diary of a 31-day challenged yogini

another new year, another month-long challenge.

last year, it was the lululemon store in el segundo that posed the challenge. and not only did i meet it, but exceeded even my own expectations. but then again, with my obsessive-compulsive personality, i'm not surprised :)

click on these links to see what i posted back then --
~ rising to the challenge, part one
~ challenge survivor!

this year, i was enticed to do it once again, this time by yogaworks, who posted this on their facebook page:

Class A Day in January Challenge

Join us and take on a personal challenge with all your YogaWorks Facebook Friends here to support and encourage you!
There are no real rules – just take a class a day and write about it on this facebook page.
Classes can be taken at YogaWorks, another yoga studio, self-practice in your bedroom or with a DVD in your living room.
Take classes and – then write about it.
* Where did you take the class, who was the teacher, how’d you feel?
Grand Prize is SATISFACTION for anyone who completes the class a day challenge in January.
At the end of the month some randomly selected people who posted frequently will win prize package of “Stuff”.


with visions of "a prize package of stuff" as the dangling carrot before me, i bit and took the challenge.

here's what i ended up posting (btw, the only reason why i didn't take all the classes at YW was because the cost would have been prohibitive; i ended up cashing in a couple of one-week passes that i had stashed away for occasions such as this):

jan 1st, first class of 2010! - 2 hour anusara class with marc holzman and tiffany fraser guerillayogala.com. it's always fun to practice with friends!!

jan 2nd, day 2 - a 6-mile run, followed by power yoga with rudy mettia at power yoga west in santa monica. a good way to sweat out all of the toxins from 2009 :)

jan 3rd, day 3 - couldn't make it to a yoga studio today, so did an online restoratives/meditation at home with noah maze at yogaglo.com

jan 4th, day 4 - vinyasa flow with annie carpenter at YW main st. living up to her name, she will help build up your alignment and strength to make your practice more "easeful" :)

jan 5th, day 5 - managed to get the last open spot in vinnie marino's class today at YW main street -- his first class back from vacation. 80 students in a tuesday 9am class!?!?! don't people have 9-to-5 jobs around here anymore?

jan 6th, day 6 - since i seem to be coming down with a cold, i opted for chris stein's 1/2 iyengar at YW montana. besides, it's always good to work on the fundamentals every now and then :)

jan 7th, day 7 - vinyasa flow 2/3 with sara ivanhoe at YW main street. such a beautiful, yet sweaty, practice. found myself chanting along with KD and the others on her ipod playlist while doing the surya namaskar sequence :)

jan 8th, day 8 - relaxed deeply with aaron reed at exhale venice. this evening's vibe was even more chill than usual, only because the power supply to half the studio was inadvertently cut off by nearby construction work. so we practiced in the dark with no heat and nothing but the sound of cars whooshing by on main street...

jan 9th, day 9 - vinyasa flow with mia togo at YW montana. was so drenched in sweat by the time class ended that i wondered why i bothered to shower before class... because i was just going to hop right back in when i got home!

jan 10th, day 10 - after running a half marathon this morning, then being unable to find a nice restorative class with a time/place that would work for me, i ended up practicing bhakti yoga instead. i attended a puja, followed by a kirtan, at the new aanand saagar studio near the third street promenade.

jan 11th, day 11 - vinyasa flow with seane corn at yogaglo, a fundraiser for Y.O.G.A for youth, a non-profit whose mission is to bring yoga and meditation to at-risk youth in LA (btw, kia miller will be teaching a fundraiser for the same charity this coming saturday on main street)

jan 12th, day 12 - a much-needed yin yoga class at yogaglo with felicia tomasko, editor of LA yoga magazine, accompanied by peter sterling on harp, flute, and tibetan bowl!! harpmagic.com

jan 13th, day 13 - still recovering from the after-effects of a bad cold and sunday's half-marathon, i listened to my body and took a level 1 class at yogaglo with steven espinosa, who focused on the basics of proper alignment. stepping away from the usual vinyasa flow to revisit the basics is a great way to keep from getting sloppy in one's practice (and prevent injury!)

jan 14th, day 14 - celebrated the new moon AND solar eclipse with a powerful kundalini class at kundalini katie's home on the westside. there was some meditation, some yoga, some goal-setting, and i had lots of fun making new friends!

jan 15th, day 15 - took an intermediate/advanced anusara class with naime jezzeny and noah maze at yogaglo. you know you've picked THE class to go to when the LA anusara kula shows up in force :)

jan 16th, day 16 - took a mellow vinyasa flow class with chani nicolas at yogis anonymous, with live music provided by dorian cheah, david watts, momo loudiyi, masood ali khan, and dahveed haribol. all proceeds from the donation-based class will go to the red cross for haitian earthquake relief!

jan 17th, day 17 - another therapeutics and alignment class with naime jezzeny and noah maze at yogaglo. today's focus: hips, pelvis, sacrum and lumbar spine. we learned the finer points of aligning the spine and the legs to protect the back. now i just have to put into practice what i've learned!

jan 18th, day 18 - welcomed marc holzman to his new slot at yogaglo, where he now teaches a level 2 anusara class. today's theme was inspired by martin luther king, who said: "Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."

jan 19th, day 19 - found myself doing some errands in the south bay, so i took an all-levels power yoga class with mary strong at the green yogi in manhattan beach... then had a wonderful deep tissue massage immediately afterwards at the massage spot next door! :)

jan 20th, day 20 - old navy is sponsoring FREE yoga at yogaco today and tomorrow, so i took tommy rosen's kundalini/vinyasa flow class to get my shakti fired up. sat nam!!

jan 20th, day 20 - after returning home from a yoga class this morning, i decided to go to yogaglo for more yoga and ended up taking not just one more class, but TWO!! the first was felicia tomasko's yoga for immunity class, where we stimulated our lymph nodes to get them activated, and the second was noah maze's level 2 anusara class. so one am class + two pm classes = three today! crazy...

jan 21st, day 21 - vinyasa flow class with sarah ezrin at lululemon brentwood, with all donations going to the red cross for its relief efforts in haiti. there was an amazingly good turnout, considering the wicked weather outside!

jan 22nd, day 22 - was so busy watching the hope for haiti telethon on TV that i lost track of time and was almost late for alyson khan's class -- which, by the way, was a fundraiser for an orphanage in haiti -- at bhakti yoga shala. live music was provided by moose ali khan and friends. don't know what felt better, going through the yoga poses or knowing that the money was going to a good cause!

jan 23rd, day 23 - was so inspired by the close to 80 yogis who packed the classroom at the YW main street fundraiser!! many thanks to david kim, david lynch, kathryn budig, kia miller, malachi melville, mia togo, and sara ivanhoe for the wonderful flow class... and to shayn almeida and becky kessler for providing the sweet sounds that we practiced to!

jan 24th, day 24 - the downside of having an unstable sacroiliac joint (and i haven't quite yet found an upside) is that it goes out every now and then and causes great pain. so i chose to skip my practice today to avoid tweaking it even more. but i did attend a party at u studio yoga this evening... so if chatting with a group of yogis while standing in a yoga studio counts as yoga, i'm good for today. don't buy it? ok, fine. i'll sit here and meditate on the yama of ahimsa, or non-injury :)

jan 25th, day 25 - trying to remain mindful of my SI issue, i remembered -- and hoped -- that since this was the 4th week of the month, an iyengar class would be a restorative one. not being able to find an iyengar class at YW that fit into my schedule, i headed out to the iyengar institute and took leslie peters' level 2 class, and sure enough, with the exception of handstands and headstands, the rest of our practice was restorative. nice!

jan 26th, day 26 - paid a visit to my physical therapist to see how whacked my back was. let's just say i wasn't imagining things :( so after some mobilization, some stim, and some ice, he made me promise that i would stay away from any and all yoga classes today. he didn't say anything about tomorrow, though :) so my mantra for today was: knit 1, purl 1, repeat until end of row...

jan 27th, day 27 - continuing to practice ahimsa to my spasmatic back, i showed up at truyoga in santa monica for the gentle yoga with therapeutics class. because the regular teacher couldn't make it, none of her regulars showed up -- so i ended up getting a one-on-one private with her sub, nykki hardin. their loss, my gain!

jan 28th, day 28 - one never really thinks of iyengar classes as fun, unless you happen to have the always-entertaining paul cabanis as your teacher! we had a trilingual english-spanish-french class today at YW westwood, where "periodicos" DIDN'T refer to the stuff you read :)

jan 29th, day 29 - slow start for me this morning; arrived late for marla's iyengar class, so i took birgitte kristen's yogaworks 1/2 class instead. good core sequence to help strengthen all my lazy ab muscles!

