vote for the best yoga studio!

earlier today, i received an email from a yoga studio that announced:

(We've) been nominated as one of L.A.'s hottest yoga studios!
Please cast your vote to make us "the" hottest yoga studio!!

it turns out that fox 11 tv wants to compile a list of the top businesses here in LA. according to their website:

What's HOT in the Los Angeles area? Vote for LA's BEST!
Check out myfoxla's HOTLIST for the scoop on the best businesses and hotspots in the Los Angeles area. Plus, you can vote for and comment on YOUR favorites here!

so i clicked on the myfoxla cityvoter link included in that email message, and not only did i find a list of the yoga studios that had been nominated so far, but also their current standings on the hot list.

as of 9:40pm on september 27th, this is how it stands:

inner harmony yoga - 52%
goda yoga - 22%
yoga works - 11%
earth's power yoga - 4%

strangely enough, it doesn't say how many total votes were received; even more strange is that 52+22+11+4 = 89%. so what happened to the missing 11%?

anyway, if it's any consolation, these studios were nominated but somehow didn't make it to that top 4:

ashtanga yoga shala
bala yoga *
black dog yoga
bryan kest's power yoga
city yoga
forrest yoga *
free spirit yoga
golden bridge yoga
(home) simply yoga
le studio yoga
liberation yoga
long beach yoga centre
maha yoga
rudra yoga center
santa monica yoga
silver lake yoga
yoga bindu
yoga circle downtown
yoga world

* don't bother voting for these studios; they're no longer open for business :(

considering that i've been to all those yoga studios except for ashtanga yoga shala, le studio yoga, and long beach yoga centre (mainly because their schedules/restrictions make it hard for me to take classes there), i know which studios would end up at the top of MY list (and some of them haven't even been nominated!). so since i'm really interested to find out what YOU all have to say, i'm posting the link here so that you can all voice your opinion. and we'll see where things stand a week from now.

so think hard, then click here to vote for your choice for the best yoga studio in LA

and may the best studio win!

a yoga hangover

what do you get when you immerse yourself in an entire weekend's worth of yoga and yoga-related shopping?

in my case, a tired body, a happy soul, and a mind that's still trying to reconcile the financial repercussions of my spending spree :)

the big global mala project + yoga walk shindig finally came to fruition this past weekend, sept 22-23, at the los angeles convention center. interestingly enough, there were two other conferences also going on in the center's south hall: a black business expo and an adult entertainment convention. so while we were grazing on tofu burgers and veggie wraps on our side of the wall, the aroma of creole, caribbean, and soul food continued to tease us from the BBE side. in the meantime, men waiting in line for adultcon tickets on the lobby level had their fill of eye candy as young, lithe yoginis made their way to and from the parking areas. what a mix... gotta love LA!

my saturday started bright and early. after checking in for my 8am-to-noon shift, i acquainted myself with the general tasks that needed to be attended to at the global mala booth, then dropped by the surrounding booths to see who and what were there. it was like having all my different yoga worlds converge in one place at the same time -- the friendly faces from studios, retailers, and websites were all there! i eventually had to pull myself away from all the socializing so i could get back to my volunteer duties...

luckily for me, i was able to get myself assigned to press and media duty. i was stationed at the press check-in desk in the lobby with barbara, another volunteer. we were tasked with assisting katy saeger and joy burch from the saeger media group, the PR group for the global mala event. we checked press credentials, handed out event information, and answered questions. it was a kick; i was able to meet representatives from the different organizations covering the event, not only those with whom i'd interacted with before (like LA yoga's felicia tomasko and other familiar names and/or faces), but also people i wouldn't have met otherwise, including a TV crew who flew in all the way from japan.

once my shift ended, i reserved a spot near the main stage with my yoga mat, then started shopping in earnest. while i browsed the bargain bins, i kept a close eye and ear on the stage goings-on: the kirtan artists, the meditation leaders, and the yoga instructors. after all, the point of the GMP was to practice with and be inspired by the the luminaries that were invited to the event (although from the way i was madly plunking down the plastic, you'd never know it). and as a pre-mala warm-up, i treated myself to a ten minute chair massage from paul at the exhale spa booth.

by the time gurmukh kaur khalsa took the stage early in the afternoon, i realized it was about time i participated in the activities. i stashed away my purchases and rushed to my yoga mat to join the class that had already started. by the time the hour-long class was over, my arms and legs were exhausted from all the pushups, the jumping up and down, the bending and swaying, and the circling around and around. in normal circumstances, it wouldn't have mattered, but this time, i still had those 108 to do! not only that, but i had already put in 27 sun salutes and 108 minutes of kirtan the night before...

after a brief kirtan intermission, it was finally time for the main event: the yoga mala with its 108 sun salutations, led by shiva rea and members of the core yoga team. an announcement was made over the PA system, and one by one, those still standing around the vendor booths dropped what they were doing to join the large group already assembled around the stage.

after a brief introduction and demonstration by shiva and peter sterios on how to do the sun salutes, including less strenuous variations, we began.

round 1... we were led by michael beckwith and shiva, while girish inspired us with his chanting. we were held to a nice and easy pace, and before we knew it, the first 27 were over. piece of cake.

round 2... this time it was krishna kaur khalsa sharing the stage with shiva, with wah! and her electric guitar providing a rock beat to keep our spirits high. with the next 27 completed, we moved on.

round 3... shiva was joined by seane corn, who fired up the crowd with her words as we moved through each iteration. the musical offerings of govindas and radha helped get us through another set of 27. it was getting tough, but i was still hanging in there.

and for some reason, maybe because i was mentally and physically spent by then, i thought we were done. just as i was about to let out a celebratory whoop, i realized we had one more round to go :(

round 4... michael beckwith rejoined shiva, and this time donna de lory and her band helped see us through the last 27 with their infectious om namah shivaya. by then, i could no longer hold my chaturangas and my jumpbacks had gotten weak and sloppy. thank god it was finally over!

the rest of the evening was a blur...

... freshly-squeezed apple carrot juice... jeremy piven... warm and crunchy french fries... sheila chandra... larabar samples... jai uttal... "will power" h2om water... the agape choir...

by the time dj cheb i sabbah's throbbing world music set was cut off by the convention staff shortly before midnight, i had trance danced myself into a state of mindless bliss. still holding on to the invite to the VIP after-party at the yogamates office a few blocks away, i realized that i needed to go to bed; i had to pass on the chance for more food, more music, and more freebies. sigh... i must be getting old :(

and yes, compulsive me was back the next day to fulfill yet another volunteer shift i'd signed up for. besides me, there were only four others who showed up to man the GMP booth, so since there wasn't much activity going on that day, we all took turns holding down the fort while the others took yoga classes and/or shopped. and for our noble and dedicated efforts, we were all rewarded with limited edition manduka eKO mats and jade harmony mats as parting gifts. thanks, daphne and dhyana!

as i write this, the floor around me is strewn with the acquisitions i have yet to put away: the yoga mats and the other freebies that i received for volunteering my time, a limited edition GMP yogitoes skidless towel, a dali mama meditation cushion, a yoga tribe and culture tank top, a shiva shakti cami top, a hardtail t-shirt and yoga pants, an energy muse bracelet, a tara home wooden buddha that decorated the event's altar, some white swan CDs and acacia DVDs, and a brightly-colored scarf that i picked up from a clothing vendor to keep me warm as i walked back to my car at the end of the event. and yes, almost all of them were on sale :)

hopefully, the global mala project will become an annual event; i can't wait to do this again!

** postscript: i totally forgot about two other CDs that i bought over the weekend -- one was the best of wah!, which wah! was gracious enough to autograph for me while we were packing things up at the GMP booth late saturday night; the other was naked rhythm's frequency, a fantastic world music album that i first heard at the expo sunday and haven't stopped listening to since i popped it into my CD player at the office! (and why didn't i think of having them autograph their CD when i bought it from them?)

a global mala preview

it's finally here -- the global mala project is tomorrow!

earlier this afternoon, i spent a few hours at the la convention center; there was a small group of us who showed up to help with the set up of the global mala / yoga walk event. i'll be returning bright and early tomorrow morning for last-minute duties before the doors officially open at 10am.

oh, the excitement!

here's what's planned for this saturday:

10:15 AM - Sri Chakra Puja Blessing with Sri Karunamaya Baba
10:45 AM - Gayatri Chanting with Saul David Raye & Friends
11:18 AM - Meditation and Satsang with Paramahamsa Nithyananda
12:30 PM - Inhale Kirtan with Sreemati, Suzanne Sterling, The Wild Lotus Band followed by Laughing Yoga with Yogi Ramesh
2:10 PM - Kundalini Yoga with Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa
3:15 PM - Kirtan Music with Joey Lugassy & Daphne Tse
4:00 PM - Yoga Mala, 108 Surya Namaskars with Core Yoga Teachers and Kirtan hosted by Shiva Rea, Seane Corn, Krishna Kaur Khalsa & special guests with kirtan with Donna De Lory, Girish, Wah!, and Govindas & Radha

KCRW (89.9 FM and KCRW.com) Presents the Evening Program:
6:30 PM - Jeremy Piven intro Journey of a Lifetime with Shiva Rea and Bob Wisdom
7:00 PM - Sheila Chandra
7:40 PM - Kirtan Mala with Jai Uttal and the Global Mala Kirtan Members
8:40 PM - Agape International Choir opening for RISE! Paradigm Shifting Speaker, Michael Bernard Beckwith, Founder and Spiritual Director for Agape International Spiritual Center
9:30 PM - Yoga Trance Dance ignited by Shiva Rea with DJ Cheb I Sabbah and master drummers, hosted by Bob Wisdom and Craig Kohland
11:00 PM - Closing with 108 OM Chant, Kirtan with Wah!, Joey Lugassy and the Global Mala Project Kirtan Members

*Speakers throughout the day will include: Dave Deppner (CEO, Trees for the Future), Leila Conners Petersen (Filmmaker, 11th Hour), Seane Corn (Ambassador for Youth Aids), Andrew Beath (CEO, Earthways), Suzanne Sterling (Off the Mat, Into the World), Marc Popkin (Greenpeace) and special guests.

while the global mala event will only be happening on saturday (or so it seems, since there's only the schedule for that one day posted on the GMP website), the yoga walk expo will be held BOTH saturday and sunday. which means that for two entire days, there will be exhibitors representing natural health and conscious living industries, as well as yoga classes, lectures, and entertainment.

