Heart Opening Yoga Nidra and Forgiveness Practice 12:45-2:45pm this Sunday!

Heart Opening Yoga Nidra and Forgiveness Practice 
This Sunday, 2/22, from 12:45-2:45

click here for pre-registration

This Sunday, we will continue the Yoga Nidra work that we've been doing and adding a Forgiveness Practice. So after doing some Yoga Nidra with a Heart Opening focus, we'll let go of some old stuff in order to reach for something new. Holding onto grudges, big or small, can prevent connectedness with others, as we can unconsciously bring anger into each new experience and relationship. Unresolved anger can lead to depression and anxiety, even preventing optimum health by increasing blood pressure and compromising the immune system. 

When we refuse to let go of past hurts, we're actually damaging ourselves. "Resentment is like swallowing poison and expecting the other person to die," is a common sentiment on the subject. We will spend some time revisioning and reperceiving a past injury in a useful way. And to uncomplicated the process, you will be asked to choose a mild and seemingly "small" incident to work with. Oftentimes, these small irritations are representations of larger, repetitive struggles, so when we heal the little ones the larger ones also resolve.

Alex Grey

More About our Yoga Nidra Practice-

"Most people sleep without resolving their tensions. This is termed nidra. Nidra means sleep, no matter what or why, but yoga nidra means sleep after throwing off the burdens. It is of a blissful, higher quality altogether." ~ Swami Satyananda

Yoga Nidra means Yogic Sleep. It is a state of conscious, purposeful Deep Sleep which has been called "sleep that awakens the soul."

In Yoga Nidra, the body, mind and intellect are completely relaxed and one appears to be sleeping. In the state of Yoga Nidra, however, the consciousness functions at a deeper level and the subconscious and unconscious realms of the mind are more open. Yoga nidra is a very deep form of relaxation. it has been found to reduce tension, anxiety, and headaches, even providing relief from PTSD.

Yoga Nidra brings an incredible calmness, quietness and clarity. Yoga Nidra is one of the deepest of all meditations, leading one's awareness to a state of supreme stillness and insight. Traditionally it was used by Yogis to purify the Samskaras, the deep impressions that are the driving force behind Karma, in order to move one towards their true Dharma.

In this workshop, you will be safely guided through relaxing breath work and visualization. Your attention will be brought inward until you reach deep stillness and the silence of conscious Deep Sleep (Prajna), and then slowly and safely brought back to the conscious state. 

Alex Grey, Holy Fire

Unlike traditional led meditations, we will lie comfortably on the floor and use supportive bolsters and blankets in order to facilitate effortless relaxation. We will also work on setting a sankalpa, or a focused vow. Your personal sankalpa will be a heartfelt intention to help you fulfill your dharma, your purpose in life. The most effective sankalpa is made when you are not intellectually active, but when your mind is calm and quiet. In this state of deep relaxation one's perspective can shift significantly, allowing for both profound realizations and positive change.

Liberation

 “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." ~ Marianne Williamson

You deserve to thrive and prosper. Really. 
It's not selfish, the world needs you and your singular, irreplacable gifts. 

Your friends here at Loka are capable of jump starting your enthusiasm and cheerfully support your evolution. Let's collaborate to get 2015 started in a very active and successful way. We've added monthly and yearly membership options in the hopes of seeing you every day!

Here are some of our fresh offerings, all aimed at recreating and restoring you heart, mind, spirit and body. 

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Total Beginner? Advancing Beginner? 

Want to slow down and go Back to Basics?

We've got you covered. Beginning and Advancing Beginner's Classes

Thursdays 6-7:15pm and Saturday 11am-12:15pm

(and Saturday is a $10 Community Class)

Now joining our family is Hayley Ebersole, 

9:30AM Wednesday mornings.

Hayley Ebersole's hatha flow yoga classes strike a juicy and empowering balance between deep exploration of postural alignment and vigorous, challenging and pleasurable movement. She seeks to inspire her students to explore greater depth and happiness with the down-to-earth, practical daily tools that yoga has to offer. In the community Hayley creates, internal motivations awaken and commitments to living one's purpose are fiercely and joyously cultivated. When a conscious exploration of the breath meets embodied self-inquiry, students leave class feeling strong, vital and renewed.

