MIDTOWN YOGA FESTIVAL AT MIDTOWN GLOBAL MARKET

"With 16.5 million Americans practicing some form of yoga, there are a lot of opinions about what yoga is or should be.... how fortunate, then, that yoga meets us where we are." --Kaitlin Quistgaard, Editor, Yoga Journal

MEET YOURSELF AT THE MIDTOWN YOGA FESTIVAL, October 6, 2007

WHAT: The Inaugural Midtown Yoga Festival at the Midtown Global Market.

This event will include over 30 local yoga vendors, various instructional seminars including Bikram, CorePower, Iyegnar, Ashtanga and Kundalini Yoga, Spanish Yoga, Kirtan singing, meditation, cultural entertainment including world travelled performing artist Sat Purkh Khalsa, and arial yoga performer Amy Nystrom; lectures, bodywork and more!

African Storyteller Dr. Zeal Okogeri will be the keynote speaker at the event. Okogeri's mission is to open hearts, heal, and inspire people into action through his uplifting message on practical wisdom.

This event is free and open to the public.

WHO: Yoga Lovers in the Twin Cities area and anyone who has been curious about yoga.

Yoga teachers, students, practitioners, beginners,mediators, center owners - all are welcome!

WHEN: Saturday, October 6, 2007, 7:30 am ? 9 pm

WHERE: Midtown Global Market, 920 E. Lake Street, Minneapolis, (near Chicago Avenue & Lake Street)Interested in sponsoring, endorsing, presenting or vending at the Festival? Contact Gaia ji("Gen") Richards at 612-874-0858 or mplsyoga@gmail.com and www.yoga.meetup.com/503

MEDIA CONTACTS: J. Marie Fieger, Nemer Fieger, 952-278-3140 or 612-940-1668 and Molly Steinke, Nemer Fieger, 952-278-3142 or 612-309-1677

DONATIONS for this event are welcome and tax deductible! Make your check payable to Neighborhood Development Corporation and send them to P. Brown, Midtown Global Market, 920 East Lake Street, Mpls., MN 55407, with the notation, Midtown Yoga Festival.


Midtown Global Market is an international collection of more than 50 independent and local vendors offering the finest selection of produce, delicacies, prepared foods, grocery items, and unique gifts from around the world, seven days a week. Around every turn, you'll discover unusual and appetizing recipes, unearth a bargain, or chat with local producers. The Midtown Global Market contains the best international diversity South Minneapolis has characterized for decades.For more information, please visit www.midtownglobalmarket.com or call 612-872-4041.###

http, Patricia,

I would like you to meet Antoinette; Antoinette, I'd like you to meet Patricia.

You danced, today, Patricia, with the Children. Ahanti invoked the Spirit of the Drum, and I gave them meat pies and white cake topped with strawberries as offerings via Ahanti. The Ancestors moved you, inspired you, and continually challenging you.

Oshun brought me to the Market last October. She delivered me once from Jamaica to Florida on a mission to get one of her priestesses out of apathy and back into action. She delivered me once through Chicago to tell me to tell others that Chicago was Her City, Her People, Her responsibility.

Now she has delivered me to Lake and Chicago, leaving me with the knowing that, although Minneapolis, too, is Her City, Oya is in charge of this Market.

I am to support you, Antoinette, Glenn, Walter, Rene and others in using Oya's strength and Shango's (Kabio Sile) courage and power to break down the bramble of ignorance and come together on the path Orunla has determined.

There are many Orisa and Lwa at the Market whom are being revealed to me. You know many, many more. I see Agwe and the Simbi and Ibeji coming forward to assist us without invocation; only supplication and remuneration.

At the October Yoga Festival, the presentation of the "Yoga of the Orisa" isn't choreographed yet. But the spirit of Trust is before us, introducing us to one another, leading us away from Fate and into Destiny.

Blessings,


gaia genevieve

Yesterday I called Amma.

I said, I think I need to create, "Yoga of the Orisa."

What will people think, this white girl from Mpls. purporting to know yoga and the tradition of Orisa?

She said, "Spirit transcends race and culture."

She said, "You have to follow your path or you will get sick."

She said, "It takes a special skill to make a Sistah like me love a white girl, like you. I would come. I would bring my babies."

