Newsletters

Namaste and Happy 250.

I don’t know if its because Michael and I don’t watch TV, or if its because we have been traveling abroad, or if its because we don’t get on social media very often, or if I just don’t pay attention to these type of things, but I completely missed the fact that this year is the 250th anniversary of the signing of our constitution to insure that we can live as a democracy-which is derived from the ancient Greek word dēmokratia, it literally translates to “rule by the people”. Or maybe I forgot because I don’t really feel we are living in a democracy anymore.

Coincidentally, we just returned from our fabulous retreat in Greece, and after visiting the Acropolis and walking through the Parthenon-the actual birthplace of democracy, I think Cleisthenes, the Greek “father of democracy” from 507 BCE, would fall down on those marble steps and cry for what has become of his attempt to bring liberation and equality to mankind. The city of Athens has always been a hub for politically minded people. Since ancient times, citizens would congregate at the Agora-the civic center at the base of the Acropolis, where ancient democracy took shape. Once crowded with merchants, magistrates and philosophers such as Socrates, it served as the city’s political and commercial hub.

Today the Greeks, (and really most of the world), are appalled by our American politics and they don’t mince words. They are not shy to speak how they feel about our leadership and about the citizens who support it. All of our foreign friends refused our invitation to come visit us out of principle. They do not want to support our economy or visit our beautiful country because they are disgusted with our politics.

One evening in Athens, we sat with our Greek friends discussing our current affairs, and I couldn’t help but feel the ancestors of democracy milling about the taverna hoping we might tap into some of their wisdom and carry it home with us-for we have forgotten what we immigrated to America to do.

Namaste Friends!
Summertime is official in just a few weeks. Daytime is extended by a couple hours on each end and I love having the extra light. For some reason, the more light we have in a day, the more energy I have to do things.

Conversely, in the dark season of winter, when the sun goes down at 4:30, I am ready for bed shortly after-I often crawl into my warm bed and am resting my bones by 6pm with a good book and a cup of tea.

But now I am crawling into bed much later, around 11pm and I don’t feel exhausted. The natural world instinctually adjusts to the light. So should we, hence it is very important that we have ample outside time in a day-regardless of what season it is-so that we can attune and align with the natural forces of Spirit. Nature Is Spirit.

The yogis call it Prakriti-its the totality of creation in either its seed form or potential or its physical form or manifestation. Its hard to imagine this, but there are many things in Creation that haven’t been “born” yet, they are energies that are held as potentials that can come into the physical plane, but haven’t been conceived yet. These are TBD-depending on our behavior and collective karmas.
And then there is all that has come into manifestation already-the plant and animal kingdom, the celestial bodies, the world we see and live within-all the inventions, the arts and music, the infrasturctures- everything we see and know as life. Prakriti is the great mother of all life as we know it. Born and unborn. She is Mother Nature.

Prakriti comes from Purusha. Purusha is more challenging to explain because it is the ALL-the yogis actually say it is the unnameable because there isn’t a word that can capture all that it is…but it is similar to what we might call Source, Spirit, Supreme Being, God. It is all-knowing, all-seeing, and ever-present-it has always been-and it will always be-yet it isn’t an entity and it doesn’t have a form. And, it dwells in all creation-every single being carries Purusha within themselves. It does not create or manifest, that is Prakriti-but it is the essence of everything created-including Prakriti. And it is Pure Consciousness itself. In Dr. Frawley’s book, Yoga and Ayurveda he defines Purusha as such:
“Purusha/Pure Consciousness is the ultimate principle behind the universe, which in its marvelous order reflects the workings of a supreme intelligence. Pure consciousness is the source of all subjectivity or sense of self through which we feel alive and can act independently. We all feel ourselves as conscious individuals and not as mere objects or instruments. This is our connection with the Purusha within us, also called the Atman or higher Self” (15).

Beltane Blessings Dear Ones❤️
Beltane, sometimes called May Day marks the exact mid point between spring and summer. Beltane loosely means bright fire. Bel is a Celtic God whose inner fire or Spirit, was so bright and shiny that their Light radiated out like 10,000 suns.
We all have this divine spark of spirit and Beltane reminds us to keep our inner fires bright and use them for creativity, transformation, and healing. In the Gaelic tradition, as with most ancient, earth-centered, wisdom traditions, it was customary to honor the changing of the seasons. Beltane is the peak of spring-when spring is feeling like it pushed all its little Imbolc seeds into full grown teenagers, who then begin to fully blossom open as we come into summer, the next turn of the wheel.

