Day 8 - Meditation - Guided Meditation - Universal Connection

Welcome to Day 8 of our meditation Challenge.  While people all over the world are joining in this Sangha, and I am grateful for this shared experience, some of you have found that you fall asleep during meditation.  First of all, no judgement it happens to the best of us.  Sometimes if you go into the meditation practice with the intent to "relax" or feel "rested" it may be inevitable that you fall asleep. Avoid practicing your meditation in bed, your mind already associates your bed with sleep, so it is ideal to have some sort of special space where you will practice your meditation.  Today's helpful tip is another guided meditation with binaural beats that allow the listener to go into theta state (please use stereo headphones).  This meditation is to increase your awareness of Universal Connection.

1. Set your intention/offering for your meditation practice
2. Sit up tall, close your eyes, take deep breaths and listen to the guided meditation. 
 

To listen to the guided meditation please click the link below:

Universal Connection Guided Meditation Link

Day 7 Meditation on Chakras and The Lords Prayer

We have heard it said that Meditation allows us to grow closer to a divine experience, union with God, communion with God.  So while there may be many different ways to approach meditation, one very powerful method is prayer.  While many people of various faiths are practicing meditation, this post is one that may resonate well with Christians.   People who prefer using Hindu Mantras, Buddhist Mantras or various scripture can choose to do so.


In the Bible Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that

comes from the mouth of God.'"(Matthew 4:4).  This concept is similar to Mantra, our words have power, they are affirmations that can create positive changes in our life or negative.  This Prayer many people recite "The Lord's Prayer" or "Our Father" is a beloved prayer for many around the world.  In the Book of revelation it speaks of the seven gates which are according to many scholars the seven chakras in the body.  The Chakras are energy vortexes within the body that affect the energy of our body & bodily functions.  Below is a diagram of how Edgar Cayce connected the Chakra Sacred points to this Sacred Prayer.




This Meditation combines the Lord's prayer with awareness of Chakras.  Begin in your comfortable seated position and when reciting the Lord's prayer, fix your energy and awareness on the coinciding Chakra.  See yourself surrounded by a radiant light.

The Prayer is: Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.

Day 6 - Guided Meditation Radiant Light

Day 6 of our 30 day Meditation Challenge.  While many people have their own beautiful practice
unfolding, here is another helpful tip/option.  This is a guided meditation.  The audio has special frequency and binaural beats to allow the listener to easily go into "theta state" which is considered the healing state, therefore please listen with Stereo Headphones for optimal results.

Please click on this link below:
Radiant Light Guided Meditation

Day 5 Meditation Challenge - Cultivating an attitude of Gratitude

Today is Day 5 of our 30 day meditation challenge.  This is my favorite meditation to practice which

I call "attitude of gratitude".  It is simply saying "THANK YOU".  In your 15 minute time you set aside to sit in meditation, see if you can inhale thoughts of gratitude or even just the word thank you.  Being thankful for the Universe, for you beautiful body, for you family, for you friends, for your triumphs, your food, your talents, your surroundings, your home, for your struggles, for the lessons learned, for everything you can think of in the span of 15 minutes. 

Allow each breath to be an offering of gratitude to the amazing blessings in your life.  If you cannot think of things to be thankful for in your meditation, just allow every inhale to be the silent sound of thank you.  Too often we have complaints, or lack of satisfaction and sadly we may take for granted simple things like clean running water, a roof over our head, or even a healthy body.  While we may be striving towards a body that has more muscle tone or thinner physique, this is all derived from an attitude of lack.  Let us find our "contentment" for this 15 minutes allow yourself to view your life from an attitude of abundance, and be grateful. 

 Gratitude is like a domino effect, the more you are grateful for, the Universe/God provides more things in your life to be grateful for.  Thank you all for sharing and wishing you so much love in this experience.

Day #4 - Meditation Challenge - The Zen of Japa Mala Meditation

Today is Day #4 of our meditation challenge.  I am so amazed to see how many people are emailing me to share how just a few days of this practice is transforming their inner peace and daily lives.  Meditation is a powerful practice and it helps us to quiet the monkey mind.

