We Can be Heroes...

Photo credit: San Deigo Shooter

This morning I saw something that made me smile: a truck was stalled at a stop light and several people worked together to get it across a very busy intersection and off to safety. A woman was steering and several men were pushing, while the pilot's car was following closely behind. Even as the truck made its way through, more people were running onto the scene to help push. Everyone was smiling!

As a kid, I experienced stalled cars quite a bit. I was the pilot in some situations, long before I could actually drive. I learned how to "pop the clutch" before I was 13 years old! I don't remember total strangers stepping out of their cars or off the streets to help us (maybe that's the perspective on my youthful memory), so when I see people banding together to help each other - strangers, even - it warms my heart.

We all want to be helpful. The people who worked together to move that truck this morning were smiling because they enjoyed being useful, even if it was something hard. And, sometimes it's not so very hard to help.

It certainly is easier to help when there are more of us working together to accomplish something, like pushing the car.

This Friday, I'm reaching out in the yoga community again to see if we can't push a car a little ways, metaphorically speaking.

One of my mentors, Tari Prinster, will be in town from NYC. She's bringing with her a film called "Yogawoman," which is a documentary about the changing face of yoga and the power that yoga gives us to change our world. Tari is a featured teacher in the film.


"Yoga was brought to the west from India by a lineage of male teachers. Now there’s a generation of women who are leading the way. They’re strong, they’re inspiring and they’re radically changing peoples lives. From the busy streets of Manhattan to the dusty slums of Kenya, YOGAWOMAN uncovers a global phenomenon that has changed the face of yoga forever. Through rich personal stories, the film reveals how yoga has utterly transformed the lives of thousands of over-stimulated, overscheduled, and multi tasking modern women. It illuminates how yoga has transformed the lives of women in prison, cancer survivors, and those struggling with body image, allowing them to give back to others with full hearts and creative minds."

We're asking for $10 donation, which will go towards the Kelly Considine scholarship, a program that has already funded yoga training for two yoga teachers and four cancer warriors in its first year! We hope to fund even more scholarships next year to help more survivors live longer, healthier and happier lives. If you are unable to join us but would like to make a donation, go to: theretreatproject.org.

YOGAWOMAN film screening

Friday, April 4 8:15pm

$10 suggested donation

Downtown Yoga Shala, 450 S. 1st Street, San Jose 

Note: give yourself lots of time to park, it will be San Jose's First Friday festival.

Indra's Net & Lorien's Kickstarter Campaign

Far away in the heavenly abode of the great god Indra, there is a wonderful net which has been hung by some cunning artificer in such a manner that it stretches out infinitely in all directions. In accordance with the extravagant tastes of deities, the artificer has hung a single glittering jewel in each "eye" of the net, and since the net itself is infinite in dimension, the jewels are infinite in number. There hang the jewels, glittering like stars in the first magnitude, a wonderful sight to behold. If we now arbitrarily select one of these jewels for inspection and look closely at it, we will discover that in its polished surface there are reflected all the other jewels in the net, infinite in number. Not only that, but each of the jewels reflected in this one jewel is also reflecting all the other jewels, so that there is an infinite reflecting process occurring. ~Francis Harold Cook

The Buddhists use the symbol of the net of Indra as a representation of our interdependence.  Each jewel in the net contains within it the reflection of all the other jewels, and each reflection is dependent on the other jewels. It’s the same with people:

We are all dependent on each other and our actions ripple through everyone to eventually reflect back at us. Today I’m asking you to help me make some ripples that will, in the next few weeks, return with abundance.

As some of you may already know, I launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund a yoga video project of mine. Kickstarter is a website that allows people with ideas but not enough funds (like me) get the visibility they need to raise enough money to bring their idea to market. People pledge to pay a certain amount of money and, if the total amount is raised, the project is backed and the pledgers contribute. In my case,

I need to raise $18,700 in pledges by May 2.

Certain pledge amounts come with certain rewards (just like on PBS). If I don’t complete my goal, none of the money pledged to my project will be available. But that’s not what I want to reflect, and I need your help to make sure that I do meet my goal. As of writing this, 23 backers have pledged $1,268! I’m extremely grateful to all of you who have backed me. I’m asking that you now help me spread the news about this project far and wide by emailing, posting on Facebook or tweeting on Twitter about my project, found at 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/yogabylorien/healing-yoga-for-wellness-video. 

In other words, help me build a net like Indra’s, reflecting support at each eye of the net. With your help, I know word of this project will ripple through our independent webs and eventually connect into the dependent web that really exists. Thank you!

Update:

To share this post quickly, scroll to the top of the page and click the drop-down menu titled "More", then select your method of sharing (email, Twitter, Facebook, etc.). Thanks again!

