Oct 24, 2014 |
I had the opportunity this summer to provide yoga assists at one of the coolest yoga events I’ve ever attended. A group called BelieveinCLE was formed in 2013 to bring together yogis throughout northern Ohio in some pretty sweet venues to collectively raise the vibration and LOVE for Cleveland (and yoga). This particular event on Mall B in downtown Cleveland was part of the welcoming kick-off ceremonies for the Gay Games, and there were over 2,000 yogis in attendance for an awesome yoga practice. As the sun set, we witnessed a rainbow of laser lights shining over us and the downtown skyline.
Photo courtesy of Shel Jane Greenberg Ginger*Snapshot Photography
As I walked through the yoga mats offering assists, I noticed a rather large young man dressed in attire looking more ready to step onto a football field than a yoga mat. He was coming into trikonasana rather awkwardly (which I say without judgment, but with a loving heart), so I walked up next to him and offered an assist to bring him into the proper alignment in the pose. As I helped him lift his right arm up, his body flowed into a graceful ease. He enthusiastically thanked me for the assist and proceeded to tell me that this was his very first yoga class. I congratulated him on picking such an opportune first class and assured him that he was doing great and to keep smiling and enjoying himself.
More than midway through the class I saw him again, and from the look on his face I could tell that fatigue was setting in. I caught his eye and gave him a thumbs-up for encouragement, and he nodded back with a smile.
As the class was winding down and the yogis were coming into savasana, I saw the young man and went over to help adjust his shoulders. As I did, I said to him, “Congratulations, you made it through your very first yoga class!” He got a huge grin on his face and said to me, “I think my life has changed tonight!” I started to laugh and teasingly told him to watch out, that yoga can become contagious, and that I could foresee him wanting to practice all the time. He just smiled, nodded his head, and said, “Yeah I think so too.”
YOGA … IT HAS THE POWER TO TRANSFORM YOU
The power of yoga can change your life! I’ve always known this, but it was a beautiful reminder to see the blissed out faces of so many yogis that night and to hear it confessed so truthfully by someone who probably never imagined he would step on a yoga mat, let alone to end up liking it so much.
Believe me when I tell you the yogis who assembled that night brought
enough wattage to light up the Terminal Tower like this!
I’m sure the incredible yoga class led by Inner Bliss YogaStudio owner, Tammy Lyons and Adam Tilocco, the rockin playlist, and the combined energy and beauty of that night had a lot to do with his life-changing declaration, but you can’t deny that the unifying element is the practice itself. This yoga practice is truly transformational.
Open your hearts yogis. Come to your yoga mats each time like you are a beginner, ready and open to experience, to learn, to breathe, to grow, to be transformed by the power of yoga and let it change your life.
A big glitter hug and Thank You to Shel Jane Greenberg Erba for sharing her lovely photography with me! I highly recommend you take a yoga class with her at One Love Yoga in Kent, Ohio!
Click to find out more about upcoming Daily Downward Dog yoga retreats! Come join us!
Sep 27, 2014 |
Before the month of September is over, I want to bring attention to the fact that it is National Recovery Month. If you or someone you know has ever dealt with addiction of any form – be it drugs, alcohol, food, smoking, or gambling – and are looking for tools to help overcome these addictions, I hope you will consider the practice of yoga and meditation.
On October 21, a book called Recovery 2.0 is being released. It’s by Tommy Rosen, an internationally-recognized yoga teacher and addiction recovery expert, who has spent the last two decades immersed in yoga, recovery, and wellness. Recovery 2.0 is not a how-to book, but rather an exploration of what recovery is – and why yoga and meditation is so important to the process. I absolutely love this book for two reasons: Tommy is a great storyteller who shares his stories so honestly, and Recovery 2.0 is full of inspiration and hope.
I first met Tommy back in 2013 when I attended the Tadasana Festival in Los Angeles. Not only was Tommy one of the co-founders of this event; he was one of the featured teachers along with his wife Kia Miller. I recently got on the phone with Tommy to hear the story about how we came to yoga and how his book Recovery 2.0 came to fruition.
In the late ’80s, Tommy sought help for his drug addiction, and through the 12-step program, therapy, and much support, he has been sober for over 20 years now.