i took a walk through the retail area this afternoon while the vendors were setting up their booths and noticed the wide variety of items that will be for sale: food, clothing, books, CDs, services, and more. i've already started making a list of the items i want to purchase; i'm sure i'll find much more once they're all open for business! :)

as a teaser to the 108 sun salutations that i'll be participating in at the GMP tomorrow, i made my way out to sherman oaks this evening to join the students and teachers of rising lotus yoga as they observed the global mala event and the international day of peace at their home studio.

once all of the 40 or so of us had checked in and settled down, daniel stewart and claire hartley, co-owners of rising lotus, explained the reason for the global mala event. daniel then handed the floor over to cantor chuck bergman, the father of one of the students, who chanted a solemn prayer to commemorate yom kippur, the jewish day of atonement.

after claire's quick review of the surya A and surya B series, we proceeded to flow non-stop through the mini-mala of 27 sun salutes, starting with 14 A's and ending with 13 B's. finally, after a short cooldown followed by a shorter savasana, we transitioned to 108 minutes of kirtan, led by daniel, claire, terra green gold, and two musicians (whose names, i believe, were steve and larry?).

the evening ended with a rousing rendition of "happy birthday" in honor of daniel stewart's birthday, followed by -- what else -- birthday cake!

and if that wasn't exciting enough, the night ended with a much-needed rainstorm, complete with thunder, lightning, and surprisingly-flooded streets. if rain is the harbinger of good things to come, tomorrow's big event should be a definite success!

a mini retreat in the riviera

Body Therapy Center Day Spa
1700 South Catalina Avenue, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 540-0163
website: http://www.bodytherapycenter.com/

We are your neighborhood day spa, specializing in personalized service. Stay for an hour or an afternoon and you will leave feeling renewed.
All classes are held in our beautiful ocean view studio. Classes include Hatha Yoga (all levels), Pilates Method Mat Classes, Meditation, Kundalini Yoga and many more.


sometime in july of last year, i had heard about this studio through diane gilbert at the yoga center in redondo beach, right after she had informed me that the class i had just shown up for at her place was cancelled (and more about THAT story here). she said something about checking if a spa around the corner had a yoga class i could still make. but since i wanted to go to a sure class rather than a possible class, i immediately headed towards another yoga studio a couple of miles away instead. in my haste, i never caught the name of the place she was referring to. i mentally bookmarked the fact that there were other possible yoga classes in the area, but quickly forgot all about it. oh well.

then sometime last month, a friend and i happened to be strolling down catalina avenue in the riviera village in redondo beach, looking for a place to have dinner. when we came across a place called the body therapy center, my synapses started firing. and i wondered: could this be that spa diane talked about? i peered into the window, and sure enough, there was enough evidence to convince me that i had finally found it. unfortunately, they were already closed for the day, so i made another mental bookmark, determined to check it out the first chance i got.

that first chance came a few weeks later while i was distributing global mala flyers at various studios in the south bay. i dropped off some flyers at this new yoga discovery and picked up a copy of the class schedule.

i scanned the offerings: gentle yoga, restorative yoga, hatha flow, pilates, qi gong, reiki training, and something that was called a "mini retreat special".

hmmm... a mini retreat at a spa? that sounded very inviting...

so on the second wednesday of this month (which happened to be the first time this once-monthly class was going to be held), i drove back out to the riviera village to pamper myself at a spa yoga class with betsy kenoff. it turned out to be a yoga-and-reiki package deal, where the first hour or so was an all-levels yoga class and the remaining time was to be spent in a reiki healing session.

the body therapy spa is located at the corner of catalina and avenue I in a small two-story building which houses a collection of small businesses, including the green temple, a wonderful vegetarian restaurant whose tables take up most of the lovely open-air courtyard. body therapy's reception area, boutique, and main spa facilities are located on the ground floor, right by the restaurant. after i checked in at the front desk for betsy's class, i was instructed to take the stairs up to the second floor to the classroom on the ocean side of the building. i really don't know why i never thought of looking out the window to check out the view; maybe i should do that the next time i drop by...

our yoga class was fairly gentle, although betsy gave us suggestions on how to modify the poses to make them more or less difficult. despite the fact that i almost always chose to take the more advanced option offered, the class still ended up being a far cry from what i would consider strenuous. but then again, since i got a nice stretch without tweaking any of my usual hot spots, i was satisfied with the end result.

once we emerged from savasana, betsy laid out an assortment of munchies for those of us who needed a little energy boost to get through the rest of the evening -- banana chips, trail mix, chips, hummus, guacamole... yum! and while we helped ourselves to the goodies, betsy brought out her biomat, which she uses in her reiki practice to provide additional heat and ion therapy to those being treated.

still feeling the blissful effects of our just-ended savasana, i eagerly volunteered to be the first to receive reiki healing from betsy.

so what is reiki? according to the reiki website,
Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one's "life force energy" is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.

whether it was the result of the yoga class, her laying her healing hands on me, the comforting heat from the biomat, or all of the above, all i know is that i emerged feeling calm and relaxed after our 2+ hour mini retreat.

which is exactly how one expects to feel after a visit to a spa. aaaaahhhh...

108 namastes

i've fallen REALLY behind in updating my yoga instructor list. in fact, i can't remember the last time i actually updated it (maybe it was sometime earlier this year?).

anyway, i need to acknowledge all the wonderful yoga teachers who've somehow left their imprint on me and my yoga practice this year. so to the 108+ yogis and yoginis (119, to be exact) with whom i've taken classes in LA* since jan 1st 2007, a big namaste to all of you!

marla apt - yoga works montana, larchmont
billy asad - yoga works main
lauri ashworth - kamala love
peter barnett - yoga works westwood
desiree bartlett - 100 yogis (equinox)
michel bayan - progressive power
anthony benenati - city, city yogathon
rebecca benenati - city yogathon
camilla bergstrom - city
kimberly blaine - harmony MB
sherry brourman - sacred movement
kathryn budig - quicksilver mission, truyoga
kari burgos - inner harmony
karen byers - city, city yogathon
paul cabanis - yoga works larchmont
brock cahill - yoga works westwood
heather camp - revive
raghunath cappo - yoga works westwood
kim chau - lyfe
tanya coert - yoga loft MB
alyson cook - truyoga
seane corn - groove collective (sacred movement)
tina dizon - SMY
will duprey - maha
eka ekong - yoga works westwood
jamie elmer - sacred movement
athena engleman - 100 yogis (beach cities health)
elsie escobar - lulu BH, swerve, yoga works larchmont
steven espinosa - sacred movement
genevieve fischer - yoga loft MB
carla flores - bikram MB
chappell foote - harmony RB
kate frankel - city yogathon
cindy fraser - SMY
tiffany fraser - guerilla
ben fritz - forrest, truyoga
diane gilbert - yoga center
tony giuliano - city yogathon
liz hage - truyoga
greville henwood - YW pacific palisades
huck hirsch - acroyoga
marc holzman - guerilla
joan hyman - yoga works westwood
sarah isenberg - yogapalooza (crunch)
bonnie johanson - lulu ES (spectrum)
alicia johnson - home simply
tara judelle - still, city yogathon
jasmine lieb - y yoga screening (yoga works main, montana)
leslie kaminoff - SYTAR
denise kaufman - sacred movement
brad keimach - sacred movement
betsy kenoff - body therapy
bryan kest - PY east
hala khouri - sacred movement, groove collective
gary kraftsow - SYTAR
sally lambert - maha
alexandria lauterio - yoga house toluca
wayne lehrer - rising lotus
scott lewicki - lulu pasadena (mission street)
ginger lewis - 100 yogis (yogasofia)
sandra liaw - 100 yogis (yogasofia)
renee love - yogasofia
gurutej - lulu BH (blessings)
guin lyster - SMY
dawn macdonald - yoga world
james macdonald - city yogathon
light - maha
dana marcoux - SMY
andrea marcum - u studio
vinnie marino - yoga works main
christy marsden - yoga blend
denise mazan - your neighborhood
rudy mettia - PY west
sofia meyen - yogasofia
mishalin modena - yogasofia
ish moran - maha
keric morinaga - urth
tom morley - maha
valerie moselle - SMY
kim murphy - space
scott nelson - pan pacific park
wendy obstler - yoga groove
koren paalman - SMY
sasha papovich - home simply
stephanie phelan - maha
elena piety - yoga loft MB
ebony price - alive and well
kali ray - triyoga
ross rayburn - bala
saul david raye - sacred movement
shiva rea - sacred movement
aaron reed - sacred movement
jeri reeder - 100 yogis, yogasofia
matt reyes - yogahop
rochelle robertson - yoga desa, sacred energy arts
steve ross - maha
hillary rubin - lulu SM, city yogathon
john sahakian - sacred movement
erich schiffmann - sacred movement
martha ellen senseney - meridian sports
kishan shah - truyoga
dharma shakti - free spirit
page sieffert - 100 yogis (yoga lounge)
sharon skok - city yogathon
gary smith - yoga bindu
jennifer starr - the core
peter sterios - truyoga
daniel stewart - rising lotus
jo tastula - sacred movement
todd tesen - guerilla
mia togo - yoga works westwood
dhyana tse - truyoga
ashley turner - groove collective (PY west)
rosie umano - yoga bindu
julian walker - groove collective (SMY)
shelley williams - yoga lounge
linda willis - free spirit
master zi - shakti
paulie zink - SMY

* this list doesn't include the teachers whose classes i took while i was traveling in cambridge MA and eugene OR, nor the studios i visited in orange county: triad yoga, yoga shakti irvine, and yoga works mission viejo. and to all of them, a long-distance namaste!

a pose by any other name...

on a recent hollywood bowl shuttle ride, i was chatting with my friend BDB about a yoga class i had taken earlier that week at a new studio. and about how our instructor couldn't have been too well-versed in her sanskrit because she had referred to plank pose as dandasana. and dandasana, as far as i know, is staff pose, which is when you're seated upright with your arms at your side and your legs together and extended in front of you.

so what's the sanskrit for plank?, he asked.

after thinking about it for a while, i admitted that i didn't know. after the hundreds of classes i'd taken, i couldn't remember anyone calling it anything other than "plank" or a "high push-up".

he laughed and pointed out that since i didn't know my sanskrit any better than the teacher did, i should be one to talk. hmph! so i turned things around and started ribbing him about his taste in yoga classes, since after all his years of practice, he still didn't know his uttanasana from his utkatasana. and he calls himself a yoga devotee? :)

