Change is in the air, Friends.  I have been invited to initiate and direct a Yoga program at the Harmony Martial Arts Center in Jupiter, Florida.  After careful thought and meditation I have accepted the opportunity and am looking forward to building a growing, vibrant Yoga program in Harmony’s beautiful facility.  I am inspired by what this opportunity brings to me personally and the positive changes that I feel will come from it for all my long-time and much cherished students. 

The disciplines of yoga and martial arts are a natural compliment to each other.  The tenets of TaeKwonDo are:  courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit.  They are kindred practices and for that reason I feel very positive about introducing Yoga as another facet of this school.  The space is beautiful, light and has great energy.   I have personally been involved with Harmony since 1997 when my son, Adrian began his journey in achieving his black belt.  Harmony Martial Arts is a highly respected institution in the Jupiter community and is consistently run with integrity and enthusiasm. 

Yoga in Harmony will begin Monday, May 4^th .   The class schedule will be Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings from 9:15 to 10:30.   It is located a 1/2 mile south of Indiantown Road off Maplewood Drive at 1928 Commerce Lane (just south of the bowling alley). 

To have a glimpse at our new home for our yoga class, visit Harmony’s website at:

www.yogainharmony.com/yoga.html

I look forward to continuing our journey together.

Namaste.

Laura

 

There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.

-Anais Nin

Thank You From Scott Feinberg of Karma Krew

Karma Kastles 2008  -  Tequesta Rec Yoga Sculpture

Dear Friends,

 

I'm not sure about you but I'm still lingering in the residue of the amazing experiences of last week (Karma Kastles). It is a testament to the power of community that we could pull off both events with such ease, delight, and success. It awes me that in the midst of so much economic uncertainty that in truth, it is our internal circumstance that dictates our external circumstance and not the other way around. Because of your help, Karma Krew was able to raise $53,000! What a shining example of how what lies inside of each of us is paramount to what lies outside of us and that when those intentions are aligned together and mobilized there is nothing we can't do.

 

These funds will serve to sustain our shelter program and ensure that even more children who have been abused will now have the opportunity to experience the healing benefits of Yoga. It will also ensure a healthy and vibrant Community Karma Krew program with new krews popping up all over the country. Thank you so much for your support.

 

It was nothing other than a deep deep joy to be able to manifest this vision with each of you. We each did our part and it equalled something so much greater than we ever could have expected. I offer you my deepest gratitude for your generous contributions of sweat, heart, committment, vision, patience, moral support, and for simply the honor of doing this sacred work together.

 

With Much Love,

 

Scott

Bryan Kest Back In Tequesta November 2008

A heartfelt 'thank you' goes out to Bryan Kest and all who participated in our 4th annual Master Class this November in Tequesta.   Bryan led another amazing class filled with his unique style of sharing yoga in a present-day approach.  He gave us plenty to think about as he imparted solid teachings on the relevance of yoga in our daily lives through the first third of the class.  Then, he kept us smiling (and sometimes laughing) through a challenging asana practice for the balance of the workshop.  I believe we all left the session a little wiser, a little happier and a lot sweatier.  Needless to say, we're looking forward to his return next year.

A Path to Enlightenment

Yoga teaches us to go within for fulfillment and to recall, to mind and heart, the union of our individual consciousness with the Universal Consciousness. The path to enlightenment will take many different routes for each of us though there are aspects that will be realized by every soul as we progress. Doubtless conviction that there is one source of creation and belief in reincarnation are paramount in this quest.  Though various religions and spiritual teachings will call the source of creation by many different names, the message at the heart of most religions is consistent.  It is to love one another and to love thyself.

We are all gradually approaching our inevitable enlightenment. A belief in reincarnation is essential as it may take thousands and thousands of lifetimes of progressive assent toward that goal.  There are many qualities that we will develop to the fullest as we drawn in the direction of enlightenment.  Some are love, patience, compassion, forgiveness and kindness.  Each lifetime presents self-chosen opportunities to cultivate these qualities to their perfected states.  Life experiences show us what we chose to work on in the present incarnation.  We must accept our life experiences as our teachers empowering us and never feel a victim of life’s lessons.

Meditation is a very helpful way of focusing the being and not wasting time and energy in distraction.  And service, in any form is an equally instrumental way of unfolding spirituality.  Intention, effort and the power of persistence are of prime importance.  “The mind which thinks of the all-pervading divinity which it worships, is ultimately, through long-continued devotion, transformed into the likeness of that divinity.”  We are our thoughts.  We become what we dwell on.

Careful reading of spiritual texts, studying under the tutorage of wise teachers, quiet reflection, and practical application of the sensed truth and the intuited ideas, will gradually bring enlightenment.  A steady, regular, persistent endeavor will carry us along that voyage.

Sri K. Pattabhi Jois

On Monday, May 26th I had the privilege to be a part of the Grand Opening of the Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Institute in Islamorada, Florida.  Guruji has been teaching the same method of yoga, ashtanga, that he learned from his Guru, Krishnamacharya in 1927.  It was an indescribable honor to be in the presence of someone who has walked the path of yoga for the past 80 some year of his life.  I'm grateful to Guruji and all the others who have kept this course open for those of us who wish to tread it.  And I am equally honored to be in the company of those of you who are taking this passage with me.

Namaste.

Two Wolves

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.  He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all."

"One is Evil.  It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego."

The other is Good.  It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which one wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

You Are Your Own Guru

Have faith in your inner guidance system.  No one can teach us what we already know.  We are born with the seed of spiritual wisdom planted within each of us.  Our divinity is woven into the fabric of our souls.  Yet at times we need a pathfinder to shed light on what lies in the darkness of our temporarily un-awakened selves.  But know without a doubt that we are wise, loving and peaceful by design and let that actuality serve as our most firmly rooted truth as we progress in our spiritual learning.

Those, like me, who attempt to share spiritual wisdom are merely heralding philosophy we found that moved our hearts and felt true to our souls, and we want others to join in that rhapsody.  We’ve run our lessons through the filter of our experiences, upheld what rang true for us and abandoned what did not, just as everyone needs to do for themselves.

I am not implying that time spent with a spiritual teacher, religious leader or guru is wasted. True guides awaken us to and remind us of the truth, but do not take on the responsibility of our progress.  A real teacher illuminates the darkened pathway so that we may find our way along it. It is up to each of us to find for ourselves what is authentic and advance along the passageway.

We search outside of ourselves at times for guidance to set us on our course.  Different teachers may show many routes, but it is ultimately up to each of us to choose the right one.  Though we may look outward for direction, it is our inward gaze through meditation and heart and soul searching where we will find true wisdom.  Our hearts and intuition tell us what is true.

We know more than we may have thought and we will discover that fact when we listen to our “gut reactions”.  Spend time with the wise, ask questions and listen, but always check in with yourself to find if what is being shared with you is your truth.

Namaste.