She said, "Just don't confuse Ifa and Santeria."

I said, "Just be humble, huh? Just be humble and tell the truth."

"Yes," we agreed.

"Just be humble and tell the truth," we reiterated.

She said, "This is your calling. Do it. Do it for me so I can follow mine."

"Yes," we agreed.

"Follow our Path or else we will get sick."

She said, "When you are in Florida, get some from Shango for me."

Okay, I said.

Alaafia.

What mpls yoga is about....

Yoga is about our union with God. Kundalini Yoga offers us a fantastic technology to arrive at that end. Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Iyengar Yoga -- all offer us fantastic technologies for our journey on the spiritual path.

Yoga is not about six-pack abs or fitting into that dress or developing killer legs from practicing warrior poses.

Mpls yoga is about being there to walk with you on your path, for whatever piece of the journey our lives intersect. That's all.

Samadhi Sequencing Notes, Class Four
"An Eye for an Eye for an Eye for an Eye...."
February 12, 2007

Begin sitting in Lotus Pose.

1. Three minutes breath of fire with eyes closed at third eye.

2. Three minutes connected breathign.

3. One Surya Namaskara A, eyes open.

4. Three Surya Namaskara B, eyes closed, third eye.

5. Four Surya Namaskara B.

6. Pieces of Ashtana Primary Series:

a. Forward Bend
b. Triangle, each side
c. Rotated Triangle, each side
d. Side Angle Bend, each side
e. Rotated Side Angel Bend, each side
f. Forward bend, legs wide,
i. four Ashtanga options
g. Thyroid Stretch, each side
h. Flow.
i. Mighty Pose.
J. Ashtanga Primary Series Balance Sequence
k. Ashtanga Warrior One & Two Sequence
l. Ashtanga forward bend & chataranga sequence

7. back bend cocktail.

8. side sequence from Yoga Journal.

9. Three Cheerleader Squences -- staying longer in each
shoulder stand and each plough pose.

10. Fish.

11. Headstand

12. Child Pose.

13. Shivasana

14. Meditation: Third Eye Focus, "Aum" in rounds.



m. Back

Samadhi Yoga, Class No. 3, Sequencing Notes
February 5, 2007

"Speak Your Truth - Grist for the Mill"

Tune In. Haaam at the thoat Level.

Warm up:

Fprward Bend, one minute
Legs wide forward Bend, one minute
Twisted forward bend, each leg, 1 minute

10 squats
----------------------------------------------------
1. Cheerleader Series - Add extra chataranga before forward bend if desired

a. three hands stands
b. seated forward bend
c. Back Platform

2. Cheerleader Series, add extra chatarange before forward bend if desired

a. three handstands
b. seated half-lotus forward bend, each side
c. chataranga
d. arrow in fowward bend, each side

3. Supine Tadasana

4. Cheerleader Series -

a. imbed a squat and a crow preparation pose
b. three hand stand
c. Marichasana each side
d. Chataranga
e. forward seated turtle pose.

5. Cheerleader Series -

a. Crow Pose
b. Shoulder stand -- add lotus
c. Pancake Lotus in Shoulder Stand
d. Headstand or Dolphin
e. Forward bend: bound lotus suggested
f. Chataranga
g. Standing forward bend in half lotus

6. Cheerleader Series -

a. Shoulder Stand -- add lotus other side
b. Pancake Lotus in Shoulder Stand
c. Headstand or Dolphin
d. Chataranga
e. Standing Forward balance, picking up toes each side

7. Downward Dog.

a. Thread the Needle, each side
b. Downward Dog.
e. Jump to Crow.
f. Downward Dog.
g. Lifted Crow

8. Cheerleader Series -

a. Scizzor side crow, each side
b. Headstand or Dolphin
c. Full Wheel or Bridge
d. Chataranga
e. Headstand to wheel.

9. Side Arm Stretch - either open airplane hands or arm stretches

10. Ardha Chandrasana

11. Scorpion, three times, or camel 3 times

12. Anystanding warrior desired which time or energy allow.

13. Pranayama

a. Kapalabhati breath, 48 x
b. connected breath, 8x
c. Haaaaam, 3 x.

Repeat cycle three times.