(it later dawned on us that if the woman seated in front of us were eavesdropping on our conversation, she'd probably be shaking her head, thinking: "only in LA...")

still bothered by the fact that i still couldn't figure out the answer to his plank question, i checked yogajournal.com when i got home. and to my relief, even the authoritative reference website didn't have a sanskrit equivalent. so there!

so for the sake of mr. b and the others (including myself) who need a refresher course on the sanskrit names for the basic yoga postures, here's a quick list. by the way, i later found out that baptiste yoga teachers do refer to plank as dandasana. to each his own...

tadasana: mountain pose
urdvha hastasana: upward hand pose
utkatasana: chair pose
uttanasana: standing forward bend
urdhva mukha uttanasana: halfway lift *
kumbhakasana: plank *
chaturanga dandasana: four-limbed staff pose, or low push-up
bhujangasana: cobra pose
urdvha mukha svanasana: upward-facing dog
adho mukha svanasana: downward-facing dog
vasisthasana: side plank pose
virabhadrasana i: warrior i pose
virabhadrasana ii: warrior ii pose
virabhadrasana iii: warrior iii pose
anjaneyasana: crescent *
utthita parsvakonasana: extended side angle pose
parivrtta parsvakonasana: revolved side angle pose
utthita trikonasana: extended triangle pose
parivrtta trikonasana: revolved triangle pose
ardha chandrasana: half moon pose
parivrtta ardha chandrasana: revolved half moon pose
urdhva prasarita eka padasana: standing split *
padagusthasana: big toe pose
prasarita padottanasana: wide-legged forward bend
parsvottanasana: intense side stretch pose
garudasana: eagle pose
vrksasana: tree pose
malasana: garland pose, or squat
sukhasana: easy pose
balasana: child's pose
dandasana: staff pose
paschimottanasana: seated forward bend
janu sirsasaana: head-to-knee forward bend
upavistha konasana: wide-angle seated forward bend
baddha konasana: bound angle pose, or cobbler's pose
supta baddha konasana: reclining bound angle pose
virasana: hero pose
supta virasana: reclining hero pose
paripurna navasana: full boat pose
hanumanasana: monkey pose, or split
kapotasana: pigeon pose
gomukhasana: cow face pose
ardha matsyendrasana: half lord of the fishes pose, or seated twist
salambhasana: locust pose
dhanurasana: bow pose
setu bandha sarvangasana: bridge pose
urdvha dhanurasana: upward bow pose, or wheel
ustrasana: camel pose
halasana: plow pose
salamba sarvangasana: supported shoulderstand
matsyasana: fish pose
savasana: corpse pose

* these poses don't seem to have a widely-used sanskrit translation, although the terms i've listed have appeared on at least one website

finally, to help put in all into perspective, here's a cool yoga site that matches the sanskrit with photos of the actual poses: yoga postures library.

it's time to get out that yoga mat... enjoy!

you, too, can be a VIP!

the global mala event is next week -- hard to believe it's right around the corner -- and more detailed information about the LA festivities is coming in fast and furious!

here's an update i received the other day:

Be a Global Mala VIP - Very Important Peace Activist!

Buy Your VIP Ticket NOW.

We invite you to attend the premiere yoga and fundraising celebration for peace and sacred activism! The Global Mala Project LA will be the hub for the worldwide event, happening in more than 35 countries and hundreds of locations around the globe.

WHAT: GLOBAL MALA PROJECT LOS ANGELES
WHEN: SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 10AM - MIDNIGHT
WHERE: LA CONVENTION CENTER, SOUTH HALL K
RSVP: CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS NOW ($20-$108)

* Be sure to Bring: Yoga Mat, Water, Meditation Pillow/Blanket, Snacks.

You will be directly contributing to the benefiting organizations: Trees for the Future, YouthAIDS, The Global Fund and WarChild, Circle of Life. Buy Your VIP Ticket NOW!

You'll also receive a special VIP Package which will include:

1. An Easy Access Pass to the Event.
A check in badge will be provided for easy entry and in/out privileges.

2. Global Mala Gift Bag.
With products provided by Exhale, including an Honorary Mala, a Limited Edition Shiva Shakti Global Mala T-Shirt, Limited Edition Global Mala Yogitoes Skidless, a Sun Salutations DVD from Sounds True, a Tees for Change tee, a compilation CD from Quango and more!

3. Organic Elixir & Cacao Exclusive After Party pass. Presented by Yoga Mates!
Enjoy Natural Food offerings from Be On Bliss. DJ Dragonfly will spin music. Serenity Gift Bags.

4. Good Karma Points!

For a full program of the 14 hour LA event, please visit the LA News page on our website.

We look forward to breathing the change together at the Global Mala!
Please, feel free to forward this on to all your friends...it takes a village to gather the village.

Heartfelt Thanks.
OM Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.

The LA Global Mala Council
info@globalmala.com
http://www.globalmala.com/

finding space

Space Studio
451 Manhattan Beach Boulevard, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310) 545-4243
website: www.spacemb.com

Health-conscious people often find they need a little Space in their lives, and so we decided to give them exactly that, with a Spin®, Dance and Yoga studio that makes staying in shape easy… and totally fun.

for some reason, i can never seem to get the name of this studio right.

right after i found out about this relatively new place located in the metlox center in manhattan beach (thanks to genevieve fischer at yoga loft who suggested that i visit it while distributing global mala flyers last week), i started telling south bay people about my discovery. and i was surprised that no one had heard of it. but it was only because i kept absent-mindedly referring to it by the wrong name.

shade? no, that's the name of a boutique hotel in manhattan beach.

shape? not that either; that's the name of a fitness magazine.

i don't remember what else i called it, but at least i was close... i think...

so why do i have such a hard time remembering something as simple as SPACE?

maybe it's because i keep subconsciously associating it with a furniture store (try googling "space" and "furniture" and see how many matches you get... see?)

anyway, the only way i can seem to remember the correct name is to mentally link it with the main focus of space studio, which is spinning (because both of them start with "sp").

unlike the 4-5 spin classes taught per day at space, there are only 1-2 yoga classes per day, usually with one in the morning and/or one in the evening, depending on the day of the week. despite the limited yoga schedule, there still are classes to fit every experience level -- from a beginner class on sunday evenings, to the occasional level 1/2, to the power yoga classes that are taught everyday (the thinking, i suppose, is that anyone who's "macho" enough to tackle a rigorous spinning class also has what it takes to power through a yoga class?).

i decided to take kim murphy's power yoga class last thursday night. when i first read the class description: "... a challenging Vinyasa flow class, taught following the principles of the Baptiste Power method...", i had flashbacks of my earlier visits to other baptiste studios: hot, sweaty rooms with space heaters blasting away. thankfully, the room wasn't artifically heated. but since it was a tiny room filled to capacity with the dozen students who showed up for class, i ended up hot and sweaty within the first ten minutes anyway.

kim flowed fairly rapidly through the different poses. but since there were a few in the class who were new to yoga, she stopped occasionally to show them what to do while the rest of us continued to hold still. i don't know which is harder on the body: moving quickly from pose to pose when your joints aren't as limber as they'd like to be, or holding a pose while your muscles are screaming for release :(

space is a bit difficult to find, especially if you've never been to the metlox center (like me). from manhattan beach blvd, the only businesses visible from the street are the design within reach store -- i knew there had to be furniture somewhere -- and a few upscale boutiques. in fact, i had driven by it many times and had never known that there was a yoga studio hidden within its walls. space is tucked away on the second floor of the southwest building, above the chefmakers cooking academy. there's a stairwell leading up to it from the inner courtyard of the complex. once you get to the top of the stairs, it's easy to spot.

because space is primarily a spinning studio that also happens to teach yoga, you could say that space could be called the YAS of the south bay. they're fairly similar, except that space also happens to teach kids' dance classes to keep the kids busy while their parents are busy pedalling furiously in the spin class next door. recently, though, they've had to shelve the dance classes supposedly because they didn't have anyone to teach them -- any takers out there?

a room with a view

last april, genevieve fischer and her crew at yoga loft manhattan beach were notified by their landlord that they had to give up their cozy lofty space near the corner of 11th and highland. after some stressful searching, they found themselves a new place to move to; problem was, it wouldn't be available until the end of the summer. thankfully, through the kindness of the folks at the pilates studio a few blocks away, they were able to make a smooth transition to a temporary studio space, at least until construction on their new home was complete.

then in july, gen sent out this e-mail announcement:

Exciting news! As many of you have noticed, the new space we were waiting for is not progressing very quickly (which often happens with new construction). Since the completion date is so uncertain and we cannot disrupt the pilates business beyond August, we have chosen an entirely different, amazing space right up the street instead!

Our new studio will be located at 1112 Ocean Drive, Suite 103, at the corner of 11th Street and Ocean Drive in downtown Manhattan Beach (1 block from the beach).

the grand opening of the new studio was set for wednesday, september 5th...

... and that's today. so guess where i was earlier this evening?

yup, you got it; at the front doorstep of their practically-beachfront new home :)

it took me a while to find the new location (since i didn't expect ocean DRIVE to be a small side street), and as i rushed inside to catch the 6pm class, i stopped just long enough to catch my breath and take it all in.

wow.

the place was beautiful! instead of the rather dimly lit one-room affair they used to be in, there was now a real lobby with a real reception desk and a real retail area. and when i turned to peek through the glass doors into the classroom, i was able to look right past all the students gathered inside, right out through the windows at the other side of the room. and my jaw dropped.

it was an unobstructed view of the pacific ocean!

wow.

i couldn't wait to find my spot on the beautiful hardwood floor and be one of the early practitioners in this amazing new space!

our teacher for the evening was tanya coert, whose clear instructional style helped us achieve more flexion, more extension, more openness. and the twenty of so of us who filled the room must have been taking our practice very seriously, because by the time we started settling down into savasana, we had completely fogged up all the windows and doors.

wow.

as we walked out after class, we were treated to delicious slices of cake, picked up from beckers bakery down the street. after all the ups and downs of the previous months, it truly was a reason to celebrate!

now that the yoga loft has finally found a new place to call their own, their new schedule will be filled with new classes and new teachers, including alicia johnson (from liberation and home simply yoga), jamie elmer (from sacred movement), and shelley williams (from the pilates room and yoga lounge).

take all that's new at yoga loft and combine it with all the wonderful teachers who've already been on board before the move -- gen, tanya, jennifer, jo, elena, dion, linsley, kyra, kelly, krista and brock -- and you end up with a studio that could end up being THE place to practice in the south bay... with a fantastic view as your thank-you gift for dropping by!

yoga as peace in action

september is filled with must-do events, thanks to all the supporters of peace day on sept 21st and the global mala project on sept 22nd. there are also many FREE events hosted by all the lululemon stores in the LA area, including the new south bay location in el segundo.

take a look-see... and keep checking, because things keep getting added to the list!

ongoing kirtan evenings:

Community Chanting with Rick, Sylvie, and Suwon
The Awareness Center, Pasadena
Every Friday at 7:30pm
Cost: FREE

Kirtan in the Canyon with Andrew and Michele and Friends
Yoga Desa, Topanga
Saturday, Sept 1st (First Saturday of each month) 7:00pm

Singing these special songs with full enthusiasm is a meditation in itself and can leave you quite happy and high. See for yourself.
Call (818) 340-6088 for information.

