dolor sit amet. Lotus Discovery Lotus Discovery is the monthly newsletter supporting the students of the Aromansse Yoga Studio Sep 01 2013 Contents In This Issue In This Issue Welcome to the September 2013 issue of Lotus Discovery. Page 2 A Cup of Prana In this newsletter, we will have the opportunity to explore a number of novel ideas that deal with anxiety, healing, and other interesting tidbits and Aromanssian details. Page 3 Sound Healing and Yoga Page 5 Musical Entreé We will also be introduced to the practice of Sound Healing and Yoga, as described by Jacquie. Page 6 Yoga Studio Tidbits Finally, we will get an update on what is new at Aromansse Yoga from the latest edition of Yoga Studio Tidbits. Page 1 We will start with an interesting real-life scenario from Michele that describes how she used breathing and focus to effectively manage an anxiety issue. Lotus Discovery Helping us to become more present in our lives and letting go of the things that weigh us down.
When you're feeling overwhelmed with daily commitments, taking a pranayama break can provide huge benefits to your well being. A Cup of Prana A Short Story of Rejuvenation by Michele Happy I walked briskly into the lunch room, my thoughts swirling and buzzing through my mind. I have to call Scott to see when he's coming to pick up his order. I need to get a freight quote on that pallet. Pictures? Oh yeah, I need to download the pictures from my IPod to post on the website. I wonder if my son is safely on his way to the beach with his friends? Why didn't I take something out of the freezer for dinner tonight? Feeling dizzy and confused, I wondered, Why on earth did I come in here? At that moment, one word entered my mind. It was loud and clear. STOP! Now close your eyes and take a deep breath. I didn't have time for this. I tried to push my thoughts away and reluctantly closed my eyes. Just inhale and exhale, concentrate on your breath. The first few breaths were short and constricted, my chest felt tight. Slowly I relaxed, allowing the tension in my shoulders and upper back to melt away. With the next breath my ribs expanded up and out to the left and right, my chest rose up and I could feel the energy of my breathe filling me all the way to the top of my collar bones. As I exhaled, my chest and ribs fell slowly as I gently pressed by belly in toward the back of my spine. I continued to concentrate on my breathing and magically my thoughts slipped away. After a few minutes I set an intention that would resonate with me for the rest of my day. When you re feeling overwhelmed with daily commitments, taking a pranayama break can provide huge benefits to your well being. Allowing 5-10 minutes to awaken prana, your life force energy, can dramatically shift your mind in a manner of minutes. Adding an intention can increase the benefits to overcome obstacles, release negativity, and redirect energy toward a desired goal. The results will amaze you in a way that you never imagined possible, giving you the capability to access your inner power and live your life with less stress. Today is a good day. I am focused and able to accomplish all that needs to be done in an efficient and effective manner. So the next time you decide to go for a coffee break, perhaps enjoy a cup of prana instead. It just might do the trick. 2
SOUND HEALING AND YOGA By Jacqueline Cuthbert Recently I taught a yoga and sound healing course at Aromansse and while each participant had a different subjective experience, collectively we all experienced the movement of energy in and around our bodies in a very physical way. Sound healing can take many forms as can a yoga class, but I have found the integration of the two practices to be an interesting and often transforming experience. Using sound for the purpose of moving energy has been a part of many cultures since ancient times. Most people are familiar with the Tibetan practice of ringing metal bowls, aboriginal tribes using rattles and drumming, or Hindus chanting mantras, but there were many others. Australian aboriginals have been using their didgeridoos for over 40,000 years to heal illnesses. In ancient Jewish Kabbalist practice, a rabbi in a prayerful state of consciousness would sing wordless tunes called nigguns that he could hear. The nigguns were repetitive and moved his followers to join in, until the group energy built to a joyous frenzy. Information recorded around the time of 200 BC, by a Greek traveler, Demetrius, explained that In Egypt, priests sung hymns to the Gods using the seven vowels sounds in due succession and that the sound had such euphony, that men listened