in the Wild.

Full Moon Hip Openers with Julie Rader
Yoga Loft
1112 Ocean Avenue Suite 103, Manhattan Beach
Friday, May 8th 7:30-9:30pm
Cost: $20

The full moon in May is considered the most auspicious full moon of the year as it is believed that Buddha reached enlightenment on this day. Class will include a hip-opening flow, yin stretches, and a yoga nidra meditation.

The Business of Being Born
A Documentary Film from Executive Producer Riki Lake and Director Abby Epstein as Seen on NBC's Today's Show May 6, 2009
Lyfe Yoga Center
1310 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach
Friday, May 8th 7:30-9:30pm
Cost: Donation Suggested

You are invited to watch the history of how women's health needs were met in this country by looking at what happens to women during birth. Afterwards, you will have an opportunity to participate in a Q & A with moms, yoga teachers, midwives, doctors and friends.

Full Moon Kirtan with Daniel Stewart and Friends
Rising Lotus Yoga
13557 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks
Friday, May 8th 8:15-10:15pm
Cost: By Donation

Come join Daniel and many talented musical friends Friday, April 10th @ 8:15 for a joyful evening of musical meditation and chanting. Daniel will be singing with Larry and Keelan on drums, Sarah, Sylvie and Emily on vocals, Jeff on Guitar and Angela on flute.
The full moon is a perfect time to sing to Sita and Ram, Krishna and Radha, and all beloved unions inside and out.
No singing experience needed, only a willingness to open your heart to the joy.

Celebrating Our Strength as Women
Lyfe Yoga Center
1310 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach
Saturday, May 9th 2:00-4:30pm
Cost: $35

Join Valinda for this workshop specifically designed for women. You will learn Kundalini Yoga and Meditation techniques especially for women. Yogi Bhajan, who brought Kundalini Yoga to the West in 1969 often boasted how "Male lives for the creativity of a Female's vibration."
We will celebrate the vibration together "May you create peace within your being, understand your strength, create a relationship with your own soul and find the personal, impersonal and universal truth in your actions. May this day bring you the light of life and may you understand you are here to be here with joy, happiness and prayer. May you all be blessed. Sat Nam" Yogi Bhajan.

ASHANA LIVE! Crystal Singing Bowl Concert
Heart to Heart Tour
The Awareness Center
2801 E Foothill Blvd, Pasadena
Saturday, May 9th, 7:00-9:00pm
Cost: $20 pre-registered by Fri 5/8, $25 at the door

Joyful, uplifting, breathtakingly beautiful music featuring the soaring angelic vocals of Ashana and the luminous sounds of crystal singing bowls. Join Ashana for an evening of celestial sound featuring sacred song, chant and mantra – music that will open your heart, lift your spirit, and carry you on waves of love into the arms of the Divine.

Mirabai Ceiba Live in Concert
Golden Bridge Yoga
6322 De Longpre Avenue, Los Angeles
Saturday, May 9th 7:30-9:30pm
Cost: $20 in advance, $25 day of

Golden Bridge is honored to host Mirabai Ceiba for a night of blissful chanting and uplifting music.
Mirabai Ceiba is a musical project created by Angelika Baumbach from Mexico (vocal and harp) and Markus Sieber from Germany (vocal and guitar). They perform a compilation of original songs in Spanish and English as well as chants from different traditions of the world and Gurmukhi Mantras. Their albums include “Flores,” “Mountain Sadhana,” and “Ocean”.
The name Mirabai Ceiba expresses the influences of both India and Native Latin America. The Ceiba is the sacred tree of Latin America, where these trees are never cut but are allowed to grow very tall. “We wish our music could be like that kind of tree, with roots deep in the Mother Earth and branches extending wide into Father Sky. Mirabai is for us the wandering, the devotion, the inspiration in all the different aspects of divinity.”