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And not only, but also-

 Loka very much needs more Karma Yogis*! 

Karma Yogis and Yoginis are needed to fill more desk spots, but we need so much more! Each position gets you one or even all of your classes here complimentary AND you will incur more Karmic Brownie Points. 
1) Grand Puba of Paper (release form and sign in sheet copying) 
2) iContact and Constant Contact Updater
3) Supplies Checker & Shopper
4) Bathroom Polisher (1x per week)
5) Boss of Everything (volunteer co-ordinator,) 
6) Internet Fact Checker and Printed Materials Proofreader
7) Social Media Superstar
8) Event Coordinator (Kirtans, Clothes Swaps, Soltice and Charity Events)
9) Payroll Support
10) Bookkeeping Support
11) House Photographer
12) We also have a few more open Deskie spots. Deskies open the studio and keep everything running smooth for the teacher and clean and close up the studio after class. 

*The following discourse on Karma Yoga is borrowed from the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres 

KARMA YOGA - THE YOGA OF ACTION

Karma Yoga is the Yoga of Action. It is the path chosen primarily by those of an outgoing nature. It purifies the heart by teaching you to act selflessly, without thought of gain or reward. By detaching yourself from the fruits of your actions and offering them up to God, you learn to sublimate the ego. To achieve this, it is helpful to keep your mind focused by repeating a mantra while engaged in any activity.

PRINCIPLES OF KARMA YOGA

Karma Yoga is one of the four paths of Yoga. In this page are the key components that determine that any action will qualify as being Karma Yoga

"Karma Yoga is the selfless devotion of all inner as well as the outer activities as a Sacrifice to the Lord of all works, offered to the eternal as Master of all the soul's energies and austerities."
Bhagavad Gita

RIGHT ATTITUDE

It's not what you do that counts, it's the attitude while doing it that determines if a job is a karma yoga job, i.e. a liberating job, or a binding job. Work is worship. Swami Sivananda advises us to "give your hands to work, and keep your mind fixed at the lotus feet of the Lord."

RIGHT MOTIVE

Same as attitude. It is not what you do that counts but your real motive behind it. Your motive must be pure. Swami Sivananda says: "Man generally plans to get the fruits of his works before he starts any kind of work. The mind is so framed that it cannot think of any kind of work without remuneration or reward. A selfish man cannot do any service. He will weigh the work and the money in a balance. Selfless Service is unknown to him."

DO YOUR DUTY

Often "duty" is referred to as "righteousness". You will incur demerit if you shun your duty. Your duty is towards God, or Self, or the Inner Teacher who teaches you through all the specific circumstances of your life as they appear.

DO YOUR BEST

Whatever you have to do, do your best. If you know of a better way to serve, you must use it. Do not hold back because of fear of effort or because of fear of criticism. Do not work in a sloppy manner just because no one is watching or because you feel the work is not for you. Give your best. Try to do such actions that can bring maximum good and minimum evil. Do Karma Yoga increasingly.

GIVE UP RESULTS

God is the doer. You are not the doer. You are only the instrument. You do not know God's intentions or God's plans. God is the actor. The Self never acts, changes. It is only the 3 Gunas or qualities of nature which are playing. The way to realize this truth is to constantly work for work's sake and let go of the results, good or bad. It is the desire for action that binds the individual. It is the detachment from action that will dissolve the karmic seeds. Detachment from results also means detachment from the type of job itself. There is no job that is inferior or superior to a different job. Don't be attached to your job. Be ready to give up your job if necessary.

SERVE GOD OR THE SELF IN ALL

Do to others what you would like to be done to yourself. Love thy neighbor as thyself. Adapt, adjust, accommodate. Bear insult, bear injury. Unity in Diversity. We are parts of the same body. Practice humility in action. Beware of power, fame, name, praise, censure.

FOLLOW THE DISCIPLINE OF THE JOB

Each job is a teacher of some sort. You can learn different skills by doing different jobs. Each job has different requirements in terms of time, degree of concentration, skills or experience, emotional input, physical energy, will. Try to do whatever job you are doing, well.