Connect Inside to Connect Outside

It's a Friday yin class and my inspiration is low. I've taught a variation of this same class all week and said the same cues and encouragement over and over. It's still relevant, but by Friday it feels less sincere. And then, just as I've gotten out of my own way and stopped scripting it all, my mouth spouts out words that I didn't even know were in my head, and the theme of the class unfolds itself to me: "Reflect on what's happening inside so that you can connect deeper with those around you." But getting quiet and still and diving deep within is a tough sell in this culture of ultra-stimulation; some times just getting people to put down their phones before (or even during!) class is challenging. But we must slow down and be quiet to really understand what's going on inside us. When we are still, we hear what the body is telling us, what the mind is telling us, and what our emotions are saying. When we practice that stillness, we learn more about ourselves. We realize what our true motivations are, what our values are and what we are willing to surrender. Knowing these help us to know others better, and to connect with them on very honest, deeper levels. So don't take sitting quietly for granted; get in touch with what's happening inside to feel others around you. Namaste.

Schedule updates and special events; please see Special Events page for more details...

• Lorien will be subbing the following Yin classes at Breathe: Thursdays 6:00-7:30pm on August 4, 18, 25 and Saturday 11:45-1:00pm August 27.
• Saturday, August 13th 1:00-2:30pm: Yoga on the Beach at New Brighton Beach, Capitola
• Saturday, August 20th 1:00-3:00pm: Dynamic Hatha Yoga Fundraiser Class with Lorien and Cindy Campbell at Willow Glen Yoga
• Sunday, September 11th 1:30-4:00pm: Soothe Your Soul Workshop at Breathe Yoga Studio
• SAVE THE DATE: April 27-29, 2012 Weekend Retreat with Lorien and Marti Foster at Mayacamas Ranch in Calistoga

Mindfulness Matters Part 2

Last month I participated in a wonderful event at Breathe Los Gatos that raised funds for Japan Relief. I've been to other fundraisers before, but I noticed a difference right away with this one. Before the fundraiser even began, Jennifer Prugh announced that she wanted this event to raise a few thousand dollars; I believe she even targeted an amount around $5,000, but I'm not sure now. What I found bold was her very public announcement of what she wanted to have happen. For much of my life, I kept my desires hidden so as not to be disappointed if they didn't come to fruition. But here was someone fearless enough to state in a very public way what she wanted. And you know what? They raised over $7000 in that event!

I was inspired by Jennifer's daring and decided to go public with what I am working on. As many of you have read by now, I am developing a wellness DVD for a non-profit group called Human Connexus. Last week, I announced that I would campaign to raise funds for this DVD project by posting 108 rounds of Sun Salute variations on YouTube, and I'm asking for 108 donations from participants. I'm putting it out there: I envision that we will raise 108 donations by the end of June!

So, Universe, there is my intention. I'm going to keep that intention in my mind and work towards it with all I say and do in the coming weeks. This is mindfulness in action. Last month I posted about watching your thoughts, words, actions, habits, character, destiny. This is the next step. Namaste.

Schedule changes and special events...

Note: I will be on vacation June 18-July 1, but classes will continue with subs. Please go to Special Events for more details.

• 108 Challenge: Compassionate Yoga Serving Us All! June 1-18. Check YouTube or Facebook for daily short sequences that are variations of 6 rounds of Sun Salutes; practice every day until June 18 to complete 108 rounds, or a yoga mala. Please contribute to Human Connexus to help us gather 108 donations, a compassionate mala.
• June 12: Cancer Survivor Day at Kaiser; free yoga with Lorien in 3 different 45-minute sessions. For more information, please click here.
• Sept 11: Soothe Your Soul Workshop at Breathe Los Gatos, 1:30-3:00pm.
• SAVE THE DATE: Next retreat is scheduled for April 27-29, 2012 with Lorien and Marti Foster at Mayacamas Ranch in Calistoga. You do not want to miss this one!

108 Challenge: Compassionate Yoga Serving Us All

Don't want to read? Click here to watch a 2-minute video for an overview of what's below.

What is a Yoga Mala?

Sun salutation or Surya Namaskara is a dynamic sequence of 12 postures performed as one continuous flow. A mala is a string of 108 beads used in prayer and chanting; 108 sun salutations becomes a yoga mala. There is a yogic tradition to practice 108 sun salutations as an offering of peace or to honor the change in seasons, like the upcoming Spring Equinox.

What Does This Mean to Me?

Beginning Wed, June 1 and continuing through June 18, I'll be posting yoga videos on YouTube of various sun salutations. Some with be gentle enough for all abilities, some will be challenging. Each day will have 6 rounds taking between 6-12 minutes - short and sweet! So, if you practice every day, then by June 18 you'll have completed a yoga mala.

Why am I doing this?

As some of you may already know, I am making a wellness yoga DVD for the nonprofit group Human Connexus. This group does extraordinary work! They find families who are struggling financially due to some unforeseen circumstances, and give them help to get by. Many of these families are dealing with medical issues. The wellness yoga dvd will be sent to each of the Human Connexus recipients in order to support their continued well-being. The dvd will be accessible to all levels and abilities, including bedridden and chair-bound participants. The cost to produce the video is $14,000 and we are actively pursuing funding from philanthropic foundations. In the meantime, we have organized an event that everyone can enjoy and support to raise the necessary funds to get this project started.

In addition to the challenge of practicing 108 sun salutations, we are looking to raise 108 donations - in any denomination. 108 donations of $10 each would get the project off the ground, and 108 donations of $100 each would pay for the whole project. Please donate what you can with a light heart. Practice to support yourself, and donate to support others. Pass along this challenge to as many people as you can - let's make compassion viral!

Namaste