Dear Yogis,

My computer is having a melt down and I won’t be able to load any photos of my new pendulums or my lovely cast iron casserole – things I have been using and love -until later this afternoon, so I will do another small newsletter in the morning (Saturday) so you can catch up with the latest.

The house is warm, I feel marginally secure among all this insecurity, my table is clear (or as clear as I like it to be), I have caught up with things I had scheduled, so I am now free to catch up with Tarot readings/counselling by mail, ZOOM or by email, and preparing items for our CHRISTMAS IN JULY Exhibition and sale in the Studio.

Health, wealth, relationships, business, future….  
ZOOM $85 (please email to book a time, and so I can send and ID),  Mail or email readings $65 .  Past Life “in the studio” reading – 2 hours – $250.  SATURDAY IN THE STUDIO 2pm TO 4.30 “ONE QUESTION”10 minute TAROT READINGS $10 – you will have to email and book a time at the studio  because I can’t do a reading and deal with people coming and going all at the one time.

WHERE ARE YOU?
When I was learning yoga, learning to be a yoga teacher, and then being one for all these years, yoga was and is my priority, and the best of my students still see it that way (perhaps not as single minded as me, but up there).

Yoga is a way of life, (not just a social occasion), but you do need a teacher, you do need to log into your class on a regular basis, and you do need to do your yoga on your own at least once a day – 3 minutes of meditation and 7 minutes of The Five Tibetans at least once a day. In total of 10 minutes in your 24 hours.  The key is that it needs to be done at the same time in the same place EVERY DAY.   Just 10 HONEST minutes per day.

If you become unwell, if the world crashes in on you, if you can’t cope, that is when your yoga becomes most important. It is a time to get closer to yoga, not further away.   When you get on your mat, the world falls away – there is just you and yoga.  A time and place of perfect peace and harmony.  An hour of yoga frees up your mind for greater creativity, greater productivity and happiness.  Try it.  ONCE IS NOT ENOUGH.

To experience this “expansion”, change your schedule, change your point of view, and change your life.   Make yoga the centre of the day, not just something to do IF YOU HAVE TIME, everyone will notice the difference in you.  Whoever you are, whatever you do, I am sure the world can do without you for 7 minutes a day and one hour a week.  To be tied to the world every minute of your day is,  (from my point of view)  just “polite slavery”.   Invest in yoga and experience the difference.

I don’t know what the world will do, I don’t know what will happen, or how long it will take.  I don’t know any of these things, however I do know that I will be here for you, as I always have been. I have been “planted” in this place (as you have been in your place).

 

OPEN DAY – CHRISTMAS IN JULY

I plan to have a Christmas in July open day/EXHIBITION in my studio on the 17th July, complete with champers and mince pies.  I will send out an invite, however, if you want to get in first and be sure of an invitation (it will be just by invitation), please let me know.

 

CURRENT STUDIO/ZOOM SCHEDULE: (Studio Yoga – Mondays at 1pm are Full)
WEKLY STUDIO/ZOOM SCHEDULE  (PLEASE BOOK AHEAD – NO YOGA STUDIO DROP-INS, sorry)

ZOOM: Mon. 6.30 FREE OF CHARGE Teacher Training/Gita, Tues. Herb workshop 7.30, Friday 6.45 Tarot –  $50 for 4 Friday classes.
STUDIO YOGA:Mon. 1pm (full) 2.15pm, Wed. 1pm Restorative(vacancy for July only), 2.15pm  Friday 1pm, 2.15 Hatha,  SATURDAY 1PM, 2.15 RESTORATIVE or HATHA YOGA.

CONSULTATIONS: Tarot/Bach/QHHT HYPNOTHERAPY, Bowen or a combo – by appointment only.  $85 including remedy (including postage if zooming)  Past-Life (QHHT taught by Dolores Cannon) $250 via email or in the studio.  The reading includes Time, date, place of the prior life. To discuss,  email  yogafirst2@bigpond.com

TEACHER TRAINING VIDEOS:  Unfortunately there appears to be a glitch in the videos – some can read them, some students can’t, so we have discontinued their use as they have been difficult.    I have a USB with them all on, and I will be sending this in lieu of the videos to all NEW students.  This may prove to be a better option.

MONTHLY LUNCHEON:   Thursday 30th June at 12noon at “The Vic” in Woodend (If you are running a bit late, relax, it’s OK – drop in for dessert.  We have the meeting room, so it is separate and quieter).  Please let me know if you can join us.  We will post an invite closer to the day.   RSVP PLEASE

WEEKLY MEETINGS:  We have free Teacher Training zoomed on Mondays, and we began our yoga teacher asana class/meeting in the studio WHICH WE HAVE ORGANISED FOR EVERY SECOND SUNDAY BETWEEN 2 and 3pm.  NEXT STUDIO TEACHER TRAINING CLASS Sunday 19th June.

