Posts Tagged ‘meditation’

Mindful Yoga Workshop

Sankalpah Yoga Studio located at 254 Fifth Avenue in New York City is offering a wonderful workshop on mindful yoga this summer.  The event will combine yoga and meditation practices for any level student- great for beginners and advanced alike!

Mindful Yoga with Heather

Saturday, June 26
2:00-4:30pm

In this workshop, we will weave together the practices of yoga asana and mindfulness meditation. We will do this by bringing gentle awareness to our mind as we move through a slower, thoughtful flow of postures.
By practicing in this way, each asana reveals a unique opportunity for profound insight and transformation. This approach educates the mind to stay present to all that opens within us during our practice and opens up the potential for rapid progress in our physical practice.
We will begin the workshop with a discussion of philosophy and instruction on mindfulness meditation techniques. We will then move into a guided seated meditation before applying our awareness to a 90 minute yoga flow.

Beginning/Intermediate students welcome. The workshop is best for those with basic yoga experience, no meditation experience needed.
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As a practitioner of Insight Meditation, Heather first came to yoga with a curiosity of the interconnectedness of the mind and body – after years of practice, yoga has become a meditation in itself. Heather is interested in the profound channels of healing that meditation and yoga tap into and the potential for complete wellness that the complimentary modalities offer through breath, movement and conscious transformation.

Meditation at Yoga Life

THE YOGA SUTRAS

4 Thursday Evenings
7:30 pm- 8:30 pm
May 6, 13, 20, and 27

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras is the seminal text on the art and science of yoga. In this meditation series we will use these treads of wisdom to guide our meditations.

In each meditation we will allow the wisdom of Patanjali’s life’s work to guide our intention of “Svadhyaya,” or self-study.

One Sutra at a time…

our journey toward self knowledge is already mapped out for us in this classic text on yoga. Let’s journey together to unite body, mind and spirit.

No experience necessary, all welcome.

Series of four meditations – $40
One class at a time – $18

Call to register (516) 767-YOGA

“I know of no other single thing so conducive to misery
as an uncultivated, untrained mind.
I know of no other single thing so conducive
to well-being as a cultivated and well-trained mind.”
The Buddha

 


Deirdre Breen-Bernstein
ISHTA Yoga Teacher, Interfaith Minister, Reiki Master Teacher

The Shadow Effect Series at Omega Institute

The Shadow Effect

Deepak Chopra, Debbie Ford, and Marianne Williamson—New York Times best-selling authors and internationally acclaimed teachers—have joined together to share their knowledge of one of the biggest obstacles to happiness: our shadow. Their new book, The Shadow Effect: Illuminating the Hidden Power of Your True Self, brings to light the parts of ourself we deny but that still direct our life. When we learn to embrace our shadow, we discover the gifts of our authentic nature.Join these three extraordinary teachers for an evening of conversation and inspiration about The Shadow Effect. The evening includes clips from The Shadow Effect movie and a book signing with all three authors.The event is general admission and begins at 8:00 p.m. in The Grand at the Manhattan Center in New York City (311 West 34th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). Books and DVDs will be available for purchase. Tickets are non-refundable.

“Online Stream – The Shadow Effect” on Thursday, May 13 at 8:00pm.Event: Online Stream – The Shadow Effect
What: Workshop
Start Time: Thursday, May 13 at 8:00pm
End Time: Thursday, May 13 at 11:00pm
Where: http://www.liiv.com?

Order the Book Today!

The Shadow Effect: Illuminating the Hidden Power of Your True Self is a practical and profound guide to discovering the gifts of your shadow. The shadow exists within all of us. It is a part of us and yet we spend most of our life running from it. But far from being scary, our dark side holds the promise of a better, more fulfilling life. Deepak Chopra, Debbie Ford, and Marianne Williamson help us release our past so we can achieve our dreams and find happiness.


