autobiography-of-a-cville-y-blog

[autobiography-of-a-cville-y-blog]

I Came For The Yin. I Stayed For The Yang!

Teacher FEATURE - Crystal Oliver (Sohan Raj Kaur)

Studio FEATURE - A Place to Breathe: Ivy, VA

After 3 days with Faith Hunter, in Yogaville, my body was craving some continuous yoga flow. It was open, hips were supple. I wanted to keep this yoga every damn day experience going. That’s when my dear friend Johannah Dotorri, invited me to her studio, “A Place to Breathe”, in Ivy, VA. Literally 3 miles from my front door, I had visited the studio before to chat with her and Crystal Oliver - Sohan Raj Kaur, about expanding diversity in yoga studios in the city of C’ville. In fact APTB, was one of only a few studios that answered a social media post that I put up. I asked my other 140-150 fellow C’ville yoga teachers on the Charlottesville Yoga Teachers group page on FB, what their thoughts were about the lack of brown yoga teachers represented in the community, and how could we reach more students of color to create diverse student bases. I was really proud that Johannah and Sohan, responded right away with an invite to their studio to sit down and talk about HOW we can begin to implement change in the culture. It was also great to hear them say just how “segregated” C’ville still is in many ways. Especially in the yoga, and wellness world.

So I was eager to take Johannah’s suggestion of joining Crystal’s Yin Yoga class later that evening @ 5:15, Monday night. The space is quaint and situated in a high end shopping center on the outskirts of C’ville, heading West out of town. I am so proud of J and C for being so brave to open a location on this side of town. I was surprised to find most of the yoga studios in the ‘Ville are geo located in the downtown and historic areas. There is really a need and market for more yoga on the Northern and Western side of town.

APTB, has an inviting feel! Your’e welcomed with almonds, tea and water to sip on before and after class. There are lot’s of cute hand made boutique items to fill your retail therapy. They also have their signature custom made cushion, that they sell in house. The base cushion has a core of organically grown latex (rubber) and organically grown coir (coconut shell fiber). The two materials allow for two very different levels of support and, therefore, offer the benefits of two cushions in one. It retails for $175, but is well worth the price! Pick yours up here - aplacetobreathe.com

Crystal or Sohan, which is her powerful spiritual name, and I, have known each other for about a year. She taught Kundalini and Meditation, at the 2nd Annual Shensara Yoga Festival, that I direct, in Luray, Virginia in 2016. I was so excited to finally BE HER STUDENT! Her classes at the festival were well attended and respected. Her energy was bright and cheery, and she soothed everyone with her powerful gong baths daily.

Sohan Raj Kaur - teaching Kundalini at Shensara 2016

Sohan is a student of Darshan Kaur Khalsa of Herndon, Va and has studied under Guru Dev Singh. You can tell her knowledge runs deep. She sets the tone with soothing music as soon as you enter the space. Ambient, relaxing tunes. The other students attending were light and carefree about the space, a testament to Sohan and her teaching style. She encouraged us to relax and grab lots of props. We did classic Yin poses and even enjoyed some fiery time in dragon pose! I was (am) still battling my bronchial infection and head cold, so once Yoga Nidra - deep relaxation, rolled around, I was out like a light!

The meaning of Yin and Yang is light and dark. Taoism as I have read, can mean action vs non-action. This does not mean movement vs laziness; a taoist would say that there are times when action needs to be taken, and there are times when non-action needs to be taken. I was definitely taking the non action route, and honoring myself to RELEASE! Hopefully you will join Sohan-Crystal Oliver and A Place to Breathe, for some Kundalini, Hatha or Yin Yoga next time you need a fix!

Visit A Place to Breathe TODAY - aplacetobreathe.com

Find out more about Crystal - http://www.aplacetobreathe.com/about-us/staff/

Wanna hit up Shensara 2017? shensara.com

[autobiography-of-a-cville-y-blog]

Finding Faith in Heaven On Earth

I am power manifesting into light and sound

I am consciousness elevating from the depths of the earth

I am connected to all those that come before me and all those that stand beside me

These are just some of the words that poured out from me, into my journal during the “Spiritually Fly: Master Your Soul” workshop with Faith Hunter.

