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)

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In addition to Marina's 4:30PM Decompression class, and Dana's 6PM Alignment class, we now have one more option to start your week in a good way. Please welcome Anna Parker to Monday nights at 7:45!

Have you met Anna yet? 

"In Anna's own words "I teach yoga with an emphasis on proper alignment and intelligent sequencing. Precision in poses allows us to access the deep physical benefits of each posture while decreasing the likelihood of injury. Smart sequencing methodically leads the body to a place of deep expansiveness and the mind to a state of deep quiet and joy. Every step is purposeful, every pose an invitation and a revelation. As one of my teachers says, those picky alignment details are points of dharana (concentration/focus), drawing the mind within."

                      Also joining our family is Hayley Ebersole at 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.

Meeting the New Year with Vision and Grace

"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another." ~ Anatole France



Even when change is positive, we often meet it with resistance. We cling to the past glory and comfort of the familiar, even when it causes mild discomfort or even severe pain and even shame. Allow the loving and talented guides at Loka Yoga to ease your transition towards the radiant and abundant life you deserve. 

Loka news you might find useful

1) Loka now has FIVE $10 Community Classes! Last week we announced the introduction of four $10 community classes, and now we have FIVE. They are as follows:

Monday - 4:30-5:45PM Happy Hour Decompression Yoga with Marina van Stirum
Tuesday - 6:30-8:00AM Greet the Morning with Brittanie Mountz
Wednesday - 6:30-8:00AM Morning Vinyasa with Elyse Hochstadt
Thursday - 6:30-8:00AM Greet the Morning with Brittanie Mountz
Saturday - 11AM-12:15PM Gentle Vinyasa with Liz Acord

2) Regularily scheduled 6PM and 7:30PM classes on NYE, Weds Dec 31st are cancelled. There is a 6PM workshop with Antonia Fokken at Namaste Grand Lake if you're looking for an all-levels party.

3) Loka is now on Mindbody Online. How will this benefit you? Well, for one, you can always check the schedule and see current classes with teachers, subs, and class descriptions. You can put the app on your phone, and see all of the offerings at all of your favorite yoga studios in one concise list. Their software is very user friendly and common sense. And for your convenience, you can now sign-up for classes and pay for them too, right from the your own phone! We know it isn't always convenient to carry cash or checks, and we've been seeking the best credit card solution. The MBO app is the most convenient, cutting edge, and hassle-free way to pay. And of course we will still do punch cards, you're still in control of how you pay, you decide which option will give you greater peace of mind. MBO will not let you sign in once class has begun, so please sign up at least 10 minutes before hand. If you do not have time to sign-up before class, but are using your MBO pre-paid account, please write MBO next to your name and we will reconcile your account by the end of the week.

Get the MBO phone app here: MindBody Connect

4) We need more Deskies! Desks open and close the studio for our beloved teachers, sign students in, and do light cleaning. In exchange, you get one class free, or all of your classes if you are desk for multiple classes, and you get to be at the center of our thriving community. It's a great way to make new friends while deepening your yoga practice.

5) Vati, Alice Joanou's very special labor of love, is now officially open!   Find Vati Here

Friends and Students- 

Thank you all so much for taking a ride on this spaceship called Loka Yoga. I'm continually inspired and blown-away by how thoughtful, reliable, and loving you all are.  I am especially indebted to our lovely and reliable Desk/Work Trade friends, the heart and backbone of the Loka Community. There are no words to describe the appreciation I have for the patience you've all shown as we reinvent and grow Loka together. I am actively pursuing providing you with the best yoga and community experiences, you deserve nothing less. I hope I can satisfy all of your needs, cravings, and expectations, every last one of you has certainly exceeded mine. Thank you, thank you, thank you! 

I bow to you. ~ Dari