Deepak Chopra, MD is author of more than 50 books translated into more than 35 languages, including numerous New York Times best-sellers. Time magazine heralds Chopra as one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century and credits him as “the poet-prophet of alternative medicine.” chopra.com

Debbie Ford is the author of six books, including the New York Times best-seller The Dark Side of the Light Chasers and Why Good People Do Bad Things. She is creator of the Shadow Process Workshop and founder of The Ford Institute for Integrative Coaching. debbieford.com

Marianne Williamson has helped millions reconnect to their spirituality and find inner peace. She is author of 10 books, including the #1 New York Times best-sellers, A Return to Love and Everyday Grace. She is founder of Project Angel Food and cofounder of The Peace Alliance. marianne.com


 

Yoga Styles Explained

There are many different styles of yoga being taught and practiced today. Although all of the styles are based on the same physical postures (called poses), each has a particular emphasis. Here is a quick guide to the most popular types of yoga that can help you decode the schedule at your gym and figure out which class is right for you.
HATHA

Hatha is a very general term that can encompass many of the physical types of yoga. If a class is described as Hatha style, it is probably going to be slow-paced and gentle and provide a good introduction to the basic yoga poses.

VINYASA

Like Hatha, Vinyasa is a general term that is used to describe many different types of classes. Vinyasa, which means breath-synchronized movement, tends to be a more vigorous style based on the performance of a series of poses called Sun Salutations, in which movement is matched to the breath. A Vinyasa class will typically start with a number of Sun Salutations to warm up the body for more intense stretching that’s done at the end of class.

ASHTANGA & POWER YOGA

Ashtanga, which means “eight limbs” in Sanskrit, is a fast-paced, intense style of yoga. A set series of poses is performed, always in the same order. Ashtanga practice is very physically demanding because of the constant movement from one pose to the next. In yoga terminology, this movement is called flow. Ashtanga is also the inspiration for what is often called Power Yoga. If a class is described as Power Yoga, it will be based on the flowing style of Ashtanga, but not necessarily keep strictly to the set Ashtanga series of poses.

IYENGAR

Based on the teachings of the yogi B.K.S Iyengar, this style of practice is most concerned with bodily alignment. In yoga, the word alignment is used to describe the precise way in which your body should be positioned in each pose in order to obtain the maximum benefits and avoid injury. Iyengar practice usually emphasizes holding poses over long periods versus moving quickly from one pose to the next (flow). Also, Iyengar practice encourages the use of props, such as yoga blankets, blocks and straps, in order to bring the body into alignment.

KUNDALINI

The emphasis in Kundalini is on the breath in conjunction with physical movement, with the purpose of freeing energy in the lower body and allowing it to move upwards. All asana practices make use of controlling the breath. But in Kundalini, the exploration of the effects of the breath (also called prana, meaning energy) on the postures is essential.

BIKRAM/HOT YOGA

Pioneered by Bikram Choudhury, this style is more generally referred to as Hot Yoga. It is practiced in a 95 to 100 degree room, which allows for a loosening of tight muscles and profuse sweating, which is thought to be cleansing. The Bikram method is a set series of 26 poses, but not all hot classes make use of this series.

ANUSARA

Founded in 1997 by John Friend, Anusara combines a strong emphasis on physical alignment with a positive philosophy derived from Tantra. The philosophy’s premise is belief in the intrinsic goodness of all beings. Anusara classes are usually light-hearted and accessible to students of differing abilities. Poses are taught in a way that opens the heart, both physically and mentally, and props are often used.

JIVAMUKTI

This style of yoga emerged from one of New York’s best-known yoga studios. Jivamukti founders David Life and Sharon Gannon take inspiration from Ashtanga yoga and emphasize chanting, meditation, and spiritual teachings. They have trained many teachers who have brought this style of yoga to studios and gyms, predominantly in the U.S. These classes are physically intense and often include some chanting.

FORREST

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, and gaining popularity around the U.S., Forrest Yoga is the method taught by Ana Forrest. The performance of vigorous asana sequences is intended to strengthen and purify the body and release pent-up emotions and pain so that healing can begin. Expect an intense workout with an emphasis on abdominal strengthening and deep breathing.

KRIPALU

The name Kripalu is associated both with a style of hatha yoga and a yoga and wellness center in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Both were founded by yoga guru Amrit Desai, who came to the United States from India in 1960. Kripalu is a yoga practice with a compassionate approach and emphasis on meditation, physical healing and spiritual transformation that overflows into daily life. Kripalu also focuses on looking inward and moving at your own pace.

