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storytelling
that heals
Do you
have a story waiting to be told? Ishmael Beah, author of the
New York Times best-seller A Long Way Gone: Memoirs
of a Boy Soldier, and internationally renowned storyteller
Laura Simms lead a not-to-be-missed experiential workshop
October 31–November 2 on the power of story to heal,
transform, and open our hearts. These two master storytellers
will guide you in creating your own personal mythic tale,
helping you bridge your innate creativity with the possibility
for peace in the world. Join us on All Hallow’s Eve when the
doors to the other world spring open and beckon you to face
the truth and potency of your own unique story.  Find out more about Be Like the
Moon: Healing and Transformation Through Storytelling, October
31–November 2.
ignite
your psychic skills with john holland
John
Holland is one of the most renowned psychic mediums today. And
what he’s learned through his work with thousands of people is
that everyone has the capacity to develop their psychic
skills. Whether your gift is clairvoyance, clairaudience, or
clairsentience, you simply need to begin recognizing and
cultivating this innate aspect of yourself and allow Spirit to
move into your life. Get started with an excerpt from
John’s book Psychic Navigator. Find out more about Learn to
Awaken Your Psychic Strengths, October 10–12, 2008.
contemplative
retreats with leading teachers
Craving
deep inner connection with truth? Quietude? The knowing that
can only come from within? This fall, Kripalu brings you a
number of special opportunities to study with the nation’s
leading guides on the contemplative path, including Gangaji,
Sri Raniji, Reggie Ray, Noah Levine, Lama Surya Das, and many
others. View a calendar of upcoming
contemplative programs.
the
annex is growing
The
construction of Kripalu Center’s exciting new project—a
six-story building with 80 new guest rooms—is coming along!
The Annex, described by its architects at Rose+Guggenheim
studio as "a paragon of environmental thoughtfulness and
responsibility," will accommodate people with a diversity of
needs, take maximum advantage of sunlight and wind patterns in
order to save energy, and ensure that all guests can choose
the arrangements that best support their Kripalu experience.
Read more about the Annex.
fall:
a story of embracing the season
by
Jessica L. Atcheson Fall—a time of taking
stock—brings with it an age-old instinct to gather nourishing
harvests in preparation for the long winter ahead. Each fall,
I revisit the memory of the annual back-to-school rituals—the
excitement, the anticipation, and the nerves that went along
with buying new notebooks, seeing old friends, delving into
new educational pursuits. Read more!
make
your career dreams come true: yoga, massage, and ayurveda
certifications
We train
people who want professional certification in a field they are
passionate about, who believe in the healing potential of the
human body, and who want to take an integrated approach to
their work. Our graduates are known for the depth of their
knowledge and the quality of care they bring to what they do.
Through our specialized immersion curriculum, you will live,
learn, and practice in an environment that supports your
fullest potential. Find out more and get an application
today.
healthy
living recipes
It’s
fall in the Kripalu Kitchen! That means making the most of the
bountiful harvest. Executive Chef Deb Howard highlights two
favorite fall fruits this month—apples and pears. Find out why
these two recipes are good for your cardiovascular health (and
more!) from John Bagnulo’s words of nutritional wisdom.
September Healthy Living Recipes
Apple Crisp Arugula Salad with Poached Pears, Walnuts,
and Chevre (includes Balsamic Fig Reduction)
desktop
wallpaper
Enjoy the
beauty of the Berkshires every day with Kripalu’s desktop
wallpaper. Available with and without a calendar.
Easy-to-download. we
love to hear from you
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welcome
September
often begins with the bustle of new schedules—it’s
back-to-school time for many, offering a natural opportunity
to settle into the rhythms that will sustain you for the
coming season. What do you want to know as you move into fall?
This month’s issue of Kripalu Online invites you to
discover yourself in deeper ways, to connect with the teacher
within, and to reflect on your calling, your personal story,
and your unique gifts and passions.
the
yoga of right livelihood
by Tama
J. Kieves Discovering and living our life’s purpose
can feel daunting. But just like in yoga, it’s all about
steady, small movements. Many of us want to rush the work of
creative self-expression or nail that monster backbend right
away. In both disciplines, it’s about releasing our
exhilarating potential through the practice of love and
dedication. In this article, Tama J. Kieves, author of
This Time I Dance! , talks about her journey following
her inner voice and shows us how we can begin.
Many years ago, as a suffering attorney and a Harvard
Law School honors graduate, I finally abandoned my career to
honor an aching desire to write. I had no idea that it would
take me 12 years to write my first book, This Time I Dance!
Creating the Work You Love. As a hotshot young
lawyer on the partnership track, I had been entrenched in the
world of willpower, mania, and fast-track success. But finding
a calling and daring to live it in the world does not come
from force and effort—it runs on its own inspired timeline.
Step by faltering step, I dismantled fears through listening
to that pristine, golden voice within that has no limits. As I
began to follow that inspiration, my new career took shape and
blossomed. Finally, I realized that right livelihood is not a
result or destination but a practice, the practice of
staying true to my self-expression, staying devoted to this
amazing journey of creating the work I love in the world.