With three months of sobriety under his belt, he was drawn into an Iyengar yoga class where he witnessed the yoga teacher moving with grace and elegance. This instructor was bending into a shape that was so flexible, he felt as if he was watching a cartoon, but he was attracted to the freedom he saw in physical form. Despite his body being tight and full of tension, he decided to try it. He remembers the sweat just pouring off of him in those early practices, but he had finally found the freedom in his body and mind that he had been seeking.
After about 10 years pass, Tommy was still practicing yoga, but was in a lot of trouble emotionally. He felt still stuck in the frequency of addiction, acting it out in other ways such as gambling and smoking. His body started to break down again, and he started to experience low back pain to the point that he was nearly crippled for a year. His doctors told him it was a condition he would deal with for the rest of his life with either drugs or surgery.
Fortunately, at this time Tommy was introduced to Guru Prem, a master of Kundalini yoga. Guru Prem explained that very few people really know how to breathe. We get stuck breathing shallow and have no real connection to our breath. After 90 days of practicing Kundalini yoga and its breathing methods, along with eating a cleaner diet, Tommy’s back pain went away and has stayed away without drugs or surgery, but rather through holistic healing.
So, needless to say, Tommy is a huge advocate of yoga and meditation as an important tool in the process of overcoming addiction and leading a fuller and happier life.
Tommy told me that when he went to pick up his pin to commemorate his twentieth year of sobriety, he was told, “Congratulations, you are 1 in 1000 [of people who make it to 20 years of sobriety].” This comment really resonated with him, and I’m sure it’s a big reason why he is so committed to helping others stay sober.
He went from a state of not being able to imagine a day without drugs and alcohol to a state where he couldn’t imagine a day WITH drugs or alcohol, and that massive shift was a huge blessing for him.
The book looks at addiction and the best practices for overcoming it. It’s about changing the perception of Alcoholics Anonymous because a lot of people think it is about sitting in a basement, smoking and eating donuts. Tommy provides real tips on how to get the best of the 12-Step teachings and community, daily practices in breathing, meditation, and yoga, and healthy diet recommendations designed to boost immunity, increase vitality, support recovery, and prevent relapse. All of this is done in an inspirational way so that those in recovery can thrive and live a life second to none.
I know a lot of people think and dream about about writing a book, a smaller percentage actually get off their butts and write one, and just a few lucky ones get the thrill of seeing the finished product in print. It has got to be the most incredible feeling to flip through the pages of your very own book. That is why I love this picture of Tommy holding Recovery 2.0 for the very first time. The smile on his face tells it all. This is a man full of joy, living the fullest life possible!
Tommy told me that it took about 14 months after receiving the book deal to finalize it, but in essence the book took 47 years to write because he had to do the work spiritually to get where he is today. He struggled quite a bit writing the book because it covers such an important topic, one he didn’t want to mess up. Tommy, you should be proud of what you have created!
I have two copies of Recovery 2.0 that I would love to get in the hands of someone in need. Please leave a comment below, and I will select two people to receive the book at 11:11 AM on October 1, 2014. This giveaway is limited to residents of the United States.
If you would like to order the book or learn more about the work Tommy is doing, here are a few links:
Preorder Recover 2.0 – it will be available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble after October 21.
Visit TommyRosen.com
Check out Tommy’s Recovery 2.0 Online Conferences that have gone global in over 100 countries. If you missed them, they are available to stream online. The next one is planned for January 2015.
Tommy will be hitting the road to promote the release of Recovery 2.0 in these towns:
Sunday, October 19 | Workshop & Book Signing | 1:00 – 5:00 PM
YOGA SOURCE | Davie, FL (3510 University Dr.)
Link: http://tickets.brightstarevents.com/event/TommyRosen
Wednesday, October 22|Workshop 4:00 – 6:00 PM | Book Signing 6:30
KUNDALINI YOGA BOSTON | Cambridge, MA (14 Arrow St.)
Thursday, October 23| Reading & Book Signing 7:00 – 10:00 PM
BARNES & NOBLE | Santa Monica, CA (3rd Street Promenade)
Saturday, November 1| Book Signing 4:00 PM
BOOK PASSAGE | Corte Madera, CA (51 Tamal Vista Blvd.)
