recap 1/3/09 -- Keeping It Local

There's something about the new year that makes me itchy to get out of the house for some non-Christmas activities. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas. We decorate our house, pull out our substantial CD & DVD collection, decorate sugar cookies -- I even sang at Midnight Mass at our local church. I love Christmas. But just as the lifestyle industry can't wait to dispense with holiday recipes and "sparkling decorating tips" and start talking about diets, gym memberships, and comforting one-pot meals at the stroke of Jan. 1st, I similarly am eager to stretch out beyond Rankin-Bass specials and and innumerable versions of "The Christmas Song" for my cultural fix as New Year's approaches. And so, on Saturday, January 3, I organized my itinerary, loaded my car up with items appropriate to my different stops, and bade the guitarhero "see ya' later" shortly before noon.

My first stop was Samadhi Yoga for a prenatal yoga class, my first. While Samadhi is not a budget-friendly location ($17/drop-in class), it was paid for out of Christmas money I received for that specific purpose so it didn't feel so much like money out of my pocket. I hadn't attended a class in, oh, a very long time and my home practice has been negligible, so the class was still challenging despite not being ass-kicking. A couple of times when Warrior pose got uncomfortable and I found myself looking forward to moving out of it, I thought, "Dude, you might as well get used to discomfort and then some." Find ease in the pose, indeed.

From Samadhi, I went down to Twist & Shout on Colfax to sell some CDs. While I haven't gone into full-on nesting mode, I have started to de-clutter where posible and get together enough inventory to warrant holding a garage sale in the spring. But in the meantime, I hoped that Twist & Shout might be interested in some of the CDs that no longer interest me. They didn't take all of them (what? no love for Dionne Farris?) but I got enough back in cash to finance the rest of my afternoon. Next stop was the Tattered Cover next door to buy a new calendar for the kitchen -- we tend toward nature scenes, so I opted for one featuring pictures of the Colorado landscape taken by a well-known local photographer.

I don't think I had a very substantial breakfast that morning, so by 3:00 p.m. or so I was starving. Well, let's be honest, I was hungry during yoga class. (I'm hungry as I write this, having just eaten. I was hungry at 4:00 this morning. I. Am. Hungry.) It was the perfect opportunity to give the SAME Cafe a try. I first heard about the Cafe a few months ago on NPR's The Splendid Table and had added it to the list of things to do. SAME stands for So All May Eat, and is strategically located on East Colfax, probably the area of Denver most similar to Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood for its mix of clubs, bars, and shops peopled by young hipsters, transients, and everyone in between. The founders believe strongly that everyone has a right and should have access to healthy food regardless of their means. They aim to use organic and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible; portions are small but you may have as many servings as you like; and you pay what you can by slipping cash into a little envelope and putting it in the donation box when you're finished. If you can't pay you may volunteer for an hour or so, but I can't imagine that they'd refuse food to anyone for any reason. It all seems too good and idealistic to succeed, like the Amsterdam White Bicycle program back in the 1960s. I sincerely hope SAME Cafe doesn't suffer the same fate, but the owners claim to come out even at the end of each day, so perhaps there's hope after all.

The cold, damp weather made the Cafe particularly welcoming that day. I got myself a glass of iced tea and ordered up a cup of butternut squash soup, spinach and pear salad, and vegetarian pizza. I didn't linger over my lunch too long as I still had a couple stops left on my schedule, but I savored every bite of the homey and tasty meal, topped off by a frosted sugar cookie for dessert. As I noted above, I Am Hungry most of the time and probably could have eaten more, but since my cash was limited and I didn't want to be a complete mooch, I thought it best to quit before I was stuffed. So I moved along.