INTEGRAL

Integral yoga follows the teachings of Sri Swami Sachidananda, who came to the U.S. in the 1960s and eventually founded many Integral Yoga Institutes and the famed Yogaville Ashram in Virginia. Integral is a gentle hatha practice, and classes often also include breathing exercises, chanting, kriyas, and meditation.

SIVANANDA

The first Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center was founded in 1959 by Swami Vishnu-devananda, a disciple of Swami Sivananda. There are now close to 80 locations worldwide, including several ashram retreats. Sivananda yoga is based upon five principles:

1. Proper exercise (Asana, focusing on 12 poses in particular)

2. Proper breathing (Pranayama)

3. Proper relaxation (Savasana)

4. Proper diet (Vegetarian)

5. Positive thinking (Vedanta) and meditation (Dhyana)

Sanivan Spiritual Retreat Center

Sanivan Juice Fast

When: Fri, April 16, 3pm – Fri, April 30, 4pm

Where: Sanivan Holistic Retreat & Spa

Description: Spring Cleansing: Juice Fast and Detox for the Body, Mind and Spirit Everybody can benefit from fasting. Even those who live a relatively healthy life style. Old and often bad nutritional habits, environmental pollutants, and the everyday stress and strains of our life situations can cause us to suffer from toxic deposits throughout the body. With the elimination of these toxins, remarkable and sometimes incredible changes can and have occurred. At Sanivan, we offer supervised juice fasting detox programs with complementary therapies to renew and rejuvenate the whole body. We use special herbs to loosen the old toxic deposits in the intestines and offer a safe and supportive environment where you will be guided to meditate and take long walks in nature, using the benefits of natural sunlight to assist the detox process. You will also be encouraged to swim in our salt water pool, use our hot/dry sauna, experience massage therapy, shiatsu, aromatherapy, energy healing, sound therapy and more! For some, buried emotions can often rise up to the surface to be released during a juice fast. Pet therapy, breath work, exercise and movement are just some of the many tools we use to aid our clients through this phase. Our next cleanse retreat will be held April 16 to April 30.

Clothing Swap

When: Sat, April 17, 3pm – 5pm

Where: Sanivan Holistic Retreat & Spa (map)

Description: Reuse, Reduce & Recycle… your closet! Just in time for spring cleaning, join us for a clothing swap. Bring a bag of your gently worn clothing you’d like to trade for someone else’s. It will be a great opportunity to meet like minded friends and inject some inspiration into your wardrobe. And if you’d like, we can donate any untraded clothes to free up the space in your closet. We will have light refreshments, but feel free to bring any snacks or drinks you’d like to share. Please RSVP by emailing marketing@sanivan.com

US Kadampa Festival

 


Empowerment of Avalokiteshvara and Teachings from Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully

with Gen-la Kelsang Khyenrab
April 23 – 28th

Online registration and more information

At: Kadampa Meditation Center, Glen Spey, New York
This joyful event is the largest annual gathering of Kadampa Buddhists in North America. It provides us with an opportunity to relax and enjoy a very meaningful spiritual vacation – receiving Buddha’s personal advice to improve our lives, meditating on transformative teachings, and spending time with like-minded friends in the tranquil environment of the US Kadampa World Peace Temple. This year, please join us to receive the blessing empowerment of Arya Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion. The empowerment ceremony and the teachings that follow will be accompanied by guided meditations and two days of retreat to deepen our understanding and experience of what we have learned.

Everyone, whether new to Buddhism or an experienced practitioner, will benefit from attending the Festival. Beginners will learn practical methods to solve life’s problems, while long-time students will be further inspired on their spiritual path.

Kadampa Peace of Mind Retreat

Upcoming 2010 Peace of Mind Retreats
March 26–28
May 14–16
July 16–18
August 27–29
October 15–17
November 19–21

Whether we are seeking relaxation, improvement in our health, or a calmer and more stable mind, Kadampa Meditation Center introductory retreats provide us with an opportunity to take a break from the hectic pace of life.

On retreat, we set aside our usual routines and busy activities, and settle into the nurturing environment of the Kadampa World Peace Temple.