Sunday, November 2 | Workshop & Book Signing 1:15 – 4:15 PM
YOGA TREE CASTRO | San Francisco, CA (97 Collingswood at 18th)
Contact: Nick Utley 415.800.8582 nick@yogatreesf.com
https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ASP/home.asp?studioid=-45
Wednesday, November 5 | Reading & Book Signing with Mackenzie Phillips
PASADENA RECOVERY CENTER | Pasadena, CA (1811 N Raymond Ave.)
Friday, November 7 | Reading & Book Signing
NEW METHOD WELLNESS | Orange County, CA (31473 Rancho Viejo Rd.)
Fingers crossed that Tommy will come to the birthplace of AA as part of his book tour and visit us in Akron, Ohio!
Click to find out more about upcoming Daily Downward Dog yoga retreats! Come join us!
Aug 27, 2014 |
Woo Hoo…we are going to yoga and standup paddle board our ways right into September this Labor Day weekend!
Please plan to join me this coming Saturday, August 30, at Firefly Beach in Huron for beach yoga and meditation at 8:30 AM followed by back-to-back standup paddle board sessions.
After all this paddle boarding fun you may think that I’ll start to get sad that the summer and beach yoga season is coming to an end, but that is not the case because I’m already dancing on my yoga mat and singing along with Earth, Wind, and Fire as I dream about “September.”
[youtube]http://youtu.be/Gs069dndIYk[/youtube]
Ba de ya – say do you remember
Ba de ya – dancing in September
Ba de ya – never was a cloudy day
Oh yeah, this is definitely my yoga theme song as we roll into Labor Day and September. I’ve got so much to look forward to and I’m going to keep on believing that September will never bring a cloudy day.
The regular beach yoga class schedule runs through Labor Day, and I’m excited to announce that there will be a modified schedule through September! If you bought a class pass and have classes left you can use them in September and I plan to be around Vermilion for Saturday classes throughout the Fall and Winter months too.
Here is the run down of September:
Join me for LABOR DAY Beach Yoga at Main Street Beach in Vermilion (behind the former Inland Seas Museum) at 8:30 AM!
Double the fun Sunset Beach Yoga/Full Moon Beach Yoga Bliss on Tuesday, September 9! There will be a sunset beach yoga class at Linwood Beach from 7:00 – 8:00 PM and then at 8:15 PM we will roll right into a special FULL MOON Beach yoga class! Each class is $10, but if you come for the Sunset Class you can stay for the Full Moon class at no extra charge! Together we’ll enjoy the beauty of the sun setting over Lake Erie, tap into the energy of the full moon, set some full moon intentions, meditate, and do some yoga mat dancing in the moonlight!
Click to find out more about upcoming Daily Downward Dog yoga retreats! Come join us!
The Kelleys Island Beach Yoga & Wellness Retreat is coming up September 11-14! Join us for the day or the whole weekend of yoga and wellness activities. Click here for more info.
AND…here is a modified beach yoga schedule for SEPTEMBER!!
Tuesday nights at Linwood Beach at 7:00 PM (the class on September 2 will start at 7:30 PM and the remainder of the Tuesdays will start at 7:00 PM): September 2 (7:30), September 9, 16, and 23.
Wednesday mornings at Main Street Beach in Vermilion at 8:30 AM: September 3, 10, 17, 24
Wednesday night Sunset Beach Yoga at Firefly Beach in Huron: 7:00 PM on September 3, 10, 17, and 24
Saturdays at Firefly Beach in Huron: 9:30 AM on September 20 and 27
I’ll be posting details about October Beach Yoga and Fall/Winter classes coming soon!
I hope to see you this week and as we dance and yoga into the beautiful month of September! Woo Hoo!
Aug 10, 2014 |
Who doesn’t want to escape to an island for a few days to get away from it all, soak up some sun, sip fruity drinks, and have a few adventures? Better yet, how cool would it be to attend a yoga retreat while visiting such an island?