~OTHER SIDE OF THE MOON~ with Andres Salcedo
Exhale Center for Sacred Movement
245 South Main Street, Venice
Saturday, May 9th 7:45-9:45pm
Cost: $20 or class series/membership

On this night of the Full Moon Andres is excited to bring his very successful event Yoga Side of The Moon to Exhale. Creating dynamic flows based on simple asanas you will embark into yogic exploration through the sonic sound of Pink Floyd's album Dark Side of the Moon surrounded by atmospheric soundscapes and carefully placed sound effects, that will help you achieve a natural psychodelic emotional state. When the moon is on the other side of the Earth from the sun, the sun is shining directly on the moon, and the moon looks full and when the moon is between the sun and the Earth, the moon looks dark since the sun is behind the moon. However on this night you will enjoy both at the same time a Full Moon and the Dark Side of the Moon.
Come prepare to sweat,flow and Fly high.

KIRTAN SAT NIGHT IN LOS ANGELES! SPREAD THE WORD!
Narayan Mandir
1668 Rising Glen Rd, Los Angeles
Saturday, May 9th 8:00-11:00pm
Cost: Donation $10

PASS THE WORD - Arjun is back!
ONE NIGHT ONLY IN LOS ANGELES!
If you have never experienced Kirtan with Arjun at Narayan Mandir, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE!
This will be an evening of PEAK kirtan and community with one of the finest practitioners of the form.
Come join us for an extraordinary Kirtan in the beautiful West Hollywood Hills on SATURDAY NIGHT,
(No Children or Infants please)
Bhajan Anandi Kirtan - myspace.com/arjunkirtan
MYSPACE.COM/ARJUNGUARDIANS
Arjun & Guardians Collective:www.arjunandguardians.com

Weekly Kirtan/Chanting at SMPY West
Santa Monica Power Yoga West
1410 2nd St, Santa Monica
Saturday, May 9th (2nd Saturday of every month) 8pm: Travis Eliot
Cost: By Donation

Our instructors hold a candlelit evening of Kirtan/Chanting every Saturday of the month. There are different instructors each week, and it's always on donation basis.

COMEDY EXTRAVAGANZA: Beth Lapides in 100% Happy 88% of the Time
The Yogi Tree
4475 Vineland Ave, Toluca Lake
Saturday, May 9th 8:15pm
Cost: Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door
Pre-sale is available at: http://www.uncabaret.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=12&products_id=76

Ready to laugh so hard you fall off of your yoga mat? Join The Yogi Tree and Beth Lapides, comedian, author, and LA YOGA columnist, for an evening of live, brilliant, hilarious, yoga-inspired lunacy. In this ONE NIGHT ONLY special live performance of 100% HAPPY, Beth blends the story of her life with seriously helpful advice about how to be happy in the turbulent sea change we're all living through right now. The visual presentation combines her original art and graphics with eye-opening visuals from the world of edge science. Watch Beth connect the dots between DNA, the galactic center and a happy relationship in this hilarious evening of evolutionary entertainment.

Happy Mother's Day!
The Awareness Center
2801 E Foothill Blvd, Pasadena
Sunday, May 10th - 9:30am, 5:30pm, and 7:00pm Classes

FREE CLASS FOR MOMS!

Mother's Day Special
Iyengar Institute of Los Angeles
1835 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles
Sunday, May 10th 10:30am

To celebrate Mother’s Day, treat your mother or grandmother to a free Level 1 class at 10:30 AM on Mother’s Day. This free class is available to new students only.
Regular students, who are mothers or grandmothers, will receive 10% off any retail purchase on Sunday May 10th (individual and class packages not included).

Celebrate Mother's Day! ~ Yoga Nidra Workshop with Elizabeth St. Clair
Santa Monica Yoga
1640 Ocean Park Blvd, Santa Monica
Sunday May 10, 3:00-4:30 pm
Cost: $20 per person - Space is limited, please pre-register

Invite your mother or a friend to join you for 90 minutes of deep relaxation. Simply lie on the floor covered by a blanket and embark on an effortless guided journey into the realm of deep meditative peace. Enjoy soft music and the subtle scent of organic essential oils. Come back to earth with the gentle sound of Tibetan bowls.
The ancient practice, of Yoga Nidra (sleep of the yogi), is a systematic method of inducing complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation while remaining aware and alert. We access our innate inner wisdom which reconnects us to intuitive intelligence.