With barely 90 minutes to spare before closing time, I headed over to the Denver Art Museum for Free First Saturday admission. Because the parking garage was charging a flat rate higher than my cash on hand, I sought out meter-free parking a few blocks away -- it made me wish I'd known that in advance so I could have eaten more at the Cafe. Once inside the museum I headed straight for the temporary exhibits, of which I saw four. The disadvantage of having planned such a busy day meant that I felt rushed to consume as much art as possible -- to get the most bang for my non-existent buck if you will. The first exhibit I visited, The Art of Ernest l. Blumenschein , was the largest and would have benefitted from a more leisurely pace. I also apparently picked the wrong side of the room to start viewing the collection and ended up seeing the 66 works in reverse chronological order. I was immediately engaged in a short conversation with a woman who seemed eager to talk about what she'd just seen -- I think she compared Blumenschein to Thomas Hart Benton and also gave me a short history of artists' pigments. (Whether it was a function of the free admission, the cold and overcast day, or the late hour, the entire museum was packed. Conversations, intentional or overheard, were inevitable.) The enormous contemporary paintings by Daniel Richter left me relying a bit too much on the curator's descriptions to inform my own reactions to the work -- perhaps I could have understood it better had I seen it back in high school when I was still studying art history, but I'm not as smart now as I was then. The small gallery hosting a handful of abstract expressionist works by Clyfford Still functioned mainly as a teaser for the Still Museum set to open next year. And last but certainly not least, I caught the Houdon sculpture exhibit the day before it closed. The familiar medium of realistic, Enlightenment-era sculptures of mythological and towering historical figures, such as Voltaire and Washington, made this the most accessible collection for my harried mindset. I probably should have gone to the February First Saturday if only to give the Blumenschein another shot before it closed.

My very last stop was decidedly unlocal and non-cultural, but a co-worker had given me a Kohl's $10 coupon and I was in dire need of another pair of maternity pants (which are not as comfortable as you might think but are better than trying to wear your regular jeans with the help of a rubber band holding them closed). Luckily there was a nice pair of cords that fit well and were on sale to boot. Not a thrilling end to an otherwise varied and busy day, but considering that free time as I've known it will soon be a thing of the past, I have absolutely no complaints.

March 11 Meditate with a Master @ Samadhi Center

From the Samadhi Center for Yoga website:

Sunday March 11th, 2-4:30pm By donation.

Shivabalananda, a long-term, very close and direct disciple of Sri Sri Sri Shiva Bala Yogi Maharaj for thirty years, blessed with the yogic powers of his Master, Shiva Bala Yogi, will be offering Shiva Bala Yogi Meditation Programs on the 2007 International Visit.

All programs are free and open to the public. Shiva Bala Yogi Maharaj (Swamiji) attained God-realization through Tapas, meditating in God-consciousness for twelve years, traveled for thirty-three years offering initiation into dhyan meditation and left the body in the spring of 1994, attaining Mahasamadhi. Sri Swamiji's meditation mission continues through several disciples and devotees, such as Shivabalananda, who travel internationally. Shivabalananda/R. B. Singh, scientist and engineer, soon to retire from the Indian Space Research Organization in Sriharikota, India, will be traveling with his wife, Vidyawati Singh, on this fourth visit. His first international visit was in the fall of 1994 with 24 programs in 9 US cities and 21 programs in Germany and the United Kingdom.

For information on Shivabalayogi's Meditation Mission and Tours, please click here.

March 3 Full Moon Sit Meditation @ Yoga Workshop

There is monthly meditation session at Yoga Workshop to coincide with the full moon, and this month's is Saturday, March 3, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

While officially there is no fee to participate, it is being offered in the spirit of dana, which means generosity or sharing. So share as much as you feel you can.

Sunday Studio Talks @ Yoga Workshop

from the Yoga Workshop website:

Richard Freeman will be giving a series of Sunday talks, following afternoon Mysore at the Yoga Workshop, from 5:45 to 6:45 PM.

Dates and topics are:
February 25 - Mulabandha: Whatever that is
March 18 - Yoga Asana as Yantra
March 25 - Pranayama
April 1 - Obstacle and the Six Enemies

These talks are open to all and free. As usual there will be a Dana* bowl. All money collected will go towards the 2007 Yoga Workshop Teachers Endowment.

*dana = generosity; no set fee, by donation only

recap of Feb. 9 yoga class @ Samadhi Center

Finally, yoga!

On Friday, Feb. 9, I attended a new class at Samadhi Center for Yoga that I learned about via their e-newsletter. In Fall 2005 I was much more diligent about trying to establish a yoga practice and was sampling some different studios around Denver, mainly taking advantage of the new student discounts that most studios offer. Samadhi offers an unlimited one-week pass for $20 (if I recall correctly) for new students, a great value even if you only attend two classes in that week.

But, as we all know, I am not in the market to pay for yoga classes these days as much as I'd like to, and I don't think I practiced at all in 2006 (The Year of the House). Even though I'm woefully out of shape, I made a special effort to attend this free introductory class at 7:15 on Friday -- yes, I am physically and mentally weak, but one thing I've always liked about Samadhi is the openness and support of the teachers and students. Samadhi may attract a largely young and attractive crowd, but I've seen people of all shapes, ages, and flexibilities there, not to mention more men and yogis of color than found at some other studios.