Our body is compared to a chariot in the Katha-Upinashads, with the body being the chariot, our senses are the five courses dragging the chariot, the reins are the mind, the intelligence or Lord of the chariot is the mind.  Peace of mind is important for focus and therefore a focused journey.  So if our mind is controlling the chariot it would be beneficial to learn to control the mind. 

Today's option to adapt into your meditation is japa mala meditation.  Often times you will see Yogis wearing beads around their neck or wrist, these beads are meant to be used for meditation.  Nearly every faith uses prayer beads (Christian, Islam, Buddhist, Sihkism, and Hindu).  The Hindu Japa Mala is done on 108 beads.  The beads are 108 to represent the 108 energy channels or nadi lines that stem from the heart chakra.  When we recite our mantra 108 times, we liberate our heart, and awaken this powerful life force through our entire body via the nadi lines.

To do Japa Mala

1. Sit tall on your meditation seat/cushion/bench
2. Hold Japa Mala beads in the right hand letting the beads glide over the middle finger
3. Using the thumb after reciting your "mantra", pull the bead towards you and progress to the next.

People who practice japa mala meditation often times will recite a mantra like "OM" or "Hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare" or "Om Nama Shivaya".  The Sound of OM (Aum) is a beautiful way to begin the practice of Japa Mala Meditation as it is the Universal Sound that exists in all things.  Mantra is powerful, much like affirmation and will alter the chemical pathways in the human brain and cells of the body to create happiness.  When we use the beads and recite the mantra we put our body in a hypnotic state which allows us to calm the noise and find peace.  When we recite the name of God (regardless of our faith) we are uniting with higher consciousness.  Christians, Buddhist, Sihks and Muslims will chant their own prayers with their specific prayer beads. 

Day #3 Meditation Challenge - Meditate on LOVE and PEACE

Day #3 of our Meditation Challenge - Inundating ourselves with the Power of Peace.  I am so grateful to read the countless emails, and receive calls in how people all over the world who are sharing this 30 Day Meditation Challenge with their family, friends, and Yoga studios, and just putting it into their own individual day!  What a wonderful global Sangha we have collectively created!  While many of you have your own methods of meditation and just enjoy the unity, I will do my best to continue to provide options to aid in your journey towards a meditation practice.

Today's helpful tip is inspired by Sri Chinmoy, who taught meditation with the purpose to achieve inner peace or love.  He was considered an Indian Guru who brought his teaching to New York and then the world.  Many of his followers have achieved incredible world records in the field of athletics, music and fine art.  Sri Chinmoy is most widely recognized for his teachings on meditation for inner peace, and would often encourage followers to embrace prayer and self-less service as a way to enlightenment.  He encouraged followers to do their practice early morning (3-4 am is considered the hour of God, if not 6 am). 

He became a Guru for many famous people including Carlos Santana, Roberta Flak and Carl Lewis to name a few.  He was known to say “We are all seekers, and our goal is the same: to achieve inner peace, light and joy, to become inseparably one with our Source, and to lead lives full of true satisfaction.” 

Though Chinmoy was brought up as a Hindu, he promoted oneness of all religions and was also known for saying "True religion has a universal quality. It does not find fault with other religions....Forgiveness, compassion, tolerance, brotherhood and the feeling of oneness are the signs of a true religion"

He had a specific method for his meditation, but the overall message of using meditation for the expansion of peace and connection with the Divine to overcome limiting beliefs was an evident result in many of his followers.  He himself would have devotees meditate on a black and white image of him that was said to be his "trancendental photograph", but emphasized to meditate on his human form but to unite with their own higher self, and use his image as a representation of higher consciousness.  Sadly, like many gurus their may be controversy attached to his name, and our society conditions us to find flaws, faults in leaders (this is something that is evident in our popular magazines).  This unconscious thirst for gossip or fault finding, results in us doing the same to ourselves, which is why we all would benefit from meditation in order to quite the noise. 

Today you have the option to use Sri Chinmoy's photograph to meditate on, or perhaps your own Guru, your Spiritual Leader, Savior, Deity.  Using an image that projects peace, love, and higher consciousness.  See if you can and become one with the consciousness of whatever positive image you chose to use.  This fixed image for your meditation is a representation of the spiritual liberation or Power of Peace that you desire to achieve in your own life.  See if you can inhale LOVE, inhale PEACE ~ Thanks again for joining in this Sangha.