Discovering the power of simple meditation practices, we can more easily face and solve our daily problems and then help others to do the same. Over time, we will be able to hold peaceful minds in any circumstance – free from worries and mental discomfort, we’ll experience true happiness!

Each Peace of Mind Retreat consists of guided meditations, teachings and discussion. The program includes time for walks in the surrounding woods, enjoying tea in the World Peace Cafe, or just being still and introspective.

The retreat begins with an introductory talk at 8:00pm on Friday. On Saturday, a guided meditation starts at 8:30am, talks and meditations are lead throughout the day. The weekend ends with Prayers for World Peace on Sunday.

Full course $60 including vegetarian meals, plus accommodation.

Daily rates – Friday $10, Saturday $40, Sunday $20, plus accommodation ($20 – $75 per night)

Register Online for the March Retreat
Print and Fax/Email Registration Option
Or phone 845-856-9000

Naam Yoga & Universal Kabbalah

April 30th-May2nd at Omega Institute    Click Here to Register

As society moves toward higher consciousness, women must learn how to access the authentic healing power that is their inherent gift to the world. The teachings of Naam Yoga and Universal Kabbalah provide women with the necessary tools to successfully transition to a higher consciousness in self-care, family, and business.

During this weekend retreat, Universal Kabbalist and Naam Yoga therapist Kelley Black leads us in daily morning Naam Yoga classes, energetic mapping through the application of the seven creative planets and the moon cycles, customized meditation, and group discussion to help us access our healing power. We learn how to:

  • Recognize the energetic forces at work in our professional and personal lives
  • Take the guesswork out of love relationships
  • Apply stress reduction techniques that work in three minutes or less
  • Heal and open our heart to love and abundance
  • Acquire new levels of vitality, creativity, and intelligence

Women of all ages and physical conditioning are welcome to attend this self-healing retreat.

Kelley Black, a student of yogi and master Kabbalist Joseph Michael Levry, is certified in Naam Yoga Therapy, Harmonyum Healing, Kundalini Yoga, and classical Pilates. She is founder of Balancing the Executive Life™ and contributor to Women on Fire: 20 Inspiring Women Share Their Life Secrets. A popular keynote speaker, Black regularly facilitates workshops on Universal Kabbalah. balancingexec.com

 

Health Benefits

Do you know that after age 30 your brain metabolism begins to decline? Bit by bit you lose the optimal balance of neuroplasticity effecting your memory, coordination, attention span, information processing, problem solving and social decision making skills. Moreover, the accumulation of sustained stress in day-to-day life causes you to live from the sympathetic nervous system, triggering imbalances in the ANS and creating the opportunity for disease.universal force healing center

NAAM provides you with the key to cleansing the spiritual body and balancing the ANS.  Through the application of mantra (sacred sound), mudras or hand seals and specific breathing exercises you are able to break the stress cycle that imbalances the ANS.  You address your negative behavioral habits and toxic emotions that trigger imbalances in the ANS at the causality level.   

Because you work on your bio-energetic and neurochemical networks through sound –vibration (NAAM) you are able to relieve chronic and emotional pain, manage stress/burnout, reduce anxiety/ depression and restore neuroimmunoendocrine balance. You can attain benefits in as little as three minutes per day.

Education Benefits

The pressure on your students to succeed in all areas of life continues to grow. Social pressures, academic demands and packed calendars all contribute to generalized stress.

Provide your students with a NAAM Yoga class, meditation lessons and/or NAAM based coaching.  Help them be less self-conscious in all areas of their lives.  In as little as three minutes a day, your students can experience a loss of their sense of self and improve their ability to perform a variety of tasks with greater pleasure. (2).  In sports it’s called being “in the zone” and in psychology this state of optimal experience is called “flow. (3)”

Chakrasambara Meditation & More



Healing the Heart through Love
heart with band aid

with Kadam Morten

7:00 – 9:00pm $15 per class/ free for cardholders

New York New Church
114 East 35th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues

Through practicing love, as taught by Buddha, we go on a journey. The mind of authentic love naturally moves us away from our painful and excessive self-involvement towards an open and wonderful connection with others and with our world. In this series we will undertake that journey through the special sequence of meditations known as exchanging self with others. Training in these meditations on love will help us to let go of our own inner dissatisfactions and will heal our relationships, both with ourselves and others. Gradually we will discover within our own hearts a limitless capacity to love. We will recognize that we can experience the joyful and harmonious mind of love all the time in all our relationships. Consequently our own hearts are healed and our life becomes one of great benefit to others and to our world.