If you live in northeast Ohio, you don’t have to travel to the Caribbean to find this simple pleasure; you can hop on a ferry boat in Sandusky and be on idyllic Kelleys Island in less than 20 minutes. So pack your bags, leave your cares and car behind, and hop on the ferry for the Kelleys Island Yoga and Wellness Retreat this coming September 11–14, 2014.
It may only be 22 miles from the mainland, but once you step foot on the island, surrounded by the beautiful blue water of Lake Erie, you will feel like you are on a faraway vacation.
The weekend kicks off on Thursday with a 2-day reflexology workshop led by Amanda Conn, and then on Friday the beach yoga and meditation classes begin. You can come up just for the day for some yoga and island adventure or come for the whole weekend. Here are just a few great reasons why you should consider trying the island life!
Hop on the ferry and enjoy the blueasana on the way over to Kelleys Island
Daytripper. You don’t have to come for the whole weekend. If you like you can head over for just the day or a few of the classes or activities. There is an early-bird discount if you purchase the package of all the yoga and meditation classes before August 15, but each yoga class and the other activities can be purchased separately.
Goddess Tracy Rhinehart. I’m thrilled that yogini goddess Tracy Rhinehart is going to be joining me again this summer. Tracy will be offering Thai Massage and Body Wisdom consultations on Friday and Saturday. Tracy was completely booked on last year’s retreat! So contact her soon to set up your appointment at 216-551-0707, or email trhinehart108 at gmail.com. Tracy is also going to co-teach one of the Saturday beach yoga classes with me!
Community. I got so busy last year after the retreat that I never got a chance to write about how much fun we had and the amazing group of goddesses who joined together for the weekend. There were lots of giggles around the campfire, more midnight giggles in the camping tents, gourmet fire-grilled sandwiches and banana boats, trips to the local wineries, shared breakfasts, and new friendships forged. Best of all there was plenty of time to just relax, enjoy the beach, unwind, and feed the soul.
Looking for a place to stay on the island? The Kelleys Island Venture Resort
is right next door to where the yoga retreat classes will be held.
This is the view from the beach deck in front of the Kelleys Island Venture Resort.
Yoga With a View! Last year Mother Nature provided brilliant variety as we practiced yoga and meditated as the sun rose and set, while it rained, and while the waves were crashing up on the beach making us feel like we were on the shores of the ocean rather than Lake Erie. This year on Kelleys Island, the yoga classes will also be held rain or shine. When the sun is shining we will practice on the lawn across the street from the Kelleys Island Brew Pub with an outstanding view overlooking Lake Erie. In case of rain, the yoga sessions will be held in the historic Town Hall on Kelleys Island.
This lovely angel overlooks the area where the yoga classes will be held!
Food! The Kelleys Island Brew Pub will have food and drink specials all weekend for the yogis who attend and are also hosting a special brunch on Sunday to benefit the Humane Society. 
Explore! When you are not on your yoga mat or dancing up a storm,there is so much to do on the island. You can take a bike ride around the island with gorgeous views of the lakes, explore the glacier grooves that were formed about 18,000 years ago, visit and try out the wines at the Kelleys Island Wine Company, shop for souvenirs, and sip the island’s signature drink, the Brandy Alexander.
Don’t delay – get your reservations made at one of the many fine bed and breakfasts, hotels, or the state campground. Remember to book ahead if you want a session with Tracy. And then kick back and get ready for Kelleys Islandasana!
Hope to see you on Kelleys Island this September – and maybe next year on another island a little farther away in Santorini, Greece!
Click to find out more about upcoming Daily Downward Dog yoga retreats! Come join us!
Jul 30, 2014 |
I have to say that this summer of beach yoga has been filled with some pretty magical and funny moments so far, and I’ve got some pretty great stories to tell and weave into my yoga class themes. So far a few surprises include finding this beautiful heart of flowers right in the middle of my beach yoga studio one morning, getting mooned by a Firefly Beach camper, and practicing yoga with gale force-like wind and waves at Linwood Beach during my first full moon beach yoga class. I’ll take whatever Mother Nature brings and even though the storms and cooler temps have been plentiful, the peaceful sound of the rain, birds chirping, and view from the Firefly Beach pavilion has been quite blissful for the dedicated yogis who always show up on their mats.