Top 5 Tips to practice Zazen Meditation - Happy Buddha Purnima

Day #2 – 30 Day Meditation Challenge – How to Practice Buddhist Meditation

Today is day#2 of our Meditation Challenge and also the Buddha Purnima, which is the day that commemorates the Birthday/Death Day/Enlightenment Day of Buddha.  A few years back I had the amazing privilege to visit the Dai BoSatsu Zendo (Upstate NY), and participate in a week of ZazenMeditation while teaching daily yoga class.  It was a beautiful experience!  We would sit for 6 hours a day in Meditation.  This practice of meditation illuminates all the noise within, the memories, unforgiveness, mental clutter, with the purpose of eventually leading to healing, revelation, enlightenment, nirvana.  While the Zendo was a magical place, and the outside property with a gorgeous lake and landscape provided the perfect setting to explore meditation, ultimately the practice of meditation is about being in the present moment.  This post is to share some helpful tips to approaching Meditation from the Zazen Practice.

 "Do not dwell on the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate your mind on the present moment" ~ Buddha

The Top 5 Tips to approach your Meditation "Zazen Buddhist" Style:

1.     SIT -Sit still with a completely upright spine on your meditation cushion/Zafu, or bench.  Keep your hands palms up, right fingers on top of left and tips of the thumbs touch.

2.     EYES - Keep your eyes slightly open in a soft gaze to stay in present moment rather than drift into the mind.

3.     BREATH - Let your breath be natural and count the breaths, should your thoughts stray from your breath then return to 1.

4.     SILENCE – Be sure all cell phones are off (not just vibrate), no music, no distractions, just peaceful silence

5.     SMILE – Have a tiny smile on your face, meditation should be a practice you enjoy, so turn your frowns upside down, lift the corners of your lips and begin your practice.

Wishing you all the best on this beautiful journey!  

How to Use Mantra to Meditate - Day 1 of 30 Day Challenge

Day #1 – 30 Day Meditation Challenge – SoHam Mantra Meditation

Thank you for joining in this 30 Day Meditation Challenge! The benefits are endless and the practice should be embraced without judgement or expectation.  See if you can do your meditation at the same time each day.  While the goal is to sit in silence for 15 minutes a day, some of us may need a few options to get to the goal.  Where ever you are in the world, you can join us.  Today’s option is “So Hum” (सो ऽहम् ⁾ Mantra Meditation.  If we recite this Mantra 108 times it will result in approximately 15-17 minutes, feel free to do the mantra for 5 minutes and progress to focus on the breath in silence. 

Begin in a comfortable seated position, perhaps on a cushion, with a straight back.  If it is difficult to elongate the spine, another option is to sit up against the wall.  Relax your facial muscles, softly close your eyes, and set your intention/offering for this special time.  To do this meditation exercise, we Inhale the silent sound of “Sooooo” and exhale the silent sound of “Huuuuum”.  As we inhale, imagine the silent sound of “Soooo” traveling up the center line of the body to the top of the head, and as we exhale, send the breath back down to the base of the spine.  Let the breath be natural, without pause in between.  Some say it is loosely translated as “I am That” or “I am You, You are Me”. 

In Vedic Philosophy this is a way in which we unite or identify with the Universe.  Various theories point back to our birth as emerging with the infant cry “Kohaam Koohaam” which means “who am I”, so the Universe responds back “SoHam” meaning you are the same as I.  When we practice this Mantra we allow ourselves to unite with Universe/God Consciousness.  Sometimes after saying "So Ham" the mantra is reversed to say "Hamsa" which is like saying "I am the Swan",  The Swan in this case represents Atman (soul).  The Swan is the vehicle for Goddess Saraswati (Goddess of Knowledge and Wisdom). 

The swan glides on water without getting its feathers wet (knowledge and supreme truth), and soars above the water into the sky (rising above earthly ties). In Vedic theory the swan possesses the beautiful ability to separate milk from water which stands for wisdom and discrimination (viveka), therefore knowledge (vidya).  This beautiful practice of meditation is ultimately to free us, to allow us to gain knowledge, wisdom, and rise above the earthly ties or mental modifications. 

