FREEDOM FROM THE SELF: Awakening To The Yoga Sutra
Yoga & Meditation with Chip Hartranft & Carol Nelson
Windows To Sea, Martha's Vineyard
Friday-Sunday, June 20-22
The Yoga Sutra illuminates the far reaches of human possibility.  Encompassing the ancient enlightenment path that lies at the heart of yoga and Buddhism, the teachings remain as fresh, vivid and liberating today as when they were collected by the sage Patanjali nearly 2000 years ago.  The YS shows how all yoga is meditative, undertaken not simply for self-enhancement but rather to awaken from the dream of self. 
Although widely regarded as ‘philosophy’, it is chiefly a roadmap pointing the way to a direct knowing beyond words, concepts or time.  Vividly materializing at the gate of the body and its energies, the yogic path emerges naturally and almost effortlessly.  As it carries us along like a river from striving to surrender, our resistance to the flowing reality may dissolve enough to reveal something of the way things are.
This summer solstice journey to the heart of yoga will begin by preparing the ground through a refreshing and centering yoga & meditation heading for the heart of the path.  Once oriented, we’ll engage Saturday and Sunday morning in asana-pranayama both dynamic and stilling – a seamless flow that will open the eyes of the body and leave the mind clear and bright.  The weekend will be an opportunity to plunge directly into the now, awakening to the actual  nature of our embodiment through selfless action and profound surrender. $275
To reserve your space: Payment is due by May 25, 2008. Make checks payable to Carol Nelson, PO Box 2537, Tisbury, MA 02568. For more information please contact Carol Nelson at cnelsonyoga@earthlink.net
Travel to Martha’s Vineyard by bus, car, and then a short ferry ride from Falmouth, New Bedford or Woods Hole.  You may also fly directly from Boston and New York.  The importance of making advance reservations if you want to bring a car, rent a car, or fly cannot be overemphasized. ACT NOW!
Lodging must be booked in advance as well, especially during the summer season.  There is a wide selection of accommodations at nearby hotels, inns, and B&B’s, and many choices of restaurants ranging from four star to takeout.  Detailed travel information, ferry schedules and lodging suggestions will be provided upon request ~ excellent info available at www.mvy.com

ELEMENTAL YOGA 200HR TEACHER TRAINING Bo Forbes
Friday-Friday, June 20-27
The mission of the Elemental Yoga Mind-Body Yoga Teacher Training Program is to promote the integration of mind, body, and spirit in the teaching of yoga. Bo Forbes & faculty aim to provide the highest caliber of mind-body training to help yoga teachers, mental health professionals, and bodyworkers teach yoga from a therapeutic, mind-body perspective. We seek to instill in them a sensitivity to and expertise in working with the thoughts, emotions, and physical issues of their students to reduce stress, shift long-held patterns, awaken internal awareness, and facilitate the process of healing and growth. As of April, 2007, the Elemental Yoga Mind-Body Teacher Training Program is the only Yoga Alliance-accredited teacher training program in the country with a mind-body focus. For information & registration, please visit elementalyoga.com

SUBTLE BODY YOGA: An Exploration with Arthur Kilmurray
Saturday, June 21, 2-5pm
Most yoga taught today is dominated by instructions in the musculo-skeletal, or gross, body. This is certainly not surprising as this 'outer body' is all we see and the easiest to feel. However, yoga poses practiced without support from and integration with the subtle body will sooner or later develop problems. The subtle or energy body is tangible and accessible, even to beginners, but it does take more patience and focused awareness to discover, nurture and integrate its rhythms into our posture, movements and the moment to moment unfolding of our life stories. Join us for an in-depth exploration of some of the basic enegy patterns that support life and how yoga poses and practice are utilized to awaken and integrate them into all life activities. $38