jan 30th, day 30 - another day, another fundraiser class! this time it was for yoga gives back at yogis anonymous and was taught by ally hamilton, chani nicholas, charlie samos, john sahakian, and meredith hines. we were serenaded by daniel stewart and friends during class, then treated with cookies, fruit, and acai juice after!

jan 31st, day 31 - started the day in a loopy way, so to speak, learning about the anusara energy loops with elena brower at yogaglo. then ended the day -- and the month -- with a much-deserved restorative iyengar practice with marla apt at YW montana. tomorrow's a new month... bring it on!

shopping for yoga on the promenade

call me a cheapskate, but i really don't like paying for parking. and if i go anywhere near the 3rd street promenade in santa monica, i'd almost always have to.

which is why i usually bike to yoga class when i'm headed that way. not only do i NOT have to pay to park my bike, but i don't have to go round and round in the structures in search of an elusive parking space (the sign outside might say there are 9 spaces available, but good luck trying to find those 9 empty spots!!).

last week, though, during our epic week of rain -- and who says it never rains in southern california? -- i found myself having to kiss my bike goodbye as i hopped in my car to get to class. it seemed the wise thing to do; not only didn't i want to get drenched (either from the rain itself or from trucks splashing through puddles on the street), but i definitely didn't want to get sideswiped by inattentive LA drivers who couldn't see clearly out their windows because of the rain while they were attempting to update their facebook statuses on their iphones :(

as i drove into the parking structure, i noticed the people walking to and from their cars. and strangely enough, EVERYONE was carrying a yoga mat!!

you think i'm exaggerating? consider this: within a three-block stretch of 2nd street in santa monica, there are FOUR yoga studios... and within a short jog from there, there are FOUR more! and that doesn't even include the other sources of yoga classes -- the four or more gyms that are also in the area: equinox, 24 hour fitness, burn fitness, and easton gym, plus the lululemon athletica santa monica with its FREE community classes on sunday mornings!

and did i mention that there's a hot yoga studio that's scheduled to open in another month or so in the former exhale santa monica location??

so as far as yoga in LA goes, welcome to ground zero :)

the area around 3rd street is also the place where you're going to find the greatest concentration of donation-based** yoga studios; of the eight i counted earlier, all but two of them have donation boxes stationed by the front door.

** for those of you unfamiliar with the concept of donation-based yoga, here's a brief recap:

instead of charging a set fee for each class, these yoga studios allow you to name your own price. in other words, you give what you can afford to pay at the moment and/or what you think the class was worth to you. most of the studios suggest a $14 donation per class, which is still less than the going rate at non-donation based studios.

now please indulge me for a moment as i step on my soapbox... as far as i'm concerned, everyone should drop something in the donation box. if you're really broke, pull a dollar bill out of your pocket and drop it in. if you're feeling a little more generous, put in $5 or $10. on the other hand, if you felt like you just took the best class in your entire life and want to make sure that teacher continues to be there for you, by all means put in even more! btw, if you're driving a late-model hybrid car and are planning to do some major shopping at anthropologie or some other high-end store on the promenade after class, there is absolutely NO reason why you should donate less than $15. i mean, where are your priorities???... ok, hopping off soapbox...

when making a donation, don't worry if all you have are large bills; it's OK to make change from what's in the box. just make sure you don't take out more than you put in :(


with that said, here are the yoga studios located in the vicinity of the third street promenade and what their classes are like. i'll start with the farthest one out and work my way in:

home simply yoga - 1547 6th st (thru the courtyard); some classes by donation

this is the only studio on the westside focused on mysore-style ashtanga yoga. but since they're fully aware that not everyone is a hardcore ashtangi, they offer beginner and led ashtanga classes, by donation, for those who want to learn the basics. their class schedule also includes vinyasa flow classes and other specialized classes, also by donation.

home simply was one of the first green yoga studios here in LA. their beautiful hardwood asana floor was once the sales floor of the plush armani exchange store down on main street; in fact, most of the materials used in the studio are recycled discards from a number of remodel projects around town. in the spirit of going green, you might want to consider walking, biking, or taking the bus to get here. street parking is metered and at a premium; the nearest city parking structures are three blocks away.


santa monica power yoga east - 522 santa monica blvd, 2nd floor; by donation

this is the home that every teacher's teacher, bryan kest, built. it's located in the dance home studio, right above the radio shack store near the goodwill thrift shop. there's usually a line snaking down the stairs, along the sidewalk, and around the corner. it's been said that ginger rogers and fred astaire used to rehearse on the same floor thousands of power yoga-hungry students now practice on. classes are usually packed, so get there early (which explains the line).

bryan and the other instructors teach power yoga classes of varying levels of difficulty. note: for bryan's level 3-4 classes, you must be an advanced student. it used to be that you had to attend his level 1-2 class a number of times and get his approval before you could show up at his 3-4. i'm not sure if he still enforces that rule, but all i know is that if you're a first-timer, don't even think of taking his advanced class!


fred segal yoga - 420 broadway; $10 per class

this is also known as the yoga studio at the preece and toff salon at the fred segal store. the fred segal santa monica has two buildings on broadway, one on the east side of 5th street and one on the west; the yoga studio is in the west building. the management hasn't done a particularly great job of promoting the studio, so most people don't even know that it's there. when it first opened, there were about three classes a day. i just checked the class schedule and it looks like it's down to just three classes a week :( but then again, each class will set you back only ten bucks...

unlike all the other surrounding yoga studios, there's a parking lot for all fred segal customers, so you get to park there for free while you're taking a class. and, of course, while you're getting your hair done at the salon or while ogling all the celebrities who shop there.


yogaco - 1408 3rd st promenade, 3rd floor; by donation

if you've ever strolled up and down the promenade, chances are, you've probably walked right past this yoga studio without knowing that it was there. the entrance is between the lush and anthropologie stores; look for the glass door, enter the hallway, and either take the elevator or walk up the flight of stairs to get to the third floor. once you get there, you'll swear you just walked into an exclusive yoga studio with prices to match. au contraire! the owners, grant and kelsey gottfurcht, along with tamal dodge, spared no expense in turning this into a luxe location. the lobby, all three classrooms, even the bathrooms are well-appointed. but the entire place is run on donations. if you feel guilty about putting just a couple of bucks in the donation box after class, maybe your conscience has a point... so put in more! :)

yogaco offers classes in a variety of styles -- power, vinyasa flow, ashtanga, iyengar, prenatal, mommy and me -- so there's bound to be something that speaks to you.


santa monica power yoga west - 1410 2nd st; by donation

this is the more stylish sibling of kest's power yoga studio less than a mile up the street. there's a retail store in front that has a good selection of affordably-priced yoga stuff: mats, props, clothing, books, jewelry, figurines, and more. so if you're in from out of town and left all your yoga gear back home, you should be able to buy everything you need right here. out back is a large classroom with shelves to stash your stuff (unlike at dance home where you pretty much leave your belongings by your mat or along the wall).

like the other location, almost all the classes are power yoga. and yes, they're just as packed, too.


aanand saagar santa monica - 1318 2nd st, 2nd floor; by donation

this is the santa monica branch of arvind chittumalla's studio with the same name over in venice. the classes here are more traditional, with the focus on wellness and healing. according to the website: We take an integral approach to yoga, incorporating all the eight limbs of Raja Yoga in our practice, as prescribed by Patanjali. Yoga is said to be the science of self liberation and practicing asanas is perhaps just the first step in a yogi's journey of self discovery. Our goal is to help people incorporate other aspects of yoga into their practice and also remind them to take yoga off the mat and incorporate it in every aspect of their life.

the studio just opened last month, so the schedule is still being filled in. most of the classes are vinyasa flow, with a couple of meditation classes thrown in to balance things out.


bhakti yoga shala - 207 arizona ave @ 2nd st; by donation

ever wonder what happened to all the kirtan that used to be held at the power yoga west studio on saturday nights? many of those kirtan wallahs, who also happen to be power yoga teachers, moved over when govindas and radha opened up their own yoga studio down the street. all the classes are all-level "bhakti vinyasa flow", a seamless blend of hatha (physical) yoga and bhakti (devotional) yoga. it seems like every teacher here plays the harmonium (or pulls in a close friend who does), so there's lots of chanting that goes along with the asanas. if you're one of those who prefers the "no chanting, no granola, no sanskrit" kind of yoga advocated by the spinning crowd over in venice, this place isn't for you. on the other hand, give it a shot; not only will it cost you less money, but you might actually like it!