Wishing you Joy & Peace during your 30 days of meditation.  May these 30 days inspire you to embrace this as part of your daily practice. ~ Om Shanti

Top Ten Benefits of Meditation and the 30 Day Challenge

Meditation is one of the most beneficial things to practice.  While many people are enjoying their yoga practice, flowing through yoga asana, practicing pranayama, we must realize all this is to prepare the body for Meditation (Dhyana).  This practice yoga asana so we can prepare our physical body for sitting in stilling, one pointed thought which eventually turns into self realization, liberation, and Samadhi.

Can you sit in stillness for 15 minutes?  Have you ever paid attention to the thoughts that arise? Perhaps your body gets numb to sit for long periods?  Well this cessation of the mind is the ultimate goal of the Yoga Practice, therefore practicing this Meditation Daily is extremely beneficial.  The more you practice meditation, the easier it becomes.

Join me in this 15 minute a day meditation challenge for 30 days.  Some of you may say you don't have 15 minutes, so begin with 5 minutes.  Set aside this magical time in your day, Sit in stillness, concentrate on your breath and enjoy.  If thoughts arise, it is good to investigate.  Whatever thoughts arise, there are deeper residual issues behind whatever thoughts/mental pictures may pop up.  This is your time to heal.  While Yoga Asana can be considered a Moving Meditation, japa mala, guided audio, nada yoga, yoga nidra, tratak, Bija Mantra, Chakra Awareness, SO-HUM, and many other things are forms of meditation practice, for this challenge stillness is the main requirement.  You may want to go outside and connect with nature, or perhaps on your favorite meditation cushion. While there are so many benefits of yoga, here is a short list of 10 benefits.

The Top Ten Benefits of Meditation:

1. Reduce Stress
2. Lower Blood Pressure
3. Improved Sleep
4. Reduce Back Pain
5. Improve Memory
6. Strengthen Immune System
7. Improve Creativity
8. Lose Weight
9. Increase JOY
10. Increase Confidence

How Ohashi Method™/Ohashiatsu® brings the Healing Touch for Yogis

While many Yogis worldwide embrace an holistic approach to health and wellness, utilizing Ayurveda, massage, reiki, crystals and other modalities, the Ohashi Method/Ohashiatsu is especially effective to combine with Yoga practice. Developed by Ohashi Sensei over 40 years of teaching and practice, his method combines stretching muscles and meridians together as part of a treatment. These meridians or energy lines are similar to the Nadi lines spoken of in Yoga, which we want to keep energized for well-being and health. 

For many people who practice yoga, their precious tools may include their yoga mat, a copy of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and perhaps the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. I would also recommend this latest DVD as a valuable tool because it combines two modalities in an easy to adapt-format, for both private students and group class situations. It also provides an excellent introduction to Ohashiatsu® for those Yogis eager to explore this beautiful modality of holistic bodywork, and a great visual as to how they could possibly combine it with the Yoga Practice. 

Learning various stretches and pressure points will help sedate muscles, and allow the flow of prana. While I am grateful to have completed and graduated the Ohashiatsu Program, I realize some people may want something they can use with private yoga students, or even themselves. The best investment would be the newest Ohashi Method™ DVD that takes Yoga students and teachers on a journey through basic stretches that relate to meridians in the body.

Happy 74th Birthday Sri Dharma Mittra!

Wishing a Happy 74th Birthday to Sri Dharma Mittra! 

The teacher who continues to inspire hearts everywhere to deepen their yoga practice.  I am sure that Dharma Yoga West was buzzing with Yogis.  I recall a few times we celebrated Dharma ji's birthday and it was always beautiful with some Vegan Treats!  Thank you Dharma ji for being such a jewel for the Yoga Community. 

Wishing you tremendous blessings on this beautiful day!

Bhagavad Gita on BEING TRUE to YOU

 

 कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन् |
इन्द्रियार्थान्विमूढात्मा मिथ्याचारः स उच्यते || ३ ६ ||

 

 

 

karmendriyaani sanyamya ya aaste manasaa smaran.h .

indriyaarthaanvimuudhaatmaa mithyaachaarah sa uchyate

Bhagavad Gita 3:6

TRANSLATION: One who restrains the senses of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender.

This Gita verse calls us to be honest with ourselves, whether in our yoga practice or in our life.  The secret to doing this is to refrain from passing judgement.