Photo - Bill Geoghegan

About 4 years ago I discovered this magical, delicious, coco bean creature. She was one of less than a handful of Black Yogis featured on the cover of Yoga Journal. THREE TIMES! No small feat considering I can only find visual evidence of 10, YJ magazine covers with black, inspirational figures on them. (Please correct, or share with me, if you know otherwise).

So 10 covers out of the many 100′s to 1,000′s of covers since the 70′s and 80′s. That is pretty heartbreaking. There have been a few Asian, Latino and Indian’s on the cover as well. But again Yoga Journal can, and should be doing better. I really hope they figure that out soon.

Image provided by faithhunter.com

I began following Faith’s journey on social media, as many of us do. When I arrived at Yogaville, I championed the cause to have more presenters and visitors of color, represented at the table. Faith Hunter was my #1 presenter on the list to connect with. By year 2 of working at Yogaville, she and I were beginning to interact in the same circles of friends and fellow yoga family. And through the outreach and pranic energy vortex, we were able to get Yama Talent Agency to present her first Spiritually Fly workshop in Spring of 2016. By this point I had only taken her classes in crowds of 100′s and through her interactive you tube and faithhunter.com videos - http://faithhunter.com/faith/videos/.

In December of 2015, I joined Faith at Embrace Yoga DC, for an Assist, Hands On Adjustment and Thai yoga teacher training. I was the only non Spiritually Fly TT (teacher trainee) in the room. But Faith, couldn’t have made me feel MORE welcome. She was graceful, knowledgeable and funny. Her energy is like a firecracker that you just want to light up again and again. I got more in that 3 days of training, about the physical body and my own deepest desires about how I wanted to present myself as a yoga teacher then all my training combined up to that point. She just brought out….the me that had been hiding under all that fear. Under all that preconceived notion of how I “thought” I should be presenting my classes. And instead, I began to teach straight from the heart. Straight from Love…. I began to transform my personal Hatha practice into something more expansive, wide and flowing. I began to train myself to be vulnerable and only teach, and speak just how I was feeling in that moment, when I walk into a classroom. Or how I wake up that day….It was profound.

At that same time, I was winding down a 17 year relationship with my ex husband. Faith may not be aware of this part of my story. Or maybe I told her about these particular series of events, last year when we drove back to C’ville together, I am not sure. But less than 2 weeks after that training, my ex would officially move out of our shared living space. We would officially begin the legal separation proceedings. It had been, what felt like a lifetime coming. A lifetime of co-dependency, anger, no trust and grief. Of course there was love. Much love throughout our time spent in each others physical presence. But we never fully connected spiritually, or energetically. When I look back, that was always missing. And my heart could innately feel that.

I thank Faith from the bottom of my heart, b/c without that strength and another layer of armor for me to release him, I may still be in that toxic partnership. We never really gave each other the space to be who we really are.

Not ready to fully open up and share that jar quite yet….

So after spending the last 3 days with Faith, at Yogaville, I can say I am grateful once more. She came with love in her heart. She welcomed me with a bag full of luscious goodies and gifts, b/c hey, that’s just the kind of sister she is. I was actually quite sick on that first day of the workshop as the host of the event. I was coming down with a serious head cold and bronchial infection, which I am still battling off nearly a week later. It was apparent I wasn’t 100%. Faith was really mindful and easy. My staff at Yogaville, as all the staff always are, were generous and supportive throughout the weekend.

