Issue 3 Visit:
www.taialofa.com
June 2005
Email:
yoga@taialofa.com
ALOFA
(LOVE) FROM TAIALOFA FEATURE
ARTICLES Making Decisions from your Sacred Center - Waterfall Yoga
WHAT'S
NEW WITH RAW SHAKTI EXPANDING
THE PRACTICE Yoga Tip - Highlighted Asana
- Hana's Cooking Corner - Highlighted Chant PEOPLE
OF RAW SHAKTI Kellie - Isabel - Rebekah
ALOFA (LOVE) FROM TAIALOFA
Hello from the South Pacific! I hope you are all feeling healthy and living the life you dream. We are full on pursuing our dreams here and are now, after a year of work, set up to guide yoga retreats around the Samoan islands. We hope to take you to the most beautifully lush and serene tropical places. Even while immersed in the details of setting up our Raw Shakti vision in Samoa, I knew I needed to go back to America to see my family and to teach a few yoga sessions. In May, I began a 3 week journey to New Hampshire, New York, Washington DC and Virginia. I went home to see my sister, Veronica, graduate from Skidmore college in New York (she is the last of us 4 "kids" to graduate college and is 9 years younger than me). All 4 of our grandparents were there to celebrate her graduation. I feel blessed to have them all alive and supportive of the younger generation. We sat around them one night and listened to their stories, jokes, and wisdom and had a lot of fun and laughs. Veronica will go to New York City for the summer, to volunteer in the Bronx in the city's poorest (financially) neighborhood, at a community center. This is an example of karma yoga or selfless service which we support.
While in New Hampshire, my mother and I hosted a "Yoga Party" to celebrate our yoga students and teachers (we invited everyone we could think of in the yoga community there) and hoped to encourage the yoga community to get to know each other better. Everyone brought a vegetable for a soup which we threw into one pot to make a "stone soup". It was surprisingly delicious and we ate it along with fruit, salad, and home made bread. We played yoga games in the grassy yard with a parachute and then told stories in a circle about our experiences with island vacations or island life. Everyone had an island story. Some told about islands off the coast of Maine, some of the Caribbean, and it was a nice chance to introduce Samoa. I took four yoga classes from my mother, all fabulously rejuvenating. I try to soak in as much of her wisdom as I can when I am fortunate enough to take her classes. I worked with a few people as well. I was surprised how even after having come and gone from America for more than a decade now, I still have reverse "culture shock" for the first few days. So much beautiful luxury everywhere. We have so much "stuff" to use and play with! There are so many options at the stores (organic health food stores being one of my favorites), and people were always on the move, which is very different from Samoa, where to motivate anyone for anything there needs to be an extremely important reason. But in America, most of us just go go go, myself included. I laughed at myself a few times noticing that I carried with me my "planner" for the time I was home and it was totally booked in with scheduled events! I realized how every single day we need to choose to be happy, for in the journey of life, no matter at what pace we choose to take it, being present and "awake" and in touch with our heart's center so that we can feel all the moments as they pass, seems the only way to experience joy! Once the moment is gone, it is over, an obvious point but profound for me. This practice of being in the moment seemed to extend everything for me. Time went by slowly and I felt satisfied with my time in the US. I will always be going back to teach and to be taught. I remember learning from CS Lewis that reflecting on good times is part of the experience of the good time. For years I plowed through my life barely taking a moment to reflect. Now I am taking time now to reflect which does seem to complete the precious moments of the past.
In this newsletter, two yoginis have written about their experiences in Samoa on an island yoga retreat with us. The articles will give you a feeling for what to expect if you choose to do a retreat with Raw Shakti. Please note that Samoa is now a direct flight from Los Angeles! Every guest that we bring around Samoa seems to have a unique experience all their own of healing and relaxing and cultural interaction. Thank you kindly for reading about Raw Shakti. Thank you for all the support as it comes in many forms as we try to build our dream of world health and peace, one step at a time! By the sea in Samoa you can come to relax and nourish your mind, body and soul. Please email us if you would like Kevin and I to design a retreat for you. Give us the dates and we will greet you at the airport with smiles and leis!
FEATURE ARTICLES
A Raw Shakti Yoga Retreat with Taialofa and Kevin
is a sacred journey into your own center. For me it was a journey
that deepened each day that I was there. They helped me to understand my
challenges regarding decision making and gave me healthy yoga
methods to handle the decision making process. For as those
who are close to me well know, I am sometimes pierced to the core
by the decision making process.