to it instead of the flute and the lyre. Around 500 BC Pythagoras was recorded to have used music as medicine prescribing tunes played on flutes and lyres. Finally modern culture began to scientifically experiment with sound waves and in 1938 a German named Erwin Schliephake proved that sound accelerated healing. All matter has a resonance, a frequency at which it vibrates. The innate frequency at which it most naturally vibrates is called the prime resonance. Every organ and organ system has a prime resonance and every cell emits sound as a result of its metabolic processes. The result is that our body is a walking orchestra of sound! When the natural prime resonance is disrupted, the application of sound can be useful in helping the tissue to re-harmonize. Currently, Dr. James Gimzewski of UCLA, California, has developed a new science called sonocytology, where he is able to listen to the songs of cells by using an atomic force microscope! The hope of sonocytology is that one day, we may be able to use the sound of cells to make diagnoses of illness and perhaps apply sounds to promote healing in a very precise manner. Most modern day sound healers provide sound to the listener, using their voice or an instrument with the intention that the body will absorbed the energy and make use of it in some helpful manner. The process usually involves deep relaxation followed by periods of intentionally receiving the energy. Sometimes guidance can be given to absorb the energy in a specific path and because energy follows thought, the energy will move to that area of the body. What exactly happens after that is unclear. However, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans show that pure sound, sound without words stimulates right brain activity. When right brain activity is dominant, people are more open to receive visions and messages in meditative states. 3
We also now know that when we physically move to unfamiliar pure sound, we begin to develop new neurological pathways. For this reason in Tom Kenyon s sound healing courses he always has sound healing dance breaks, in which he plays unusual or less familiar artists or tunes while the participants quietly dance around! Some sound healers move into meditative states and hear the sound that is to be offered to the group. I do this with my voice channelings, but a friend of mine is able to do this while playing the piano. Serge did this to know which bowls to ring when he was doing sound healings with his Tibetan bowls. Sometimes I like to combine the vocal sound healing practice with a physical yoga practice. I use a gentle sound healing to bring participants to a meditative state. While in this state it is easier for them to communicate with their body, and hear what intention they need to hold while completing a physical practice. The physical yoga practice then works to move energy very deeply in and out of the tissues, resulting in opening or clearing energetic pathways. Shavasana is a pose of the deepest relaxation and traditionally is a pose used to receive the energy of the yoga practice. This is also an excellent time to absorb sound vibrations. We may not know precisely all the health benefits from either a sound healing or a yoga practice but if you ask anyone who has used either or both practices they will inevitably tell you after the practice how different they feel! But as we like to say here at Aromansse, Don t believe anything you hear, have your own experience! Namaste! Jacqueline Cuthbert has just released her first sound healing CD called Awakening, Channeled Sound For Healing. This was a collaboration performed with pianist Deborah Judith as they both simultaneously channeled in Clear Light Sound recording studio in the summer of 2012. Awakenings is available for $20.00 plus shipping. For more information contact Jacqueline Cuthbert jacqueline@aromansse.com At the end of their yoga practice, during shavasana commonly known as the corpse pose, I use a longer more intense vocal sound healing. 4