The new class is Shakti yoga taught by Lara Catone, and is being billed as a blending of vinyasa yoga and exploratory dance. (I couldn't find anything about it on the website, and I've deleted the e-newsletter already, so I hope I'm getting this right.) While the description of the dance component did make me think of "free form jazz exploration" for just a second, I also know that you only get out of exploration what you put into it. And God knows, we grown-ups only get so many opportunities a week to let our freak flags fly, so you need to take every chance you get.

The larger studio at Samadhi was packed by the time class started -- at least 35 people, maybe more. Lara led us through 90+ minutes of traditional asanas and sequences interspersed with guided explorations of the space around us, all set to a great mix of music. In all seriousness, it's a crime that most of us only use our bodies to sit, lie down, or walk, considering the range of motion available to the vast majority of us. Whereas on most Friday nights I just veg out in front of the TV, this was a fun way to get some exercise and do a bit of meditation but still feel like the weekend had arrived.

Om shanti shanti shantihi, indeed.

Feb. 3 Full Moon Sit Meditation @ Yoga Workshop

There is monthly meditation session at Yoga Workshop to coincide with the full moon, and this month's is Saturday, Feb. 3, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

While officially there is no fee to participate, it is being offered in the spirit of dana, which means generosity or sharing. So share as much as you feel you can.

Tuesday Yoga Sutras Discussion Group @ Bookends

This falls under the "I can't, I have rehearsal" category when it comes to my availability for this activity, but it looks interesting.

Patanjali's Raja Yoga Sutras Discussion Group

A group of dedicated Yoga Workshop students are starting a weekly discussion group on Patanjali's Raja Yoga Sutras. The plan is to discuss one sutra each week. Everyone is welcome. Bring your own translations.

When: Tuesdays at 6:30 PM
Where: Bookends, 1107 Pearl Street, Boulder

Topics:
Jan 23rd - 1.4. vrtti-sárúpyam-itaratra
Jan 30th - 1.5 vrittayah pañchatayyah klishtaklishtáh
Feb 6th - 1.6 pramána-viparyaya-vikalpa-nidrá-smritayah
Feb 13th - 1.7 pratyakshanumánagamáh pramánáni
Feb 20th - 1.8 viparyayo mithyá-jñánam atad-rupa-pratishtham
Feb 27th - 1.9 shabda-jñánanupáti-vastu-shunyo vikalpah

For more information contact Corrie Detweiler at Corrella.Detweiler@colorado.edu or 303-442-2455 or Beth Reninger at halfmoon108@yahoo.com or 720-596-9926

Contact Corrie to be added to the email-update list. If you are not already on this list, contact Corrie or Beth to double check the schedule, as occasionally we may meet at an alternative location.

Jan. 27 Yoga Day USA @ various studios

If you missed last Sunday's World Yoga Day class at Samadhi Center for Yoga (as I did -- stupid snow), this coming Saturday offers more opportunities to take yoga classes for free as part of Yoga Day USA. Most studios are accepting donations for various charities and causes.

In Denver at Pearl Street Yoga

In Centennial at Skin Rx and Body Wellness

In Centennial at 24 Hour Fitness; contact Laura Clarke LClarke@24hourfit.com for more info.

In Parker at one branch of Inner Connections Yoga

In Castle Rock at the other branch of Inner Connections Yoga

Jan. 21 World Yoga Day at Samadhi Center

This Sunday, Samadhi Center for Yoga will celebrate World Yoga Day by hosting an all-levels vinyasa class on a donation basis to raise funds for Medica mondiale. I've barely practiced yoga all year, and I haven't been to a class since Fall 2005, so I'm very much looking forward to this event. Samadhi Center is a studio I've attended a few times, and I look forward to visiting them again. The event is described on their website about midway down this page:

On Sunday January 21st, yoga teachers and schools around the world will donate their time and space to a two-hour yoga session which is devoted to human rights. The aim is to bring as many nations as possible together on this project, especially countries where human rights violation is a more dominant issue.

Lara Catone will be leading this very special session. Every student is encouraged to donate whatever tuition they can afford in support of Medica mondiale. It is a German based organization that acts to support traumatised women and girls in war and crisis zones and views its role as that of an advocate for the rights and interests of girls and women who have survived sexualized wartime violence.

All donations must be in cash or check and made payable to Samadhi. All proceeds will be donated to Medica mondiale. Everyone is welcome to attend whether one can donate funds or not. The money is important to help the victims, but so is the spirit!