Kirtan Chanting with Govindas and Radha
Power Yoga West, Santa Monica
Saturday, Sept 1st (First Saturday of every month) 8:00-10:00pm
Cost: By Donation

The first Saturday of every month, from 8-10pm, Govindas and Radha will hold a candlelit evening of Kirtan Chanting, as always on donation basis.
Come sing from the deepest corner of your heart!
Bring meditation cushions or blanket (no yoga mat). Wear comfy clothes.

Chanting with Steve Ross
Maha Yoga, Los Angeles
Saturday, Sept 8th 8:00pm (once a month)
Cost: By Donation (for our musicians)

Fill your heart with divine bliss as Steve leads us through beautiful chants. Guaranteed to have you floating out of the studio. Wear comfortable clothing, bring a cushion to sit on and enjoy.

Kirtan (call and response chanting) with Travis Eliot and Terra Green Gold
Santa Monica Yoga
Saturday, Sept 8th (Second Saturday of every month) 8:00-9:30pm
Cost: By Donation

special events:

Free Beach Fitness Walk
Yogasofia, Hermosa Beach
Sunday, Sept 2nd 8:30-9:15am
Cost: FREE

Meet @ YogaSofia to drop off keys, etc. Walk is on firm sand. Bring shoes (unless you are used to long-distance sand walks).
Free Parking: HB meters are FREE till 10am! Hosted by Sofia.

Laughter Yoga
lululemon Calabasas, 4719 Commons Way
Sunday, Sept 2nd 9:30-10:30am
Cost: FREE

Come join us to stretch, laugh and groove with Hilda Sunday morning 9:30-10:30am!!
Hilda Cutler has been teaching different styles of Hatha yoga since 2000. She studied with the director/founder of Laughter yoga for her certification. She currently teaches at Total Woman Health Club in Westlake Village, Woodland Hills and Northridge.
Laughter yoga is a physical form of exercise designed to stimulate breath techniques combined with a little dance and meditation.

Sunset Beach Yoga
lululemon Santa Monica, 331 Santa Monica Blvd
Sunday, Sept 2nd 7:00pm
Cost: FREE

You and your friends are invited to join us on warm summer evenings for complimentary yoga classes taught by your favorite Santa Monica instructors!
Meet us at the store and we'll walk to the lawn together. All levels are welcome.
Bring a mat, though we'll have extras if you need one.
email santamonica-community@lululemon.com or call 310.319.9900 if you have questions.

Thich Nhat Hanh: Building Bridges for World Peace
Gersten Pavilion, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles
Wednesday, Sept 5th 10:00am-noon
Cost: FREE to LMU students, faculty, and staff; General Admission Public Tickets: $20

Join us for song, meditation, and celebration with Zen master, peace activist, Nobel Peace Prize nominee: THICH NHAT HANH
To purchase tickets, contact: Center for Religion and Spirituality (310) 338-2799 or (310) 338-1971.

Baby and Me Yoga with Juliette Kurth
lululemon Pasadena, 110 W Colorado Blvd
Thursday, Sept 6th 10:00am
Cost: FREE

We will be hosting Baby and Me Yoga classes every Thursday in September and October. Mommies and or daddies are invited to bring the little one every Thursday at 10am.
Recommended ages for baby - 6 weeks to 9 months.

lulu's that brunch
lululemon Plaza El Segundo, 2008 E Park Place
Saturday, Sept 8th 8:00am
Cost: FREE

Please join us for a complementary yoga class followed by a continental breakfast before you hit the beach on Saturday! Complementary chair massages will be provided by Equinox Fitness Club and Spa, Palos Verdes. Plaza El Segundo ambassador Bonnie Johanson will teach our first ever in store class, so don't miss it! The first 50 guests will receive a free yoga mat, so arrive early to save your space “ in the shade”! Please R.S.V.P. to manhattanbeach-community@lululemon.com.

Garden of Yoga's 4th Anniversary
Garden of Yoga, Woodland Hills
Saturday, Sept 8th 10:00am
Cost: By Donation

On Saturday, September 8th, Garden of Yoga celebrates its fourth anniversary.
We will be offering a special Saturday class at 10am, with Diana and Stefan Storace. This class will be on a DONATION BASIS and all the proceeds will go to the Surfrider Foundation to help keep our ocean and environment clean.
This class will begin with kirtan and end with meditation. Light hors d' oeuvres, fruit smoothies and tea to follow class.

Yoga + Wine with David Romanelli
Exhale Santa Monica
Saturday, Sept 8th 1:30-3:30pm
Cost: $40 before 9/1, $45 after 9/1

Exhale yoga teacher David Romanelli has teamed up with wine connoisseur Angela Gargano to present Yoga + Wine. Having been featured as a cover story in the Escapes Section of The New York Times, Yoga + Wine is beginning its 2nd year as a sensory tour de force that will leave you refreshed and reminded that eternal youth is just one sip away. David will begin the Yoga + Wine experience by exploring the aging of wine as a noble process that can serve as a model for the "healthy aging" of a human being. He will then lead you through a flowing yoga class set to great music that focuses on how to transcend your aches and pains in order to sense a deeper essence that some call the soul. When the soul is vibrant, you look and feel young. You’ll finish class immersed in the depth and beauty of the present moment where you’ll taste flavors, hints and textures of wine that are impossible to experience in a harried state of mind. Imagine flowing yoga, wine, great music, and inspiring spiritual message...all in one beautiful experience.
The Yoga + Wine workshop will feature wines of Sicily from the Arancio winery. The history of wine cultivation in Sicily goes back at least 6,000 years. In fact, during the time of the Greeks, Sicily (known at that time as Magna Grecia or ‘Greater Greece’) was truly the heart of wine cultivation in the Mediterranean. Historic texts from this time often refer to Sicily as Oenotria or ‘The Land of the Staked Vines’. For Sicilians wine has always been more than just a beverage…in the Mediterranean world, wine has always carried a spiritual significance. From the cults of Dionysus and Bacchus in Greece and Rome to the sacred significance of wine in religious context, wine has always symbolized life, fertility, pleasure and the blessings of ‘mother earth’.

Exhale Soul Benefit: Yoga for Hormones with Julie Carmen
Exhale Center for Sacred Movement, Venice
Saturday, Sept 8th 4:00-5:45pm
Cost: $20 suggested donation

Come balance your sex hormones, decrease your stress hormones and learn some yogic self-care. Hormones go through rhythmic cycles. When out of balance, they can leave us feeling sluggish, irritable, depleted, rageful, bloated, cranky and stressed. Our yoga practice can adjust to our body's hormonal cycles. helping us find balance and energy.
Flow in time-honored yoga sequences which increase circulation of blood, lymph and oxygen.
Practice sequences which can effectively reduce symptoms of PMS, perimenopause, menopause and andropause. An appropriate yoga practice can ease these transitions.

Kali Ma: Public Teachings with Chanting and Meditation
Dancing Shiva Yoga and Ayurveda, Los Angeles
Saturday, Sept 8th 7:00pm
Cost: $10-$15 Love Donation Suggested

For this evening event, Kali Ma will share meditations, chanting, music, and the teachings of the Mahasiddha Dharma.
Kali Ma is a spiritual teacher, inspiration, and mentor to thousands of people around the world. She teaches in the tradition of the unorhodox, yogic style of the Mahasiddhas which she inherited. Her work is joyful and radically committed to the essence of the path: sane, natural, awake way of being. Above all, her teaching is how all of life can be transformed into the path to realization, including relationship, work, family, and formal spiritual practice.
For more information about Kali Ma, please visit www.KaliMa.org.

Kirtan with Andres
Santa Monica Power Yoga West
Sunday, Sept 8th 8:30pm
Cost: By Donation

Great friend, musician, yoga instructor and spiritual Guide, Andres Salcero will lead call and response chanting for an evening. The songs, the way they are presented, and the unity that is created in the room will surely set your mind, body and spirit toward healing. Come sing a song, or just lay down, no rules, all love.
*Bring a cushion or blanket for this event.

Kundalini with Gurutej
lululemon Beverly Hills, 334 North Beverly Drive
Sunday, Sept 9th 9:30am
Cost: FREE

Gurutej Kaur (known simply as Gurutej), For over 36 years, Gurutej has been teaching people how to connect to their higher consciousness through yoga, chanting, mediation and healing. Everyday she lives the meaning of her Sikh name, which translates as “the one who brings you from darkness into light at the speed of light.”
A co-founder of The Golden Bridge Yoga Center in Los Angeles, Gurutej, has lived and practiced out of The Blessings Center in the same market since 1999.
The yoga of awareness, Kundalini is an ancient, specific system using posture-exercises, breathing and sound. Practicing it integrates and balances body, mind and spirit. Kundalini, known as the seat of all knowledge, is one of the few yoga practices, which lifestyle-based principals are practical and easily incorporated into everyday life, regardless of whatever other principals within which you may otherwise operate.
With regular practice, Kundalini has been shown to enhance the nervous and, glandular systems, as well as stimulate the immune system. It has been proven to reduce stress, decrease anxiety and improve concentration. Kundalini, promotes spiritual growth, with students remarking on increased self-awareness, expanded enlightenment and complete self-acceptance.
Come join Gurutej for a truly inspirational class. Class begins promptly at 9:30am!

Sunday Yoga with Joan Stevens
lululemon Pasadena, 110 W Colorado Blvd
Sunday, Sept 9th 10:00am
Cost: FREE

Join us for Joan Stevens' all levels class starting at 10am.