KIRTAN with Shubalananda & Durga plus special guests
Saturday, June 21, 7pm
The singing of kirtan goes back thousands of years in India. Created by ancient rishis from the seed mantras of the Vedas, the sounds are designed to resonate with your chakras to help move the energy up your spine. The rishis set phrases like Om Namah Shivaya or Sita Ram to simple melodies and sang them. As powerful as it is, kirtan is effortless and incredibly enjoyable! We’ll sing the kirtan, call and response style, over and over, with more and more bhava (spiritual emotion or soul - think Ray Charles) until the singers enter higher planes of consciousness. The wonderful thing about kirtan is that it is fun. Other forms of spiritual practice, or sadhana, can be strenuous, but kirtan just flows from everyone’s connection to music. Even those who feel they do not have a good voice discover themselves singing on pitch, in time. Singing these Sanskrit seed mantras is an excellent way to discover your true voice. Shubalananda (Larry Kopp) has been leading kirtan for many years, having studied with Neem Karoli Baba, Sathya Sai Baba, Karunamayi and currently Shree Maa. His guitar and harmonium playing and his voice of experience gives his kirtan a power and a bhava that is shared with all who join him. Come and experience this easy, happy, and deep form of Sadhana, and find out more at http://shubalananda.weblogger.com. Free/donation

SANSKRIT with Nicolai Bachman
Friday-Sunday, June 27-29
This weekend's immersion in Sanskrit, the original language of yoga, will teach you how to read and pronounce any Sanskrit term. In a supportive, cooperative, and playful atmosphere, using color-coding and calligraphy, Nicolai will bring you step-by-step through the Sanskrit alphabet. You will also experience the power and resonance of the sound of yoga through learning, memorizing, and chanting selections from portions of yogic texts and mantras. On the second day, we will chant the sacred Sanskrit alphabet together, emphasizing the five mouth positions, breath, sound attributes and rhythm. From there you will experience in your own mouth how the correct pronunciation of many yogic terms and asana names feels and sounds. The information packet included with the course will show the original Devanagari script as well as the transliteration and literal translation of each asana name and yoga term. Details & registration at elementalyoga.com

SOUND HEALING CIRCLE with Barbara Albenesius
Sunday, July 6, 7-9pm; 6:30 setup
Join Barbara Albenesius on the first Sunday of each month to explore the healing powers of sound and music. You will experience both co-creating and receiving sound healing, as well as learning how to improvise music with a healing intention. Please bring your favorite instruments or just yourself, your voice and your love. Prior musical or healing experience is welcome but not required. Donation $5-15

NATURAL SOLUTIONS TO HEADACHE PAIN with Ruth Knill
Wednesday, July 9, 7pm - free talk held at
Arlington Acupuncture Wellness, 99 Mass Ave, Suite 1
Come learn a self help, non-drug solution you can use immediately to eliminate headache pain. You will learn simple stretches, acupressure points and stress reduction techniques that could change your life! Attend a free community workshop with Dr Ruth Knill to learn more. Seating is limited to the first 10 callers - call 781-888-0101 to reserve a seat
Ruth Knill, PhD, MAOM, LicAc is a national board-certified acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist (NCCAOM). She received her degree from the New England School of Acupuncture, the oldest acupuncture school in the country, as well as advanced training as a cleansing coach. Dr Knill supervises an intern herbal clinic at the AIDS Care Project. With a strong background in science, including a PhD in applied mathematics, Ruth combines the ancient art of Chinese medicine with modern analytical thinking, and is able to analyze and assess patient needs with clarity and precision

ANUSARA YOGA Friday Night Special with Julia Novina
Friday, July 11, 6:15-7:45pm
Take your practice to the next level in this monthly Anusara-Inspired master class. Students will learn and practice intermediate level asanas in a dedicated, supportive and playful environment. Classes may also incorporate tantric yoga philosophy, meditation and pranayama. Open to all experienced students. $18 or class card - no makeups, please