Here are a few more magical moments I’d like to share.
The Shore Thing
I woke up one morning in a bit of a rush to get dressed and off to teach beach yoga. As I opened my closet, a t-shirt I had not worn all summer just kind of jumped out at me, and I put it on. It’s emblazoned with Shore Thing, the name of a business located on Main Street Beach in Vermilion that rents beach chairs, sells snacks, and provides awesome tourist information to visitors. I hadn’t seen Jennie McClendon, one of the owners of this business all summer, but I wanted to wear the shirt that morning so I could give Shore Thing a shout-out during my class that morning. 
I walked up to greet the class – and who is there to meet me but Jennie! Believe me when I tell you that this meeting was not an accident. We are all connected and send out our energy with our thoughts and actions, and Jennie and I had one awesome karmic connection going on that morning.
I loved getting this reminder to send good thoughts out into the universe because what you put out there is what you attract. Those negative thoughts will surely reach the recipient – so make sure you are sending out good energy!
Jennie also brought her incredible crystal singing bowl, and we had some pretty yogalicious Oms in class that morning as a result. Thank you, Jennie, for carrying that heavy bowl to the beach and for being an awesome brand ambassador for the City of Vermilion.
Be Here Now
It always bums me out when people start saying summer is over right after the 4th of July, and guess who turned into one of those people last week? When I started fretting about the fact that half of my summer beach yoga schedule was nearly over, I quickly gave myself a quick kick in the assana and remembered to find peace and joy in this moment and stop worrying about the future. I plopped down on my meditation cushion and started meditating with the mantra “Be Here Now,” and it turned out to be really powerful. Try it out next time you meditate. Breathe in and say, “Be here,” and on the exhale say, “Now.” As you say the word “now,” let the peaceful feeling that comes when you savor the present moment soak into your heart. I hope it has the same effect on you as it did for me and brings you a feeling of complete joy.
I’m not trying to glorify being busy, but I will say that the summer is one of my busiest times of the year. The “Be Here Now” mantra has become one of my best coping mechanisms and reminds me to take it one day at a time, to practice being present, and to savor each and every moment of summer.
Ommmmm
I’ve had some pretty special experiences when chanting om, but there is something about an outdoors om that can’t be beat. This summer I’ve gotten to enjoy oms that rolled along with the sound of the wind, surfed along the top of the waves, and even a few that harmonized with the sound of the trains that are constantly rolling through Vermilion.
Last week on a cloudy day right as I closed out the Main Street beach yoga class with a shared om, as if on cue, the sun started to peek out and shined its light on us, and birds started to chirp along. I was filled with an overwhelming sense of peace in my heart. One word: omalicious!
Super Full Moon
What’s better than beach yoga? Doing yoga on the beach while the sun is setting and the moon is rising with a huge group of fellow yogis! The super full moon on July 12 was a very special night on Main Street Beach in Vermilion, and I want to send out a huge hug to all the yogis who showed up. I’ll do it again on August 10 and September 9 – so come on out and do a little yoga mat dancing in the moonlight with me this summer! The next two full moon yoga classes will be held at Linwood Beach.
SUPYoga
I love first times, and this summer I got to teach my very first stand-up paddleboard yoga class (SUP Yoga) to an awesome group of yogis. The weather was calling for rain, but it ended up being a perfect day with nice calm Lake Erie water. You better believe there were some victorious woo-hoos when we all got into downward dog on the boards and did our first sun salutations SUP style!
Big thanks to Jim Lawhead of Lake Erie Paddler for bringing the boards. We had so much fun that we will be doing it again soon and I will post the dates as soon as they are finalized.
If you have not made it up to Vermilion yet, plan a little road trip to head up for a beach yoga class take some time to explore this small city on a great lake with all its shops and restaurants. There’s still a lot more summer left, and I can’t wait to see what else this summer and the universe has to bring. The Kelleys Island Yoga and Wellness Retreat is scheduled for September 11-14, and I may even extend some of my beach yoga classes beyond that into September and October.
Woo Hoo – I feel so blessed to get to do what I do! Thank you universe!
Click to find out more about upcoming Daily Downward Dog yoga retreats! Come join us!
