Andrea's blog |
Monday we had a fantastic turnout for our Memorial Day Yoga Ha! Ha! While that was not perhaps the most successful example of a Beach Yoga class, it was a good idea & as Ivette said... "very refreshing." Moving on... Starting June 10th we're hosting Beach Yoga at Fullerton Ave & the lakefront just to the south of the Theater on the Lake building (grassy beach, not sand). There is nothing like attempting vrksasana (tree pose) on uneven ground, with the wind blowing off the water... you should try it! Things to know... |
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on the Beach. Everyone was standing tall at the front edge of their mat, breathing in the fresh air and as we began our very first sun salutation, the heavens opened and we got drenched!
I've mentioned this book & meditation before... Meditations for Living in Balance: Daily Solutions for People Who Do Too Much by Anne Wilson Schaef. Excerpt... The body is a sacred garment. - Martha Graham There are times when we simply need to care for our bodies. We need to learn to act before they are screaming for attention; we should do some routine maintenance care as we go along. It makes it possible to stay in them as we move through life, even when the going gets rough. That's really what the Refresh (Spa) class is all about! Many of you requested a Friday evening class and so here it is, designed to share with you a refreshing yoga practice and some little spa rituals that will send you blissfully into your weekend. And all for way less than the cost of a full spa treatment! Upcoming themes & topics will be listed here: http://www.infuseyogaspa.com/upcoming-events-workshops |
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What's the deal with Refresh (Spa), our newest Friday class?
Friday, Morgan and I went on a road trip to I saw him once before when he was here in Chicago at Millenium Park and what I love most about his talks is that he never says anything surprising or revolutionary, but illuminates truths that seem obvious, and yet we forget them. Like the idea that compassion (the main subject of his talk) is the key to a happy life. Well, who doesn't want that? Here is someone who is the leader of the Tibetan people, who have been exiled from their homeland, who have been violently marginalized, who may be losing their culture Someone who has suffered so much, and yet he is happy. Genuinely full of joy and bliss. Why, then, is it so hard to be happy for so many of us, especially since most of us have not been through hardship of that magnitude? I think it's easy to get caught up in our problems, the stories our minds spin endlessly. After all, the mind loves puzzles! His Holiness pointed to the fact that we often think, "Oh if I can just get some more money, then I will be happy. Oh if I can just have a nicer home, then I will be happy. Oh if I can just accomplish this goal, then I can be happy." |
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Indianapolis, along with her husband, Ben, and our Marketing Assistant Carla, to hear a public talk by HH the 14th Dalai Lama.
That we should all be "smile millionaires" and give them away for free on the street and as we go about our daily lives. Sometimes it's so easy to forget the abundance that we have at our disposal at any given moment. That we all have the innate power to improve someone's day with just a simple gesture. That we have wealth, which has nothing to do with money. When I first moved to Chicago, I was apalled by customers in line at the coffee shop on their cell phones, just pausing the conversation long enough to order, barely glancing at the barista, completely out of touch with what was happening around them. I vowed never to be "that person." Instead, I smiled at the tollbooth attendants on the Skyway. I thanked a parking attendant with a smile. I asked the barista how her day was going and actually waited to hear her response. But sometimes I catch myself. In moments of distraction. Caught up in the momentum of the city, of to-do lists, of constant motion. And I forget. |
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In a recent meditation class, scholar Gary Whitney was leading us through a close reading of the Bhagavad Gita when he quoted someone (can't rember who it was, but I know it was one of the great masters*) as saying "Smiling is the secret key to happiness."
Recently I was thinking about purpose, intention, mission. Someone had asked me why of all the businesses I could open, why would I choose a yoga studio & spa. Let's face it, it's not the easiest or most profitable business model I could have chosen. The simple answer would be: "Because I love yoga and spas!" But that's not nearly good enough. One of the reasons I became a yoga teacher in the first place was because of riding the el. Seriously. |
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Welcome to our theme for the upcoming summer 2010!
We at Infuse would like to help you celebrate. How? Give Mom a treat! 25% off all Gift Certificates for Private Services for (or from) Mom. That includes Private Yoga, Thai Bodywork, Reiki & Energy Balancing, Personal Training, Astrology Readings & Skin Care Consultations. Also, we're offering a special class on Mother's Day, May 9th at 4pm, all around the theme of nurturing yourself. Mom not around? No problem! Make her proud & come to class anyway, or take us up on our current Thai Bodywork or Personal Training or retail specials. Wouldn't she want you to do something nice for yourself? Gifts! All teaware (German glass teapots & cups Why? Because Moms represent all that is nurturing, protective and supportive in our lives. I for one, would be nowhere without the support and wisdom of my mom and grandmothers. And I think too often we take that for granted because, well, that's just what moms do. |
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April showers bring May flowers and May means Mother's Day!
and reusable filters) are 40% off and all natural handmade soap by Cindy's Suds are 3 for $12!
Ha! Ha! (It's a little crude in presentation... but http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/redeye/2010/04/guess-that-celebrity-ass.html Highlights from the article & what we recommend... 1). YOGA: Think yoga is just a "relaxing" activity with deep breathing and stretching? Think again, says Fisher, certified yoga teacher at Echo Yoga studio in Bucktown. "Every pose requires the use of a wide range of muscle fibers in your backside, so the entire area will feel the effects the entire time," she said. After all, there's good reason for the term `yoga butt,' the distinction given to those who have sculpted a rock-hard rear after a bit of practice. Andrea's note: This is a no-brainer! Get your butt to class, especially those called Refresh or Refresh+! Andrea's note: Ask about how to order our delicious vegan protein shakes in chocolate or vanilla (powder to mix into your favorite smoothie or ready-to-drink for an on-the-go boost! (Like the hyphens?) Ask for a free sample next time you're in! 4). CHOOSE CLOTHING THAT CHEATS: |
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some great tips!)
A circle. A geometric pattern used for meditation. An integrated structure organized around a unifying center. Sacred geometry. Carl Jung said... ...a mandala symbolizes "a safe refuge of inner reconciliation and wholeness." It is "a synthesis of distinctive elements in a unified scheme representing the basic nature of existence." How to grow a mandala! |
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A mandala is...
So excited for Monica's May art & yoga mandala workshop: Illuminating Prana! But, what exactly is prana?
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Some people say that massage or bodywork has changed their lives. For some, they claim it helps them to live free of chronic pain, or to reduce their risk of athletic injury, or to improve strength & flexibility, or diminsh feelings of depression or anxiety... And I agree, that a Thai Bodywork session, like any other good quality massage, feels amazing! You may leave the studio feeling more relaxed, more flexible, less stiff or tense, invigorated... you get the picture... BUT... ... the honest truth is you're shortchanging yourself when you only get one session! |
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