Years later, I understand this in a deeper way through
yoga. When I first began, I was terrified of yoga because I am
not athletic or kinesthetic. Walking into that first yoga
studio, I flashed back to mustard-colored outfits in gym, and
to awkwardness and humiliation, especially as I eyed the many
lithe creatures around me in trendy, snug yoga gear. I heard
things like "sitz bones" and "eyes of elbows." We did Sanskrit
chants and I felt as though even my intellect would fail me in
this realm. But it is yoga that has taught me the humility and
astounding power of practice. I have taught myself on a
physical level that tiny actions and consistent patience
brings unimaginable results. I have come to understand that we
all have an inner wellspring of possibility and that it’s not
industry and clever maneuvers that set it free. It’s the
simplicity of stretching beyond our habits, breathing, and
cleaving to self-loyalty. Here are just a few things
I’ve learned from yoga that have helped me stay true to
creating the work I love in the world: Focus on
Your Drishti Drishti is a Sanskrit word that describes
the gaze of the eyes, through which you can facilitate
concentration. In a balancing posture, when I lock my eyes on
a speck on the wall, I find ease and stability. You can find
your drishti in right livelihood too. What is a point of focus
that helps you stabilize or find your way to tolerate
uncertainty and instability? My drishti is the thought that I
am not alone in this work. Spirit called me to this and Spirit
will be with me. One of my clients has adopted this focusing
thought: "This is my time to do my art. I will never regret
the time I put into it." This Is What My Body Can
Do Today My yoga teacher, a beautiful, strong, and
compassionate presence who seems to just flow into any pose
with ridiculous ease, often repeats, "This is what my body can
do today." She explains that each day presents new
possibilities and challenges. She has told us that some days
she is more flexible and centered, and on other days she
practices self-acceptance. I’ve borrowed that phrase and used
it with my writing: "This is what my creativity can do today."
It’s so forgiving and leaves the possibility for greatness to
arrive in any second. It also allows me to welcome even my
ragged or barren expression. Those of us who are
starting our own businesses, writing a novel, or working to
feed the hungry will have days when we are on fire,
unstoppable. Then there are those other days when it rains
inside and turns hopes soggy and faith into mush. Be kind to
yourself and take the steps you can. "This is what my creative
energy can do today." Supportive Postures
Child’s Pose In yoga, I’ve learned that when I
exert myself too much, I can always return to Child’s Pose, a
resting posture. For me, it feels like the physical act of
surrender, a letting go of trying so hard and a remembering to
reclaim my guaranteed invincibility as a child of a loving
universe. It is not up to me to make something happen. It’s up
to me to be honest, earnest, and daring. Resting is the stance
that nurtures my genius. Paradoxically, Child’s Pose helps me
to remember that as I relax, I summon more strength,
conviction, and inspiration to move forward.
Warrior Pose I love to hold my dearest goals in
mind when I’m in Warrior Two—one leg bent into a wide lunge,
arms outstretched in opposition, keeping me balanced in the
here and now. I feel a fiery devotion in Warrior Two and hold
a vibrant physical intention to fight for, protect, and
advance my dreams in the face of all obstacles and resistance.
Warrior also teaches me to stand firm in the present. If you
lean too far back in the pose, you’re in the past. If you lean
too far forward, you’re in the future. The real confrontation
and exaltation always takes place in the moment.
Savasana Carlos Castaneda, anthropologist and
novelist, wrote about how shamans use "Death as an Advisor."
Corpse Pose invites me to absorb all that I have done and all
that I have not. As I lie on my mat, I reflect on my life.
Sometimes, I imagine that this is it, the moment of my Great
Transition. I breathe deeply and probe: What do I wish I would
have done? Is there unfinished business? Do I have tension
around something? Savasana allows me to pause, focus, and be
reborn into the next moment, the next threshold of my life.
As I travel the country and the world, helping inspire
others to claim their dreams, I’m still discovering the depths
of my own talents and expanding my own dreams. Some days, I’m
still nervous about the unknown territory before me.
Sometimes, I’m tired and about as passionate as mud. But I’m
devoted. I will never abandon my inner voice again. I will
honor my creativity and my contribution all the days of my
life. I’ll reach the edge of my discomfort, and I’ll back off
and comfort myself. But I’ll dare it again the next day and
the next. I’ll breathe deep and let go as I push forward into
extraordinary new possibilities. I’ll keep practicing right
livelihood. I hope you will, too. Tama J.
Kieves is the best-selling author of This Time I Dance!
Creating the Work You Love and is a sought-after speaker
and career coach. Sign up for her free monthly e-newsletter at
www.thistimeIdance.com.
Don’t Miss Tama J. Kieves at Kripalu, October
13–17, Unleashing Your Calling: An Intensive
to Create the Work and Life You Love. spreading the
word
Touching
Enlightenment Ever wondered what your body has to do
with meditation? In his new book, Touching Enlightenment:
Finding Realization in the Body, Reggie Ray makes a
compelling case for a deeply embodied path to enlightenment by
way of awareness found through the body. With simplicity and
clarity, he brings to light the Buddha’s original practices,
conclusions drawn from his own practice of 40 years, and his
unique perspective as a teacher on what several decades of
Buddhism in the West has really offered. Find out more about the book
Touching Enlightenment. Don’t Miss Touching Enlightenment: Practices for
Finding Realization in the Body with Reggie Ray at
Kripalu, October 3–5. A Creative New Online Yoga
Option with Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman What
happens when yoga meets technology? The Gaiam Yoga Club with
Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman. This self-paced program, with
a 12-week series of video classes, audiocasts, community
forums, and more, brings you a creative new way to practice
and learn—whether you are just getting started with yoga or
want to deepen your exploration. At $5 a week, no travel time,
and the chance to move at your own pace, this may be just the
yoga class you’ve been looking for. Experience it now.
Click to view an introductory video
with Rodney and Colleen and to learn more about what’s
included! Don’t Miss Upcoming yoga programs
with Colleen Saidman or Rodney Yee at Kripalu.
quote of the
month
I have
experienced learning, even in a classroom, as liberation.
—Derrick Jensen, U.S. author and activist, from Walking
on Water: Reading, Writing, and Revolution |