the bhakti shala holds kirtans every friday and saturday evening with a revolving list of musicians. these loud and lusty chantfests usually turn into ecstatic sessions that last late into the night (which seems to discourage the homeless from camping out on their doorstep). special events, usually maha kirtans featuring visiting musicians accompanied by the house "band", are also held on a fairly regular basis.


yogis anonymous - 1221 2nd st; by donation

just like the bhakti yoga shala a block away, yogis anonymous was started by a former power yoga alum, ally hamilton, and her husband dorian cheah. taking a class here is like walking into the cheah living room and finding the place filled with their best friends... who soon become your good friends, too. every now and then, their next door neighbor (not really, but play along with me here) josh nelson pops by with gluten-free vegan cookies and brownies... yum! and don't be surprised if you find their litttle kids hanging around from time to time; if you're there often enough, you'll eventually find yourself taking your turn as babysitter or entertainer :)

to give you an idea of how much fun this place is, check out some of the classes offered. the names speak for themselves -- order your breakfast, east meets west, classic yoga made in india, hurts so good, yoga for ninjas, friday night yoga party, sunday sadhana, and the class that always elicits a "huh?", good cop/bad cop. there's never a dull moment here.


so now that you know where you might want to go for your next yoga class, click here for information on the parking structures in and around the 3rd street promenade. and good luck finding that parking spot!! :)

enlightenment for foodies

hi, i'm joni. and i'm addicted to food.

at one point, i was so addicted that it didn't matter if it walked or swam or flew or just grew in place. if someone cooked something well enough to make it look appetizing, i ate it. or at least attempted to. and i got great satisfaction from filling my belly with food that tasted good. it made me happy. and who wouldn't want a happy joni? :)

and yes, i was aware of those around me who had different eating habits than my own. like those who avoided eating red meat. or those who were sworn vegetarians -- including those who ate eggs but not dairy, or dairy but not eggs. and if they abstained from both eggs AND dairy, they earned the right to call themselves vegan. if they were really hardcore, they went raw. which meant no cooking, no heating. and as far as i was concerned, no fun.

in fact, in my earlier years of volunteering at the KCRW pledge drive (which, by the way, starts up again this week), it used to upset me when the choices laid out on the food table were predominantly vegetarian. pasta with veggies. veggie sandwiches. pizza with veggie toppings. where's the beef?, i used to whine. but since it was good -- and better yet, it was free -- i ate it anyway. (of course, now that i've stopped eating meat, i find myself whining that there aren't enough veggie entrees to choose from. as they say, the grass is always greener...)

maybe it's my continued exposure to vegetarians in the yoga community. or a better awareness of the meat industry and its role in global warming and animal abuse. or all that plus my attempt to limit my food choices to force myself to eat less to retain my i-wish-it-were-girlish figure. either way, i've gradually found myself becoming less of a carnivore and more of an herbivore (although i continue to eat fish and other seafood). but i do have my weak moments -- the times when i crave the taste and the mouthfeel of something meat-based. and if the dish in front of me is worthy of a transgression, i will eat it.

so when the new york times featured this article about yoga and food in today's dining section, i found myself being drawn to it, not only because i personally know and love dave romanelli, the yoga teacher featured in the story, but because it delves into the ongoing battle between two factions: those who are adamantly against eating meat of any kind vs. those who believe that as long as it tastes good, why not?

and you know exactly where i stand on that issue :)

here are some excerpts from that article. click here to read it in its entirety.

When Chocolate and Chakras Collide
By Julia Moskin
Published: January 26, 2010

“I DON’T condemn/I don’t convert.”

The words of Ziggy Marley’s “Love Is My Religion” floated over 30 people lying on yoga mats in a steamy, dim loft above Madison Avenue on Friday. All had signed up for a strange new hybrid of physical activity: first an hour of vigorous, sweaty yoga, then a multicourse dinner of pasta, red wine and chocolate. As soon as the lights went up, dinner was served on the floor: an (almost) seamless transition designed to allow the yogis to taste, smell and digest in a heightened state of awareness.

“It’s a little weird to sit on a sweaty yoga mat and eat soup,” said one woman, not pausing as she spooned up a smooth, cinnamon-spiked butternut squash purée from a bamboo bowl. “But people are used to doing some weird things in yoga class.”

Friday’s event at Exhale Spa was the first of a series of “Yoga for Foodies” sessions, devised by a young, adventurous yoga teacher, David Romanelli, and coming soon to restaurants in Chicago, Cleveland and Dallas.

Calling his mission “yoga for the Everyman,” Mr. Romanelli, 36, plays Grateful Dead songs during class, wears sweat pants rather than spandex, and has already experimented with offering chocolate truffles after chaturanga instruction. “It’s a way of getting people in the door,” he said in an interview. “The world is a better place if people do yoga. And if they come because chocolate or wine is involved, I’m fine with it.”

The past decade has produced thousands of new foodies and new yogis, all interested in healthier bodies, clearer consciences and a greener planet. Inevitably, the overlap between the people who love to eat and the people who love to do eagle pose has grown. In 2007, a combination yoga studio and fine dining restaurant, Ubuntu, opened in Napa, Calif.

But not everyone agrees that the lusty enjoyment of food and wine is compatible with yogic enlightenment. Yoga purists say that many foods — like wine and meat — are still off limits. Others, like Mr. Romanelli, say that anything goes, as long as it tastes good. The debate is exposing rich ores of resentment in the yoga world.

“The culture of judgment in the yoga community — I call it “yogier than thou” — is rampant, and nowhere more than around food,” said Sadie Nardini, a yoga teacher in New York.

“Nowhere is it written that only vegetarians can do yoga,” she said in an interview. “We do not live in the time of the founding fathers of yoga, and we don’t know what they wanted us to eat.”

There are many ways to “do” yoga: the term embraces meditation, worship, study and action, as well as the physical pretzeling that Americans primarily associate with the term. Just as the Judeo-Christian tradition has produced many offshoots, yoga has many schools, like Ashtanga, Iyengar and Tantra. But over the 5,000 years of its evolution, and across Hindu and Buddhist religious traditions, yoga has always been broadly understood as a route to enlightenment and purification.

Which is where eating bacon and pouring wine in yoga class, as Mr. Romanelli has done, becomes complicated. “People are starting to push back against the traditional, quiet, serious approach,” said Mr. Romanelli, who has a scrubbed, cheerful, regular-guy aura. After graduating from Vanderbilt University, he moved to California to work as an assistant to Shaquille O’Neal’s agent. In Santa Monica, he said, there were lines down the block for yoga classes. and, noticing a business opportunity before a spiritual one, he began attending classes, where he was quickly hooked.

India has become to American yoga what France is to American cuisine: an ancient source of wisdom to be reinterpreted, democratized and repackaged by its acolytes here. The “yoga industry” now represents about $6 billion in annual spending by American consumers on classes, videos, mats and apparel like the $158 Apres Yoga jacket at the upscale chain Lululemon, according to Yoga Journal magazine.

And in yoga and foodie circles alike, contemplating the awesome significance of every bite taken — its flavors, its implications, its history — often seems to lead to moral judgments about others.

“It’s been one of my struggles,” said Rick Bayless, the Chicago chef, who has been practicing yoga for 15 years, is not a vegetarian and loves pork. “I think that sometimes the yoga community is a little too austere, and it’s hard to talk about what I do with people who believe in eating just what you need to stay alive.”

Mary Taylor, a yoga teacher in Boulder, Colo., who studied with Julia Child in Paris, said that it was once difficult to reconcile her commitment to yoga with her love of good food. But in the Upanishads, the sacred Hindu texts, she said, she found an aesthetic philosophy in which the appreciation of worldly things is not only acceptable, but necessary to achieve true understanding. “Until you appreciate the fullest taste of a vegetable, you don’t know the truth of it,” she said. “And you bring out that truth by cooking it, making it beautiful and delicious and appealing to the senses.”

“The very first teaching of yoga forbids us to eat meat,” said Eva Grubler, director of training at Dharma Yoga in New York, one of the most venerated yoga centers in the country. Ahimsa, the first yama (things to not do), is a prescription not to harm others. But the definition of “others” — whether it includes all animals, or only people, or should perhaps extend to the plant kingdom — is in debate.

“This is the hottest of all hot-button issues in yoga,” said Dayna Macy, a managing editor of Yoga Journal, who recently attended the slaughter of five steer at Prather Ranch, an organic, certified-humane cattle ranch in Northern California, in an attempt to resolve her inner turmoil about eating beef.