Instead of using the traditional cross of 4 seasons: winter, spring, summer and fall-which is a very linear or masculine approach, The Celtic tradition adds in the quarter seasons too, so instead of a square of four seasons, it becomes a wheel of continuous change, which is very feminine and flowy.

On the opposite side of the seasonal wheel of Beltane, is Samhain- or Halloween. At both of these turning points on the wheel the veil is thin between the two worlds. That means we can more easily receive our cosmic downloads or spiritual attunements, or we may experience a sudden shift in our consciousness or awareness, that feels elevated. The first is the world of Spirit or Light Consciousness, and the second is the world of Matter or dense consciousness.
Beltane welcomes in growth, abundance, fecundity, and purification. Halloween lets go of the old, or is the death of things. Both equally celebrated as important parts of our soul’s evolution.

Full Moon Blessings,
I hope this message finds you well. Michael and I have been enjoying settling into the newness of the yoga center. We keep puttering around the studio creating little spaces for people to find respite and commune with one another. I love seeing people hanging out on the couches relaxing and connecting. So perfect for this Libra moon-whose energy is strong for building connections and relationships and bringing things into unity or harmony. Its a good time to strike a balance between you and other, your inner world and the outer world, the material world and the spiritual world.

And then after we pass through this full moon we will enter into a very auspicious planetary alignment all in the sign of Aries. By the end of this month there will be 7 luminaries (planets) in the sign of Aries! Mars will leave Pisces and move into its home sign of Aries, Mercury will enter next, the Sun, Chiron, Saturn, and Neptune are already there, and the Moon will round it out toward the end.

Whenever there is a pile up of planets in a sign I pay attention. There is definitely
some energy brewing and if I am attuned, I can tap into it and use it for my highest good.

Aries is the sign that heralds in spring and new beginnings. It takes initiative and asserts itself. Traditionally depicted as a strong, fiery warrior type, it isn’t afraid to wield its sword and charge onto the battlefield of life. If Aries is out of balance, it can be too controlling or domineering, aggressive and forceful. But in balance, it uses its incredible tenacity to forge new pathways and push through obstacles that seem daunting or insurmountable. One of the biggest attributes of Aries in balance is being confidently open-hearted.

Namaste friends.
I hope this finds you well. Did you make it through the eclipse portal? There were definitely strong currents of energy at play the last two weeks, and really they still are quite strong. The Year of the Horse is chalked full of astrological dynamite for sure. Soon we will be getting back to sharing our Shaman and the Mermaid astrology reports, but we have had to use all of our focus on moving the studio and getting all the new systems in place for our grand opening on March 14th. Please join us for all the festivities that day.

I want to thank everyone who helped us make the transition. My heart is full with emotion and I have shed many tears of appreciation and gratitude for the overwhelming amount of support we received from this special community. I am in awe and you literally have taken my breath away with all that you have done.

So many of you helped with the physical move, painting and packing, unpacking, planting and potting, and also donating the funds to create the space. We raised nearly 50k…and it was from individuals like yourself giving $50-$100 dollar donations. So that means MANY of you helped us. And at the risk of sounding boastful, I must say that it turned out so incredibly beautiful and the energy of the building is very special. Together we have created a sacred community center-a yoga home for many people to gather and commune, share their ideas, talents, and resources. And of course, breath together in harmony on our yoga mats.

This is exactly what we are doing with Karma right now. Since our last newsletter we have begun construction of our new community center. Walls have been framed and drywalled, the floors were in need of more than just a polish so we have had them completely stripped and sanded, they are getting stained and polished in the next few days, we have hired plumbers, electricians, HVAC specialists, construction crews, painters, movers, and floor, window, and sign specialists. And we have also ordered the new shirodhara table for the Ayurvedic Spa.

And YOU all have made it so we can do this. Many of you suggested we put a GoFundMe out there to help us afford to move the studio to our new home. When we realized this move would probably cost about $54K to do it-we decided to ask for the help-and you have shown up so incredibly generously. Our community has collectively donated $41K to bring this new center to the light. The $41K is going fast, and we are hoping to still make the end goal of $54K. So if you are considering a donation, it is still very much needed. Every single penny is going to making this a safe and inclusive place for everyone to gather within a community of loving, kind, and goodhearted people-like yourself.

Namaste friends,
This is a special addition newsletter. We’re doing things a little bit different than usual for this lunar cycle. We replaced our monthly astrology video, Michael’s, astrological report and my mega long message with the short video that showcases the new studio we will be moving to in a very short time.