Yoga to Support Breast Cancer Awareness
lululemon Calabasas, 4719 Commons Way
Sunday, Sept 9th 9:30-10:30am
Cost: FREE

The “Walkers for Knockers” are raising funds to fight breast cancer!!
Linda Pushkin, founder and co-owner of Inner Power Yoga, will be here 9:30-10:30am to teach a Power Yoga class.
The Walkers for Knockers team will be participating in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, Los Angeles event being held the weekend of September 15th & 16th, 2007. The walk is 39.3 miles (a marathon and a 1/2)
Please help us in our Fight. Come join them at the Yoga class at lululemon, donations will be accepted..
Linda is honored to participate in something that has touched so many women within her circle of friends and family as she continues to inspire courage, strength and commitment to community.

Kumbha Mela USA 07: Confluence for World Peace
15711 Pioneer Blvd, Norwalk
Sunday, Sept 9th 1:00-6:00pm
Cost: FREE

Kumbha Mela is an ancient Vedic tradition, the largest celebration of humanity, 90 million Spiritual Masters, Yogis, Saints and Seekers gather every 3 years in India, to bathe the world in positive peaceful energy.
In the USA, 20,000 will gather with the same intent, a celebration for World Peace. Everyone Welcome ... Join Us!
1:30 pm: Maheshwara Pooja - Respect to the Swamis.
2:00 pm: Grand Procession of all the Organizations.
4:30 pm: Immersion of Deities in the waters of 21 holy rivers.
6:00 pm: Pancha Arathi - First Time in USA.
6:30 pm: Pravachan - Inspirational Message from the Kumbha Mandaleshwars.
7:30 pm: Manoranjan - Cultural Program with a difference.
For more information visit www.usakumbhamela.net or mail us at enquiries@usakumbhamela.net.

Free Movie: 9/11 Press for Truth
Yogasofia, Hermosa Beach
Sunday, Sept 9th 6:30pm
Cost: FREE

Help us remember the victims and families of 9/11 two days before its 6-year Anniversary. Looking forward to seeing you & your friends at YogaSofia.
What to Bring: Comfy pillows & people you like. (We also have chairs.)
Whole Foods RB co-sponsors this event & provides yummy deli dishes!

Sunset Beach Yoga
lululemon Santa Monica, 331 Santa Monica Blvd
Sunday, Sept 9th 7:00pm
Cost: FREE

You and your friends are invited to join us on warm summer evenings for complimentary yoga classes taught by your favorite Santa Monica instructors!
Meet us at the store and we'll walk to the lawn together. All levels are welcome.
Bring a mat, though we'll have extras if you need one.
email santamonica-community@lululemon.com or call 310.319.9900 if you have questions.

The Secrets Behind “The Secret” Movie Night and Open Discussion
Awareness Center, Pasadena
Tuesday, Sept 11th 7:00-9:00pm
Cost: FREE

Have you ever heard about “The Secret” and wondered how you can manifest your dreams? Watch the movie and join others interested in manifesting their desires. The evening includes prosperity meditations and additional information to assist you in manifesting your best life. The Secret Movie Night will be held on an ongoing basis on the 2nd Tuesday of the month.

Baby and Me Yoga with Alicia Pal
lululemon Pasadena, 110 W Colorado Blvd
Thursday, Sept 13th 10:00am
Cost: FREE

South Bay to South Pacific
lululemon Plaza El Segundo, 2008A East Park Place
Thursday, Sept 13th 7:00-11:00pm
Cost: FREE

Join us at our new Plaza el Segundo lululemon athletica as we transport you from “South Bay to South Pacific” for the celebration of the summer. Enjoy music, live entertainment, appetizers, and tropical drinks. Please R.S.V.P. to manhattanbeach-community@lululemon.com. Aloha South Bay!

An evening with Tibetan Lama and Filmaker Neten Chokling Rinpoche
First Presbyterian Church, 1220 2nd Street, Santa Monica
Thursday, Sept 13th 7:30-9:30pm
Cost: $5 Suggested donation for filmakers

Santa Monica KTC and LA Yoga Magazine are pleased to sponsor an intimate evening with Tibetan Lama and Filmaker Neten Chokling Rinpoche.
On the eve before the LA release of his film, Milarepa, Neten Chokling Rinpoche will spend an evening with us to:
- discuss the making of the film;
- show a short clip of the film;
- watch a 20 minute DVD "Who is Milarepa?"
- Q&A with Director and Executive Producer
Plenty of parking is available in structures on 2nd street ($3)

Friday Night Groove Night
Yoga Groove, North Hollywood
Friday, Sept 14th 8:00-9:30pm
Cost: Regular class rate

Uniquely themed classes created by the Yoga Groove staff. May include candlelight, live music, dance, meditation, singing, and chocolate.
Please check www.yogagroovestudio.com for details of each week.
This week: Candlelight flow class with live drums taught by Karen Russell

We will be hosting Baby and Me Yoga classes every Thursday in September and October. Mommies and or daddies are invited to bring the little one every Thursday at 10am.
Recommended ages for baby - 6 weeks to 9 months.

Reiki Rituals with Reiki Masters, Devmurti and Haridass
Awareness Center, Pasadena
Saturday, Sept 15th 12:00-1:30pm
Cost: FREE

Reiki is a healing technique that utilizes Universal life force energy. We can use it to heal ourselves, others and the world around us. This event will be hosted by Reiki Masters, Haridass/Basia Tacik & Devmurti. They bring unique, yet complimentary healing styles that will provide you with a wonderful Reiki healing experience. In the session, you will clear negative energy, meditate on The Five Precepts and do the Three Diamond Meditation. This will be followed by Reiju (blessings), given by Haridass and Devmurti. This event is for everyone, whether you are a Reiki Master or have never even heard of Reiki.
We are offering this event FREE in appreciation of your support of the Awareness Center.

Earthdance Los Angeles 2007
Point Fermin Park, San Pedro
Saturday, Sept 15th 2:00-6:00pm
Cost: FREE

Nurture your Soul with Live Music, Free Meditation and Yoga Workshops all day.
Global Om / Prayer for Peace at 4:00pm

IYASC presents Movie Night at the Institute
BKS Iyengar Institute, Los Angeles
Saturday, Sept 15th 7:00pm
Cost: IYASC Members FREE, Non-Members: $7.00

Join the most energetic and social film audience in Southern California (your friends in yoga!) and experience a truly great and exciting film of Iyengar yoga in action!
Program: Gifts from Guruji
Do you know where the brain of the arm is? Do you know where the energy of the arms and the energy of the legs meet in adho mukha svanasana? For BKS Iyengar’s 75th birthday in 1993, Guruji gave his senior teachers the gift of a week-long immersion into the depths of his knowledge and wisdom. Along the way he answered the above questions and many others.
With great economy and exceptional detail, he explains yoga as Patanjali describes it in the Yoga Sutras and how Asana becomes the means to attain the yogic state.
If you are a teacher (of any subject), come and be astonished at the quickness, the detail, and the ferocity of Mr. Iyengar's pedagogy. If you are a student, come and appreciate how senior students like Manouso Manos, Patricia Walden, Faeq Biria, Mary Dunn, and others absorb and attend to his teaching.
IYASC invites you to share with us, an evening of Guruji's rare gifts.
A light meal will be served before the screening with tea and cookies available at intermission.
To help us ensure that there will be sufficient refreshments for everyone, please RSVP by September 14 to Kirk Stricker (irkick26@yahoo.com).

Full Moon Rising Fundraiser
Santa Monica Power Yoga West
Saturday, Sept 15th 9:00pm
Cost: $10 Suggested Donation

Come and emmerse yourself in the magically uplifting, soulfully inspiring, heart opening, inprovisationally conscious sound flows of Full Moon Rising (with special guests) as they perform their last show for an indefinite amount of time. Frontman Daniel Pohnke has been called on a journey to the East to experience the depth and extravagance of 3rd World cultures and spirituality in order expand the specific channel of offerings that he has been guided onto. This event will function as a fundraiser/collective offering in order to raise additional monetary allowance on this spirit guided journey*.
In addition to 2 sets of high vibrational musical offerings, the space will
be graced with Raw Foods, Projections, a Silent Auction**, and most importantly, we will have the chance to be massaged, on site, by the finest in Tandem Massage, on a donation basis. So please open your hearts, your ears, your senses, your love and your pocketbooks and share in the creation of this incredible journey.
*There will be an in depth blog of all travels located on this site, subscribe
here for further information.
**Auction will feature Art, Jewelry, Clothing, Healing Work, Photography and much much more, all donated from the hearts and souls of this incredible community.

Free Beach Fitness Walk
Yogasofia, Hermosa Beach
Sunday, Sept 16th 8:30-9:15am
Cost: FREE

Meet @ YogaSofia to drop off keys, etc. Walk is on firm sand. Bring shoes (unless you are used to long-distance sand walks).
Free Parking: HB meters are FREE till 10am! Hosted by Sofia.

Restorative Yoga
lululemon Calabasas, 4719 Commons Way
Sunday, Sept 16th 9:30-10:30am
Cost: FREE

Relax and renew in a luxurious Restorative Yoga class with Shosha Bottoms from Angel City Yoga 9:30-10:30am. This style of yoga incorporates mostly restorative positions - deep stretching and gentle opening with the use of props on the floor.

Sunday Yoga with Jennifer Stark
lululemon Pasadena, 110 W Colorado Blvd
Sunday, Sept 16th 10:00am
Cost: FREE
Jennifer Stark teaches Hatha Flow.

"Y" Yoga Film Screening
The Church in Ocean Park, 235 Hill St, Santa Monica
Sunday, Sept 16th 7:00pm
Cost: FREE

September 11, 2001 changed many lives. The tragic disruption of world peace triggered a profound interest in the spiritual journey among many.
The Hill Street Center, a meditation co-op for the serious practice of Yoga Sadhana, Buddhism and other paths, serves as a haven for those seeking community on the spiritual path.
Please join us for a gentle Yoga class with Jasmine Lieb, words from Chris Chapple, and a screening of the Y Yoga Movie, created by Arthur Klein, a serious student of Yoga since 9/11.