Several prominent American yoga teachers like Ana Forrest and Bryan Kest have recently acknowledged eating meat. In an example of how yogis have adopted the language and ideology of foodies, Mr. Kest calls himself a “selectarian,” one who chooses everything he eats.

Many American yogis are so particular about what they put in their bodies that they make Alice Waters look like Paula Deen. Sometimes, even an all-vegan, organic, low-carbon-footprint diet is not pure enough: each vegetable must be grown in an atmosphere of positive energy. Steve Ross, an influential teacher in Los Angeles, says in his book “Happy Yoga; 7 Reasons Why There’s Nothing to Worry About” that yogis must ask themselves this question in the produce section: “Are the farmers full of gratitude and love, and do they enjoy growing food, or are they angry and filled with hate for their job and all vegetables?”

Ms. Taylor says she seeks a “middle path”; she follows a vegan diet but refrains from judging those who don’t. “If we become aggressive and intolerant towards those who do eat meat, is that an act of kindness?” she said. “If your grandmother is making a wonderful meat dish that you have loved since you were a child, is it yoga to push it away?”

Mr. Romanelli believes that any profound pleasure of the senses — a live Bruce Springsteen track, an In-N-Out burger, the scent of lavender gathered in the French Alps — can bring on the “yoga high” that is a gateway to divine bliss.

“What yoga teachers do and what chefs do is not so different,” he said. “We take everyday actions like moving and eating, and slow you down so you can appreciate them.” Achieving stillness and peace amid the distractions of life, he said, has always been the higher goal of yoga.

be part of the dream

i posted this event on my facebook page a few days ago, and it just dawned on me that while a good number of you are fans of my facebook page, there are many, many more that rely on the good old-fashioned internet to find out what's going on -- i mean, isn't it amazing how getting updates via an internet search was considered leading-edge not that long ago?

anyway, since all of this is fairly time-sensitive, i'm going to post it in its entirety here...

this coming friday, january 15th, would have been dr. martin luther king's 81st birthday. to commemorate the occasion, there will be a gala fundraiser event at the marrakesh house in culver city that will benefit krishna kaur's Y.O.G.A. for youth organization:

Founded in 1993 by Krishna Kaur, Y.O.G.A. for Youth is a non-profit organization that brings yoga, meditation, breathing techniques, chanting, deep relaxation and stimulating discussions on the philosophy of yoga to urban youth. The program aims to give youth practical tools to enrich their lives and assist them in effectively meeting life’s challenges now and in the future. It's curriculum is being taught in juvenile detention facilities, prisons and after school programs and to pregnant and parenting teens throughout Southern California with satellite programs in New York, Minneapolis, Seattle, Chicago and Mexico.


here's the invite to that gala event:

You are cordially invited to join Krishna Kaur at the YOGA For Youth fundraiser on January 15th from 5:00pm to midnight at the extraordinary Marrakesh House, 6310 Tomkins Way in Culver City.

There will be organic food, elixirs, community and live music performances by Tom Freund, Annmarie Solo, Aykanna and J Brave and Amore One of Luminaries. Most importantly, we will be raising funds to support the life-changing work of YOGA For Youth.

Here is a short clip that shows how Yoga for Youth changes lives:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMSz8yhkpM8

The Gala is the culmination of a week long campaign in which LA's top Yoga studios and teachers are offering donation based yoga classes with all proceeds going to YOGA for Youth.

Suggested Donation for the event is $108, but ALL ARE WELCOME!!!


as mentioned in the invite, there will also be a number of yoga studios and teachers who will be holding special classes by donation to raise even more money for this worthy cause. check out the list below; there's bound to be at least one teacher, location, or even a style of yoga that is calling out to you:

Saturday, January 9, 2010
9:00am - Karen Shuman at Karen Shuman's Yoga
Hatha/Kundalini Mix
4521 Van Nuys Blvd, Ste A, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
818-788-5960
http://www.ksbeyondyoga.com/

6:30-8:00pm - Jules Hogan at Goda Yoga
Vinyasa Flow
9711 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232
310-287-1255
http://www.godayoga.com/

6:30-8:30pm - Jessica Anderson at YogaWorks Westlake Village
Vinyasa Flow
2475 Townsgate Road, Westlake Village, CA 91361
805-371-3030
http://www.yogaworks.com/

7:30-9:30pm - David Lynch at YogaWorks Larchmont
Vinyasa Flow
230 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004
323-464-1276
http://www.yogaworks.com/


Sunday, January 10, 2010
10:00-11:45am - Govindas at Bhakti Yoga Shala
Bhakti Flow
207 Arizona Avenue, Santa Monica 90405
310-804-9290
http://www.bhaktiyogashala.com/

4:30-6:30pm - Krishna Kaur at Crenshaw Yoga and Dance
Kundalini
5426 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90043
323-938-8397
http://www.crenshawyogaanddance.org/


Monday, January 11, 2010
6:00pm - Seane Corn at YogaGLO
Vinyasa Flow
1800 Berkeley Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404
310-800-4601
http://www.yogaglo.com/


Tuesday, January 12, 2010
6:00-7:30pm - Tamal Dodge at YogaCO
Power Yoga
1408 Third Street Promenade, 3rd floor, Santa Monica, CA 90401
310-395-0600
http://www.yogaco.com/


Wednesday, January 13, 2010
6:00pm - Gurmukh Kaur at Golden Bridge
Kundalini
6322 De Longpre Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90028
323-936-4172
http://www.goldenbridgeyoga.com/

8:00pm - Ally Hamilton at Yogis Anonymous
Power Yoga
1221 2nd Street, Santa Monica, California 90401
310-451-YOGI
http://www.yogisanonymous.com/


Thursday, January 14, 2010
9:00-10:30am - Hala Khouri at Exhale Center for Sacred Movement
Vinyasa Flow
245 Main Street, Venice, CA 90291
310-450-7676
http://www.exhalespa.com/

6:15-7:30pm - Sussy Castilla at The Yogi Tree
Candlelight Kundalini
4475 Vineland Ave, Toluca Lake, CA 91602
818-760-0112
http://www.theyogitree.com/

7:00-8:30pm - Guru Singh at Yoga West
Kundalini
1535 S. Robertson Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035
http://www.yogawestla.com/


Friday, January 15, 2010
5:00pm-midnight - Gala Fundraiser Event at Marrakesh House (see above)
Live music, food, drink!
6310 Tomkins Way, Culver City, CA 90232
http://www.yogaforyouth.org/


Saturday, January 16, 2010
9:00-10:30am - Stuart Hanna at Mission Street Yoga
Anusara
1017 Mission Street, South Pasadena, CA 91030
626-441-1144
http://www.missionstreetyoga.com/

6:30-8:30pm - Kia Miller at YogaWorks Main Street
Kundalini-inspired Vinyasa Flow
2215 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
310-664-6470
http://www.yogaworks.com/


Sunday, January 17, 2010
1:00-2:00pm - Shanti Walling at Yoga Shakti
Shakti Flow
4249 Campus Drive, Suite B140, Irvine, CA 92612
949-856-9642
http://www.yogashaktistudio.com/

7:00-8:30pm - Jewel Love at Community Yoga
Wellness Yoga
1642 South Orange Drive, Apt #3, Los Angeles, CA 90019
323.674.5380
http://www.coyoga.com/


Monday, January 18, 2010
6:30-8:00pm - Frank "Paviter" Magana at Greenleaf Yoga
Vinyasa Flow
7654 Greenleaf Ave, Whittier, CA 90602
323.674.5380
http://www.greenleafyoga.com/

peace, love, and yoga to all for the holidays!

2009 has just whooshed by, hasn't it? so before i get sucked into the whirlwind of the holiday season (actually, i already seem to be spinning in it!), here are the holiday schedules for the yoga studios in town. btw, santa monica power yoga is the only yoga studio offering classes on christmas day AFTER lunch... and even past dinner! so you can still get your yoga fix even if you've slept in because you were busy ho-ho-ho'ing late into the wee hours of the morning :)

here's wishing a very happy hanukkah, festivus, christmas, kwanzaa, new year's, and whatever-it-is-that-you're-celebrating to everyone!

~~ westside ~~

Back for Yoga, El Segundo
In celebration of the holiday season, the studio will be closed on Thursday, December 24th (Christmas Eve) and Friday, December 25th (Christmas Day), 2009. The regular class schedule will resume on Saturday. Andy will bring you back into the swing of things with a his Saturday, December 26th, 2009, 9:30 AM class.
The studio with be closed again on Thursday, December 31st (New Year's Eve) and Friday, January 1st, 2010 (New Year's Day). Andy will again bring your yoga into the New Year on January 02, 2010 with his Saturday, 9:30 AM class. Regularly scheduled classes will continue on Sunday, January 03, 2010.