Mother's Day Yoga & Dinner with Jennifer Kelly
The Yogi Tree
4475 Vineland Ave, Toluca Lake
Sunday, May 10th, 5-7 pm
Cost: $20 per person, Kids are free

Give your mom the gift of peace. A very special class designed to honor all of the mothers and moms-to-be in our community, and for the Yogi Tree community to shower these powerful women with love, light, and gratitude. We will do a balancing, uplifting Kundalini Yoga Set with a Yogi Dinner to follow. The whole family is welcome.

Chakra Restorative Yoga with Constance Hart - Heart Chakra Healing
Liberation Yoga
124 S LaBrea Ave, Los Angeles
Sunday, May 10th 6:00-8:15pm
Cost: $35 in advance, $40 at door. Bring Mom for just $20! (with pre-register & pay)

This Month's Focus: Anahata Chakra, your Heart Center & the Green Ray
Come enjoy this deep healing to open your heart center calling in love, healthy relationships, and a balance between giving and receiving. If you are an “over-giver” or feel like you “never have enough time” this is the chakra balancing for you!
This metaphysical healing includes pranayama, mantras, mudras, color therapy, aromatherapy, sound healing and gentle restorative yoga to help you meditate & visualize into your Heart Chakra.
Come dressed in green to deepen into color consciousness!

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the weather's been nice and warm, so how about some beach yoga this weekend?:

from brad keimach:
WHAT: Beach Yoga
WHEN: Every Saturday and Sunday, 10:30-12
WHERE: Santa Monica. Walk up Marine Street, which becomes Barnard Way. Keep walking all the way to the water's edge, and I'll be there to welcome you!
COST: Donation
Thank you for your generosity and support for these classes!
BRING: Mat, or very large towel. Sunscreen! A sense of adventure and beauty! I'll bring the dolphins...
QUESTIONS: Feel free to call or email me with any questions (310-826-6958)

from howard davis:
YOGA ON THE SAND
Will Rogers State Beach, Pacific Palisades
SUN 5/10 @ 8 AM
COST $20
If you've never experienced the exhilarating joy of yoga outdoors, please join us this Sunday . Don't eat breakfast, bring a towel and layers of clothing, and park on Temescal Canyon.

from claudia at south bay yoga meetup:
Yoga Stretch & Labyrinth Meditation Walk on the beach - Mother's Day Mini Retreat
Location: Trump National Golf Course on the beach in Rancho Palos Verdes.
Date: Sunday, 10 May 2009 from 9.00 - 11.30 am (ish) be on time
Cost: $20 (per family)
Reservation request (call a day before to confirm 310-698-9658). Class will be canceled when it's raining.
Connect with your kids & husband & friends on that special day. (age 10 plus and up)
We meet at the parking lot right in the beginning of the golf course. We walk 1/2 on a trail down to the beach. The labyrinth was build with rocks in form of a heart. Annemarie rawlinson, well-known labyrinth builder, created the rock labyryinth and she is an artist. We do a 1/2 yoga stretch in standing and sitting, a 1/2 hour labyrinth meditation walk and then back.
Bring comfortable walking shoes, water and snack and a piece of paper & pen.
We leave the parking lot on time (please confirm per phone on saturday if your are coming),
otherwise we don't want that you drive there and we are already on our walk to the beach.

from sierra at long beach outdoor yoga meetup:
Beginning Yoga Workout
Location: Bluff Park, 36th Place and Ocean, Long Beach
Date: Sunday, May 10 9:30 AM
Cost: $5.00 per person
Join us for Vinyasa style yoga at Bluff Park.
Bring your yoga mat and wear layered clothing that you can move in, it may be cool when we start but as you heat up you may want to shed some layers! This yoga class is a workout!
Classes are provided on a donation basis. $5 is the suggested donation, and is greatly appreciated, but certainly not required to participate, all are welcome!

