Yoga for a Healthy Body Image -- *free* workshop!

Yoga for a Healthy Body Image
Find Your Sweet Spot with this *Free* Love Your Body Month Workshop
at the Atlanta Ballet – Cobb Centre

How: Love yourself, move your body, live free. Through movement, breath work and body awareness meditations, learn when to push and when to surrender. Striking a balance between effort and ease can help you find your edge, your middle, your sweet spot. Let your intuition and breath lead your movement for your body and your life – Breathe and let the rest follow. Then, practice writing with the body to help connect your body, breath and spirit. Caroline Gebhardt, a registered yoga teacher and owner of FLOW Training, will lead the workshop creating a non-harming, non-competitive atmosphere.

When: Sunday, February 20, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Where: Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education, the Cobb Centre:
2000 Powers Ferry Road SE, Suite G4, Marietta, GA 30067 – (678-213-5000)

Why: Each February, the Eating Disorders Information Network (EDIN) launches LOVE YOUR BODY MONTH which provides educational workshops, seminars and other events to help promote positive body images and to help prevent disordered eating. For more information about EDIN, visit www.myedin.org .

Who: No yoga experience necessary. Just bring an open mind.

Cost: Free – Donations are welcome and will benefit EDIN 100%.

What to bring: Please bring a mat, a cushion if desired, water, and a journal.

Questions/RSVP: An RSVP is appreciated but not required. Contact Caroline Gebhardt at 404.210.6752 or caroline@mybodyflow.com


Love Yourself, Move Your Body, Live Free
www.mybodyflow.com

On Meditating...(and changing/fixing/transcending or finding plain peace)

In the book Women Food and God by Geneen Roth, her phrase on presence that I believe applies to us all -- yoginis or not -- appears on page 112 and 113:
"Usually, when people hear the word meditation, they think of transcending this clunky earthly plane. The kind of meditation I refer to has nothing to do with transcending or leaving or changing yourself in any way -- and everything to do with its opposite: showing up where you already are."

How beautiful. Stop fixing and/or changing yourself, and show up as you already are. At work in a boring meeting. In your car behind a slowpoke. In line at the post office. During a dance class or exhilarating run. Or in the middle of an addiction or struggle. Show up. Be present. Take it all in. Yes, just being where you are, clearing your mind, absorbing what you're doing, and not wishing time (or your thighs) away all count as meditation. You will benefit in ways you can't really control or imagine.

I used to get so irritated at the thought of sitting on a pillow before an altar and meditating. It made me want to scream and run and roll my eyes -- I had no intention of transcending. Life is short enough, I needed some holy EARTHINESS in my body with my loved ones, not to float in the clouds. I'd escaped my body too many times before. I needed earthly presence with peace.

So, before I read Geneen's new book, and while I was immersed in a yoga training, I decided to make peace with this thing called meditation. Sometimes I'd have a movement meditation while taking a great class or doing my own asana practice. Sometimes (okay, occasionally) I'd have a cooking meditation. Sometimes, I'd have a driving meditation. Many times a walking meditation, a bathtub meditation, and a mat meditation. The idea was to clear my head of the running thoughts that go something like this:

I should have checked the stove before I left the house; did the door shut completely?; am I going to hit the deadline?; what if I ask for an extra day -- will they think I'm slacking?; who cares what they think?; if the kitty gets out, I will never forgive myself; if the house burns with Nick still sleeping, I'll just die; God, we need to paint the shutters...

See what I mean? Those are the thoughts we can let go. Sometimes it just takes a little tweaking perspective. While India's a lovely place, and having a spiritual awakening during your committed pillow/floor/quiet time is nothing short of holy, we don't have to be so hard on ourselves. We can start now. All we really have to do is show up.

~ Namaste

If you've ever dieted one time too many, or if tell yourself ugly thoughts when looking in a mirror, you might just eat up this book. For more information about Women Food and God, visit: http://www.womenfoodandgod.com/

If you're interested in private yoga or personal training sessions, write me: caroline@mybodyflow.com

Sleep-FULL in Seattle!

My bright friend, Jessica, is moving to Seattle in August. While I'm sad to see her go, I'm happy for new beginnings. While I know she's only a plane ride away, or a quick message on facebook, or a private juicy email about our latest dates (or nightmare-ish dates, more like it lately), I hope to take a piece of her bright spirit, staunch determination and kind spirit along with me everyday.

All the best to you, Miss Jess. Keep up with T, keep seeking your truth, and as always: "no one's the boss of you". (wink) Much love.