Bhakti Yoga Shala, Santa Monica
Thursday Dec 24th:
ALL CLASSES will be on their regular schedule, except 8:30pm Yin Yoga with Govindas will be CANCELLED
Friday Dec 25th:
SPECIAL CHRISTMAS DAY YOGA SCHEDULE
10am Kirtan Yoga Flow with Govindas & Radha
12pm Holiday Yoga Flow with Sidnie Charnaw
These will be the only classes for the day
Saturday Dec 26th:
ALL YOGA CLASSES will be at their REGULAR TIME
8PM SPECIAL KIRTAN EVENT with Kalidas

Exhale Center for Sacred Movement, Venice
Thursday, Dec 24th: Last class is at 12:45pm; All afternoon classes cancelled
Friday, Dec 25th: Closed
Saturday, Dec 26th: Closed
Thursday, Dec 31st: Last class is at 12:30pm; All afternoon classes cancelled
Friday, Jan 1st: 7am, 9am, 9:15am classes cancelled, special Life Bliss Meditation class with Saul David Raye at 9:30am; last class is at 2:30pm.

Goda Yoga, Culver City
Thursday, Dec. 24: One Class 10:30a -12 p - All Levels - Jules
Thursday, Dec. 31: One Class 10:30a -12p - All Levels - Jules
Closed Dec. 25 and Jan 1...regular schedule otherwise

The Hub, West Los Angeles
Christmas Eve Day:
9-10:30 a.m. Mixed Vinyasa Flow with Lauri Ashworth
Christmas Day:
The studio will be closed the day of Christmas
Sunday December 27:
FREE yoga and breathwork class at Lululemon/Brentwood lead by Lauri Ashworth and Mike Baker from 9:30am-10:30am
New Year's Eve Day:
9-10:30 a.m. Mixed Vinyasa Flow with Sarah Ezrin
New Year's Day 2010:
All classes are canceled, but please join the Hub for a very special breathwork circle lead by Mike Baker from 8-9:30 p.m.

Iyengar Yoga Institute, Los Angeles
***Please note that all classes are 1 1/2 hours in length, except for the two-hour classes on the mornings of Dec. 25th and Jan. 1st***
Wed, Dec 23:
10:00 am – All Levels with Aida
4:00 pm – All Levels with Koren
8:00 pm – All Levels with Chris
Thurs, Dec 24:
10:00 am – All Levels with Vladimir
5:00 pm – All Levels with Vladimir
Fri, Dec 25:
9:00 - 11:00 am – All Levels with Marla
Sat, Dec 26:
8:30 am – Level 2-3 with Marla
10:30 am – Level 1-2 with Chris
2:30 pm – Level 1 with Vladimir
4:30 pm – Level 2 with Paul
Sun, Dec 27:
8:30 am – Level 3 with Paul
8:30 pm – Scoliosis with Alice
10:30 am – Level 1 with Marla
6:00 pm – Restorative with Garth
Mon, Dec 28:
10:00 am – All Levels with Marla
6:00 pm – All Levels with Kirk
Tues, Dec 29:
10:00 am– All Levels with Effie
6:00 pm – All Levels with Kirk
Wed, Dec 30:
10:00 am – All Levels with Aida
Dec 23 8:00 pm – All Levels with Chris
Thurs, Dec 31:
10:00 am – All Levels with Amanda
5:00 pm – All Levels with Chris
Fri, Jan 1:
10:00 - 12:00 pm – All Levels with Aida
6:00 pm – Restorative with Robyn
Sat, Jan 2 Regular class schedule resumes

Maha Yoga, Brentwood
Thursday Dec 24:
7:00-9:00AM Mysore Ashtanga Jorgen Christiansson
9:15-10:45AM All Levels Gabi
11:00-12:30PM Level 2&3 Tom Morley
All other classes canceled
Friday Dec 25:
7:00-9:00AM Mysore Ashtanga - Jorgen Christiansson
10:30-12:00PM Donation Fundraiser Class, All Welcome - Gabi
All other classes canceled
Thursday Dec 31:
7:00-9:00AM MOON DAY - No Ashtanga Class Today - Jorgen Christiansson
9:15-10:45AM All Levels - Stephen Weigand
11:00-12:30PM Level 2&3 - Tom Morley
All other classes canceled
Friday Jan 01:
7:00-9:00AM Mysore Ashtanga - Jorgen Christiansson
11:00-12:30PM Level 2&3 - Steve Ross
All other classes canceled

Power Yoga East, Santa Monica
The following classes will be cancelled:
Thurs 12.24: 1:30pm, 6:30pm & 8:30pm
Fri 12.25: All classes
Thurs 12.31: 1:30pm, 6:30pm & 8:30pm
Fri 01.01: 7:00am, 1:30pm, 4:30pm, 6:30pm & 8:30pm

Power Yoga West, Santa Monica
The following classes will be cancelled:
Thurs 12.24: 7:00am, 8:30pm & 10:30pm
Fri 12.25: 5:30am, 7:00am & 11:00am
Thurs 12.31: 8:30pm, 10:30pm
Fri 01.01: 5:30am, 7:00am & 10:30pm

Santa Monica Yoga, Santa Monica
Closed December 24 & 25, December 31 & January 1.
Limited schedule in between. Click here for holiday schedule.
Friday January 1, 11:30 am - FREE New Year’s Day Yoga with Kyra Haglund
Join Kyra for an all levels flow class. What better way to start the New Year?

Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, Marina del Rey
We'll have a Reduced Schedule for New Years:
New Years Eve (Dec 31) - 10:30am Class only
New Years Day (Jan 1) - 5:30pm Class only
Normal Schedule returns on Saturday January 2

Studio Surya Yoga, Venice
Closed for Christmas
Click here for Holiday Schedule

Tenth Gate Yoga and Dance, Los Angeles
SUNDAY 12/20:
9-10AM - YOGA ON THE SAND
MONDAY 12/21:
9:3o-10:30AM - YOGA FOR ALL LEVELS
6:30-7:15PM - KURUNTA (ROPE) YOGA
7:15-8PM - BELLY DANCE WITH AMY
TUESDAY 12/22:
8:30-9:3oPM - YOGA FOR SENIORS
THURSDAY 12/24:
9:30-10:30AM - YOGA FOR ALL LEVELS
1-2PM - YOGA FOR ALL LEVELS
SATURDAY 12/26:
10:30AM-12PM - YOGA FOR ALL LEVELS
12-1PM - XMAS BELLY DANCE WITH AMY
SUNDAY 12/27:
9-10AM - YOGA ON THE SAND
MONDAY 12/29:
9:30-10:30AM - YOGA FOR ALL LEVELS
6:30-7:15PM - KURUNTA (ROPE) YOGA
7:15–8:30PM - BELLY DANCE WITH AMY
TUESDAY 12/29:
8:30-9:30PM - YOGA FOR SENIORS
THURSDAY 12/31:
9:30-10:30AM - YOGA FOR ALL LEVELS
FRIDAY 1/1/10:
9:30-10:15AM - YOGA FOR ALL LEVELS
10:15-11AM - NEW YEAR BELLY DANCE WITH AMY
SATURDAY 1/2/10:
10:30AM-12PM - YOGA FOR ALL LEVELS
12-1PM - NEW YEAR BELLY DANCE WITH AMY
Please note that YOGA ON THE SAND will be going on hiatus until March.

Truyoga, Santa Monica
Thursday, December 24:
Pilates with Suk Gin Alberty - 1:00 p.m.
All other day classes and evening classes are canceled.
Closed Christmas Day, Friday, December 25.
Thursday, December 31:
Ring in the New Year Yoga Flow Class with Chani Nicholas - 12:00 p.m.
All other day classes and evening classes are canceled.
Happy Holidays from TruYoga!!!

YAS, Venice
Click here for holiday schedule

Yogaco, Santa Monica
X-MAS EVE DEC 24th:
WATER ROOM --
7:30am VINYASA FLOW DAN
9:15am VINYASA FLOW JENNIFER
11am POWER YOGA TAMAL
EARTH ROOM --
6:30am-8:30am ASHTANGA MARIA
SKY ROOM -- CANCELED
X-MAS DAY: YOGACO WILL BE CLOSED
New Year's Yoga with Kelsey on Dec. 31st at 4:15pm!
Ring in the new Year with a great candlelit yoga class and special live musical guest, and wine toasting afterward!!