A gift from Faith. Only Strong Warriors can ROCK THIS WITH CONFIDENCE! (Missing a beautiful Spiritually Fly top.) Lotion and bath bombs from Nubian Heritage - https://www.nubianheritage.com/

Day 2 we did a vigorous and fiery morning practice. She filled our ears with statements like “Why create added pressure and layers. Unless giving yourself time and filling yourself up!” or “Give 9 minutes of gratitude for your day every time you hit the snooze button.” The heat was really rising within me. But surprisingly as sick as I looked and felt prior to going into the class, the heart openings and sweat were clearing my passage ways, and making room for clarity in my thoughts. As only Faith can….

As the Satsang (gathering of like minded individuals in community), speaker, she spoke on Being In Service. She quoted from the Bhagavad Gita - ancient vedic texts that lead us in the practice of yoga like the bible. “Let the fruits of our action be your guide.” Kudos to one of the most well respected and sought after yoga teachers in the country.

She spoke of Yogaville as home, and said she would indeed be returning to this heaven on earth sanctuary very soon. The last day, we were able to enjoy lunch with several other sisters and like minded Goddessess who are joining Faith and I, at Shensara Yoga Festival - http://www.shensara.com/,  this July, 2017 in Luray, VA. More to come about that soon! It felt like the way it was always intended to be.

DON’T FORGET TO STAY SPIRITUALLY FLY! Gita Zember from Gita’s Dream Kirtan, Faith and I.

Learn more about Faith HERE - http://faithhunter.com/faith/about-faith/

Learn more about her studio Embrace Yoga DC - https://www.embracedc.com/

Visit Satchidananda Ashram, Yogaville, located in Buckingham, VA (1 hour SW from Charlottesville, VA) - https://www.yogaville.org/

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So why C’ville?

Why live in Charlottesville, VA, people ask. Well for one, there is the Blue Ridge Mountains. Nothing speaks to me stronger and clearer, then my Guru, my Heart and the Mountains. I consider myself a practitioner of Earth Based Spirituality. Being a Virgo, and earth sign, it’s hard not to be rooted and grounded with mother nature, and Goddess Gaia at all times. 2nd my beloved is here - more to come about that later on the Sunday drive. 3rd the Spiritual, and Conscious Community is FIERCE in C’ville. I am in awe of the power and connection people have here.

Shakti Sisters/Fellow Yogis - Chitra Kate McDevitt and Dana Wheeles at The Yellow Door Studio - Belmont neighborhood.

Plus Virginia is for LOVERS, and remember I am a lover of life! I have been in Virginia, for my entire life. I have done a lot of traveling. 15 countries to be exact! But, in the end, Virginia, always pulls at my heart strings. She is like a mother giving me nourishment. My physical mother lives in Texas. In Virginia, I always feel that sense of “home”. Stability. Especially here in the mountainous, Appalachian counties. Yogaville is also about an hour from my front door. I currently work there FT/remotely as their Director of Visitor Services. Talk about serving the Guru! This is one big job!

When I moved back to Charlottesville, in February 2017, after spending a short year here in 2004, I realized how much this town had grown. And just HOW MUCH YOGA there was! Of course the normal questions come up in your mind (especially being a yogi of color) - Where would I start? Would I be accepted? Will there be other classes taught by fellow brown yoga teachers? Will the vibe be right in this city? Will I be able to afford a membership on a lowly, non profit, yoga teacher salary? Will I be able to cultivate my own tribe and yoga family to practice with me as their teacher? Will I be INSPIRED?

I cannot answer yes or no to all of those questions quite yet for you. But I can tell you, I am working on discovering the answers. Besides, it’s post #2 - lets pace ourselves. So begins the journey of this blog. To help weed through and discover Yoga in Virginia. There will be posts sharing my experiences in different yoga studios, joining different yoga teachers, practicing different lineage and teaching styles. I will share the gift of yoga primarily in Central Va, but remember, I am a world traveler, so occasionally, we will go on excursions together.