 

I WILL SEE YOU ON THE MAT.

NAMASTE – JAHNE

 

 

 

Dear Yogis,

We all grow older, and we decide to do this in different ways.  In this century we can decide and some of the results are less than flattering.

We yogis work at it in mind body and spirit. We may not think about it specifically as we do our practice, but we do get the results.  Where would we be without our daily practice?
Some people have grown older gracefully – the actress,  the late Audrey Hepburn was one of these.

For all the no Botox no Plastic Surgery women – When they asked her to reveal her beauty secrets, Audrey Hepburn wrote this beautiful text that was later read at her funeral.

′′ To have attractive lips, speak kind words.
To have a loving look, look for the good side of people.
To look skinny, share your food with the hungry.
To have beautiful hair, let a child cross it with his own fingers once a day.
To have a beautiful poise, walk knowing you’re never alone, because those who love and loved you accompany you.
People, even more than objects, need to be fixed, spoiled, awakened, wanted and saved: never give up on anyone.
Remember, if you ever need a hand, you’ll find them at the end of both your arms.
When you become old, you will discover that you have two hands, one to help yourself, the second to help others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, in her face or in her way of fixing her hair.
The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the door open to her heart, the source of her love.

The beauty of a woman doesn’t lie in her makeup, but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.
It is the tenderness that gives love, the passion that it expresses.
The beauty of a woman grows over the years ′′

 

HERBS AT HOME – we discussed this (and more) last nite at our Herbal Workshop.

I dry calendula petals (as you do I am sure), and blend these into oils for sugar scrubs.   I use the petals only in the infusion, not the whole flower, because I prefer to leave the petals in the scrub. I think it looks very attractive and alive.

I have put the recipe here for you, it is easy, and if you don’t have petals, your local health food store may have or you can buy them online, although they are a disappointing colour and strength in comparison to what you may be able to make at home.  It is always good to have them in your pantry for herbal teas and desserts.

You can use this herbal sugar scrub every time you shower, or anytime really to refresh and revitalise your skin.  Although it is called a “scrub”, please don’t scrub.  Just massage gently.  You can alternate it with soap or your favourite cleanser.  You will work out a routine. Gently massaging it into your skin feels great and the oils will leave your skin soft, nourished, and glowing. A word to the wise – don’t forget to use a mesh catch for your drain so you don’t clog up the plumbing with the calendula petals!

YOUR YOGA DIARY.

Don’t forget to diarise The NEW yoga classes at 1pm and 2.15 on Friday at the Studio.  Because they are filling up beautifully, and 1pm looks to be full… please email me in the first instance to book your place in the 2.15 class.

We have our Yoga Luncheon on 12 noon,  Thursday the 30th June (Last Thursday in the month as usual), The Victoria Hotel, Woodend.  You are all welcome, it is wonderful to meet up socially.  Please let me know so we can alert the hotel to be prepared.

 

I will see you on the mat.

NAMASTE – JAHNE

GOOD MORNING YOGIS,

It’s a Woodend winter morning and as usual the sun peeked its head out for about an hour in the middle of the day – but that was enough.  After that we had a collection of weathers.  Read, “almost” snow, windy periods where it didn’t feel too bad.  I start my day in my garden, especially now I have a small wood heater and have to tend her first thing, and get the wood in for the day.

I wander through the garden, favorite mug in hand, snipping a bit of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), rose petals, and catnip (Nepeta cataria). Of course, I can’t forget to pick some yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and nettle (Urtica) on the way . I bring the mug back indoors and take advantage the water boiling on the wood heater. Once ready, I pour the boiling water over my freshly gathered herbs and steep for 10 minutes before enjoying. This is my ideal morning.

My garden has slowly morphed from a traditional kitchen garden filled with an abundance of vegetables into a tea garden. What many think when they hear about a tea garden is a patch of land filled with traditional tea plants, Camellia sinensis is just one example. However, for me, it is a garden filled with a multitude of herbs and medicinal plants.

I have always grown herbs alongside my vegetables. If you are very sensitive to using sprays, my go-to is the natural way – although this takes longer for us to see the plants at work.  They not only keep garden pests away, but they can also help your vegetables grow in greater abundance. One example of this is growing basil next to your tomato plants to improve your yield, repel insects and disease, and improve the flavor  – it can’t keep the frosts at bay however.  I can’t grow basil in the cold here, but I do have Greek Basil, and Lebanese Cress.   As the years go on, I find myself adding more herbs with less and less room for the vegetables. This year I started a second garden for my vegetables, plus two new raised garden beds so that most of my  garden could be dedicated to my beloved herbs with a few veggies and pollinator-friendly native flowers here and there.