Sunset Beach Yoga
lululemon Santa Monica, 331 Santa Monica Blvd
Sunday, Sept 16th 7:00pm
Cost: FREE

You and your friends are invited to join us on warm summer evenings for complimentary yoga classes taught by your favorite Santa Monica instructors!
Meet us at the store and we'll walk to the lawn together. All levels are welcome.
Bring a mat, though we'll have extras if you need one.
email santamonica-community@lululemon.com or call 310.319.9900 if you have questions.

Classes to Benefit The Center for Individual & Family Counseling
Black Dog Yoga, Sherman Oaks
Monday, Sept 17th 3:00pm
Cost: $8

Shari Goodhartz will teach three life-affirming community classes, in honor of her student Danielle, with all proceeds to benefit this non-profit mental health clinic in North Hollywood (www.cifc1.org).
Be a part of Shari's genuine expression of charity, and of our yoga community's honoring of the individual spirit. Pay the regular $8 community class fee, or give as much as your heart and wallet will allow.
Monday, Wednesday, Friday - 9/17, 19 & 21

Classes to Benefit The Center for Individual & Family Counseling
Black Dog Yoga, Sherman Oaks
Wednesday, Sept 19th 3:00pm
Cost: $8

Shari Goodhartz will teach three life-affirming community classes, in honor of her student Danielle, with all proceeds to benefit this non-profit mental health clinic in North Hollywood (www.cifc1.org).
Be a part of Shari's genuine expression of charity, and of our yoga community's honoring of the individual spirit. Pay the regular $8 community class fee, or give as much as your heart and wallet will allow.
Monday, Wednesday, Friday - 9/17, 19 & 21

Yin Yoga with Genevieve Fischer and Live Music
Yoga Loft Manhattan Beach
Wednesday, Sept 19th 7:30-9:00pm
Cost: $25

Fall Out Function Show
lululemon Calabasas, 4719 Commons Way
Wednesday, Sept 19th 8:00pm
Cost: FREE

Come enjoy light appetizers and cocktails while listening to live music by Thorn Hill (Garden of Yoga's Stefan Storace's band) at 8pm, followed by a DJ spinning as athletes showcase the new fall fashions.

Baby and Me Yoga with Leah Miller
lululemon Pasadena, 110 W Colorado Blvd
Thursday, Sept 20th 10:00am
Cost: FREE

We will be hosting Baby and Me Yoga classes every Thursday in September and October. Mommies and or daddies are invited to bring the little one every Thursday at 10am.
Recommended ages for baby - 6 weeks to 9 months.

Classes to Benefit The Center for Individual & Family Counseling
Black Dog Yoga, Sherman Oaks
Friday, Sept 21st 3:00pm
Cost: $8

Shari Goodhartz will teach three life-affirming community classes, in honor of her student Danielle, with all proceeds to benefit this non-profit mental health clinic in North Hollywood (www.cifc1.org).
Be a part of Shari's genuine expression of charity, and of our yoga community's honoring of the individual spirit. Pay the regular $8 community class fee, or give as much as your heart and wallet will allow.
Monday, Wednesday, Friday - 9/17, 19 & 21

Global Mala: Mini-Mala and Kirtan with Daniel and Clare
Rising Lotus Yoga, Sherman Oaks
Friday, Sept 21st 6:30-9:30pm
Cost: Suggested donation of $15 for each event, $25 for both

Join Claire & Daniel in a Mala of 27 Sun Salutes followed by a joyous Kirtan in support of the Global Mala Project & the UN International Peace Day. All proceeds go to John Legend's Show Me Campaign and to Global Green USA.
The Mala is limited to 35 people, the Kirtan will be open to more. The Sun Salutations begin promptly at 6:30 pm. The Kirtan begins at 7:45 pm. Bring a towel, water and an open heart. For all levels with some previous Yoga experience.
The Global Mala is a project uniting 108 Yoga Studios, 1008 Teachers and 10,000 people to raise consciousness and funds addressing Global Warming, Aids, and Children Refugees of War.

56 Sun Salutations
Mark Blanchard's Power Yoga, Brentwood and Studio City
Friday, Sept 21st 7:00-9:00pm
Cost: $5 Suggested donation

Studio City will be led by Elizabeth; Brentwood will be led by Mark (6pm class cancelled)
Mark Blanchard's Power Yoga is part of a worldwide yoga practice in which yoga communities across the world will simultaneously form a mala, or prayer, around the earth by performing various versions of 108 sun salutations.
At Mark Blanchard's Power Yoga studios, the suggested minimum donation is $5.00 - 100% of all donations will be given to the nonprofits warchild.org and youthaids.org

Yoga Mala: 108 Sun Salutes Celebrating the Autumn Equinox with Jo Tastula
Yoga Loft Manhattan Beach
Friday, Sept 21st 7:00-9:30pm (postponed to Friday, Sept 28th)
Cost: $30

Yoga Loft is one of 108 Los Angeles studios participating in the Global Mala event September 21-23rd. 15% of all proceeds from our Yoga Mala (108 Sun Salutes Celebrating the Fall Equinox) with Jo on Friday, September 21st will benefit Global Mala, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness for peace, Youth AIDS, and the environment. For further info, additional event listings, and to donate to the charity of your choice, please visit globalmala.org.

Soul Flow: Creative Dance with Haridass Kaur
Awareness Center, Pasadena
Friday, Sept 21st 7:30-9:00pm
Cost: $20 or 2 for $30

Join Haridass Kaur/Basia for a wholesome and soulful evening! This eclectic event includes creative dancing with a healing journey through the chakras, flowing music, group interaction and playfulness, and a meditative closing circle.

Friday Night Groove Night
Yoga Groove, North Hollywood
Friday, Sept 21st 8:00-9:30pm
Cost: Regular class rate

Uniquely themed classes created by the Yoga Groove staff. May include candlelight, live music, dance, meditation, singing, and chocolate.
Please check www.yogagroovestudio.com for details of each week.

Calling the Spirits: An Evening of Mystic Kirtan Music
Exhale Center for Sacred Movement, Venice
Friday, Sept 21st 8:00-10:00pm
Cost: $20

WAKE UP YOUR SPIRIT THROUGH MUSIC AND SINGING! Savor the spicy grooves and dreamy melodies of New Orleans' Sean Johnson and The Wild Lotus Band who have been gaining national recognition for their funky, mystic twist on kirtan, the mantric music of India. They guide call-and-response chants and play songs that soothe your soul in one moment and drive you into a state of wild celebration in the next. Seán also shares inspiring stories and insights about the healing power of mantra and music.

Global Mala Events at Yoga Blend
Yoga Blend, Burbank
Friday, Sept 21st thru Sunday, Sept 23rd
Cost: see below

The purpose of the Global Mala Project is to unite the global yoga community from every continent in the world, forming a "mala around the earth" through collective practices based upon the sacred cycle of 108. On September 21st- 23rd, Fall Equinox and the United Nations International Day of Peace, studios, teachers and organizations across the globe will create fundraising celebrations, raising funds and awareness for some of the most essential issues of our times. We are so honored to be a part of this project! To learn more, please visit: www.globalmala.org
Schedule of Events:
Friday, Sept 21st 8:30-10:30pm
Yoga Trance Dance w/ Christy Marsden
Donation: $20
Saturday, Sept 22nd 2:00-4:00pm
108 Sun Salutes w/ Nicole Honnig
Donation: $20
Sunday, Sept 23rd 2:00-4:00pm
Fall Equinox Creation Workshop w/ Bekah Finch
Donation: $30
All proceeds will be donated to the Global Mala Project Charities. Our goal is to raise $1008.

Global Mala Event at The Core
The Core Your Perfect Center, Redondo Beach
Friday, Sept 22nd 9:00am-noon
Cost: see below

By signing up for The Core's Global Mala Event, you will be contributing to the YouthAIDS Initiative as 80% of the proceeds will be donated directly to their cause.
In further support of YouthAIDS, stylish tags, tote bags, and sets of pins may be purchased for only $5! 100% of these proceeds will be donated to YouthAIDS.
Please register on or before September 19th. E-mail thecoreypc@gmail.com for a registration form.
For Adults: $27
9:00am- noon: 108 Sun Salutations
All Levels Welcome!
~ Center yourself and quiet the busy and wandering mind
~ Stretch and strength over 300 muscles!
~ Modifications for Beginners
For Children: $9
9:00-10:00am: Story of the Global Mala Project and Tree of Life/Mala Bead Art Projects
10:00-11:00am: 54 minutes of yoga
11:00am-noon: Banner of Hope Art Project

Global Mala Project
Los Angeles Convention Center
Saturday, Sept 22nd 10:00am-midnight
Cost: $20, VIP $108

Featuring Sheila Chandra, Jai Uttal, Michael Bernard Beckwith, Founder and Spiritual Director of Agape Int’l, Yoga Trance Dance ignited by Shiva Rea, featuring DJ Cheb I Sabbah spinning with LA master drummers!
Los Angeles will serve as the epicenter of the worldwide Global Mala event.Join us for this historic gathering of 108 yoga studios, 1,008 teachers, and 10,000 people for a 12 hour ritual festivalfor PEACE! raising funds for worldwide issues, including Global Warming, AIDS, and Children Refugees of War.
The 12 hour ritual festival includes:
• Sri Chakra Puja with Sri Karunamaya Baba
• Meditation with Paramahamsa Nithyananda
• Kundalini Yoga with Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa
• Yoga Mala (108 Sun Salutations with Core LA Teachers, including Seane Corn, Shiva Rea, Krishna Kaur Khalsa, Erich Schiffmann, and special guests)
• Laughing Yoga with Yogi Ramesh
• Kirtan and chanting with Donna De Lory, Wah!, Girish, Saul David Raye, Suzanne Sterling, Steve Ross, Sreemati, Sean Johnson & The Wild Lotus Band, Govindas and Radha, Joey Lugassy, Daphne Tse and more!
• Activist, Healing, Kids and Higher Consciousness Tents
• Yoga Pavilion
• Conscious Bazaar & Natural Food
• Jasper Johal Photography Exhibit
• Mandala Creations
• A city-block long screen that will project inspiring images of universal spiritual culture from Palm Pictures World Voices project with National Geographic.
• An interactive 54 Foot Peace Altar that will include an Intention Wall where people will write their personal intentions of how they live the theme of "RISE! Yoga as Peace in Action"
• A mandala (circular stage) that will fit some 3,000 people in the round for the 12-hour activities
• Silent Auction for the Global Mala Seva Project, including classes, retretas, teacher trainings, products, massages and more!
All proceeds from the Global Mala Project will go to benefiting organizations dedicated to raising awareness for Global Warming, AIDS, and Children Refugees of War, specific organizations include Trees for the Future, YouthAIDS, Circle of Life, War Child and The Global Fund.
Bring your yoga mat, meditation pillow, blanket, water and snacks (or you can purchase Global Mala Special edition mats, meditation pillows, t-shirts and more at the event!)