My
healing transformation surprisingly began before I arrived in
The yes-no-yes-no-and-back-again dance began. Finally, I decided to stick with my original plans. Taialofa and Kevin were so loving when I arrived, allowing me the space and time to discuss the many blessings that my spiritual teacher has showered upon my life. Usually I have to be more quiet and reserved about personal things. They helped me to feel at peace with my decision by acknowledging the possibility that I was meant to be in Samoa and my teacher would likely be happy that I was allowing myself to be on retreat to nourish myself. Taialofa helped me to experience what I know—that my spiritual teacher is always with me. She told me this under the full moon on the most pristine beach of a deserted island called Namua. Then Kevin led us in a Samoa meditation—inhaling ‘Sa’ (sacred) and exhaling ‘Moa’ (center). Connecting with my own sacred center does not directly lead to easier decision-making, but deepening my body-mind-spirit connection through the practices of yoga and meditation helps me to drop the worry, the mental wrangling, and recognize a deeper level of truth where decisions come easier.
However, even after the yoga retreat I struggled with another simple decision—should I do my scuba certification or just explore scuba for one day? The old anxiety emerged as the time came to decide—this or that, this or that. Only now I was better equipped to deal with the anxiety. I took time out, rested on my bed in Savasana, and connected deeper inside myself without grasping for an answer, as I had been learning to do. Inside, I found the familiar refrain—I asked myself what would please other people? And then I let it go, the need to please, and connected finally to what I wanted for myself. I wanted to drop my hectic schedule! By pushing to complete so many things I was not giving myself true down time which is what vacation and retreat are suppose to be! So I chose to do a scuba experience for just one day and will save the certification for another time. I still had a twinge of anxiety even as I voiced my decision—“am I making the right decision?” Yet I found more peace and greater capacity to relax into the decision-making process.
So
coming to
Waterfall Yoga by Rebekah Goldstein-Hawes
Samoa,
Raw Shakti Yoga retreat, 2005
In Samoa, on the Raw shakti Yoga retreat,
it was a time for me to shed a skin. Finally I was in a space
that was safe enough for me to be soft and pink and new for that
little while after shedding some of my feelings of sadness that I had
carried with me far too long. My transition was protected and
aided by Samoa's slow pace, the thick rich air, the pull of the ocean
and the moon and the daily Luna yoga sessions guided by Kevin and
Taialofa.
During the retreat we visited a pristine waterfall tucked discretely
in a lush green valley on Savai'i. After exploring on our own
with time to swim free below the waterfall, we all came together
for yoga in the pool. Standing in the pool beneath the waterfall, I
realized that we were representing the four elements with our own
sun-signs (Taialofa-Water, Kevin-Fire, Isabel- Air, myself- Earth).
The air was thick and pervasive, the water was pouring down around
us, (and within us) and the smooth rocks were firmly beneath our feet
while the hot sun hit our shoulders. As I stood firmly, connecting
with the earth, knee deep in the crystal clear water, I acknowledged
my solidity. It became more heartfelt as we did a charka meditation
and then it all became overwhelming. Feelings, sensations, hurts, and
sadness along with love not fully felt came to the surface for
me to deal with. For years I had been tucking them away until a safer
time.
After the yoga, Taialofa and Isabel pulled me up from the edge
of the rocks where I had nearly tumbled, and I got the signal that my
mind was trying to split off again, trying to avoid the difficult
feelings that were coming up by hiding in a small safe intellectual
closet. But the scene was set, I was well grounded and had opened
myself up to the balancing forces of the elements and there was no turning
back. I allowed myself to be cradled by the earth as feelings
arose. I cried for the accumulated small sadnesses of fifteen years.
The earth absorbed my tears, filtered them slowly as they became
the waterfall, the papaya trees, the red ants, and the gently uncurling
fern fronds.
I promised myself that I would continue in the process of awakening
to my emotional core and allowing my feelings the space they needed, uncurling
slowly like a fresh green fern frond. During the rest of the
retreat I was able to proceed on this journey feeling refreshed and
light-of-heart.
2005 YOGA RETREAT CALENDAR
Yoga in Peru!! There are a few more days to register for this amazing journey. This is a journey to Machu Picchu. Enjoy the walking and yoga at this ancient sacred site! All inclusive retreat. Check out www.willkatika.com to see the guest house and facilities where you will be staying for part of the trip, it is a beautiful first class place! Inquire for details at yoga@taialofa.com.
