Yoga News

Greetings Friends,

It's been a busy spring and summer is upon us. Teaching at Mount Mary is over for the semester, but it begins at the Pink House! I will be teaching at the Pink House Studio in Riverwest, 2474 N. Booth St. Monday nights through June, 5:30 to 7 pm. Come Join us.

Work is in progress on promotional materials for Ganapati. Thank you Val for coming on board! We are planning to have a Facebook page to begin a network of interested parties both teachers and non-profits. Again, stay tuned for our launch party. It will happen, but we are getting some more things in place for the project first. Any suggestions are appreciated and welcomed....

Blessings, cw

Ganapati receives another donation!

The Ganapati Project wishes to send a big thank you to Tracy E. of Hartland, WI for her generous and kind donation of gently used yoga blocks, straps, and mats. I can't thank you enough! If you or anyone you know has gently used or new props that they would like to donate, please email me at christinewolf@yahoo.com.

The Project is actively seeking certified yoga teachers to teach 4-6 week yoga sessions at Milwaukee area non-profits. Also, if you are affliated with a non-profit that would welcome yoga classes for their clients-please get in touch! Please stay tuned for launch party information! All ideas are welcome!

Peace! cw

Yoga Conference Lessons

Recently I attended the Yoga Journal Conference in Lake Geneva, WI. I had the pleasure of having workshops and classes with David Swenson, Seane Corn, Nikki Doane & Eddie Modestini, Paulie Zink and other accomplished yogis and yoginis from around the country. Like any movement, yoga in North America is full of different kinds of people, seeking varied rewards and outcomes from their yoga practice. The conference certainly reflected the diversity of the yoga community. I have heard somewhat disparaging comments among more "serious" yogis and yoginis regarding the housewives in their Lulu Lemon ensembles, meant to be comical, but nonetheless are negative and quite contrary to what we as practitioners of yoga should be focused on. On the road to gentleness and compassion that yoga paves for us, we need to be mindful that there is no room for judgments and taunts directed at your sister on the mat. She is also on the road you are on, whether her journey be easy or hard, heavy or light. There is plenty of room at the yoga table for all of us, no matter the motivation for being there in this moment. Remembering all the while that the reason someone is bothering you on some level, making you react, is because she is reflecting something in yourself that you don't like. Those among you in your yoga class that may be more interested in comfortable pants than enlightenment are still there, seeking, being, trying, just like you. I found the conference a great reminder that yoga is a family of people that may have a lot in common or not, just like any other family-and that we need to celebrate that diversity of thought and being and find ways to make us and the yoga community stronger and not as a way to divide us into subgroups. There is a place for us-all of us. Let us live out the best gifts of yoga and be one another's "Artha" or that which supports the path.

Ganapati receives first donation!

Dear Ones,

I'm grateful and delighted to report that the Ganapati Project has received its first donation from follow yogi Barb Labisch in Milwaukee. I can't thank you enough Barb for your generous support. Her gift will be used toward purchasing the project's first yoga straps, 6 in all! If you know someone who would also like to donate either funds or gently used props for travelling yoga classes at area nonprofits, please drop me an email.

You may view the Ganapati Project Wish List here:

https://yogaaccessories.3dcartstores.com/view_wishlist.asp

The account email is christinewolf@yahoo.com; password-ganapati, should someone wish to make a purchase on-line.

Stay tuned for details on the Ganapati Launch party in May.....

This is the day we are creating...so be glad in it!

Peace and Happiness...Christine

A poem passed on from a friend...does anyone know the author?

go placidly amid the noise and the haste,and remember what peace there may be in silence.as far as possible, without surrender,be on good terms with all persons.speak your truth quietly and clearly;and listen to others,even to the dull and the ignorant;they too have their story.avoid loud and aggressive persons;they are vexacious to the spirit.if you compare yourself with others,you may become vain or bitter,for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.keep interested in your own career, however humble;it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.exercise caution in your business affairs,for the world is full of trickery.but let this not blind you to what virtue there is;many persons strive for high ideals,and everywhere life is full of heroism.be yourself. especially do not feign affection.neither be cynical about love,for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,it is as perennial as the grass.take kindly the counsel of the years,gracefully surrendering the things of youth.nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortunebut do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.beyond a wholesome discipline,be gentle with yourself.you are a child of the universeno less than the trees and the stars;you have a right to be here.and whether or not it is clear to you,no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.therefore be at peace with god,whatever you conceive him to be.and whatever your labor and aspiriations,in the noisy confusion of life,keep peace with your soul.with all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams,it is still a beautiful world.be cheerful. strive to be happy.

The Deep Meaning of Disney

Well, it's been another crazy trip.  Here I am with a hippo skull at Disney's Animal Kingdom.  I must admit I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. We made it through with only a moderate bout of stomach flu at the end-poor Lucy-I think we'll be able to make the plane tomorrow.  We had sun, blue sky, and about 70 degrees the whole time.  No travel drama really, but some big, unexpected crowds at Disney.  Economy be damned!

More than anything I've been struck by why my expectations were so low for this first trip to Disney with my girls.  I have tried hard to limit media exposure, to encourage "natural" play, to promote a love of the outdoors, and to cultivate the unfettered development of their imaginations through reading, art, and spontaneous experiences that don't need the facilitator of animation or other kidcentric media.  In fact, my one and only tv is in a corner covered by a cloth.  It appears only for special occasions.  I don't have cable.  Despite all this, I found myself having a good time at Disney and not falling into my typical cynical diatribe about the corruption of the Grimm fairy tales and commercialization of childhood-the co-opting and commodification of creativity, and so on....Folks, it costs $1000 for 4 people to experience Disney for 3 days!

Then I received an email from a friend who inspired me to come back and edit this post.  I emailed her that we were at Disney.  Her response was "That sounds fun...I've heard that's the happiest place on earth!"  and I looked at my girls and thought-"Wow...for them at this moment, it clearly is the happiest place on earth." ...and full of the magic they promise.  This trip was full of happiness in a very troubled time and that as it turns out, is worth quite a lot. There are parents all over the world that can't even conceive of a trip to Disney with their children.  This fact of poverty, lack of opportunity, and inequity is never lost on me.   I guess it's okay to live the fantasy for a few whimsical days if we never forget the reality and then work to seek change.

See you soon,

cw

Ganapati Project-Seeking Peace Offerings

Greetings Friends,

I hope this post finds you well.  Ganapati continues to unfold.  I have spiffy new business cards (will try to post here) and I have registered for a "wish list" on yogaaccessories.com.  Please check it out and feel free to gift the project something from the list if you feel so moved:

http://yogaaccessories.3dcartstores.com/

To log in, use my email: christinewolf@yahoo.com.  The password is Ganapati.  

We are planning a Ganapati hatch party for April.  Stay tuned for details.  We will be having a "baby shower" for the project.  So save and bring any gently used or new yoga props and supplies to donate, or check out the wish list above.  

As always, I am open to help or suggestions regarding Ganapati.  It occurs to me that opening up the project to be more inclusive of the wide range of healing arts may be in order.  If you have a skill other than yoga that would be in keeping with the spirit of Ganapati, please let me know.  We will also be in need of someone with skills in the non-profit arena, perhaps someone familiar with the 501c3 process.  Be well.......

Namaste,

cw