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RIVER YOGA’S NEW hOMe! A Sneak Peek at 234 James Street

Liz shares with us news on River Yoga's new community studio at 234 James Street! The ceilings (all three layers) are up, maple beams and posts are in, original flooring has been restored, the façade of building has been restored and is currently waiting for glass installation, mechanicals are installed, and lights, furnishings, and display fixtures have all been ordered! This is all because of our simple vision to create a community studio that will guide, support, inspire, and celebrate our practices – on and off our mats! A very special thanks to all of you!

We will continue to update our community studio progress regularly, and will look forward to sharing and celebrating our new OM soon! We will also be sharing upcoming opportunities for workshops and events over the holidays! AND we have some exciting new retail offerings for the holidays, which will inspire us to thrive physically, emotionally and spiritually!

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“THOUGH WE TRAVEL THE WORLD OVER TO FIND THE BEAUTIFUL, WE MUST CARRY IT WITH US OR WE FIND IT NOT."

RALPH WALDO EMERSON

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A SPECIAL VETERANS DAY WELLNESS EVENT Join Live Yum and Natur-Tyme at Their Flagship Syracuse Store to Benefit Clear Path for Veterans

One week from today! Join us for this lovely celebration of those who serve!

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OUR SIGNATURE LIVE YUM RETREAT IS BACK! Join us for our 3rd Annual Women’s Wellness Weekend with the Inns of Aurora!

We have had the privilege of collaborating with the Inns of Aurora over the past two years to provide a very special weekend of inspiration, fun, and rejuvenation. This year will mark our third annual Women's Wellness Weekend with the Inns!

This retreat is equal parts inspiration, fun, and relaxation! Practice yoga, indulge in meditation, eat nourishing food, celebrate friendships, sip wine (if desired), spend time by the fireplace, and enjoy the impeccable Inns. This year, Liz and Kristen are excited to offer a "Pre-Stay" day that will include fabulous, interactive, and educational workshops at special rates for the Inns of Aurora Women’s Wellness Weekend pre-stay guests!

This intimate, pre-retreat add-on includes two hands-on yoga workshops: “Your Yoga” will focus on assessment and individual adjustments with emphasis on answering specific inquiries on yoga methodology. “Baby, I’m Getting Balanced” will explore yoga practices that cultivate balance physically, emotionally, mentally, and energetically for optimum health.

The pre-stay package will also offer instruction in Primordial Sound Meditation (learn more about Primordial Sound Meditation here), a powerful, personalized mantra-based meditation technique rooted in the Vedic tradition of India that has been time-tested for its effectiveness and benefits. Benefits of regular primordial sound meditation practice can include stress relief, improved sleep, increased immunity, reduced anxiety, and improved relationships.

Further, the Inns of Aurora invites pre-stay guests to join us in a fabulous around Aurora progressive dining experience where guests will have an opportunity to taste the culinary delights from the Inns of Aurora’s various dining establishments.

Find the entire schedule here! We look forward to seeing you in Aurora!

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A SPECIAL VETERANS DAY WELLNESS EVENT

Join Live Yum and Natur-Tyme at Their Flagship Syracuse Store to Benefit Clear Path for Veterans!

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“THE LITTLE THINGS? THE LITTLE MOMENTS? THEY AREN'T LITTLE." (Jon Kabat-Zinn) When we pay attention to the synchronicities and meaningful coincidences of life, more will come our way, paving our beautiful paths of purpose and evolution. Have a beautiful Saturday!

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INTRODUCING WELLSPRING MEDITATION Kristen's First Endeavor as a Certified Chopra Center Primordial Sound Meditation Instructor 

For the Love of Food and Yoga co-author, Kristen Taylor, recently participated in a comprehensive teacher training program with the Chopra Center—the premier global leader in providing experiences, education, teacher trainings, and products that improve the health and well being of body, mind, and spirit—and is now certified as a Chopra Center Primordial Sound Meditation Instructor!

Kristen's training included learning directly from Dr. Deepak Chopra—considered the #17 most influential thinker in the world and #1 in medicine according to global surveys conducted by The World Post and The Huffington Post. She also received much of her instruction from Dr. Chopra’s longtime colleague, Roger Gabriel (Raghavanand), a Chopra Master Educator and trained meditation teacher under Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who famously introduced meditation to the members of The Beatles in the late 1960s. She joins thousands of Chopra Center teachers worldwide who are committed to total wellbeing through self-awareness, and the practices of yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda.