Exploring the Flow Yoga Retreats with Taialofa
Coconuts Beach Club, Samoa Come and enjoy this nourishing yoga retreat set beside the
clear blue sea of Samoa! Take the time to explore the natural flow within
yourself as a way to create optimum health in today's busy world.
You will be guided in vinyasa yoga, walking meditation, trance
dance, the roots of yoga, elements of a daily practice, and asanas
in the sea.
Cost: USD $425/person for the yoga portion of the retreat.
Visit www.coconutsbeachclub.com to view the site of this retreat. There is wonderful lodging available at Coconuts Beach Club.
To find out more information regarding the yoga retreats and to register visit www.taialofa.com.
EXPANDING THE PRACTICE
Hana's cooking Corner: Grilled Asparagus over Quinoa
Serves
4
Asparagus is a harbinger of warm weather and using a grill for vegetable preparation is a great way to celebrate the summer season. Last summer I fell in love with quinoa on a trip to Peru where it is a staple of local cuisine. I’ve chosen delicious and nutritious quinoa to accompany the asparagus because of its unique texture and delicate, nutty flavor. Enjoy!
Ingredients (remember: fresh and local ingredients- when available- are best!)
1 bundle asparagus
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 TBSP hazelnut oil, macadamia oil or your favorite nut oil
1 TBSP fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 TBSP maple syrup
2 cups quinoa
6 cups vegetable broth or water
Begin by placing quinoa in a bowl of water, stir and drain. Repeat several times until water is clear. This prevents quinoa from tasting bitter. If using a rice cooker to make the quinoa, combine quinoa and 6 cups broth or water in rice cooker and follow directions in user’s manual. To make it on the stovetop, bring water or broth to a boil in a saucepan, add quinoa and reduce heat to simmer. Continue until liquid is absorbed (about 15-20 minutes). Be sure to fluff grains with fork after either method of preparation before serving.
While the quinoa is cooking, start the grill and maintain medium heat.
Whisk garlic, oil, lemon juice and maple syrup in a small bowl until well combined.
Rinse the asparagus and place in shallow bowl. Add more of each ingredient until the taste suits you. Brush the garlic mixture over asparagus and place asparagus on the grill. Continue brushing the asparagus with the garlic mixture while grilling as needed to prevent sticking and maintain moisture. Turn asparagus regularly to avoid uneven cooking. Asparagus should be tender and ready to eat in just under 10 minutes.
Divide quinoa among 4 plates and top with asparagus. Garnish with fresh herbs from the garden when available.
About Quinoa: Quinoa has excellent reserves of protein, and unlike other grains, is not missing the amino acid lysine, so the protein is more complete (a trait it shares with other "non-true" grains such as buckwheat and amaranth). The World Health Organization has rated the quality of protein in quinoa at least equivalent to that in milk. Quinoa offers more iron than other grains and contains high levels of potassium and riboflavin, as well as other B vitamins: B6, niacin, and thiamin. It is also a good source of magnesium, zinc, copper, and manganese, and has some folate (folic acid). An ancient grainlike product that has recently been "rediscovered" in this country, quinoa has a light, delicate taste, and can be substituted for almost any other grain. (This information is from the wholehealthmd.com website)
Jai
Ma Shri Ma Jaia Jaia Ma! Praise
to the mother! (Chant
3 times before your daily yoga practice to create peace and harmony
between you and your first teacher, your mother!)
"YOGA IN NEW ENGLAND" Video
An Active Yoga Practice Sequence.
Add this 60 minute video to
your yoga/exercise routine! It is an active yoga practice filmed
by a beautiful lake in Surry, New Hampshire. You will be guided
in meditation, asanas and relaxation. This is truly an organic video
created by local people of talent. John and Roberta Barry of NH kindly
filmed and edited this video. The soundtrack of soothing piano ballads
are composed by Mark Polifrone of NH. The graphic art on the cover is
done by another talented and professional graphic artist Kellie Williams
of NH. A community project! People told me I had to
go to Hollywood to create videos and to pursue going global with my
health mission, but my heart told me I could start out right at
home where I was raised in NH and do the same! So here it
is, my first yoga video, and I am hopeful it will be one of many.
My next one will be yoga in Samoa! Now the DVD price has been reduced
from $30 to $20! Buy today and you will help with the Raw Shakti mission
of creating health on earth by helping yourself to become more healthy.
Available on DVD, VHS, and PAL.
Visit www.taialofa.com to order.
PEOPLE OF RAW SHAKTI
Kellie Williams
Isabel Thompson
Isabel was born in the