After spending many years of teaching Yoga for adults, kids, pre/post natal women, in groups, private classes, and Yoga Teacher Training, the biggest thing I have learned is Yoga resonates with each individual according to how receptive they are, and I myself as a teacher am always learning.  This verse points out the importance of being true to yourself.  Embrace where you are on and off the mat, and be exactly what you desire.  Rather than being guided by desires or passion, live them. The reality is regardless of our spirituality, we all encounter challenges.  Rather than pretend struggles do not exist, we can always be true to our present moment (on and off the yoga mat), knowing that we are on a journey. 

Evaluate your current circumstance/yoga practice and ask yourself where are you pretending?  Where are you passing judgement?  Create a plan of change and take action. ~ Namaste

Finding Peace in Moksha Hot Yoga

This morning I decided to take a break from my morning practice and try a new class.  While my morning practice is usually something along the lines of Ashtanga, Sri Dharma Mittra Shiva Namaskar flow, or just whatever I feel like my body is feeling like flowing through, I did something new today.  I did HOT YOGA at Moksha. Moksha in sansrkit means liberation.

Moksha is the new chain of Yoga studios that is sweeping across Ontario Canada.  Similar to the concept of Bikram, in that the rooms are heated and students are invited to go through a set series of postures.  Hot yoga is very beneficial for people in Kapha Ayurveda Constitution.  The heat helps to warm the joints and muscles.  The added steaminess to the room is said to create more sweat and result in a better detox experience.

I had apprehension due to my previous experience with a Bikram class.  Due to my ayurveda constitution being Pitta, I generally do not need extra heat.  I wanted to try anyways.  I get to class and like always make no mention that I am a Yoga Teacher, filling out the forms, and setting myself up.  The friendly receptionist was actually the teacher for the 6:30 am class.  Her name was Serena and she lead us through class with a lovely fairy like voice through the Moksha 60 Flow.  I loved that she invites students to go at their own pace, take childs pose whenever necessary, and she provided very clear verbal cues.  I thought the heat would be a challenge, and I surprised myself, only taking childs pose's that she would cue, and actually enjoying the steamy room.  It reminded me of the heat in India when I practice in there.  She mentioned that the 6:30 am class is not always as hot as the other classes throughout the day.  I was also amazed and happy to see that the class was full, nearly 25 or 30 people for a 6:30am HOT YOGA class.  They have a 30 day challenge for spring currently and it was also nice to see how many are participating in this Sangha. 

Since Yoga is about quieting the mind, and deflating the ego or "I AM" consciousness, I always encourage Yoga practitioners (students and teachers) to step outside of their comfort zone, their favorite teacher, or style of yoga, to challenge their compassion/humilty, and ability to truly be a student to the practice of Yoga.  While some pose names may be called different, while some yoga classes may be asana based with very little reference to the philosophy of Yoga, while no Western Yogi is living in a cave in the Himilayas or a renunciate, I feel like it is important to have an open mind and enjoy the practice.  Any judgements or frustrations that arise during a yoga class should be investigated deeper, because often times it is reflecting a deeper situation that needs to be explored and understood for our individual liberation.  I really enjoyed this class and very happy I attended.  Thank you Serena and Moksha for a wonderful experience.

Oil Pulling: Ancient & Simple way to Improve Health

The amazing popularity Yoga is getting worldwide is also bringing awareness of ancient approaches to health and wellness from the sister science of Ayurveda.  While this system of science dates back thousands of years with the intent of cleansing the body of toxins, and creating a healthy balanced overall system , it often times can be dismissed as primitive.  While I encourage people to educate themselves sufficiently before embarking on home remedies/new minimally tested remedies, and even home yoga practice, I also love to share my own experiences. 

In the science of Ayurveda, people are encouraged to evaluate their entire mind-body-spirit to discover their prarkruti (Ayurveda constitution).  This understanding better establishes dietary guidelines, exercise, pranayama, and herbal treatments.  A common Ayurveda start to the day is warm water with lemon.  This article is going to highlight another common Ayurveda treatment called Oil Pulling.