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and don't forget the FREE lululemon community yoga classes on sunday morning!:

lululemon athletica Brentwood
9am-10am
Jump start your Mother's Day with a power vinyasa flow class taught by the incredible Emily Morwen! Class will last one hour and is for all levels. Bring your own mat or we can provide you with one!

lululemon athletica Glendale
Bootcamp: 8:30-9:20am. Yoga: 9:30-10:30am
May Workout Madness continues on Sunday with Back to Back Bootcamp and Yoga Classes! Bootcamp is led by All About You Wellness Bootcamp! Yoga is taught by one of Yoga Blend's excellent teachers!

lululemon athletica South Bay
9:30am-10:30am
Claire Brown from Ofie's Elite Physiques will lead us through an Inspiration of Anusara yoga class! Anusara Yoga is an all-inclusive yoga in which each student's various unique abilities and limitations are deeply honored. Anusara Yoga will empower and build each student's self-esteem, while inspiring light-heartedness, play and joyful creativity within the yoga practice. For more information -Ofie's Elite Physiques.com

lululemon athletica Santa Monica
9:30am-10:30am
Come join Yo Mama!'s April Ritchey, your lulu friends and the community this Sunday for a Mother's Day Yoga Flow. All levels, all ages, start your week off on on the right foot and celebrate the mothers of Santa Monica. See you then!

while my back was turned...

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Thu, 07 May 2009 06:04:00 +0000

the yoga scene here in LA continues to evolve at a rapid pace... so much so that even i can't keep track of all the comings-and-goings. after all, there are over a hundred yoga studios in town. and only one of me.

so while i'm pretty much privvy to the news coming from the larger, more popular yoga studios as well as from those who have been kind enough to add me to their email update lists, i've recently found out a number of things about some smaller studios make me feel like i've fallen asleep at the wheel. and i really haven't. i just haven't been looking :(

here's one example: while running an errand for a friend last week, i was sitting in traffic on laurel canyon, waiting to make a left turn onto ventura. i glanced at the building on my left and noticed that there was a yoga studio in that building. and it was called... lotus kitty yoga. but wait; the last time i was at lotus kitty, the studio was still located in vanessa (aka kitty) giorgio's home! thinking it was a recent development, i emailed kitty for details. she wrote back and said that she had moved the studio in may of last year! how did that get past me??

so here's the new contact information (it's a little more a mile south of the old location in valley village; note that the phone number has changed, too):

Lotus Kitty Yoga & Spin
12080 Ventura Place, Suite 3, Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 980-8455
www.lotuskitty.com

then while browsing the internet for yoga events earlier this evening, i came across this listing from back in february:

Eco-Yoga Event
Sunday, February 8th in Encino, CA

Live in harmony with the environment, starting with yourself! This event is centered around the wisdom that the true essences of yoga and environmentalism are in fact one and the same. The price includes all-day yoga classes, lectures, workshops, and more. Classes will be held outside around the zen-like pool area. Classes will be offered by Lotus Kitty Spin and Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Crystal Yoga and Pilates, Karen Schuman's Beyond Yoga...

i knew about lotus kitty and the bikram studio, but who were all the others?

it turns out that crystal yoga and pilates was a yoga/pilates studio owned by crystal d'angora (hence the name) in toluca lake; at that location, she used to teach kundalini yoga, kids yoga, and mat pilates classes. there's a new yoga studio now in that location -- the yogi tree (which, by the way, i had a chance to visit two weeks ago but still am in the process of finishing up my blog post about that visit) -- with crystal still teaching her classes there. so essentially, the place changed owners, changed names, and greatly expanded its list of class offerings. which is good news for the citizens of toluca lake!

so keep this on your radar, especially if you live in that neck of the woods:

The Yogi Tree
4475 Vineland Avenue, Toluca Lake, CA 91602
(818) 760-0012
www.theyogitree.com

as for karen shuman's beyond yoga, i found out that it's the new name of a yoga studio that's been in sherman oaks for years: annie's yoga studio. at first glance, it looks like it's merely an ownership change, but watch this space for more details once i do more research (i just realized that i know one of the teachers on the instructor list, so i should have that info fairly soon).

here's the new name and the new website:

Karen Shuman's Beyond Yoga
4521-A Van Nuys Blvd
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
(818) 788-5960
www.ksbeyondyoga.com

and lastly, this one i spotted the other day while i was biking home from real food daily in santa monica:

shakti's elements has changed its name! -- it's now:

In Focus Wellness Institute
717 Broadway
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 576-2062
www.shaktiselements.com

except for the name change, everything else has stayed pretty much the same. even the website still reflects the old name. since it's been a while since i've been to this studio in my own neighborhood, i'll have to pop by soon to see if anything else has changed.

as i always say, the accidental yogist's work is never done!

think you can do it?

joni@accidentalyogist.com (joni) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 06:43:00 +0000

so you have this nasty habit that you want to break.

you consider giving it up for lent, hoping that doing without it for 40 days** will cure you of your addiction. or obsession. or compulsion. or whatever it is that makes you want to do something that's bad for you. or for someone you know.

maybe you succeed. maybe you don't. but at least you tried.

that's exactly what the ladies from your daily thread -- aka lauren and tracy -- and their partner, eco-publisher chelsea green, are hoping will happen when you join their cause and pledge to...

go meatless in may!

they're trying to spread awareness about how eating less meat can slow down global warming; in other words,

The raising of livestock (animals for human consumption), specifically factory farming is a major contributor of green house gases that pollute our planet. The raising of these animals creates 18% of global greenhouse gases, more than all of the world's cars and SUVS.

so when they say "go meatless", what exactly do they suggest you give up?

well, in general usage, "livestock" refers to domestic animals raised on a farm; it includes cattle, horses, sheep, goats, and pigs. and depending on whose definition you decide to go with, it may or may not include poultry; that is, chickens, turkeys, and ducks.

so pick the level of "sacrifice" you think you can live with for 31 days, and pledge to commit to it!

and if you're on facebook, become a fan of the meatless in may page so you can see which of your friends you'll want to eat with this coming month :)

speaking of eating, here are some vegan/vegetarian restaurants that you might want to try. feel free to order anything on the menu, because you won't find any meat in any of their dishes:

bulan thai - locations in los angeles and silverlake
california vegan - locations in hollywood and west los angeles
cinnamon vegetarian - 5511 n. figueroa st, highland park
euphoria loves rawvolution - 2301 main st, santa monica
fatty's - 1627 colorado blvd, eagle rock
follow your heart - 21825 sherman way, canoga park
govinda's - 3764 watseka ave, los angeles
green temple - 1700 s. catalina ave., redondo beach
happy veggie - 709 n. pacific coast h, redondo beach
leaf organics -locations in culver city, sherman oaks, and redondo beach
lotus vegan - 5038 vineland ave, north hollywood
madeleine bistro - 18621 ventura blvd, tarzana
native foods - 1110 1/2 gayley ave, westwood
paru's indian vegetarian - 5140 sunset blvd, hollywood
planet raw (aka juliano's raw) - 609 broadway, santa monica
samosa house - 11510 washington blvd, culver city
the spot - 110 second st, hermosa beach
real food daily - locations in santa monica and west hollywood
vegan express - 3217 cahuenga blvd, los angeles
vegan glory - 8393 beverly blvd, los angeles
veggie grill - 720 allied way, el segundo
vinh loi tofu - 18625 sherman way, reseda

there are many more places listed on the vegetarians in paradise website - click here to check out their list of restaurants in the LA area.

by the way, if you need more incentive to give up eating meat, pick up a copy of karen dawn's thanking the monkey: rethinking the way we treat animals to learn more about how farm animals are raised and slaughtered. i brought it on the plane with me on my recent trip to boston and i couldn't put it down. not only is it clearly-written and very informative, but it has photos and illustrations -- cartoons, even! -- on almost every page. warning: while all the colorful pictures might give one the impression that it's a happy book with a happy storyline, it's actually quite depressing, especially if you can't handle the truth...

** here's a bit of trivia for you: did you ever wonder why lent is said to be 40 days long, yet there are more than 40 days between ash wednesday and easter sunday? here's why:

The season of Lent spans 40 weekdays beginning on Ash Wednesday and climaxing during Holy Week with Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday), Good Friday, and concluding Saturday before Easter... Since Sundays celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the six Sundays that occur during Lent are not counted as part of the 40 days of Lent, and are referred to as the Sundays in Lent. -- from The Season of Lent, CRI/Voice Institute

just know that this doesn't give you permission to eat meat on sunday during the challenge! :)