Meditation, leading us from activity to silence, restores our memory of wholeness. For thousands of years, people have used meditation to move beyond the busy activity of the mind and emotional fluctuations into expanded peace and consciousness. The benefits of meditation may include releasing stress, cultivating inner silence, improving sleep, increasing immunity, reawakening intuition, improving relationships, deepening relaxation, increasing harmony, decreasing the effects of depression and anxiety, and attaining greater vitality.

While Kristen is versed in different styles of meditation, including teaching meditation to children and specialty groups, her focus and certification is in Primordial Sound Meditation. This is an ancient, deep healing, personalized mantra-based meditation practice. Chopra Center founders, Dr. Deepak Chopra and Dr. David Simon, revived and systemized this time-tested technique for modern lifestyles, creating the Primordial Sound Meditation program, which is now practiced by more than a hundred thousand people worldwide. Primordial Sound Meditation ultimately enables us to experience what we do in our lives more fully, with more awareness, and with more joy.

Through Wellspring Meditation, Kristen will offer the following services:

Private Primordial Sound Meditation Courses: In Person & Distance/Online

Group Primordial Sound Meditation Courses: Scheduled & Create-Your-Own

Introductory Meditation Classes: Private & Group

Workplace Wellness: Presentations, Meditations & Workshops

Community Meditations: Guided & Silent

School/Youth Mindfulness: Education & Integration

Kristen also teaches Free Community Meditation classes weekly at River Yoga, with the goal of introducing and sharing the benefits of meditation with as many people as possible.

Learn more about Wellspring Meditation and the benefits of meditation at

www.wellspringmeditation.com

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“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."

MAHATMA GANDHI

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HOW CAN I SERVE? When You Ask This, Your Spiritual Journey Begins

In the Oprah and Deepak 21-Day Meditation Experience, Desire and Destiny, Oprah says, "When we share our unique gifts, however large or small, we create significance. We complete the circle of our destiny. And, that not only changes ourselves; it changes the world." Service creates abundance. When we give to others, we are also giving to ourselves. Service comes in many forms: a smile, a thank you, holding the door for someone, giving money, giving time, or giving talent. We all have unique gifts. And, therefore, we all have something to give. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Everybody can be great because anybody can serve." The soul question, "How can I serve?" is one of the four core soul questions and follows the Spiritual Law of Giving & Receiving. Giving feels good and comes back to us in many positive ways. How can we practice the Law of Giving & Receiving?

1) Do something good for someone today (and they don't have to know you did it).

2) Be compassionate in thought, word, and action with everybody you encounter and think about today.

3) Be mindful of your sense of hearing. Listen to the subtle sounds of your body, nature, the universe. Most importantly, listen to other people.

The Spiritual Law of Giving & Receiving connects us to the fourth chakra (the Anahata Chakra located at heart center). The mantra that awakens the fourth chakra is Yum. Draw hands to the fourth chakra and silently repeat Yum. With this, you acknowledge, "I am the nourisher of the universe and the universe nourishes me."

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JOIN US IN KINGSTON, ONTARIO! Join Us and Janati Yoga School at the Kingston Farmers' Market for Yoga, Snacks and More!

Join us and the Janati Yoga School for a For the Love of Food and Yoga Special Summer Event at The Memorial Center Farmers' Market! Janati Yoga School, in partnership with the Memorial Center Farmers' Market, is pleased to host us (Liz and Kristen) with our book, For the Love of Food and Yoga, for a special Market Yoga Event! Join us Sunday August 20th, from 10am-12pm for tasty treats, shared community, and, of course, yoga! We will begin with a yoga class led by Liz and Kristen, followed by an opportunity to sample a few of the recipes from our book (all recipes will be made by Janati Yoga School volunteers and with local ingredients provided by Market vendors)! You can pre-order your copy of the book through Janati and have it signed at the event. You may also pick up the fresh ingredients for many of the recipes to make at home from Kingston's wonderful local farmers.

Questions? Contact Amber Potter with Janati Yoga School at lamberlpotter@gmail.com. 

