Our friend Scott Badenoch wrote a lovely article describing Sofiah’s Way as he calls it.  It is a moving piece spoken from the heart, please take the time to view it.
http://www.elephantjournal.com/2010/07/this-weekend-in-boulder-denver-embody-your-graceful-warrior-within-scott-w-badenoch-jr/
 

Check out this video made by reporters from San Diego over a year ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKc2lv46uMI

Thanks for the promo Jenny and Krissy, come back and play with us soon!

I have been practicing yoga for a while now and when I first heard of Shinade’s Yoga Bliss, Feel Good Yoga, the sarcastic side of me thought "isn’t that redundant?  isn’t all yoga supposed to make you feel good?" And right there I knew that I had answered my own question.  Yes, all Yoga should make you feel good, but if you’re like me I’m sure you’ve had classes that haven’t. 

Through the years, the more mainstream yoga becomes, more people call themselves "yoga teachers" and sadly give people the wrong impression and people can end up having bad yoga experiences.  The first time I ever went to a class, there was such a weird and creepy vibe to the whole feel of the "class" that I didn’t venture out to try another class till two years later and had gained the common sense to get some recommendations about the person giving the class before I went. 

So here is mine, after experiencing Shinade’s class on Monday I can truly attest that I felt good afterwards.  Better than feeling good, her class truly was full on yogi bliss!  Shinade guides you through a lovely warm, asanas, flows, it is obvious that the gal clearly knows what she is doing. 

This Sunday she is having a four hour class and I really recommend you treat yourself to her Feel Good Yoga.

Laura

I am a total book worm. I love to read.  Some of my earliest memories are of reading and going to book stores.  I love book stores.  I remember the first time I walked into a Barnes and Noble I remember thinking, this is my idea of heaven: endless books and the lingering smell of coffee coming from the Starbucks in the corner. I have been living in the jungle for some time now.  And yes, it is paradise, weekends are spent surfing, hiking, playing in the river.  I get to practice yoga in an amazing studio with an incredible view of this costarican paradise, but if there is something that I miss from living in "civilization" is going to bookstores.   And yet I’ve manged to maintain my book habit.  There’s this thing I do, whenever there is a book I want to read, I dedicate to it a couple of minutes everyday, thinking about the book, sending it out there that I want to read it and eventually it makes it’s way to me.  Book exchanges are, in my opinion, one of the best things ever. Sure enough whenever I want to read something eventually, I’ll find it at a book exchange.

That’s why I was so interested when I heard there was a Mudra, Mantra, and Manifestation Workshop with Sherry Ryan at Bamboo YogaPlay.  I realized this is what I’ve been doing with books, it’s the same principle.  I’m looking forward to learning more about this concept that if there is something in life we want, we can learn how to manifest it learning to use Mudras and Mantras.  The whole idea behind it is quite fascinating to me. 

In the mean time if anyone has a copy of Dan Brown’s the Lost Symbol that wants to exchange at the Bamboutique’s book exchange that would make my day!

Laura

 I am a huge Cesar Millan fan.  I have been watching the Dog Whisperer pretty much since it came out.  At first the show’s draw was for obvious reasons, I am a dog lover and have a crazy bull terrier that on occasion gets the best of me.  So I started watching Cesar’s show hoping that I too would learn to be "calm and assertive" with my pooch.  The more I watch the show and get to see the people that Cesar visits the more convinced I become that this show, despite it’s name is not about dogs it’s about us humans.  If you have ever watched the show, you’ll know what I mean.  Yes, on the surface it looks like the ones with the problems are the canines but if you pay attention you realize in reality the human is the one with the issues.  What a truly fascinating dynamic.  According to Cesar it is our energy that influences the way the dog behaves.  So if we are suffering from anxiety we get a neurotic dog. 

So this leads me to wonder, if our energy affects the way our dog behaves, what about those around us?  They must feel it too.  I believe because dogs live more in the now they are more influenced by our energy than people. However we should pay attention to what it is that we are sending out there. 

I have been practicing yoga on and off for about ten years now and am far from getting "it" yet.  Having said that, I do feel there is a shift in the way I interact with others.  I try to be more aware about the way I am feeling when interacting with others and am constantly trying to achieve that "calm energy" that Cesar is always talking about. 

Of course I fail more times that I care to count, but I do try.  Often times during my practice I try to envision my dog’s energy.  This is my intention, to become more like him.  And no, it does not mean that I want to be pampered all day long and chase after sticks and roll around in the sand.  It means that I would love it if I could take everything in stride like he does, not hold grudges, and more importantly to live in the moment.  If you want to learn more about Cesar, you should go to his website www.cesarsway.com and if what I’ve said has sparked an interest in your own practice you should come to one of our yoga classes!

Laura