MUSICAL ENTREÉ Artist: James Asher Album: Feet in the Soil Release Date: 1996 Musical Genre: World Music Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/james_asher YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uigtxviuaqy Available on itunes Do you search for new uplifting music for listening and meditation? Or perhaps to practice yoga or clean the house? Each month we will present a new artist, song, or album to explore. This month's musical entreé brings drumming to a whole new level, energizing and uplifting your spirit. I love to listen to this for an extra push during a strong yoga practice when I need to burn off excess energy or when I'm vacuuming to get the job done really quick. Whatever the moment, this album will hypnotize you with mesmerizing drums, didgeridoos, flutes and the lot, mixed with African chanting. Love the beat! Here are some excerpts from: http://www.jamesasher.co.uk Feet in the Soil is an uplifting celebration of danceable energies centred in the earth. Rhythms of an infectious, hypnotic and tribal quality provide the frameworks for the music, which draws much inspiration from Aboriginal and African lifestyles. James Asher has written and composed many beautiful pieces for Aura-Soma, inspired by his association with Vicky Wall in the early days of Aura- Soma. Although James is well known in the ambient 'New Age' music field, he is a drummer! His first instrument is the drum and this collection shows his rich feel and love for the diverse indigenous rhythms of this planet. So, get to it! Kick off your shoes, and get your Feet in the Soil. Pemulwuy, the title of the first and last tracks of the album, was an Aborigine whose bold and fearless action to defend his people's rights became a stirring symbol of their struggle to avoid violent dispossession. In the late 1780's, the Aboriginal 'Eora' society was elaborate and based on a highly complex kinship system, integral to which was the notion of reciprocity between people. Their society was non-materialistic, equalitarian and power was diffused. They regarded land as a religious phenomenon, and people and land were inseparably linked. Nothing in the history or experience of the Eora prepared them for the British Invasion of 1788. Throughout a series of incidents of wounding and capture, Pemulwuy displayed a noble spirit and great bravery. The name Pemulwuy means earth, and it was as protector of his earth that he became renowned. His story was an inspiration for the two tracks that form the bookends of the album Feet in the Soil and this single. 5
YOGA STUDIO TIDBITS Welcome back to the studio! I hope that you are recharged after absorbing the energy of summer and ready for September. We have new classes starting and a special offer for the month. Mysore is back in session every Saturday beginning September 7 th at 09:00 am. Come and experience the energy at Aromansse! NEW CLASSES FOR SEPTEMBER We are offering three new Yoga classes beginning in September Fee: $135.45 (including taxes) for 10 weeks Chapter 1 - Intro to Ashtanga Wed, Sep 4th 5:45-6:45 pm Aromansse s Chapter 1 - Intro to Ashtanga Yoga introduces students to the basic concepts and poses of the Ashtanga yoga series in a gentle, safe, and effective way. Basic philosophy, yama, a clear moral path, will be taught along side an introduction to the sun salutations, as well as standing and seated postures which teach physical discipline. Since breathing is the key to your yoga practice, extra time and attention will be devoted to pranayama (breathing techniques) and learning to integrate breathing into your pose to transform your practice. Mantras and the powerful sounds like OM, will be introduced to help increase your focus and allow you to experience a deeper connection to your life. From pranayama, postures, yamas, and mantras, these tools will help you to develop a practice and make life changes that will benefit you both on and off the mat. To fully explore the Aromansse energy, you will be given a log-in to the Aromansse Student Resource website where you will find specific class information to help expand your personal practice. Through newsletters and other resources, you will gain insight on current spiritual news while exploring ideas on living a life of intention. Personal support will also be given according to your needs and limitations. Previous students with no yoga or exercise experience have done well learning Ashtanga yoga, so no prerequisite is required. Chapter 2 - Ashtanga Continued Wed, Sep 4th 7:15-8:15 pm In this Chapter your yoga practice will continue with the Primary Series adding more focus to your alignments in your postures, your breathing, and flow between postures. As you align your breath to match your movement you will find the posture becomes more alive for you. The feeling that you are achieving the stretch that is necessary to keep exploring, you will begin to understand the true nature of the poses. You will also work on your selfconfidence in yoga by building your own practice. Again you will experience learning to love and feel compassion as you learn but still love what you can do and not be disappointed for what you can t. As you learn the niyamas or personal observances you