Just finished the first series of FUN-damentals of Yoga, the beginner series, today.  It was a great group of new yogis who are ready now to join an ongoing class at Harmony Yoga.  What a pleasant way to introduce yoga to new people.  If you or anyone you know is interested in the next series, contact me.  Classes held Saturday, February 18, 25 and March 3, 2012.  9:15-10:30 a.m.  Pre-registration required.  I look forward to sharing with the next group of new yogis !

Two more days until beginner yoga series begins.  I can't wait to share the gift of yoga with new people in our community!  What is yoga?  How do I get my body into that pose?  Why would I want to do yoga?  Find out the answers to those questions and many more by attending the workshop starting this Saturday, January 7, 2012.  Bring your own questions and concerns and see how yoga can ease your mind and allow your body to feel the peace it longs for....

After a delightful night of restorative yoga Monday night, I took all the gifts and nearly $150 to Four Oaks yesterday.  They were thrilled to receive the generous offering of our yoga community.  Restorative yoga is a place of deep relaxation where the body is supported in various poses so it can fully let go, relax, and allow the renewal process begin.  I took a restorative class yesterday from my teacher/mentor/friend, Marsha at Fusion, and it was beyond incredible.  She described the process like shutting down your computer, allowing it to reboot to its optimal settings.  Funny, stress is like our overworked computer.  Things start going haywire if we don't shut down periodically.  If we aren't mindful of restoring our bodies, minds, and spirits on our own, we'll be forced to shut down through circumstances, illness, or accidents.  During this precious time at Christmas, my prayer for you is that you will find the time to restore with family and friends and make room for mindful reflection and acceptance of the greatest gift of all. The ultimate healer and redeemer.  Merry Christmas.  Looking forward to time on our mats together in 2012. 

Announcing: Candlelight Restorative Yoga
Monday, December 19th at 5:15
In the spirit of giving, I would like to gift you with an evening of renewal.  Restorative yoga refreshes and reenergizes your mind, body and spirit.  Join us for the final class offering of 2011 and enjoy the effects of this relaxing class.  Bring 2 blankets and blocks and a strap if you have them.  I will have some blocks and straps to use.  Fee: $12 or an unwrapped gift for a young boy or girl.  All gifts and proceeds will be donated to Four Oaks.

Letting Go 
I had a lot of interest in the reading from this week and wanted to post it here
for your use. It came from Yoga Journal, a terrific source of all things YOGA!


Letting  Go
Have you ever been in a challenging pose and noticed that you are gripping your jaw
or holding your breath? Of course you have! We all tend to overwork in yoga
class, sometimes to the point that all movement has stopped and we are simply
holding on.

You may hear the teacher say, ‘relax’, or ‘let go’, or even‘surrender’, and although
that sounds appealing, there might be a voice inside you that worries things
would fall apart if you really let go. 

What does letting go actually mean? It is not the same thing as collapsing. In fact,
letting go is not another thing to do, it is a nondoing. Letting go is not
something we can force, but we can create the causes and conditions for it to
occur.

Think of bedtime. There is a soft yet firm mattress, delicious warm covers, and maybe
even a little dog cuddled up at your feet. It is dark and quiet and you feel
safe. The next thing you know, you are unconscious, blissfully sleeping. 

Similarly, applying the right causes and conditions to your practice will give you the
confidence to let go and open to your yoga experience. Enjoy the support of a
teacher and a community of fellow yogi’s, and study the rich teachings of yoga.
 
Yoga’s fluid balance of exertion and release as we move through class promotes a
relaxed wakefulness. Turn to your fellow yogis for encouragement and
camaraderie. Remind each other that yoga is a process of unfolding. 
And
remember, opposites are interdependent. Doing coexists with nondoing; advancing
informs retreating. Letting go and holding on are also interdependent. Letting
go doesn’t have to mean losing your grip, but it can mean relaxing enough to
create some space. That fresh space is where possibilities live, and opening to
that is the best letting go of all.