Oil Pulling is said to shown improvement in the overall health of gums and teeth by reducing bacteria.  The technique involves swishing around one tablespoon of oil (Sesame or coconut) around in the mouth through the teeth for about twenty minutes.  Keep swirling it around your mouth, breathing through your nose, perhaps listening to music or humming.  The oil attracts pathogens and because of this individuals must spit out the oil, and never swallow it.  Spit it into the trash, outside or toilet so that the oil does not clog your sink.  When the oral condition of our gums and teeth are at risk, it affects our entire body. Many people who practice oil pulling claim the beautiful radiance it provides to their skin.  Two benefits I have witnessed specifically in my students was those who suffered with sinus issues, and weak gums.

Some Ayurveda Doctors and Western Medicine M.D's promote Oil Pulling and agree that it has a host of benefits in helping with illness and chronic conditions like asthma, gum disease, bronchitis, allergies, menopause, acne, sinusitis, eczema, dermatitis, and much more.

Yoga Nidra Studio in Brooklyn

I feel blessed to be part of the journey of some incredible Yogis.  To witness their personal transformation, and watch them sharing this practice and helping themselves and others is beyond gratifying.  A few years back, a lovely young lady and yoga student named Stephanie embarked on Yoga Teacher Training with me.  When you meet her you fall in love with the New York accent, the straight forward talk, the hilarious wit, charm and genuine kindness.  Beyond this reality was another reality of a storm that many people face, grief, in her case it was the death of her beloved Fiance.  For many people, grief finds its healing through Yoga.  For Stephanie, her beloved fiance suffered with depression & took his own life.

To be part of this inspirational young ladies journey as she enrolled in Yoga Teacher Training with me is something I will forever be grateful for.  The first day of that Teacher Training, she shared that she was doing the course so she could find healing.  I knew what she was dealing with but chose to not draw attention to her reality and stick to the task of hers and everyone's Teacher Training experience.  While some of her fellow Yogis lightheartedly found me to be "the Pusher" which I admit to bring the challenge, Stephanie was receptive to every experience.  While I am aware you can do Yoga Teacher Training anywhere and get a certificate, my goal is to bring a healing experience that challenges you mind-body-spirit, so that you can grow, and go on to help others with a compassionate and humble heart.  No Mud, No Lotus.

In my view, Stephanie was an inspiration to her fellow yogis.  She had an emotional challenge that not to many people face.  She courageously would travel to the Bronx from Brooklyn, knowing each time she would pass the train stop where her beloved breathed his last breath.  She would participate in every asana class, every workshop that challenged her physically, emotionally, and mentally and came out victorious.  At her Yoga TT graduation, Stephanie shared her story with the group, and how she wanted to heal so she could help her parents see she is taking steps to triumph above her grief, she had the entire room erupt in tearful applause.  She experienced the healing power of Yoga and has now gone on to open her own Yoga Studio in Brooklyn, where she will give back and inspire many.  With the sole goal to give back to the community, to spread compassion and awareness that Yoga is bigger than a physical exercise, I am so proud to have this connection with this young lady.  I am grateful to have her as a student and friend.  The thing I love about her is she does not try to pretend or become the Yoga Cliche of Yogis, she remains true to being a NYC Mets Fan, walking for the Suicide Awareness Annual March, maintaining her loyalty as a Met Clubber to her favorite band Metallica, and sipping her Starbucks concoctions all the while quoting the Yoga Sutras to inspire people to be more compassionate to all living beings.

I know the Brooklyn Dyker Heights community will be booming with Yoga Mats in no time.  People will be grateful to have this straight talking Yogini teach them how to find healing with Yoga, especially because she is living proof of the healing benefits.

You can find this beautiful Yogi Stephanie at her Studio YOGA NIDRA.  She will be opening this Saturday May 11th: 9am vinyasa, 11am yoga nidra, 1pm vinyasa, 3pm yoga nidra! 

Find her on Facebook to get her updates and in lieu of Mothers Day feel free to bring your Mom to class this Saturday and Sunday, and she gets the class for half off!
 
Yoga Nidra Studio is located at 7217 13th Ave. in Dyker Heights.
While this New Moon and Taurus Solar Eclipse weekend marks the official opening of classes at Yoga Nidra, there will also be a GRAND OPENING BASH on June 1st and Stephanie will be hosting the 200Hr Yoga Teacher Training program this August for all those interested in a life changing experience. ~ Om Shanti