Yogaglo, Santa Monica
Wednesday, Dec 23rd thru Tuesday, Dec 29th - Classes canceled for the holidays

Yoga Hop, Santa Monica
Thursday, December 24:
9:15-10:45AM Summit 2/3 - Matthew Reyes
All other classes canceled
Friday, December 25: CLOSED
Thursday, December 31:
9:15-10:45AM Summit 2/3 - Matthew Reyes
11:00AM-12:30PM Level 2/3+ - Jennifer Moore
1:00-2:00PM Level 2/3+ - Kourtney Kaas
All other classes canceled
Friday, January 01:
10:00-11:30AM Level 2/3+ - Matthew Reyes
All other classes canceled

Yoga West, Los Angeles
Yoga West will be closed:
12.24 for all evening classes (open for all morning classes)
12.25 for all classes
1.1 for all classes

Yoga Works Main Street, Santa Monica
CHRISTMAS EVE CLASSES:
7:30-8:55 Yoga Blend 2 Bahni Turpin
9:15-10:45 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Vinnie Marino
11:00-12:30 Yoga Blend 1 Jasmine Lieb
12:45-2:15 Restoratives/Pranayama Chris Stein
ALL OTHER CLASSES CANCELLED
CLOSED ON CHRISTMAS DAY
NEW YEAR’S EVE CLASSES:
7:30-8:55 Yoga Blend 2/3 Malachi Melville
9:00-10:30 Vinyasa Flow 2 Gigi Snyder
10:45-12:15 Kundalini (all levels) Kia Miller
w/live music
12:30-2:00 Restoratives Chris Stein
ALL OTHER CLASSES CANCELLED
NEW YEAR’S DAY CLASSES:
9:00-10:30 Yoga Blend 2/3 Chad Hamrin
10:45-12:15 Yoga Blend 1/2 Kia Miller
12:30-2:30 Vinyasa Flow 2 Annie Carpenter
w/ Chanting and Pranayama
ALL OTHER CLASSES CANCELLED

Yoga Works Montana Avenue, Santa Monica
CHRISTMAS EVE CLASSES:
7:30-8:55 YogaWorks 1 Al Tavera
9:00-10:30 Iyengar 1/2 Scott Hobbs
9:15-10:40 Vinyasa Flow 2 Carolina Goldberg
10:45-12:15 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Jesse Schein
10:45-12:15 Yoga Blend Nicola Dunne
ALL OTHER CLASSES CANCELLED
CLOSED ON CHRISTMAS DAY
NEW YEAR’S EVE CLASSES:
9:00-10:25 YogaWorks 2 Annie Carpenter
10:00-11:30 Iyengar 1-2 Marla Apt
10:45-12:15 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Jesse Schein
12:30-2:00 Yoga Blend 1 Nicola Dunne
ALL OTHER CLASSES CANCELLED
NEW YEAR’S DAY CLASSES:
9:00-10:30 YogaWorks 1 Al Tavera
9:15-10:40 Yoga Blend 2 Malachi Melville
10:45-12:15 Yoga Blend 1/2 Nicola Dunne
11:00-12:45 Iyengar 1/2 Marla Apt
12:30-2:30 Ashtanga/Mysore Sonya Cottle
12:45-2:00 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Greville Henwood
ALL OTHER CLASSES CANCELLED

Yoga Works Pacific Palisades, Pacific Palisades
CHRISTMAS EVE: ALL CLASSES CANCELLED
CLOSED ON CHRISTMAS DAY
NEW YEAR’S EVE: ALL CLASSES CANCELLED
CLOSED ON NEW YEAR’S DAY

Yoga Works Westwood, Los Angeles
CHRISTMAS EVE CLASSES:
9:00-10:30 YogaWorks 2 Thomas Taubman
9:00-10:30 Iyengar 1/2 Paul Cabanis
10:45-12:15 Vinyasa 2/3 David Lynch
10:45-12:15 Yoga Blend Anita Manglani
ALL OTHER CLASSES CANCELLED
CLOSED ON CHRISTMAS DAY
NEW YEAR’S EVE CLASSES:
9:00-10:30 YogaWorks 1/2 Thomas Taubman
9:30-10:55 Iyengar 1 Herb Sandoval
10:45-12:15 Vinyasa 2/3 David Lynch
11:00-12:30 Yoga Blend 2 Eka Ekong
ALL OTHER CLASSES CANCELLED
CLOSED NEW YEAR’S DAY

Yogis Anonymous, Santa Monica
HOLIDAY SUB SCHEDULE --
Tuesday 12/22:
9am: Brian Aganad (for Angela)
2:30pm: Ashley Turner (for Krista)
4:15pm: Brian Aganad (for Angela)
6:30pm: Brian Aganad (for Brock)
Wednesday 12/23:
7am: Chani (for Felicia)
9am: Kristin Olson (for Krista)
Thursday 12/24:
9am: Good Cop/Bad Cop with MB LaRue and Tommy Holmes
11am: Yoga for the Whole Village with Ally Hamilton and Dorian Cheah (live on electric violin with loops and effects)...holiday party after!
Friday 12/25:
closed
Saturday 12/26:
8am: Tommy Holmes (for Dale)
2pm: Kristin Olson (for Chani)
4pm: Mary Beth LaRue (for Meredith)
Sunday 12/27:
12pm: Mary Beth LaRue (for Meredith)
4pm: Ashley Turner (for Chani)
Monday 12/28:
9am: Ashley Turner (for Krista)
11am: Ashley Turner (for Briohny)
Tuesday 12/29:
9am: Ashley Turner (for Angela)
1pm: Mary Beth LaRue
2:30pm: Ashley Turner (for Krista)
4:15pm: TBA (for Angela)
6:30pm: David Boyle (for Brock)
*if there isn't a sub listed, you can assume your regular teacher will be there :)
New Year's Eve (Thursday December 31st):
7am: CHANI NICHOLAS
9am: CHRIS ARMAS
11am: GOOD COP/BAD COP with TOMMY HOLMES and MARY BETH LaRUE
1pm: MARY BETH LaRUE
2:30pm: KRISTA CAHILL
4:15pm: LEELU MORRIS
6:30pm: BROCK'S CLASS IS CANCELED
8:30pm: ALLY HAMILTON
New Year's Day (Friday the 1st)
7am: CHANI'S CLASS IS CANCELED
9am: KRISTA CAHILL(for Angela)
11am: ALLY HAMILTON with live music by DORIAN CHEAH
1pm: VIRGINIA WEISS' CLASS IS CANCELED
2:30pm: CHARLIE SAMOS
4:15pm: ANGELA KUKHAHN AND BRIAN AGANAD
6:30pm: JORGEN CHRISTIANSSON
8:30pm: KOURTNEY KAAS
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Your Neighborhood Studio, Culver City
We will be CLOSED Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Regular schedule for all other days.


~~ mid-city / downtown ~~

Bikram Yoga Downtown, Los Angeles
Click here for schedule

Bikram Yoga Silverlake, Atwater Village
We will be on a special schedule for the holidays from December 23rd, 2009 to January 1st, 2010. Please click here for the holiday schedule.

City Yoga, West Hollywood
Refer to our modified HOLIDAY SCHEDULE online, effective 12/21/2009 to 1/3/2010
We will go back to our regular schedule on Monday 1/4
** Christmas Day Transformational Class with Hillary Rubin 10:30-12:00 mixed level
Give yourself the gift, Be the gift, Open the gift & Share the gift. Amazing surprise never taught before that will provide great fun - guaranteed!!!