These are the plants you will find growing in my tea/herb garden: 

*Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) *Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) * Rose (Rosa) * Nettle (Urtica dioica) * Echinacea (Echinacea) (Planted but not up till spring) * Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)  * Catnip (Nepeta cataria) * Blue vervain (Verbena hastata) – Spring * Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) – Spring * Peppermint (Mentha piperita) * Basil (Ocimum basilicum) – Greek and Lebanese * Dill (Anethum graveolens) * Red clover (Trifolium pratense) * Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) * Clary sage (Salvia sclarea) * Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) * Borage (Borago officinalis * Lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora) * Calendula (Calendula officinalis) * Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) * Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium) * Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) * Herb Robert * Valerian * Watercress * Fat Hen * Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) * Blue sage (Salvia azurea)  * SouthernWormwood (Artemesia) * Dandelion * Yellow Dock * Gentian * Scleranthus  and other “Bach Flowers” not available until spring

It’s truly hard to pick favorites, but if I had to pick only five they would be Herb Robert, Nettle, Dandelion, Yellow Dock and Yarrow.  I use these every day throughout the year.

 

ART – MAKING CHILDREN’S COMPANION DOLLS
I have been working on a number of projects.  I think I am finished “Queenie” a large adult doll, and I am part way through a 4ft tall children’s companion doll (a big cat-like cuddle baby) four feet high.  I love making big, big dolls, and will show you once I have got the dolls looking presentable.  I am already planning the next which I think will be an angel and I am already gathering the materials to make her, all whites, and ice cream colours, net, voile, calico and so on- ethereal.

MIDNITE MINIATURES.
In the evening I paint, and have been involved painting the night sky on the birth month and year (day if possible) of my favourite people.  I finished the sky for the Dalai Lama last night (6th July, 1935).  If you want  a miniature made of the night sky on the month you (or you favourite person) were born, then I paint in mixed media on a tea-bag and post ready to frame.  Just send me time day and date of your birth, and I will do the night sky for that date.  Sometimes I can only get as close as the month and the year, not the day – the older you are the less technology was available at the time.  I can do special orders for a family set.  It is a special gift, a one-off original…..  You can of course wait for the CHRISTMAS IN JULY OPEN STUDIO and see the collection of Dolls and miniatures, and other things I have done over the past 6 months.

 

OPEN DAY – CHRISTMAS IN JULY

I plan to have a Christmas in July open day in my studio on the 17th July, complete with champers and mince pies.  I will send out an invite, however, if you want to get in first and be sure of an invitation (it will be just by invitation), please let me know.

 

CURRENT STUDIO/ZOOM SCHEDULE: (Studio Yoga – Mondays and Wednesdays at 1pm are Full)
WEKLY STUDIO/ZOOM SCHEDULE  (PLEASE BOOK AHEAD – NO YOGA STUDIO DROP-INS, sorry)

ZOOM: Mon. 6.30 FREE OF CHARGE Teacher Training/Gita, Tues. Herb workshop 7.30, Friday 6.45 Tarot –  $50 for 4 Friday classes.
STUDIO YOGA:Mon. 1pm (full) 2.15pm, Wed. 1pm Restorative(full),2.15 Friday 1pm, 2.15 Hatha,  SATURDAY 1PM, 2.15 RESTORATIVE or HATHA YOGA.

CONSULTATIONS: Tarot/Bach/QHHT HYPNOTHERAPY, Bowen or a combo – by appointment only.  $85 including remedy (including postage if zooming)  Past-Life (QHHT taught by Dolores Cannon) $250 via email or in the studio.  The reading includes Time, date, place of the prior life. To discuss,  email  yogafirst2@bigpond.com

TEACHER TRAINING VIDEOS:  Unfortunately there appears to be a glitch in the videos – some can read them, some students can’t, so we have discontinued their use as they have been difficult.    I have a USB with them all on, and I will be sending this in lieu of the videos to all NEW students.  This may prove to be a better option.

MONTHLY LUNCHEON:   Thursday 30th June at 12noon at “The Vic” in Woodend (If you are running a bit late, relax, it’s OK – drop in for dessert.  We have the meeting room, so it is separate and quieter).  Please let me know if you can join us.  We will post an invite closer to the day.   RSVP PLEASE

WEEKLY MEETINGS:  We have free Teacher Training zoomed on Mondays, and we began our yoga teacher asana class/meeting in the studio WHICH WE HAVE ORGANISED FOR EVERY SECOND SUNDAY BETWEEN 2 and 3pm.  NEXT STUDIO TEACHER TRAINING CLASS Sunday 19th June.

 

I WILL SEE YOU ON THE MAT.

NAMASTE – JAHNE