seva journal

Saturday, March 19 · 5:00pm – 7:00pm
We have done it before, we can do it again!

Yogis near and far,

108 is considered a sacred number in Hinduism and Yoga. Traditionally, malas, or garlands of prayer beads, come as a string of 108 beads. Mathematicians of Vedic culture viewed 108 as a number of the wholeness of existence. 108 also connects the Sun, Moon, and Earth: The average distance of the Sun and the Moon to Earth is 108 times their respective diameters. According to yogic tradition, there are 108 pithas, or sacred sites, throughout India. And there are also 108 Upanishads and 108 marma points, or sacred places of the body.
And one can enjoy a Yoga mala of 108 Sun Salutations as an offering to Peace and Unity.

Join Michele on Saturday to celebrate the vernal equinox with 108 sun salutations!

$20 Day of event space permitting.

Check out these photos from our amazing retreat at Soulshine, Bali.

Thanks to everyone who joined us for this amazing experience!

In a study that will appear in the January 30 issue of Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, a team led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers report the results of their study, the first to document meditation-produced changes over time in the brain’s grey matter.

“Although the practice of meditation is associated with a sense of peacefulness and physical relaxation, practitioners have long claimed that meditation also provides cognitive and psychological benefits that persist throughout the day,” says Sara Lazar, PhD, of the MGH Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Program, the study’s senior author. “This study demonstrates that changes in brain structure may underlie some of these reported improvements and that people are not just feeling better because they are spending time relaxing.”

Read the full article at physorg.com

March 5 & 6

Principles of Ashtanga Yoga
Sat, March 5, 2:00 – 4:00pm
Ashtanga is the root of modern vinyasa. It is a powerful practice designed to bring about total balance of body, mind and spirit. Through this workshop you will learn and practice the foundational principles of Ashtanga Yoga. Through breath (ujjayi pranayama), energy guides (bandhas), and flow (vinyasa), Ashtanga heats the body to purify it of all toxins. A good understanding of the Ashtanga sequence is a must for serious yoga practitioners and teachers.

Ashtanga Primary Series
Yoga Chikitsa
Sun, March 6, 1:00 – 3:00pm
Yoga Chikitsa (yoga therapy) is a beautiful foundational practice that offers a deeper understanding of the art of flow. This Ashtanga sequence consists of a specific set of postures systematically designed to open and purify the body. In this workshop you’ll put to use the Principles of Ashtanga Yoga.
This high-energy flow is all about journeying the river within.

one year yoga experience recommended.

$30 per session at the door

Friday, February 4 6-9pm
Saturday, February 5 1:30-6:30pm
Sunday, February 6 1:30-6:30pm

Flowing through a yoga practice or walking through life is often done without awareness. Yet, with some basic knowledge and simple consciousness, the journey becomes one of grace and eased.

Join Lynn Medow ERYT500 of Yoga by Design for a fun-filled and practical guide to understanding your anatomy from the feet up. Bring colored pencils, an open mind and loving heart – it’s sure to be an enjoyable expedition.

Saturday, January 22nd, 1:30-6:30 pm

Discover your shakti in this workshop designed to bring you greater awareness of your energetic anatomy. Chakras, energy centers, whirl within us, supporting our life energy and defining our consciousness. When too open or blocked, physical, emotional and spiritual imbalances occur, challenging us to grow.

Although there are numerous chakras within the body, 7 are of major importance. Located along the spinal axis, they’re associated with specific life functions. In this workshop, you’ll not only learn about these energy centers, you’ll experience them. Lecture, meditation, visualization, mantra, asana and group discussion will synergize to open us to the spectrum of light within.

The workshop includes a 90-minute chakra vinyasa class (3:30 pm – 5:00 pm) in which you’ ll experience familiar asanas from the perspective of the chakras, deepening your awareness of your energetic anatomy.

Note: the vinyasa class can be taken separately.

Cost: $60/entire workshop
$20/chakra vinyasa class

Nancy McCaochan, MA, E-RYT is a former writing professor and a published author who left the college classroom to devote her life to helping people feel better in their bodies. She’s been teaching hatha yoga since 1995 and chakra yoga workshops and teacher trainings since 2004.

Meet William Trubridge who just beat a world record free-diving to 100 meters in the Bahamas, all in one breath. No, this deep sea adventurer didn’t need weights to descend the depths, he used his own hands and feet, and yoga!

Read the full story at YogaDork.com

with Natalie Donnellon
Saturday, December 18 · 1:30pm – 6:30pm

Ayurveda “the science of life” is a natural, holistic approach that facilitates the body’s own healing process.

This workshop will include lecture, discussion and hands on experiences that we will share together.

Our program will cover:
Introduction to Ayurveda Lecture
Creating a vedic kitchen at home
Optimizing Digestion and immunity

$45 Pre-Register
$55 Day of Space Permitting

Friday, December 10 at 6:00pm – December 11 at 1:30pm

Slow Down, Unwind and Relax with us in Nature at Pierce Cedar Creek.
You will enjoy 2 Rejuvenating Yoga sessions with Michele and Marro as well as 3 Healthy Vegetarian Meals prepared by the onsite Chef.

We will begin Friday night with the perfect end to your work week – YOGA. After practice we will enjoy a healthy dinner together and then you may relax by the fire, enjoy a movie with us in the auditorium, or simply retire to your… private room.

Saturday we will wake with another Yoga session designed to inspire your day and then share a delicious breakfast in the dining hall. From here by mornings light you will be able to see the beautiful nature preserve that surrounds us.

After breakfast, you will have the opportunity to join a guided hike through the 661 acres of field, forest and wetlands, or relax as you choose.

We will all meet again to share one last meal in the dining hall, closing our experience – Until the next time that is.

Cost is
$155 Single rate
$135 Double rate

The cost includes Yoga, Meals and your accommodations.
Depending on weather we can hike, snowshoe or x-country ski.

Please contact Michele at Seva – 616-458-2541
or email us for information.

The facility can house 40 guests.

Yoga has many proven health benefits, but does it stand up to other forms of exercise? Researchers pitted it against a walking routine and found that those who practiced yoga showed greater improvements in mood and anxiety.

Read the full article