Golden Bridge, Hollywood
Monday, December 21st: Tej's 5:30pm & Gurmukh's 7:00pm class will be cancelled!
Thursday, December 24th: Golden Bridge will be open from 8:30am - 1:00pm.
Friday, December 25th: Golden Bridge will be closed all day, no classes or workshops!
Thursday, December 31st: Golden Bridge will be closed all day except for a Special New Year's Workshop starting at 9:00pm
Friday, January 1st: Golden Bridge will be closed all day

Guerilla Yoga, Hollywood
There are no classes scheduled from 12/24 - 12/31
SPECIAL NEW YEARS DAY CLASS CO-TAUGHT BY MARC & TIFFANY
Oh this is going to be fun. And the first class of the first day of the year should be just that ... fun.
Friday January 1, 2010
10:30 - 12:30
Hollywood Dance Center
Suggested Donation: $20
Since we have already received lots of interest in this class and space is limited, we kindly ask that you RSVP either by e-mailing me directly OR on the Facebook Events page that has been set up. This will also give us ample time to book the larger room at the Dance Center if need be.
Please RSVP at guerillayoga@mac.com

Liberation Yoga, Los Angeles
Christmas Eve Day:
8:00am-10:00am - Ashtanga with Joel
10:00am-11:30am - Flow with Steven
11:30am-1:00pm - Level 1 with Jessie
1:00pm-2:30pm - All Levels with Sarah
WE ARE OPEN FOR LAST MINUTE SHOPPING UNTIL 6pm!!!
Christmas Day:
Though we did stay open during the 8 beautiful days of Hannukah we will be closed Christmas Day.
New Year's Eve Day:
8:00am-10:00am - Ashtanga with Joel
10:00am-11:30am - Flow with Steven
11:30am-1:00pm - Level 1 with Jessie
1:00pm-2:30pm - All Levels with TBA
9:45pm-midnight - New Year's Eve Celebration with Christine
New Year's Day 2010:
1:00pm-2:30pm - Level 1-2 With Lynn
2:30pm-4:00pm - Flow 2/3 with Ashley

Silver Lake Yoga, Silverlake
Dec 21st, Monday - No 10am Parent and Me
Dec 23rd, Wednewday - No 7am, no 10am Toddler and Me, No 12:30pm Just Stretch, No 7:30pm Mixed Levels
Dec 24th, Thursday - There will be the 9:15pm class with Jonathan, 10:45am Pilates with Lynne, 11am Prenatal with Juliette. All other classes cancelled
Dec 25th, Friday - No classes!
Dec 26th, Saturday - No 9:30am Mixed Levels
Dec 28th, Monday - No 10am Parent and Me
Dec 30th, Wednesday - No 7am, no 10am Toddler and Me
Dec 31st, Thursday - There will be the 9:15am with Barry, 10:45 Pilates with Lynne, 11am Prenatal with Juliette, 12:30pm Beginner's II with Jonathan. All other classes cancelled
Jan 1st, Friday - New Year's Day! One class with Dana at 11am, All levels

Still Yoga, Silverlake
Thu December 24:
9:00 - 10:30 AM all levels anusara-inspired - Allison Linamen
10:45 - 12:15 PM all levels anusara-inspired - Jenny Brill
12:30 - 2:15 PM the practice - Tara Judelle
All other classes Cancelled
Fri December 25:
10:00 - 12:00 PM Christmas 2 hour class - Tara Judelle
All other classes Cancelled
Thu December 31:
9:00 - 10:30 AM all levels anusara-inspired - Maria Cristina Jimenez
10:45 - 12:15 PM all levels anusara-inspired - Jenny Brill
All other classes Cancelled
Fri January 1:
11:00 - 1:00 PM New Year's Day 2 Hour class - Gina Zimmerman
All other classes Cancelled

Swerve Studio, Los Angeles
SWERVE offers a special Class Schedule from December 19th - January 1st, 2010. Please click here to link to our detailed special schedule.

U Studio, Miracle Mile
Monday Dec 21st:
5:30 pm -- Andrea
Tuesday Dec 22nd:
10:15 am -- Andrea
5:30 pm -- Calysta
Wednesday Dec 23rd:
5:30pm -- Calysta
Thursday Dec 24th:
CLOSED
Friday Dec 25th:
CLOSED
Saturday Dec 26th:
10:30 am -- Masha
Sunday Dec 27th:
10:30 am -- Masha
Andrea returns to her regular schedule Monday Dec 28th. Stay tuned for New Year's Class schedule.
Mary's Wednesday/Friday 10:15 community flow will return Wed Jan 6th!!

Urth Yoga, Silverlake
Wednesday, December 23rd:
6:55a $5 Yoga Hour w/Sarika
9:00a Mixed Levels w/Sachie
12:30p $5 Yoga Hour w/Nicole
4:30p Basics w/Patricia
6:15p Mixed Levels w/Jeff
8:00p Mixed Levels w/Huck
Thursday December 24th:
9:00a Basics w/Eden
10:45a Mixed Levels w/Sachie
Friday December 25th:
10:00a Mixed Levels w/Jeff
Saturday December 26th:
8:30a Basics w/Huck
10:30a Mixed Levels w/Nicole
Sunday December 27th:
9:00a Mixed Levels w/Keric
10:45a Basics w/Keric
5:00p Mixed Levels w/Jeff
7:00p Relax & Restore w/Kathy
Monday December 28th:
9:00a Basics w/Nicole
12:30p $5 Yoga Hour w/Sarika
6:15p Mixed Levels w/Jeff
Tuesday December 29th:
9:00a Basics w/Nicole
10:45a Mixed Levels w/Sachie
12:30p $5 Yoga Hour w/Peter Wolff
6:15p Basics w/Patricia
Wednesday December 30th:
9:00a Mixed Levels w/Sachie
10:45a Mixed Levels w/Peter Wolff
12:30p $5 Yoga Hour w/Eden
7:30p Relax & Restore w/Gabe
Thursday December 31st:
9:00a Basics w/Rachel
10:45a Mixed Levels w/Sachie
4:30p Mixed Levels w/Patricia
Friday January 1st:
11:00a Mixed Levels w/Huck
We return to our regular schedule on Saturday, January 2nd

Yoga Works Center for Yoga, Larchmont
CHRISTMAS EVE CLASSES:
8:00-9:25 Iyengar 1/2 Nancy Sandercock
9:30-10:45 Yoga Blend 1 Susan Swan
10:00-11:30 Yoga Blend 2 Eka Ekong
11:00-1:00 Ashtanga Jodi Blumstein
11:45-1:15 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Joan Hyman
ALL OTHER CLASSES CANCELLED
CLOSED ON CHRISTMAS DAY
NEW YEAR’S EVE CLASSES:
8:00-9:25 Iyengar 1/2 Scott Hobbs
8:30-9:55 Yoga Blend 1 Susan Swan
9:30-10:55 YogaWorks 2 Carmen Fitzgibbon
10:00-11:25 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Joan Hyman
ALL OTHER CLASSES CANCELLED
NEW YEAR’S DAY CLASSES:
9:30-10:55 Yoga Blend 1 Fred Miller
10:30-12:00 Yoga Blend 2 Steve Freedman
11:00-1:00 Ashtanga Jodi Blumstein
12:15-1:45 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Eka Ekong
1:15-2:45 Iyengar 1/2 Paul Cabanis
ALL OTHER CLASSES CANCELLED

Yummy Yoga, Los Feliz
Tuesday, Dec 22:
7:30 AM ~ Power Hour with Sasha
4:30 PM ~ All Levels with Clio
6:00 PM ~ Level 2/3 with Amy
7:45 PM ~ Candlelight Flow with Jeff
Wednesday, Dec 23:
7:30 AM ~ Power Hour with Rabia
4:30 PM ~ Level 1/2 with Sasha
6:00 PM ~ Core Class with Caroline
7:45 PM ~ All Levels with Larry
Thursday, Dec 24:
7:30 AM ~ Power Hour with Sasha
4:30 PM ~ All Levels with Clio
All other classes cancelled
Friday, Dec 25:
All classes cancelled
Saturday, Dec 26:
10:30 AM ~ All Levels with Larry
All other classes cancelled
Sunday, Dec 27:
10:00 AM ~ All Levels with Larry
5:30 PM ~ Level 2/3 with Amy
7:15 PM ~ Restorative with Ali
Monday, Dec 28:
7:30 AM ~ Power Hour with Sasha
4:30 PM ~ Level 1/2 with Ali
6:00 PM ~ Core Class with Sasha
7:45 PM ~ All Levels with Larry
Tuesday, Dec 29:
7:30 AM ~ Power Hour with Sasha
4:30 PM ~ All Levels with Clio
6:00 PM ~ Level 2/3 with LeTania
7:45 PM ~ Candlelight Flow with LeTania
Wednesday, Dec 30:
7:30 AM ~ Power Hour with Sasha
4:30 PM ~ Level 1/2 with Sasha
6:00 PM ~ Core Class with Caroline
7:45 PM ~ All Levels with LeTania
Thursday, Dec 31:
7:30 AM ~ Power Hour with Sasha
4:30 PM ~ All Levels with Clio
All other classes cancelled
Friday, Jan 1 ~ NEW YEAR'S DAY!
10:00 AM ~ Two-Hour New Year's Class with Ducky
All other classes cancelled


~~ san fernando and san gabriel valleys ~~

Awareness Center, Pasadena
We will be CLOSED for regular classes on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
We will be OPEN for a New Year’s event and Sadhana on New Year's Day 4:15 - 6:30am.

