News archive – Page 145 – Yoga Beautiful

Dear Yogis,

The end of the week – or the beginning depending on how your working week happens.... My days are more busy and not less as I consider wood for the week, and gardening for the season (and lots of leaves to be swept up and used on the garden – the difference between a good crop in spring and a mediocre one). My garden relies on a thick layer of leaf mulch. Considering I am moving into a more sustainable style of living, I thought you might me interested in this story.

Two boys and two fathers contemplating building or buying a rabbit hutch. One boy to his father “Hey Dad, maybe we could build a rabbit hutch!” Father to son, “You mean we can buy a hutch, no reason to re-invent the wheel”.

Other father “Your reasoning holds up unless you are trying to teach your son how to use a hammer and saw. Unless you want to give your son skills he can use for his lifetime. And maybe you are trying to teach him to build something that lasts and to take pleasure in his work. Unless you don’t mind missing those good talks a father and son get to have whilst they are working together, side by side.” He packed up his tools. “If you don’t mind missing those things, then sure, you can just buy a hutch down at the Produce Store.”

When you find yourself thinking “It would be easier to buy such and such rather than making it,” slow down for a moment and ask yourself what is more important – to check it off your to-do list, or to use this opportunity to teach your child some new skills?” If you choose the latter you are giving your children more than time, skills and memories – you are teaching them how to be lifelong learners.

The photo is of a “starter garden” a family sent to me. They had moved into a new house and wanted to teach their children more about sustainable living, and began the journey with these home-made raised garden beds. They did not buy them at Bunnings – the family made them from old fence posts, and found wood.

As a teacher of Yoga teachers (and yogis) I am always looking for LIFELONG LEARNERS. People who come on to a zoom class and make notes instead of just sitting and looking at me – I am not an entertainer. I search for students, who think, who read, who love to learn, who can write (or type) notes, because they love to learn. I am overjoyed when a student brings a notebook and pen into a yoga class, and makes notes about asanas. I don’t know about you, but I always have great ideas when I am on the yoga mat. It pays to bring a pad with me.

CURRENT STUDIO/ZOOM SCHEDULE: (Studio Yoga – Mondays at 1pm are Full)
WEEKLY 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 ($50 per month), 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 TODAY only, Restorative, 2.15 Hatha.

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

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 6.30pm, 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 3RD JULY.

I WILL SEE YOU ON THE MAT (or zoom).

NAMASTE – JAHNE

Dear Yogis,

The mornings are pleasant, the afternoons are frigid even with no wind, and it is time (after my meditation) to head for the art studio, and herb storage, rather than working outside. Yesterday morning I got the wood in, planted out some “walking onions”, and strawberries, cut some wood with my new mini-chain saw (what a blessing), and of course, swept up a few leaves. I was back inside by 11.30….

Judging by the herb orders coming in, I think others are struggling up off the couch and noticing that maybe they are not in as good condition as they would like to be. I love working with herbs, and it is gratifying that others are looking to these rather than turning to “big pharm”. My orders are national and international and people are buying in threes and fours, with many repeat orders – so the herbs must be working!

I also am working on the dolls as you can see by the amount of things on my work table. I have so many doll ideas in my head and I am actually forcing myself to finish each one before I move onto the next. Last night whilst I was waiting for my zoom herbal students I drew the pattern for the next doll. I know I must work out a way of conveniently storing the pattern alongside the progress photos, just in case i want to go back and do them again – or teach.

Years ago I used to hold VERY POPULAR, “Midnite Mini-Patchwork” sessions. People arrived about 8.30pm we had a lovely supper, and most left about 3 or 4am in the morning. In more than a couple of classes, the students stayed for breakfast, still sewing of course. I am not sure students would turn up today – it seems that mothers need to be within arms reach of the children and husband day and night, although I would be up for it not having those constraints. Champagne, pastries and chocolates were included….. The time with other crafters and yogis, in the midnite hours, was very precious. MIDNITE DOLL MAKING ANYONE?

SPEAKING OF ART,

I have been cleaning my pens.

Calligraphy ahoy! There is always someone celebrating weddings, parties (or love letters) who wants them done in a special style and that is why I need a whole range of nib pen styles… and I like writing my own letters with a nib pen – who does nowadays, hardly anyone except me, and Sarah in Connecticut (USA) another artist in the family.

In the past cleaning my pens was a difficult job. When I was at the Smithsonian I was taught to use sandpaper, chemicals and a tiny grinding stone to re-condition the tips. I have discovered that if I use strong vinegar (called 8%), it is just as good, quicker, and more economical. I was stunned by the efficiency of the vinegar which gets the stainless steel nibs almost back to mint condition. I still grind the tips, but that is because they are well used. No need to get new.

If there was just one or two it would not be such an issue, but I have lots, and now all I need to do is stand them in the vinegar overnight, and then just use a little hot water, soap and an old paint brush to get them back to clean. The stainless nibs once conditioned in this way are as good as new, and the other steel nibs are stained but clean. How easy is this!

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

I WILL SEE YOU ON THE MAT (or zoom).

NAMASTE – JAHNE

Dear Yogis,

A new day, a new week of yoga (cold, cold, cold). Today (I am starting this newsletter today, Sunday) I had a Teacher Training course which occurs every second Sunday – we would love to see you at the next one in two Sundays time. One of the Students said that Blackwood and Trentham was colder than here. Hard to believe!..

The photo to the left is the garden at the studio during a snow storm. Not a recent one I must say. The closest we got last year was after a September storm when all the white petals of the flowers from the trees in the front garden were blown off and coated the landscape in a deep white carpet. It looked just like snow, without the cold and the sludge.

Today’s was a beautiful class, as they all are. Each of us needs to step aside from our daily lives to something calming and different, and these small yoga classes give you the opportunity for this. We don’t need to achieve anything, be “better than”. It is enough to take a minute, to breathe and to see things in a different way before we gather ourselves up and return to the turmoil of our daily lives.

YOGA CLASS CHANGE

I am making a small change. Fridays at 2.15 is a popular Hatha class, not so the 1pm – so I am going to change the 1pm class for the time being into a RESTORATIVE CLASS. So, if something stops you from coming on a Wednesday, come to Friday 1pm as a RESTORATIVE make up class – or if this time suits you book for four ongoing sessions.

MY FABRIC COMPANIONS…..

I have been very busy making my companions. Here are TWO to the left (the cat is waiting for whiskers). Going to bed is becoming problematical as the other little beings take up space.

I have said that I will have an exhibition later in July, but I don’t know at the moment I will be able to part with any of them. They are beautiful, bigger than usual, and fill a need in me at the moment. I have always loved and made dolls, but this is quite a “drive”, curbed by classes, tutorials and distractions.

I will do classes when you are ready for them – I even have a Mirka Mora doll for you to work from. Of course with Mirka’s the face is everything. The body can be constructed in no time, and with little or no sewing… They, like Mirka, are surprising and expressive.

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 RESTORATIVE , 2.15 Hatha.

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.

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 3RD JULY.

I WILL SEE YOU ON THE MAT.

NAMASTE – JAHNE

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