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CULTIVATING HEALTHY PLANTS AND RELATIONSHIPS A Look at the Zenda Community Garden at Zenda Farms Preserve

Below, Lori Arnot, co-creator of the Zenda Community Garden at the Thousand Islands Land Trust's conserved Zenda Farms Preserve, shares how her shared community garden offers bountiful opportunities for growth. This includes not only providing healthy, nutritious foods, but also opportunities for social interaction, education, recreation, exercise, and also giving back:

1. Why did you feel it was important to help establish a community garden (when you can just create your own)?

Something special happens when you put intention and like minded people together. It is so much easier to work together! Many minds create a larger knowledge base and many hands create lighter work. Less time, bigger yield, more variety! 

2. How does it work?

We run the garden family style!  That means the veggies (fruits, herbs) are planted together in the same families. And then we share equally in the harvest. That way if someone is unable to complete their tasks another gardener can help. We share equally on work too!  Our community gathers for a “work meeting” where we learn the various jobs to be done and then we choose our own hours to accomplish certain tasks, which are assigned by our garden manager. For example, I might have to install the pea trellis or thin the beets in addition to weeding my row.

3. What have been your largest challenges creating and maintaining a community garden?

Each year is different. A few years ago... WEEDS! The plot of land we use has weed seeds in the earth, which are difficult to control. And we are committed to organic, chemical-free farming, which is more challenging. We have learned many techniques to stay less weeded and currently, thanks to Dan Tack, we are experimenting with fabric.  This year the challenge is enough hands.  The Zenda Community Garden could use a few more family hands.

4. What are the greatest benefits/gifts of your community garden?

The incredible food! It is so affordable to eat a wide variety of fresh, organic fruits and veggies. Now I couldn’t imagine not having these foods available to my family! It's financially and nutritionally the best deal around!

5. What do you see as the role of children and of the elderly?  

The role of children in the garden is amazing! Their connection to nature is joyful, whether lying on the ground or collecting worms to distribute to the soil. Our community garden has a children’s corner, which is open to the public and encourages children to interact with the land and to learn from it. I can’t begin to measure the contribution of the elderly to the garden. Their knowledge and wisdom of gardening, harvesting, preparing, and storing foods is endless.   When we have a situation of working consciously towards a common goal we have the opportunity to change the future. Meeting up and working hard, and sharing ideas is about the most fulfilling thing we can do to build meaningful relationships of all ages. 

6. What do you do with extra food?

Whatever we have left is sent to our local food pantry and to Meals on Wheels. We are committed to sharing nutritious veggies while educating and spreading the word!

7. What are your future plans and dreams for the garden?

We would love to grow!  We’d love to double our membership bringing the presence of more hands, more knowledge, and greater health benefits for our community! We hope to have more fruits – an orchard of trees and bushes for berries. We would also like wheelchair access for our elderly population to enjoy the garden. 

To learn more or join the Zenda Community Garden, contact Rebecca Dahl, Zenda Farms Preserve Coordinator, at rdahl@tilandtrust.org. The Zenda Community Garden, located on the Zenda Farms Preserve, was started in 2009 by the Thousand Islands Land Trust and the Thousand Islands Young Leaders Organization (TIYLO) to help provide all community members with the opportunity to grow their own fresh vegetables. Learn more about these great organizations!

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“The eternal being, as it lives in us, also lives in every animal."

ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER

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YOGA AND ANIMALS Yoga Popularity = Something for Everyone

The popularity of yoga has created many avenues for yogic exploration. And, many of these yoga styles are not just gratuitous. Many "yoga with animals" classes offer opportunities to work with and raise funds for abused and sheltered animals. This also provides animals with the opportunities to socialize and feel the love! Below, we link to some interesting animal-friendly options for animal loving yogis everywhere:

Catskill Yoga Sanctuary offers Sanctuary Yoga with the Animals. Here, you can join some of the greatest yogis around for an incredibly deep yoga class, kirtan or guided meditation, and a tour of the Sanctuary with an opportunity to connect with the beautiful animals.

Animal shelters, such as Good Mews cat shelter outside of Atlanta, have coupled yoga with shelter awareness programs. The Good Mews cats live cage-free, and yoga night gives them a chance to interact with humans and vice-versa.

