Change is Opportunity and Michael Franti is Awesome!

Namaste Friends!

I love camping!  I just returned from a long camping trip in the mountains with my family and I am completely renewed.  There is nothing like being in touch with Mother Nature.  Laying on the earth and hugging our sweet Mama felt so great.   Even the electrifying thunderstorm was welcomed!  It is so important to pause in the middle of our crazy busy lives, drop everything, and plug into nature.

It’s the natural world that reveals all the answers we seek.  We learn that nothing is permanent; the sun can be shining one minute and black clouds can roll in the next minute.  The more we are able to adjust to change with ease and go with the rhythms of life, the more we stand to gain, grow, and  learn.

It’s when we dig in our heals in a stubborn fashion that we experience the negative effects of change, it becomes adversity rather than opportunity.  The hellacious downpour descended upon our camp with about 10 minutes warning time to get everything locked down, zipped up, and put away.  Instead of sitting by a campfire eating smores, and looking at stars,  the change in weather gave my family an opportunity to get really cozy inside our tent.  My sons were right next to me hugging me like I was a life boat.  I was afforded 10 hours of up close and personal time with my boys; undivided attention and a captive audience.  I unleashed many extra kisses, unsolicited advice, and a whole lot of subliminal parent talk with the same intensity that the black cloud was unleashing its watershed.  They thought it was fun to play “fort”, and I thought it was way better than smores and start gazing.  Never once was I dissappointed in the dampening rain.  Change is opportunity, not adversity.

I owe my ability to flow through life without much drama and heartache to my yoga practice.  The work I do on the mat transfers to real life scenarios; with strength, flexibility, balance, determination, intention, controlled breath, stillness of thought, and an open heart, I can navigate even the toughest of storms.  The more I practice on the mat…the easier it is off the mat.  I invite you to come to your mat and sharpen the tools in your yogic toolbox…you never know when the next storm will roll in.

After every storm, the sunshine appears once again.  Michael Franti is such a light and he is appearing on Saturday at Red Rocks with his Sounds of Sunshine tour.  Mr. Franti is a devoted yogi himself and his music reflects his love for all beings, the planet, and the cosmos.  Karma Yoga Center is proudly attending his concert and we invite you to join us in supporting not only an amazing musician, but an amazing human being.  We have a Karma Karavan leaving from the studio at 5:00pm.  We will bring along many delicious pizzas from Denver’s own Basil Doc’s Pizza (he’s a yogi too!)to share while we tailgate at Red Rocks before the concert.  Follow us to the show and hang with our Karma sanga (community).  We would love to hang with you.  Tickets are still available through ticketmaster…and Brett Dennen is opening!

Don’t forget we will be raffling off the Karma Electra Cruiser just before the Karma karavan  leaves at 5:00 on Saturday the 31st.  You still have a few days left to enter the drawing.  Come in and buy a package or make a purchase of $108 or more in value and you will automatically be entered to win this sweet bike!  Does this day get any better? Do yoga,  eat healthy pizza, win a  cool bike, groove to Franti, and hang with the Karma Krew.  Not even a downpour would wreck that…but lets pray for the Sounds of Sunshine nonetheless.

Much love,

Katrina Gustafson Broyles