Black Dog Yoga, Sherman Oaks
Thursday, December 24th (Christmas Eve):
We will be closing at 1:30pm. We will have our regular Thursday morning schedule and our last class will be at 12:00 noon. (Please see our website for more information)
Friday, December 25th (Christmas Day):
Hanna Gilan Strong Flow 9:00a
Lauri Janover Basic Flow 9:30a
Jenny Brill Strong Anusara 10:30a
Melissa Morgan Gentle Yoga 11:00a
Thursday, December 31st (New Year's Eve):
We will be closing at 1:30pm. We will have our regular Thursday morning schedule and our last class will be at 12:00 noon. (Please see website for more information)
Friday, January 1st (New Year's Day):
Ashley Albrand Strong Flow 10:00a
Sigrid Matthews Basic Flow 10:30a
Jenny Brill Strong Anusara 11:30a
Lauri Janover Gentle Yoga 12:00a

Garden of Yoga, Woodland Hills
Christmas:
Garden of Yoga will be CLOSED on Thursday, December 24th (Xmas Eve)
Garden of Yoga will be CLOSED on Friday, December 25th (Xmas Day)
Diana will be teaching Mindful Flow on Saturday, December 26th at 10am
New Year's 2010:
Garden of Yoga will be CLOSED on Thursday, December 31st (New Years Eve)
Garden of Yoga will be CLOSED on Friday, January 1st (New Year's Day)
Come set your New Year's intentions with a Mindful Flow class with Diana
on Saturday, January 2nd from 10am - 11:30am
We will all be back to teach our regular classes on Monday, January 4th

Karen Shuman's Beyond Yoga, Sherman Oaks
Thursday Dec 24th:
11:00-12:30pm Gentle Hatha Karen S.
Friday Dec 25th: CLOSED
The rest of the weekend is the normal schedule.
Thursday Dec 31st:
10:30-12ish Kundalini Yoga and Meditation Tina Marie Daly
**A special class to release all old patterns and limitations. Help call in what you would like to manifest in the New Year!!***
Friday Jan. 1st 2010!!: CLOSED
Saturday Jan. 2nd:
11:00-12:30pm Hatha Flow Dario
**only class for the day**
Normal schedule for the rest of the weekend!!

Rising Lotus Yoga, Sherman Oaks
Thursday, December 24th:
7:30 - 8:45am Mixed Level Flow with Vickie Howie
9:00 - 10:30am Level 1 with Ruth Zalduondo
10:35 - 12:05pm Mixed Level Flow with Daniel Stewart
12:15 - 1:45pm Gentle & Therapeutics with Ann Braden
12:15 - 1:15pm Lunch Flow (Mixed Flow) with Holli Rabishaw
Friday, December 25th:
10:30 - 12:00pm Mixed Level Flow with Michelle Goldstein
12:15 - 1:45pm Easy Does It with Karen Rosales
Thursday, December 31st:
7:30 - 8:45am Mixed Level Flow with Vicki Howie
9:00 - 10:30am Level 1 with Sarah Court
10:35 - 12:05pm Mixed Level Flow with Daniel Stewart
12:15 - 1:45pm Gentle & Therapeutics with Ann Braden
12:15 - 1:15pm peapLunch Flow (Mixed Level) with Holli Rabishaw
Friday, January 1st:
10:30 - 12:00pm Level 1 with Sarah Court
12:15 - 1:45pm Mixed Level Flow with Daniel Stewart

Yoga at the Village, Glendale
Thursdays, 12/24/09 and 12/31/10:
No 6:00pm and 7:30pm Classes on Christmas Eve and New Years' Eve Days
Fridays, 12/25/09 and 1/1/10:
Closed All Day Christmas and New Years Days

Yoga Blend, Burbank
Thursday, December 24:
Studio Closes at 2pm
Friday, December 25:
Studio Closed - All Classes Cancelled
Thursday, December 31:
Studio Closes at 2pm
Friday, January 1:
Studio Closed - All Classes Cancelled*
*Special New Years Day Restorative Workshop with Bekah Finch

Yoga Groove Studio, Burbank
December 24, 2009 (x1) 10:00am class mixed level
December 25, 2009 - Closed
December 26, 2009- (x1) 10:00am class mixed level
December 27, 2009 - (x1) 10:30am class mixed level
December 28,2009 - (x1) 10:00am class and (x1) 6:00pm classs
December 29, 2009- (x1) 10:00am class and (x1) 6:00pm class
December 30, 2009- (x1) 10:00am class and (x1) 6:00pm class
December 31, 2009- (x1) 10:00am class
January 1, 2010- Closed
January 2, 2010- (x1) 10:00am class
January 3, 2010- (x1) 10:30 class
January 4, 2010 Back to Regular Schedule

The Yoga Loft, Woodland Hills
THE STUDIO WILL BE CLOSED DECEMBER 24 & 25 AND DECEMBER 31 AND JANUARY 1, 2010. THERE WILL BE A FEW OTHER MINOR CHANGES TO THE SCHEDULE DURING THE HOLIDAYS. GOOD IDEA TO CALL 818.710.9057 FOR UPDATES BEFORE YOU ATTEND A CLASS.

Yoga Madre, Arcadia
Dec. 24 - 1 class only 9-11 with René - FREE
Dec. 25 - CLOSED
Dec 31st 1 class only 9-11 with René - FREE
Jan. 1st - CLOSED

The Yogi Tree, Toluca Lake
Closed for the holidays, reopening Monday, December 28
We will be closed Thursday, December 31, 2009 and Friday, January 1, 2010. Regular classes resume Saturday, January 2, 2010.


~~ south bay / long beach ~~

Bikram Yoga, Manhattan Beach
Thu December 24:
7:00 - 8:30 AM Nicolle
9:15 - 10:45 AM Jenni
12:00 - 1:30 PM Nicolle
4:45 - 6:15 PM Alana
All other classes Cancelled
Fri December 25:
9:15 - 10:45 AM Ziggy
All other classes Cancelled
Thu December 31:
5:30 - 7:00 AM Alana
7:00 - 8:30 AM Nicolle
9:15 - 10:45 AM Allyson
12:00 - 1:30 PM Nicolle
4:45 - 6:15 PM Allyson
All other classes Cancelled
Fri January 1:
9:15 - 10:45 AM Polly
12:00 - 1:30 PM Nicolle
4:45 - 6:15 PM Allyson
All other classes Cancelled

Free Spirit Yoga, Long Beach
Christmas Eve 12/24: 9:30am with Andrea T, 3:00pm with Lonne
Christmas Day 12/25 : 11:00am with Lonne
New Year's Eve 12/31: 9:30am with Andrea T, 3:00pm with Dharma
New Year's Day 1/1/10 9:30am with Andrea T
The new schedule for 2010 is live online at freespirityoga.com and click on class schedule.

Green Yogi, Manhattan Beach
Special Holiday Classes
December 24th:
9:30am - 10:45am Power Vinyasa with Anne Israel
11:00am - 12:15pm Gentle Christmas Flow with Mary Strong
December 25th: Closed
December 31st:
9:30am - 10:45am Power Vinyasa with Anne Israel
11:00am - 12:15pm Full Moon Flow with Heather Archer
January 1st: Closed

Happy Me Yoga, Redondo Beach
- STUDIO CLOSED: 12/24 - 12/27
- Only morning classes: 12/28 - 12/31
- 2010: see website for schedule changes! happymeyoga.com

Yoga Loft, Manhattan Beach
We will have a special reduced class schedule between Christmas and New Years'. Please visit http://www.yogaloftmb.com/

Yoga Works South Bay, El Segundo
CHRISTMAS EVE CLASSES:
8:00-9:25 Iyengar 1/2 Saraswati Browne
8:00-9:25 Led Ashtanga Maria Zavala
9:30-10:55 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Garth Hewitt
9:30-10:55 YogaWorks 1 Amy Drucker
11:00-12:30 Vinyasa Flow 2 Julie Rader
ALL OTHER CLASSES CANCELLED
CLOSED ON CHRISTMAS DAY
NEW YEAR’S EVE CLASSES:
8:15-9:45 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Garth Hewitt
8:00-9:25 Yoga Blend 1 Doug Binzak
9:30-10:55 Vinyasa Flow 2 Shelley Williams
9:45-11:15 Iyengar 1/2 Jennifer Edwards
11:00-12:30 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 Rachel Simmons
ALL OTHER CLASSES CANCELLED
NEW YEAR’S DAY CLASSES:
9:00-10:30 Vinyasa Flow 2 Shelley Williams
9:15-10:45 Yoga Blend 1 Zhi Myers
10:45-12:15 Vinyasa Flow 2/3 David Lynch
12:30-2:00 Yoga Blend 1/2 Doug Binzak
ALL OTHER CLASSES CANCELLED