KonaYoga.com

Let's Make It Fit

Registrations are coming in for John Leebold's workshop here at Kona Yoga, June 22-26. If you live on Oahu, you may attend the workshop with John at Manoa Yoga. Tell Ray or Shelly that Kona Yoga sent you!

Due to the workshop schedule, several of our weekly classes will be cancelled.

• Saturday, June 23: 8am and 10am Classes
• Monday, June 25: 5:30pm Class
• Tuesday, June 26: 6pm Class

Please make every effort to attend as many workshop classes as possible. John is a teacher who inspires your teachers and we want to show him some true Kona Aloha!
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Yoga for Women. Effective this coming Saturday, June 16, this class will be extended by a half hour. Due to our discussion format at the beginning of class, the asana portion is sometimes "wanting". I've decided to change it to a 2 hour class with no additional fee.
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Tuesdays 6-7:30pm. The Beginning Yoga series ends this Tuesday and because of the enthusiasm of the class, I've decided to segue into a Creating a Home Practice class which will begin June 19.

The next Beginning Yoga class starts Tuesday, August 7.

Happy Kamehameha Day!

Photo:hb19

Masking Tapes

Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within.
-James A. Baldwin

Has your personality changed in the last five years? Psychologists have determined that we have five main characteristic traits: conscientiousness, neuroticism, agreeableness, openness, and extroversion. Once believed to be genetic and static after age 30, new research suggests that we do change quite often and quite a lot.(1)

It's not certain if we change in response to the situations in our lives or, if the changes we make bring about new circumstances. It's probably a combination that varies but can you imagine operating with the same habits and beliefs developed at a time when your intentions were different?

Many times, change is already under way when a person steps onto the mat for the first time. He is open to the nuances of yoga but comes to class with old methods of learning and moving his body. I see a willing body, waiting for it's owner to change his mind.

As I have been taught, I instruct "feel, don't force your body". Then, there is a visible tug-of-war between feeling and forcing. The two are welded together like conjoined twins. When the separation occurs, it is like removing a mask to reveal the joy underlying the struggle.

I've come to believe that a lot of the negative self- talk we constantly listen to are nothing but old beliefs. They sound off in the background like an ignored, but persistent TV. We exist in the present with our fresh, new personality waiting to unmask.

Photo: Veneto's Attractions
References:
(1) Personality Changes Throughout Life. New Scientist.com

Now what is she doing?

It's official , Mrs. Kravitz, the Beginning Yoga series ends this coming Tuesday, June 12. The next series will begin August 7 and in the meantime, I'm holding a Creating a Home Practice class that will be based on the Mother Sequence. In addition to learning and utilizing the sequence, I'll offer suggestions on how to carve out the time and space for a home practice.

This is the Schedule: Tuesdays from 6:00-7:30pm.

• June 19
• July 3
• July 10
• July 17
• July 31

Fees: $15/drop-in, All five for $65.00. Regular class passes also apply.

Photo:TV Party

The Mother Sequence Book

Last night was the 5th out of 6 classes for the Beginning Yoga series. There won't be another session until August.

I was prepared to lead the class in the basics of Sarvangasana (shoulderstand) but in answer to one man's lament about the loss of his Tuesday night yoga practice, I decided to offer the Mother Sequence as a brilliant solution. It really is brilliant!

Jehangir Pahlkivala created the sequence and has produced a book of instructions. It is beautifully illustrated with drawings of the postures and easily used as a practice guide.

We were able to get through the Suryanamaskara set, The 5 Tibetan Rites, two standing poses, three seated poses and part of the inversion postures. Needless to say it was a hit. "Yoga books scare me because there's so much to read, but this one...this is great!" said one enthusiastic man.

Jehangir will be at Kona Yoga this August 9-12 to teach the basic Mother Sequence as well as one of six variations of the sequence that he has developed. I'm considering Tuesday night classes that would focus on the sequence in anticipation of his workshop. These would serve in the interim until the next Beginning Yoga series (August 7 - September 11).

Watch for further announcements if you're interested. A limited supply of books are available at the studio for $10.

Here They Are!

James Dylan Graves! Isn't he handsome? Krista and Matt have every reason to fall asleep for days...but who can take their eyes off this 8 1/2 pound miracle?

They're all resting at the North Hawaii Community Hospital in a room with a beautiful view of the mountains. "Everybody here has been just great to us!" said Matt.

After a special Lunch for Two today, they'll give James his first ride back to Kona where he'll get to meet Harley and Otis, his canine brothers.

Hear it Here!

He's................ here!!! James arrived around 9am. Everyone's healthy and well! He's not even an hour old as I post this!

Photo:anya32

Light, Wait

My body feels ready, my mind feels ready, my spirit feels ready and still there is nothing I can do to "make" it happen....He will enter the world, and our lives, at the perfect time.
-Krista Graves, May 30, 2007

A few weeks ago, I attended a celebration for Krista known as a Blessingway. Each woman presented her with a special bead, which Krista's mother Janice, strung into a necklace. We gave her our blessings and showered her with praises. All, well deserved.

In turn, we were given a red string to tie around our wrist or ankle which we will cut after she gives birth, to symbolize the cutting of the umbilical cord. We all went home that night with a tall blue candle to be lit as soon as Krista goes into labor. As I write this at 9pm on Sunday evening, my candle is still lit, burning since 2:30pm on Saturday. Which means that Krista is still in labor.

I'm feeling a bit sleepy and tired because I've been up since 3am after a rather restless night, due to the combination of excitement and a flickering candle light. I can only imagine how Krista and Matt, and those who are attending the birth with them, must be feeling.

The candle light has served multiple purposes. It has given me a way to stay connected to Krista and her birthing process. Each time the light woke me up, I sent well wishes to baby James, Krista and all who were gathered around her. Then I would turn on my side and fall asleep again, over and over. My way was easy.

Throughout the day, whenever I looked over at the candle, I felt a surge of appreciation for all of the friends and activities surrounding this pregnancy and birth. The candle has given me a renewed respect for ceremony and ritual. It also reminded me of something my son's preschool teacher taught me: every child has a flame inside him, his spirit, and you should never say or do anything that would diminish that flame.

That same reverence and care should be afforded to everyone (our selves included) and to the events that we feel helpless to control. As I look at the candle, I am reminded that to "go with the flow" often means that each journey may take longer than we expected. It is, what it is. No more, or less. The flame makes no judgement, it just lights the way.

Photo: Meteorry