It wouldn’t be a complete autobiography without my own personal life joys and trials that I face each and every day. So you’ll hear about my journey up to this point, my life in a conscious relationship and my journey to live sustainably off the land, building a small farm. As earth and river protectors we have a duty to talk out loud about how we can be doing better, living more consciously, connecting our communities and sharing in the joy that is, for this very short time on this planet, our first home - mother earth.

Performing at a Community Revival to Stop the Atlantic Coast Pipeline in Nelson County.

[autobiography-of-a-cville-y-blog]

The Journey is NOW....But First - The Beginning.

This blog has been a long time coming.... 2 years ago my life drastically changed. Well actually this EVOLUTION began about 8 years ago. That is when I discovered the gift of Yoga. In a little place called India. Yep, the country. Not some secret, underground Yoga Studio you have yet to discover in the Belmont neighborhood.

So, my life drastically changed. Has this happened to you? Think it’s happened to everyone. I won’t go into the entire story today, in the first post. We have plenty of time for it all to unfold. One year ago I pulled an animal spirit card - the Butterfly: Symbology - transformation, joy, lightness, REBIRTH. Yep. That’s what this last 2 years has felt like. A shedding of the chrysalis and metamorphosis to something greater. Bigger than myself. Bigger than my physical shape can contain.

India was the key to the lock, that had always been blocking my heart. My connection to self. Connection to nature. In India, I found my root....

Excerpt from my India diary: I just had my first yoga class ever. Surprisingly I did better than expected. At the end during the relaxation episode, I was more calm than I had been on the whole trip. I could have slept right there. I’m sitting outside the main temple on a sidewalk between gardens staring at some of the most beautiful jungle mountains I have ever seen. There is a full moon glistening down on me. We talk in the ashram about the fact that despite what goes wrong, look where we are...look what we have done.... These stories will be to much to ever explain. Self Discovery. My inner voice speaks to me constantly. In the past it’s caused me to go into great fits of depression. Now it’s telling me to change. Be something greater. Move on from what I think is real. Meditation will keep my heart and mind happy and clear. Remember there is the soul and the body - they are not of two beings... Oh yeah there are monkies everywhere. They attacked me with flying fruit yesterday.

And it was in Milan Italy the next month that my Guru Sri Swami Satchidananda came to me in a dream. From the ocean we descended. Holding me up in the heavy waves. Whispering all the secrets that would form our forever bond. Most importantly he told me to SMILE....Be joyful.

I have never stopped smiling in the presence of my teacher. And even more so when I truly feel I am doing the work. The Seva (service), that will heal and reach people. Many months later, after I returned to Richmond, VA (which I will now refer to as RVA for future blogs), I discovered a little up and coming Yoga Studio called Om On Yoga, on Libbie Ave.

http://omonyoga.com/ 

There I discovered my personal Hatha practice. Many of my classes were taken under Nitya Griffith. A woman who I still credit with leading my charge in this exploration of yoga.

(find out more about this amazing spirit here) https://yogawithnitya.com/about/

With her I found my LOVE for Integral Yoga. And through her and a few other twin flame sisters, I was lead to Satchidananda Ashram, Yogaville on a beautiful Spring day. When I arrived, I was greeted with Swamiji in his sacred mausoleum. It was the enlightened teacher from my dream. Never had I laid eyes on him before this moment, except in my vivid visions. In a hotel. In the middle of Italy....It was a surreal experience to say the least.

A year later I joined the 200 Hour Integral Yoga Teacher Training at Yogaville! (wanna be an Integral yoga Teacher? Apply here)

https://www.yogaville.org/yoga-teacher-trainings/

Now, 6 years later, I am a 500hr+ Registered Yoga Teacher, on my way to getting enough teaching hours for my E(ducation)RYT certification. I am trained in Yoga of Recovery and Adaptive Yoga. I am a Kirtan Musician, Bhakti Yogi, Shensara Yoga Festival Director, Homesteader, Shakti Tribe Director, Divorcee, World Traveler, and lover of life! It’s a totally new story I am writing for myself.

I am so happy you can join me for the Sunday drive.