Yoga Walk
Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles
Saturday, Sept 22nd 10:00am-midnight
Sunday, Sept 23rd 10:00am-8:00pm
Cost: Weekend pass - $25, Sat (Day only) - $10, Sat (Day+Nite) - $20, Sun (Day+Nite) - $10

The doors open on Saturday at 10am, when The Global Mala Project will feature:
* Michael Bernard Beckwith of Agape International
* Sheila Chandra
* Jai Uttal
* Yoga Trance Dance with Shiva Rea & DJ Cheb I Sabbah
Sunday continues with live musical performances from:
* Naked Rhythm
* DJ Baba G (Soundz of the Asian Underground)
* Dan The Automator (produced debut album for the Gorillaz)
And there'll be lectures both days on the hour, every hour, from 11am - 6pm: Alfonso De Rose, Mary Lee Patton, Dr. Brian Clement, Kat James, Deborah King, Margie LeRoux, Zendo Kern, Keith Richardson, Dick Larson, Bridget Hansard, Stuart Tomc, Robert Morgen, Michael J. Herman, and Jackie Lapin will all be speaking over the course of the weekend.
For every ticket sold through Yoga Walk, In Ticketing will plant a tree, and all proceeds from the Global Mala Project will go to benefiting organizations such as Trees for the Future, YouthAIDS, Circle of Life, War Child, and The Global Fund.

Yoga for a Cause - Global Mala!
Liberation Yoga, Los Angeles
Saturday, Sept 22nd 1:30-3:00pm
Cost: By Donation

In conjunction with Global Mala (www.globalmala.org), Liberation Yoga presents its first Yoga For A Cause Donation Class! In order to join forces with the spectacular endeavor of Global Mala we will have our first class All Levels Flow class this Saturday from 1:30pm-3:00pm
Christine, Ashley and Laurie will co-teach a special class incoporating the number 108 in a sacred and dynamic convergence of asana, meditation, pranayama, dance-flow and karma yoga FOR THE ANIMALS! We ask that you try going VEGAN for the day and send reverence to the animals that are our companions on the earth. Even if you are not ready to take a step toward vegetarianism or veganism - find the space in your heart to honor them on this day and celebrate all forms of life through our celebratory class!

Yoga Booty Babies
lululemon Beverly Hills, 334 North Beverly Drive
Sunday, Sept 23rd 9:30am
Cost: FREE

Teigh, our lovely Ambassador and co-owner of Swerve will lead her specialty, Yoga Booty Babies. This class will include Prenatal Yoga, meditation, ballet barre work, light free weights and joyful dance for pregnant moms, those trying to conceive or anyone wanting to connect with their feminine nature and the divine mother.
As a special treat this Sunday there will be complimentary neck and shoulder massages provided by The Spa at Equinox, Century City!!
Class begins at 9:30 am.

Sunday Yoga with Emill Kim
lululemon Pasadena, 110 W Colorado Blvd
Sunday, Sept 23rd 10:00am
Cost: FREE

Emill Kim teaches a modified Bikram class.

Free Movie: L.A.Story
Yogasofia, Hermosa Beach
Sunday, Sept 23rd 6:30pm
Cost: FREE

What to Bring: Comfy pillows & people you like. (We also have chairs.)
Whole Foods RB co-sponsors this event & provides yummy deli dishes!

Baby and Me Yoga with Syd Delaski
lululemon Pasadena, 110 W Colorado Blvd
Thursday, Sept 27th 10:00am
Cost: FREE

We will be hosting Baby and Me Yoga classes every Thursday in September and October. Mommies and or daddies are invited to bring the little one every Thursday at 10am.
Recommended ages for baby - 6 weeks to 9 months.

Yoga Mala: 108 Sun Salutes Celebrating the Autumn Equinox with Jo Tastula
Yoga Loft Manhattan Beach
Friday, Sept 28th 7:00-9:30pm (postponed from Friday, Sept 21st)
Cost: $30

Yogis around the world acknowledge the arrival of each season with 108 consecutive sun salutes (all Surya Namiskar A), intended to mark transition and celebrate change. This beautiful ritual offers a physical challenge and the opportunity to set intentions for the season ahead. Open to all levels. 15% percent of proceeds will be donated to the Global Mala Project (visit globalmala.org), a gathering of teachers, studio owners, and musicians intended to promote peace and giving.

Friday Night Groove Night
Yoga Groove, North Hollywood
Friday, Sept 28th 8:00-9:30pm
Cost: Regular class rate

Uniquely themed classes created by the Yoga Groove staff. May include candlelight, live music, dance, meditation, singing, and chocolate.
Please check www.yogagroovestudio.com for details of each week.

Peace Day in Los Angeles with Thich Nhat Hanh
Saturday, Sept 29th
9:30am - Peace Walk at MacArthur Park, Los Angeles (FREE)
7:00pm - Lecture: Celebrating Our Peace and Joy at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium (Tickets available for $19-$28.50 at www.ticketmaster.com)

Open to the public. Bring sack lunch for meal in mindfulness - vegetarian, if possible.

Help Save the Iyengar Institute #2 with Chris Stein
Yogaworks Westwood
Saturday, Sept 29th 1:30-4:30pm
Cost: $75

Iyengar yoga lovers, students, teachers. . .
Five Benefit fundraiser workshops - Together, we can make a difference!
Marla Apt, Paul Cabanis, Chris Stein, Lisa Walford, Chris Beach, Bob Metzler with the support of the Iyengar yoga Yoga Works teaching staff. Workshops will be a combination of asana, discussion, contemplation, and philosophy.
The history of the Iyengar Yoga Institute of Los Angeles mirrors the history of Iyengar yoga in Los Angeles. Your teacher most probably trained at the Institute, and continues to go frequently to the mother well to draw deeply from the teachings and community.
The Institute, now located in West Hollywood, is seeking a new home. These workshops will help raise funds funneled into a capital campaign necessary to relocate. All proceeds from these workshops will go directly to the Iyengar Yoga Institute.
In addition, Yoga Works is generously offering a 10% match, dollar to dollar, of whatever we raise in the workshops. Together, we can make a difference! Need we say more? Join our illustrious staff in honoring the teachings and the temple!

Global Mala Project for Peace! with Wahe Guru Kaur
Awareness Center, Pasadena
Saturday, Sept 29th 7:00-9:30pm
Cost: $35

Portion of the proceeds to benefit War Child and the Global Mala Project. www.warchild.org/index.html
Sacred Breathing Circle
Theme: “Balance”
The Sacred Breathing Circle is a journey into the Self. It allows you to identify and release mental, emotional and physical blocks and bring light to areas that need healing. Experience an ancient pranic technique, called the “Healing Breath,” that promotes healing and regeneration on all levels. This will be a unique circle focused on chanting, breath work and creating world peace. We will be participating in a Global Mala Project for peace, see www.globalmala.org for details. Please come prepared for a short Kundalini yoga set.
This popular event is led monthly by Wahe Guru Kaur.

Satsang into Fall: Embracing the Equinox
Santa Monica Power Yoga West
Saturday, Sept 29th 7:00pm
Cost: By Donation

Get ready for Santa Monica’s conscious event of the year. Brought to you by two local non-profit organizations, 4DALOVE.org and New Earth, Satsang Into Fall will be a fulfilling experience of conscious music, art, food and ambience. Under one roof, we will experience 4 Kirtan* artists, 2 collective collaborations, 4 bands, live poets, speakers and soul reachers, live visual art, raw and vegan foods, healing arts**, sustainable fashion and jewelry, visual projections, your friends and family members and most importantly….LOVE. Lot’s of it. Infinite blessings of love and lightness will fill the space in this festival of cohesiveness that will call together various spiritual and artistic communities in order to raise the collective vibration. Together, under one roof, we will lift the veil of darkness and send out a giant wave of light and love for all to relish in the vibration.
If you are playing a role in the raising of awareness in society, please feel free to share your offering on our One World Community table.
If you would like to volunteer in this magical evening or you wish to share your offering with the event, please email us at info@4dalove.org
*Kirtan is yoga singing or the devotional singing of sacred hymns from ancient India.
**Healing Arts will include Massage, Acupuncture, Reiki, and naturally….SOUND.

An Evening of Kirtan with Wah!
Yoga at the Village, Glendale
Saturday, Sept 29th 8:00pm
Cost: $20 in advance, $25 at the door

Yoga at the Village proudly presents Wah! in concert performing an upbeat set of devotional Hindu chanting and songs in English.
Wah! combines reggae, Hindu chanting and pop to create a unique mix of spiritual world music. The evening includes chanting, storytelling and songs in English; the atmosphere is festive and jubilant. Described by NY Spirit Magazine, "WAH! injects something a little trippier to create a mellow groove that's luscious and highly addictive."

A Benefit for Shanti House With Saul David Raye and special guests
Exhale Center for Sacred Movement, Venice
Saturday, Sept 29th 8:00-10:00pm
Cost: $15 in advance, $20 at the door

Ananda Ritam~Sing and Dance to the rhythm of existence
Singing and Dancing have long been sacred healing practices to awaken the life force, connect us to spirit and embody an ecstatic connection to the Divine force that sustains all life. Join us for this inspired evening of chanting, breathwork, live music and sacred dance to celebrate life, support Shanti House and open to the very rhythm, energy and bliss of existence.
Shanti House is a non-profit seva organization whose goal is to empower and involve the local healing community to provide food, healing services, wellness education and yoga to the homeless, at-risk youth and those in need in our community. Shanti House will aid and support other local non-profits already in the community.

Mindful Flow Yoga
lululemon Calabasas, 4719 Commons Way
Sunday, Sept 30th 8:30-9:30am
Cost: FREE

Mindful Flow with Stefan from Garden of Yoga Sunday morning 8:30 - 9:30am!!! A physical Hatha class that allows the mind, body and spirit to move more freely by focusing on pranayama (breath techniques), asana, alignment and meditation in a flow inspired class. Come build heat in the body, release stress, tension and toxicity while increasing strength and flexibility!!!