Bandaids for Bunnies is a Canadian-based charity that raises funds for abandoned pet rabbits. Special yoga nights are organized to raise money for this cause!

Yoga Girl, Rachel Brathen, has a big heart and big passion for rescuing dogs. She started the dog rescue not-for-profit, Sgt. Pepper's Friends, to bring awareness to and help for the number of neglected and homeless dogs in Aruba. She helps to raise money for this cause through special yoga classes and encourages others to also organize yoga fundraising events for Sgt. Pepper's Friends!

Looking for something local to the 1000 Islands area? Check out Glass Goat Yoga at River Road Farm!

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AYURVEDA FOR DOGS! Yes! It’s a Thing. And, It Works! 

While at the Chopra Center earlier this year, we had the opportunity to meet Amanda and Rene Ringnalda.  They were funny and fabulous event hosts, and Amanda also shared compelling stories about one of the couple's passion projects: dog rescue and providing Ayurveda health programs for dogs. For over 10 years, Amanda has studied closely under Chopra Center co-founders, Dr. Deepak Chopra and Dr. David Simon, and is a Vedic educator (meaning she's trained in meditation, yoga, and Ayurveda).

Amanda is a life-long animal lover and after discovering a passion for the practices of Ayurveda, she began exploring ways the timeless life-wisdom could support vibrant health, balance, and wellbeing for dogs too! Her first success story was with her own dog, Maya. Maya had a vata imbalance. The dog was losing hair and suffering from anxiety. Amanda put Maya on a vata balancing program and Maya made a miraculous recovery! Amanda teaches classes on Ayurveda for Dogs and founded a company called Sama Dog which focuses on dog wellbeing education, dog rescue, and animal advocacy.  Visit her website (there are great videos on there) to learn more about Ayurveda for dogs! 

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AMAZING STORIES OF WILD ANIMALS SAVING HUMAN LIVES True Tales of Compassion and Connection

Opportunities to see the interconnection between all beings (furry, slimy, or those dressed in business suits) are all around us. Sometimes, we see this inter-species connection more clearly than others. There is often an illusion of separation between humans and domestic animals and even domestic animals from wild animals. Truthfully, however, we're all energy and information (just made up a bit differently).

Recently, we had the opportunity to enlist the help of local wildlife rehabilitation workers to rescue a great horned owl. This has been an amazing experience in connectivity and compassion. The experience made us curious about what stories were available to us describing the opposite: wild animals saving human lives. (Please note, there are also many stories of domestic animals saving human lives.) Obviously, sometimes wild animals injure humans and humans injure wild animals. However, when beings align, true acts of altruism and bravery may blossom. Below, we share a few of our favorite tales of connection:

1. The editors of One Green Planet share with us an amazing story of three lions chasing off a young girl's kidnappers in Ethiopia. The lions stood guard until the police officers found her.

2. Also from the editors of One Green Planet, we learn about a young boy from Ontario, Canada who was orphaned on a camping trip and saved by three wild beavers who snuggled up with him through the night, keeping him from freezing to death.

3. Wildlife Insider shares that hours after her ship sank, a 52 year-old woman survived in the water with the help of a large sea turtle. The turtle came underneath and kept her afloat for 36 hours. After rescuers got to her, the turtle dove underwater and circled them twice before seeming satisfied that the woman was safe.

4. The New York Post recounts a story of a lone elephant who crashed into a flimsy house in India, probably looking for food. Upon noticing a crying child, the elephant helped pick debris off of her, helping to save her life, and then walked back into the forest.

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HAPPY SUMMER SOLSTICE!

“Waking up this morning I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully each moment and to look at beings with eyes of compassion.”

THICH NHAT HANH

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Yoga Nidra The Time-Tested Sleepy Time Yoga Practice

Yoga nidra (or yogic sleep) is a pathway for and state of deep relaxation. The (often guided) practice of yoga nidra has been found to reduce stress and relieve anxiety. In this state between waking and sleeping (also known as the "going to sleep" stage), the body-mind becomes completely relaxed. Most practices include the following elements that help us to reach deeper states of consciousness: Intention Setting, Body Awareness, Breath Awareness, Emotional Awareness, Visualization, and "Waking Up" or Reintegration. We invite you to listen to this guided Yoga Nidra audio recording.