Everyone welcome.

Mar 22         Freedom through Opening our Heart
Mar 29         Healing the Heart through Love
April 5          Learning to Live in Love
April 12        Love, Compassion and a Meaningful Life

 

 

US Kadampa Festival


Empowerment of Avalokiteshvara and Teachings from Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully

with Gen-la Kelsang Khyenrab
April 23 – 28th

Online registration and more information

At: the Kadampa Meditation Center in Glen Spey, New York
This joyful event is the largest annual gathering of Kadampa Buddhists in North America. It provides us with an opportunity to relax and enjoy a very meaningful spiritual vacation – receiving Buddha’s personal advice to improve our lives, meditating on transformative teachings, and spending time with like-minded friends in the tranquil environment of the US Kadampa World Peace Temple. This year, please join us to receive the blessing empowerment of Arya Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion. The empowerment ceremony and the teachings that follow will be accompanied by guided meditations and two days of retreat to deepen our understanding and experience of what we have learned.

Everyone, whether new to Buddhism or an experienced practitioner, will benefit from attending the Festival. Beginners will learn practical methods to solve life’s problems, while long-time students will be further inspired on their spiritual path.

 

 

Jivamukti Yoga Workshops

VINYASA KRAMA – THE CONSCIOUS LANGUAGE OF SEQUENCING YOGA POSTURES
Saturday March 20th from 6-8pm

A Sequencing Workshop for Yoga Teachers with Cassandra Rigney
“The word vinyasa means ‘a joining or linking mechanism.’  Krama means ‘the process’; it refers to the succession of changes that occurs from moment to moment.  Vinyasa krama means the succession of changes undertaken with a single pointed intention, free from fluctuation.” – Jivamukti Yoga, Chapter 8

Cassandra is an Advanced Certified Jivamukti Yoga Teacher known for her challenging sequences and fluid transitions.  In this workshop you will learn the meaning of rhythm and movement by understanding the language of sequencing and how to consciously choose asana combinations that will encourage the body to unfold to its full potential while at the same time honoring the safety of the student.
There is no randomness in the original Jivamukti sequences designed as a blueprint by Jivamukti founders Sharon Gannon and David Life, nor are they choreographed. Each one is designed to flow perfectly into the other, taking the body from one state to the other and back again, and maximizing the release of energy within the body. We will serve our students best if we learn  to maximize their experience of asana.

There are many things to consider when sequencing asana; are you building a class or just putting in random poses?  Are your inhales and exhales coordinated with the proper movement?  Are you sacrificing proper alignment in order to sequence?  Do you incorporate seamless transitions into your sequences? These topics and many others will be covered in the workshop, which will revolve around a class as an example of Vinyasa Krama.

All yoga teachers  are welcome as well as those interested in learning about sequencing.

$45 in advanced
$50  day of

RELAX, RENEW AND RESTORE-A HOLISTIC RESPONSE TO STRESS
with Jivamukti Yoga teacher Jeff Brown
Sunday March 21st from 6 to 8:30 pm

The pace and rhythm of our culture, coupled with life’s challenges, can produce a cascade of stress hormones in the brain that have many effects on the body. Some of these effects can have a negative impact on the immune system leading to an increased risk of disease and emotional imbalance.  Come join Jeff Brown to learn how through mindfulness we can shift from a stress reaction to a relaxation response followed by an immersion that will help reset the body’s natural rhythm and neurological patterns.  Using yoga asana, active and restorative, pranayama, mindfulness meditation and aromatherapy, Jeff will help you drop into a state of deep relaxation and awareness of the present moment so essential for the body-mind to restore its natural rhythm, balance and joy.
The tuition is $40 in advance  - $45 day of.
call the front desk for Registration at 212-353-0214 ext. 0
or by going to our online registrartion:
https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ws.asp?studio=jivamuktiyogacenter&stype=1

Eckhart Tolle TV: Creating a New Earth Together
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