Acro Yoga with Huck Hirsch
lululemon Beverly Hills, 334 North Beverly Drive
Sunday, Sept 30th 9:30am
Cost: FREE

AcroYoga blends the spiritual wisdom of yoga, the loving kindness of Thai massage, and the dynamic power of Acrobatics. These three ancient lineages form the foundation of a unique new practice that cultivates trust, connection and playfulness. Our highest aim is to bring individuals into a state of union with themselves, with each other, and with the divine.
Come for this playful experience at 9:30 am with your yoga mat!

Sunday Yoga with Ann O'Brien
lululemon Pasadena, 110 W Colorado Blvd
Sunday, Sept 30th 10:00am
Cost: FREE

Ann O'Brien teaches Vinyasa Flow.

Healing Powers of Indian Music
Dancing Shiva Yoga and Ayurveda, Los Angeles
Sunday, Sept 30th 2:00-5:00pm
Cost: $40

A Workshop and Concert with Dr. Harre Harren, India's most widely traveled and renowned cultural ambassador for music therapy. Dr. Harren is also a performing artist of Indian classical music, an ethnomusicologist and music educationist. Experience musical healing techniques for the mind and planetary mantras for healing, group chanting, astrology and a short concert by Dr. Harren himself. He is the only Music Therapist and qualified Music Healer and is a Vocal Performing Musician having trained from the age of 7 in both the systems of Indian Music (North and Southern Tradition). He holds a PhD in ethnomusicology from India and another PhD from USA on Music Therapy. He has traveled internationally and has attended Ten International Music Conferences throughout the world.

double dipping

yes, i admit it. i'm guilty. guilty of double-dipping.

no, i didn't dip twice into the salsa bowl at a weekend bbq. nor did i order up a double dose of phish food at the local ben and jerry's (which would be just perfect in this heat wave we're having). i guess i had enough time to catch a double feature at a movie theater, but i didn't do that, either.

i, the compulsive yogist, double-dipped at sacred movement this morning.

it started when i took saul david raye's 9am class. it seemed like a great idea -- saul's class on a labor day holiday morning. people would either be out of town or sleeping in. or getting ready for their own backyard bbq's. either way, i expected the room to be less packed than usual.

but when i reached the studio 20 minutes before his class was to start, there already was a large group of mat-toting yogis standing outside, waiting for the staff to unlock the front door. once the doors opened, there was a mad dash for the sign-in sheet and the asana room.

i found a nice spot for myself at the back of the room, right by the door, and watched as the students streamed in. and they kept coming. and coming. and even as saul was leading us through our opening meditation, people continued to enter the room. by the time we were all settled down, all the floor space was taken up with yoga mats, with some even oriented sideways to take up whatever room was available.

so much for light attendance. do we love saul, or what?

who couldn't love the high that comes from the slow, meditative flow of his class? the heat that's generated by the careful and deliberate movement through the poses? and the peacefulness that results from chanting while being guided by the chords from his harmonium?

and it must have been that sense of bliss when his class was over that made me decide to stay right where i was and take the class with the next teacher, shiva rea.

yes, i wanted more. more slow flow. more chanting. more sweat. more bliss.

after all, i had nothing else planned for the day. and my car was parked happily outside under a shade tree, with no parking restriction requiring me to move it any time soon.

so as i stood on my mat, trying to catch the cool air that started flowing in from the opened door, i watched the saul junkies walk out one door and the shiva groupies walk in the other.

once everyone was settled down, we were off and vinyasa flowing.

with shiva, it's all about mudras, mantras, and mandalas (for those not into the lingo, that's hand gestures, sacred recitation, and circular movement). hers is a demanding class that requires experience gleaned from a regular practice: flexibility, balance, stamina, not to mention a familiarity with the sanskrit pose names. but with the challenge comes an equal reward -- the feeling that you've touched every muscle in your body, every thought in your head, and every emotion in your heart.

and in my case this morning, the feeling that i'd poured sweat out of every pore in my body. again.

while resting in my second savasana of the day, i honestly considered staying for yet a third class. until i realized that my moisture-wicking duo dry clothing had reached its limit and my yogitoes towel was quickly approaching its own saturation point. so out of respect for the next student who would be practicing beside me, i decided to call it quits; two would have to be enough.

besides, those twin scoops of ice cream were beginning to sound pretty inviting :)

taking it easy

in honor of labor day, i've decided that instead of searching studio websites to get their labor day schedules, i.e., class changes and/or cancellations, i've taken the easy way out. everything you see here came from the emails they sent me; all i did was copy and paste what they sent into what you're reading right now. i know, it may be quite shocking to hear that i passed on spending quality time with my computer, but when it's as hot as it is outside (and my place here in santa monica isn't air-conditioned), the last thing i want to do is sit at a desk and type.

of course, since this list only contains updates from fewer than 20 studios, it doesn't even come close to being comprehensive. so if you don't see your favorite place listed here, try checking their website or giving them a call.

besides, who knows... there's a chance the compulsive in me may revisit this list later this evening and add updates from websites...

happy labor day!

absolute yoga and pilates, woodland hills
There will not be the 8 am Pilates Mat or the 10:30 am Prenatal Class on Saturday.
The 9am Anusara-inspired yoga class is still on!!!!!!
We will be closed on Sunday, September 2, 2007 and Monday, September 3, 2007
We will re-open on Tuesday, September 4, 2007 with our regular schedule

awareness center, pasadena
Sunday Sept. 2nd and Mon. Sept. 3rd - LABOR DAY – CLOSED FOR ALL REGULAR CLASSES.

back for yoga, el segundo
Just want to let you all know that we will be closed Monday, September 3rd, for Labor Day.
We wish you a safe and happy holiday and hope to see you soon!

black dog yoga, sherman oaks
We are on our regular schedule of classes before and after Labor Day, with an abbreviated schedule on Labor Day Monday, September 3rd:
9:00a Hatha Flow I-II with Hanna Gilan
9:30a Deep Stretch, All Levels with Heidi Kaufman
10:30a Anusara-inspired II-III with Jenny Brill

city yoga, west hollywood
Hello everyone! Due to the Labor Day Holiday, City Yoga's class schedule will be abbreviated as follows:
The Mixed 6:30 am class is cancelled.
Last class of the day is Basics Community 12:30 - 2:00 pm.
2:00 pm Mixed Community, 4:00 pm Mixed, 6:00 pm Basics, and 7:00 pm Mixed classes are cancelled.
The regular schedule resumes Tuesday, September 4.

dancing shiva, los angeles
DANCING SHIVA WILL BE CLOSED FOR LABOR DAY! On Sunday, September 2nd and Monday, September 3rd, the bookstore will be closed and classes will be cancelled.

exhale sacred movement, venice
Labor Day Class Schedule
Come celebrate the holiday with us!
9:00am Level 2/3 Saul David Raye
9:15am Level 1/2 Hala Khouri
10:45am Level 2/3 Shiva Rea
10:45am Level 1/2 Matthew Cohen
12:30pm Level 2 Kyra Haglund
12:45pm Level 2/3 Community Brad Keimach

free spirit yoga, long beach
Labor Day Schedule: 9:30am All levels with Laura Tree.

garden of yoga, woodland hills
Garden of Yoga will be closed starting Monday, August 27th thru Monday, September 3rd 2007. Classes will resume on Tuesday, September 4th at 5pm. Have a fun and save Labor Day weekend.

guerilla yoga, west hollywood
Sunday 9/1 NO CLASS LABOR DAY WEEKEND!

iyengar institute, los angeles
Monday, September 3, all levels with Paul Cabanis.
For the Labor Day Holiday, Paul will be teaching an all levels class from 9 to 11am.
All other classes are canceled that day.
The normal schedule resumes Tuesday, September 4.

liberation yoga, los angeles
Regular Schedule All Weekend except Monday~
MONDAY SEPT. 3RD:
10am-11:30am - All levels Vinyasa Flow - Ashley Albrand
11:30am-1:00pm - Level 1 - Jeanne Korn

swerve studio, los angeles
SWERVE's regular class schedule is truncated this weekend & Monday due to the Labor Day holiday. We encourage you to try something new if your regular class is cancelled, and we encourage you to come get your SWERVE on!
(note from me: i'm only listing their yoga classes)
SATURDAY 9/1
10am ~ Yoga Booty Ballet w/ Gillian. Please make a reservation for this class early as space is limited. (1.5hrs)
11:45-12:15 ~ Meditation. FREE. Guided w/ Gillian.
SUNDAY 9/2
10am ~ Yoga Booty Ballet w/ Lauren H. (1hr 15min)
MONDAY (LABOR DAY) 9/3
10:15am ~ Yoga Booty Ballet w/ Gillian. (1hr)
11:30pm ~ Anusara Yoga: Community Class $9 w/ Elsie (1hr 15mins)

u studio, miracle mile
i am going to be out of town celebrating my birthday with my newly minted fiance...here's the modified schedule for the weekend
saturday - 10:30 am with Lori
sunday - 10:30 am with Omar
monday - (i'm back already...) 5:30 with andrea
tuesday september 4th we return to our regular schedule

yoga blend, burbank
We will be closing at 2pm following the Yoga Stretch class in observance of Labor Day, Monday September 3rd.
The modified schedule is as follows:
9:30am-11:00am Level 1 w/ Nicole
11:30am-1:00pm Gentle w/ Bekah
12:00pm-1:30pm Level 2 w/ Keric
1:00pm-2:00pm Yoga Stretch w/ Bekah
Closed at 2pm.
We will re-open Tuesay morning Sept 4th with the 6:45am class.
Sept 3rd changes:
6:45am-8:00am Level 1-2 - Cancelled for Monday Sept 3rd only
12:00pm-1:30pm TRY changed to Level 2 for Monday Sept 3rd only
Thank you and have a wonderful holiday!

yoga circle downtown, los angeles
To honor our Labor and the Fruits it doth provide.
We will be closed on Monday September 3.

yoga loft manhattan beach
Back to school, back to full work weeks, and back to yoga!! Just a few more days until our opening day.
Our first class is Wednesday, September 5 at 6:00am! We miss you all soooooo much, and we cannot wait for everyone to see the new space! We have a new computer system and the whole experience will be new for all of us, so please bear with us in the first few weeks during our transition.

your neighborhood studio, culver city
This Sunday's Schedule
10am Yoga
11:30am Belly Dance
Yoga Flow at 9am - Labor Day
We are closed the rest of the day on Labor Day - Have a great and safe holiday!