will write what they mean to you. This will in later levels allow you to track not only your physical milestones but your mental progress as well. The only pre-requisite is Chapter 1 Ashtanga. Individual support will be given to meet your needs. Chapter 5 - Yoga of Sound - Mantra Thu, Sep 5th 5:30-6:30 pm You will be introduced to the energy of mantras mixed together with the yoga asanas. The power of word and sound come together in a balance of life creation. By listening to or chanting mantras, you can move from darkness to light, from negativity to positivity, from duality to divinity. Mantra is a healing love that flows from heaven and a divine shield that protects us, guides us and supports us. Come and enjoy a new experience of healing and enlightenment while continuing to build your yoga practice. Class sizes are limited so please contact Michele if you would like to register. michele@aromansse.com Special September Offer For the entire month of September, we are offering free classes when you purchase a yoga pass card. Purchase 5 class pass ($59.99) and receive 1 additional class FREE - $10/class Purchase 10 class pass ($109.99) and receive 2 additional classes FREE - $9.25/class Purchase 15 class pass ($149.99) and receive 3 additional classes FREE - $8.35/class But now in September the garden has cooled, and with it my possessiveness. The sun warms my back instead of beating on my head... The harvest has dwindled, and I have grown apart from the intense midsummer relationship that brought it on. - Robert Finch 6
Yamuna Body Rolling Workshop Stay tuned for a Yamuna Body Rolling workshop at Aromansse! You may be wondering what Body Rolling is, why would you do it and what benefits it gives to the body. Yamuna Body Rolling (YBR) is a completely original fitness and therapy practice that combines healing, wellness and injury prevention in a single, simple workout. With the use of therapy balls, YBR heals body problems at the same time that it helps you get in shape. YBR offers all these benefits: tones and elongates muscles improves alignment increases circulation develops and maintains core strength stimulates nerve roots increases metabolism relaxes the nervous system expands the lungs and deepens breathing increases body awareness YBR can be done on its own and is very effective in enhancing any other form of fitness or practice you may have. It can be integrated into an existing yoga or pilates practice or into a sport and will allow you to move deeper into the body, elongating muscle and creating space in the joints. Gail Provinciano-Lippens is a certified Yamuna Body Rolling Instructor, offering occasional workshops at Aromansse. You can visit her website at www.gita- Yoga.com or contact her at gailpro@mymts.net. Vinyasa Classes We have four weekly classes scheduled for the fall session: Two classes on Monday, one on Friday, and one on Sunday. Please check the on-line schedule regularly for class times and updates. http://aromansse.com/scheduleyoga.php?mid=3&s mid=3 Yoga Library If you're looking for reading material, you can help yourself to the books just outside the yoga room. Among the books you will find a blue binder that you can use to sign out any of the materials. Simply return them when you re finished for the next person to experience. Yoga Pass Card When you purchase a 5, 10 or 15 class pass you will be given an Aromansse Yoga Pass Card. Each time you attend a Vinyasa, Mysore or Primary Series class you will have your card marked to keep track of classes attended. Keep your card safe; a replacement will not be issued. Your name and an expiry date will be written on the card, if applicable. Your card is for your personal use: it is nontransferable and non-refundable. Long Weekend Holidays The yoga studio will be closed on both the Friday and Monday of long weekends. Plan for the following upcoming holidays: Closed Fri, Aug 30 to Mon, Sep 02 Closed Fri, Oct 11 to Mon, Oct 14 Closed Fri, Nov 08 to Mon, Nov 11 Share With Us This is your newsletter, so we'd like to hear from you. Share your experiences, thoughts and ideas and with your permission we will share them in an upcoming newsletter. Send your submissions to ted@aromansse.com Feedback, Questions, Sharing All of our yoga teachers can be contacted by email. So, if you have a question, would like to share an experience or send some feedback, just drop us a line. We'd love to hear from you! Rachel Dacquay rachel@aromansse.com Jacqueline Cuthbert jacqueline@aromansse.com Michele Happy michele@aromansse.com Stephanie Zubriski stephanie@aromansse.com Michelle (Shell) Carman shell@aromansse.com 7