14. Sivasana

15. I am, I am, I am I am, I am the grace of God. 3, 6, 11 minutes.

Aum

Samadhi Yoga Sequencing Notes, Class No. 2
January 29, 2007

Humble Warrior - or, Fear No Evil

Tune In.

Warm Up:

Warrior One, from standing at end of mat, Right Side. Find your "benchmark"
breath -- five-, six- or seven-second count breaths in and out. Return to rear of mat.

Warrior One, from standing at the end of mat, Left Side. Same as above, find your "benchmark" breath.

1. Surya Namaskara B, Right Leg Series

a. Clasp arms behind back as if hugging self.
b. Chataranga.
c. Pidgeon, Right Leg, embracing arms behind back.
d. Seated Ankle to Knee pose.
e. Flow.

Repeat on left side.

------------------------------------------------
2. Surya Namaskara B, Right Leg.

a. In Warrior One, clasp arms behind back as if in Cow's Face, or simply
clasp hands together, interlacing fingers
b. Forward bend from here, either arm position.
c. Segue to forward bend with legs wide, arms in reverse prayer
or clasped together.
d. Flow.

Repeat on Left Side

-------------------------------------------------
3. Surya Namaskara B, Right Side

a. Danacing Warrior Series (Warrior Two, Reverse Warrior, Side angle,
reverse warrior)
b. Flow
c. Pidgeon, holding foot and face direction of open hip, or catch toes
in elbow and face front
d. Flow

Repeat on Left Side

-------------------------------------------------
4. Moon Salutation - Right Side

a. Wounded Warrior Series (lateral, wouinded Locust, twisted and double
twist)
b. complete moon salutation right side to standing.

5. Moon Salutation - Left Side.

Same sequencing.

-------------------------------------------------
5. Surya Namaskara B - Right Side

a. Crescent Lunge
b. Hanumasana

6. Surya Namaksara B - Left Side

Repeat sequencing.

-------------------------------------------------
6. Five Seated Forward bends of choice with
Chataranga and boat

-------------------------------------------------
7. Three twists of choice with chataranga

-------------------------------------------------
8. Bridge or Wheel

-------------------------------------------------
9. Hands stand or ten donkey kicks

-------------------------------------------------
10. Scorpion
-------------------------------------------------

11. Shoulder Stand
-------------------------------------------------

12. Plough to Shivasana.
-------------------------------------------------
Meditation is connected breathing or circular breath.

a.

Samadhi Yoga - Sequencing Notes, Class No. 1
January 22, 2007

Tune In.

Warm Up:

Standing Pose: 1/2 dancer, 3 breaths, five counts in and out
Standing Pose, 1/2 padmasana, 3 breaths, five counts in and out
Standing Pose, Balance each side.

Repeat: with extreme breath awareness.

1. Series One:

a. Surya Namaskara A
b. Surya Namaskara B
c. Moon Salutation

Repeat Series One two more times.

2. Series Two:

a. Camel Series 3 times.
b. Intersperse with Extended Side Arm Balance.

3. Series Three:

a. Cheerleader Series with forward bend of choice
b. Cheerleader Series, stay a little longer in each pose, add forward bend of choice
c. Cheerleader series, stay a little longer still in each pose,
add another forward bend of choice

4. Series Four:

a. Lion in Lotus, left leg under, add breath of fire - 30 sec. to one min.
b. Lion in Lotus, right leg under, add breath of fire - 30 sec. to one min.

5. Series Five:

a. Shoulder Stand
b. Plough
c. Shoulder Stand with Lotus
d. Plough
e. Repeat again if desired.

6. Shivasana.

7. Come out of Shivasana in Fetus. Add alternate nostril breathing. Emphasize left nostril breathing if you wish to relax into the evening or emphasize right nostril if you wish to energize yourself for the day.

Chanting: Aum Tara Tu Tare Svhava - 3 to 6 minutes.

SAMADHI YOGA - Mondays, 7:00 - 8:15 p.m.
Minnehaha Yoga.

Take your vinyasa practice
and your meditation practice
and your devotion.

Combine them together. Samadhi.

See you there.