We have found a new home for the studio and it’s only five blocks west of our current location at 1760 S. Broadway. It has twice the square footage as our current location, which enables us to be able to increase our offerings, our classes, and expand our community.

We will need to do some build-out improvements in the new space. And the time clock is ticking, as we need to be out of our current location by March 1st. And we intend to open at the new space at that same time.

We have set up a GoFundMe page, as well as a Venmo and Zelle donation account. We are hoping we can collect enough money to make these improvements. We currently have raised 18k and our goal is 54k. We are so very grateful to the many of you who have contributed-every little bit helps.

Namaste friends,
Happy almost winter. We finally got some snow! I have enjoyed the Indian Summer, but its weird to be in shorts in December in Colorado. I am happy to see the landscape covered in white, especially the mountains. Snow packed mountains means spring abundance. Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

Winter Solstice is around the corner and that means its time to get our nests ready for hunkering down. Michael and I put the down comforter back on the bed. We pulled the little heater out from storage. All the outdoor plants are either brought inside or put to bed in their garden homes. The storm windows are put on, the swamp cooler is wrapped in a blanket, and the sprinklers blown out. We have old radiators that heat water to warm the house, and they make an endearing gurgle sound as they begin heating and moving the water through their pipes. Our holiday decor is pulled out and on display, and the extra pines and boughs around give that cozy cabin feeling. By 5:30 I am ready to put my jammies on and crawl into bed with my book.

Winter is a still time. A quiet time. A reflective time. By design, it is meant for slowing down and restoring our energy. Yet our cultural norms have made this one of the more frenetic, expensive, and socially active times of the year.

As a extrovert, I love going to all the galas, parties, plays and concerts…but I also feel how counter-intuitive this is to my mind, body, and spirit. My little ego self wants to get dressed up, indulge in the fantastic feasts and spreads, see all the people, lights, and glitter that adorn the plethora of community functions.

But my High Self, or my spiritual heart says, choose wisely as to how you spend your energy. In fact, it says try to restore your energy, replenish with rest and quiet introspection. Use this time to go inward and listen to the deep wisdom of my inner knowing. I am called to journal, write, read, draw, paint all the things that are coming to the surface from deep within my soul. And then study their meaning and look for the messages that are coming from my Higher Power…

Full Moon Blessings.
I am just going to jump right in head first.
I have good news and bad news.

I am going to start with the bad news to get it out of the way. It is the splinter.
We need to move Karma to a new home. We have been asked to leave. The landlords have a vision for the building and unfortunately we can’t afford the new rent they are asking to make that vision happen. So we need to move on. They initially said we needed to be out by Dec. 1st.

I am of course heart sick. And a little stunned. Karma is our home. It has been a healing sanctuary for so many for so long and the whole vibe and energy at Karma is so so special and beautiful. The spirit of the studio is so moving, it holds a feeling of healing love. It is a sanctuary for the soul.

And its because of everyone who has ever rolled out their mat and found a part of themselves again. Every time someone has returned to themSelves while in class- or a meditation, or training, workshop, or a soundbath, or a healing session or just by walking through the doors…everyone’s individual healing- or aha moments has helped create the strong Shakti vibration that permeates the whole sweet space.

Namaste friends,

Geez. Full moon for sure! Lots going on these days. We came home from our yoga retreat in Spain to find our country in another government shut down.

Whenever our leadership is in disharmony it shakes the timbers of the whole establishment. As Abe Lincoln so eloquently stated a couple hundred years ago, “A house divided, can not stand”.

The ripple effect moves quickly, not just economically but also psychologically.
People get fearful and scared; they become irritable and anxious, and act from a place of scarcity and lack rather than from a place of generosity and servitude.

Our Spain retreat had a theme called “ The 8 Paths to the Heart”. We wanted to offer our attendees some inroads to their true Selves, or to their spiritual heart, called the Hridyam in Sanskrit. Our spiritual heart is different than our emotional heart or our physical heart. This “heart” is our eternal spirit that has always been and will always be long after we leave our bodies; it connects us to everything in creation, and is the divine intelligence or God-head energy that we all have. It is this “inner sun” that holds all the guidance and wisdom we need in order to access the infinite joy and bliss of our existence.

The yogis call it the “unnameable” because words can’t really describe its essence. Its energy, consciousness, and power are beyond our basic human comprehension. If we are to understand it, we must merge with it. We must trust that there is something greater than our little human ego selves moving through us, and for us. And even harder than trusting this unknown, unseen omnipotent essence, we must train our often times belligerent egos that feed on fear and doubt to be in service to our High Self