What To Do With All Those Tomatoes

You asked for it, so here it is. A family recipe handed down to me from my mother-in-law. 
Great-Grandpa Louis Verrone’s Tomato Sauce Recipe
 
4-5 cloves garlic  (minced or crushed) if left whole, retrieve them later before eating
2 large cans crushed tomatoes or equivalent fresh/frozen 
Olive oil        
1-2 large onions,  chopped up to 2 cups
Basil, Oregano (Can use up to 3 t. – 1 T each)
Salt and pepper to taste
Red pepper flakes, optional
½ c. red wine
Sauté garlic and onions in 2-3 T. olive oil until onions are soft. Add tomatoes and  seasonings.
Simmer, stirring occasionally for maybe on hour more or less.

Meatballs
1-2 pounds of ground beef, ground turkey or combination 
Salt and pepper to taste 
½ cup dry bread crumbs (flavored or not) OR 2 slices of bread torn into small pieces. This is 
what Great Grandpa Louie always did, makes the meatball nice and moist. 
1-2 eggs (or 1 egg and 1 egg white). This helps bind together 
¼ cup or so grated parmesan cheese 
Drizzle 1-2 T olive oil over meat mixture 
½ t. fennel seed if you like. I don’t add this. 
Chopped parsley-optional  
Mix all together in large bowl, hands work best. Make into any size ball from large jawbreaker 
size to ping pong ball size. Cook in Microwave 4-5 minutes until brown, drain, transfer to sauce, and cook in sauce for 1 hour or so. You can bake  them also at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
To freeze, you can remove meatballs from sauce and freeze separately, or freeze all  together. 
Leftovers work wonderfully on a ciabatta roll toasted with fresh mozzarella sliced ontop.

The Unmistakable Touch of Grace 

I so enjoyed teaching the class on GRACE  this week. Certainly not because I know it all and already embody grace day-to-day. But because I am learning how to be more open to grace each day. I notice a difference in how I perceive things when I am more open in my heart, my mind, and yes, it helps to be open in the body, too.

Cheryl Richardson wrote the book and the grace cards we used today. I recommend them both. Besides
the 'Unmistakeable Touch of Grace' , 'Yoga From The Inside Out' by Christina Sell, was another required book that jump started my immersion lessons. 
We listened to Snatam Kaur 'Grace' today. She is amazing!

Off to do more
reading! Namaste, Julie

Granola Recipe 
  I am so excited to share a delicious  granola recipe with you that I just tried last night. It is yummy with yogurt,
milk, or by itself! I got this from Whole Living Magazine.

Granola Base
6 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/4 c. nuts, such as almonds, pistachios, walnuts, etc. coarsely chopped
1/4 c. seeds, such as sunflower, pepitas,  etc.
1/3c. flax seed meal, wheat germ, or a mixture of the two
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 large egg whites
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 c.  sweetener, such as honey, agave syrup or molasses
1/3 c. extra-virgin olive  oil
1 c. dried fruit, such as sour cherries, cranberries, currants, raisins,
  apricots, figs, or pineapple, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
 2. Combine the oats, nuts, seeds, flax and/or wheat germ and cinnamon in a large
bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites and the salt until frothy. Whisk in
the sweetener and the olive oil. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and
stir until the oats are evenly coated.
3. Transfer mixture to two rimmed baking sheets and spread flat.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, then gently flip with a spatula, moving granola from the outer edges to the center of the sheet.  Continue to cook until golder, about 10 minutes more. (If the granola starts to brown too much at the edges, gently stir those parts into the middle.)
5.  Cool completely on pan, then transfer to a bowl and gently stir in the dried fruit.

Try various combinations and see what you think!

Kindness  Revolution

What a great way to start out the new year by beginning a
"Kindness Revolution" right here in our own community!

As Gandhi says:
Be the change you want to see in the world! Blog here how you paid it forward
after last week's heart opening yoga class.

Those who bring sunshine
into the lives of others can't keep it from themselves~ James
Barrie