Awakening Ganesha

January 1, 2006                       Monthly  Newsletter                                             Volume 14          

Namaste, 

****New Year's Day ***          Classes Free all Day

You're invited to join all of us here at 7 Centers for our New Year's Day open house. Take a break from football and try a new class or teacher. From 12:00 - 2:30pm, we will also have a bargain book sale, storytelling, intuitive readings, chair massage, ear coning, music for tots and other activities. Yoga classes are free, though we welcome donations to benefit The Children's Project, which has sponsored the free Mom and Baby Yoga class in the Sedona community for the past five years.

                 New Year's Day Schedule

5-7:30am            Chakra Sadhana  *Gary

9-10:00am          Beginning Hatha Yoga    Amber

10:30-12pm         Intro to Hatha Yoga       Ildiko

12-2pm                Storytelling, Chair Massage, Intuitive Readings, Used Book Sale...

2:00-3:00pm         Mom and Baby Yoga  Kathleen

3:30-4:30pm         Kundalini    Rebekah

5:00-6:00pm         Moon Salutations     Ruth

7-8:30pm               Kirtan w/ Sedona Wallahs  

* This will be the first of a continuous 7-day practice focusing on one chakra per day. This class is free - the remainder of the series is $75. Call to register for inital instructions.

Next Chakra Yoga Intensive -  In response to the positive feedback we received from the participants in our first Chakra intensive, we have scheduled the next 7-day experience for March 3-10, 2006.  The cost will be $800, with early registration (30 days prior) of $750.00. 

The Adventures of Lionheart   Yoga for Cats

My new year's resolution is to do a daily yoga practice.

What's Yours?

Here are some tips for aspiring Yogis and Yoginis:

Beginning your practice: It is important to establish a routine--for example, at 4am when you feel like a snack, or you are getting bored with sleeping. It is important to squeeze a little time for yourself in the midst of an all-consuming day of activity like catnapping. Find a special spot, preferably warm, where you can build up the energy and hypnotize yourself into doing a practice. Do not overeat before starting your practice or you might have indigestion.

Basic Warmups:

A) Remove tension from the toes by opening and closing them 10 times.

B) Move the prana in the tail by making a question mark, first in one direction and then in reverse.

C) Open and close the eyes, then wink--first left, then right, five times.

Asana: Lion's pose - Rest the sphincter on the ground, relax the tail, open the mouth and yawn. Advanced: Same as above but also cross the eyes.

Downward-Facing Cat - Lift the sphincter in the air while anchoring your paws and spreading your claws, creating a deep arch in your spine. Advanced: Stretch one leg back and spread the toes. Repeat on the other side. Rest by rolling onto your side and then onto your back for Corpse pose--legs splayed out to the side, tail relaxed and paws lightly curled. Begin gentle breathing, focusing on the larynx so that you sound like you are snoring. Relax completely and focus on your navel.  

Even a short daily practice will leave you feeling sleeker, stronger and longer from tail to crown!

Inspired by Yoga For Cats - Christienne Wadsworth

Ambaya's Corner....Practical Ayurveda

          Pumpkin Soup

Six medium pumpkins - cut in quarters. Bake 45 minutes, covered.  Cool.

1 tablespoon ghee

5 cups vegetable stock

2 tablespoons Bragg's Liquid Aminos

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

Scoop pulp from pumpkins. Place in pot in hot ghee and sauté for two minutes. Add rest of ingredients. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Mash pulp to blend with stock. Serve warm or chilled.

Check out my new recipe book: Ambaya's Ayurvedic Recipes: For your Health!

   Vedic Astrology News....

Saturn: The Planet of Truth

Saturn is a planet of truth, responsibility, stability, form, hard work, longevity, efficiency, organizational skills, and focus. On a spiritual level, Saturn is a planet of discipline, austerity, renunciation, meditation, and detachment, and therefore is strongly placed in the astrological charts of saints and sages. We are asked to be more authentic and real when Saturn touches our lives. 

Saturn also can indicate delays, limitations, and denials, but in reality these are only instances in which Saturn is teaching us about strength, endurance, maturity, and patience. There can be great spiritual and liberating potential in experiencing Saturn cycles or transits. 

Saturn rules the astrological signs of Capricorn and Aquarius. It is exalted in the sign of Libra, and debilitated in the sign of Aries. Ayurvedically, Saturn’s constitution is vata (air), and its quality is tamasic. Saturn is the slowest moving planet, and takes approximately 2 ½ years to travel through a sign.

Saturn rules the bones and teeth, the densest parts of the body. The gemstone for Saturn is the blue sapphire. The Vedic deity Shiva is representative of saturnine qualities. Karma Yoga, the path of action and service, is an appropriate way to propitiate the great planet Saturn, as Saturn also rules charity and helping those less fortunate. When one understands the positive energies of this planet, Saturn can instill wisdom through experience and give great introspective insight and spiritual discipline. 

Debra Infante, Vedic astrologer, can be reached at (928) 639-0623 for astrological consultations, either in person r by phone.

 7 Centers Yoga Arts

Upcoming Yoga Trainings and Special Workshops