Yoga, PSP, Aunt Nancy & Me

Last summer, everyone thought that Aunt Nancy had had a stroke. In her seventies and having enjoyed a lifetime of relatively good health, Aunt nancy now moved with caution, seemed off balance, and appeared to have difficulty forming words. Her mind seemed alert, and she could read and comprehend a conversation. Her eyes, however, could nto seem to track to the speaker in any given dialogue.

My mom, at 73, who has been my alpha yoga student for a couple of years is also Aunt Nancy's Sin Twister ("twin sister-in-crime"), was reluctant to involve Nan in any yoga till a concrete diagnosis had been made.

By the time of the family xmas party in December, a diagnosis of PSP had been made and mom was equally encouraged and resigned by the news. I guess that PSP is supposed to be similar to Parkinson's but sans the shakes.

Mom was encouraged because the articles she read indicated that PSP sufferers could benefit from yoga, but she also learned that PSP was a degenerative, progressive illiness with no cure.

Mom was happy to get a little yoga class off the ground after Aunt Nancy and her husband had moved into a nearby assisted living facility. But mom warned me that there was no cure and that the best we can hope to do is improve the quality of Nancy's life.

Meanwhile, I had been doing my own investigation foro Aunt Nancy in the etheric world. Via a Yahoo! group internet loop, I found another Sat Nam Rasayn practitioner with whom to trade and combine efforts. At the prescribed time, we both tuned in to Aunt Nancy, and with the awareness cultivated through years of meditation practice we opened the Sacred Space and sat in awareness.

At the time (this is about last fall), my sister SNR practitioner said that Aunt Nancy wasn't open to receive the healing yet. So I took it to prayer, to the Guru, and to the Ancestors.

Today is Tuesday, January 30, 2007. Mom and Aunt Nan and I have been doing Yoga twice a week for four or five weeks. Encouraged by Aunt Nancy's upward progress, I suggested to mom and Aunt Nancy that we don't limit God. Of course PSP is formidable, but after a few weeks of gentle yoga combined with meditation, Aunt Nancy perked up remarkably after a couple good strong sets of yoga, especially with Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan and the set in the recent issue of Aquarian Age for the brain IQ. Aunt Nancy particularly loves the kriyas for balance. Mom particularly loves getting a good workout. The other residents particularly wonder what we are doning, especially when they hear us chanting "SA TA NA MA" and "Sat Nam" while they are eating dinner in the adjoining room.

Aunt Nance goes to the doctor today for a check up regarding her PSP. She is brining along the set from Aquarian Age just to show the doctor what we are up to.

No promises. No Cures. God is the doer. We are the channel, if we allow.

Is Aunt Nancy's quality of life better?

I don't know.

But mine sure is.

Love, Mary Gen

KUNDALINI YOGA @ MINNEHAHA YOGA

WHEN:

Tuesdays: 5:30 - 6:45 pm
Thursdays: 7:00 - 8:15 pm
Saturdays: 2:45 - 4:00 pm

WHERE:
Minnehaha Yoga
4141 Minnehaha Avenue So.
Minneapolis

FEE:
$15 per class
(discount passes available which include all classes at Minnehaha Yoga)


More info: www.mplsyoga.com and www.minnehahayoga.com

SAT NAM RASAYAN HEALING

Sat Nam Rasayan is a Yogic form of healing that means, "Rejuvenation through the True, Divine Nature of Being."

Some folks also think of it as "Healing in the Sacred Space."

The benefits of receiving Sat Nam Rasayan include freedom from physical pain and relief from psycho-emotional discomforts such as freeflowing anxiety or depression or chronic fatigue. In the Sacred Space of Sat Nam Rasayan, stress, feelings of defiance and patterns of rigidity are alleviated.

One of the forefathers of Sat Nam Rasayan is Guru Dev Singh. In the book "The Healing Art of Sat Nam Rasayan," Guru Dev says that "...the power to heal comes from the Sacred Space, not from the healer’s personality or sensitive space....God heals. All the healer does is establish a connection with God using the right language, that of neutrality."

One appointment lasts 20 minutes. One should allow 30-35 minutes for preparation and relaxation afterwards. Many ailments can be allevieved in one session; other, more deep-seated problems may require long-term attention and/or additional therapies.

Fee: $45 per session.

Long distance or absent treatments: $30 per session.

For worldwide information, see www.gurudevsnr.com.