BONES FOR LIFE: An Introduction with Deborah Lotus
Saturday, July 12, 1-5pm
The production of new bone tissue does not stop when we are grown! Life-long bone building continues as we feed our bones with the proper components: calcium-rich nutrition, proportional weight-bearing activity, optimal alignment, consistent pressure through the skeletal system, and pulsating movements which create a vibratory frequency known to stimulate the growth of new bone tissue. This introductory workshop invites you to taste some of the most enlivening movements chosen from the 90 processes comprising Bones for Life® I, II, & III. The BFL 60-hour program for strong bones, good posture and biological optimism was researched and developed by Ruthy Alon. Based on Feldenkrais movement principles, BFL incorporates traditional wisdom and recent scientific research for a natural approach to bone building and has garnered the interest of the National Osteoporosis Foundation and NASA for future research. There will be peer-led discussion about nutritional supplements, weights, the use of a personal 'bones' wrap' , vibrating platforms, and more. Online resources as well as handouts will be provided. $45. Deborah Lotus is one of the first designated BFL Pioneer Trainers in the US. For more information, please contact her at DeborahElizabeth.Lotus@gmail.com, or call 617-661-1585. For more information on the BFL Program, please visit www.bonesforlife.com

NIA & YOGA: A Special Class with Rosanne Russell
Sunday, July 13, 10-11:15am
Join Rosanne Russell for the ultimate mindbody experience! Flow from the exhilarating and deeply invigorating dance of Nia to the liberating release of Yoga, culminating in the refreshment of profound relaxation! Nia is an exhilarating system of self-expression and exploration through movement that integrates nine unique dynamic forms for a joyous cardiovascular lift. Designed for all fitness levels, it is a superb complement to the slowly unfolding movements, peace and surrender of yoga.  No prior experience is necessary. $16 or class card at the door - come with a friend for $27 - no makeups. Questions? Email Rosanne...

THE ARCHITECTURE OF ENERGY™
An Exploration of Bandhas and Chakras
with Lauren Toolin
Sunday, July 13, 2-5pm
Bandhas - most of us are somewhat familiar with the ‘big three’ (mula, uddiyana, jalandhara) bandhas. But what are they, really, and how do they relate to your breath (prana), consciousness (Buddhi) and well being , not to mention your asana?  In this workshop, be guided on a joyful journey through these energetic gateways, delving deeply into their design, function and life enhancing qualities. You’ll also explore some of the lesser known bandhas, designing a foundational structure of the body and mind and mapping a new landscape for your yoga practice. $38
Lauren Toolin, RYT, is a nationally recognized yoga instructor as well as a senior student and teaching assistant of both Rodney Yee and Yogarupa Rod Stryker. She has completed the Para Yoga Master Training with Rod, one of the most intensive and advanced trainings in the country. Lauren has been teaching for 15 years and is an initiated practitioner in the tradition of Swami Rama of the Himalayas. Her instruction is an engaging synthesis of the clarity and precision of the Iyengar system and the joyful, energetic inquiry of Tantra. Always insightful, inspirational, and infused with humor, Lauren's teaching conveys her passionate belief in Yoga's boundless potential for creating a healthy, successful and loving existence. Lauren's classes often include instruction in kriya, mantra, bandha, pranayama and meditation - profound techniques which are rarely taught in group yoga classes today. In addition to teaching weekly classes at the center, she teaches workshops at regional yoga centers and conferences. Lauren is a contributor to Yoga + Joyful Living magazine, and a featured instructor in the MOB Skwad television series. Find out more at themettacenter.com

YOGA SUMMER CAMP: Weeklong Morning Yoga For Adults
with Annie Hoffman
Mon-Fri, July 14-25, 7-9am
Join Iyengar yoga teacher Annie Hoffman for an invigorating daily morning practice! The week will proceed sequentially balancing strength and relaxation as you explore standing poses, twists, inversions, backbends and restorative yoga & pranayama. Yoga Summer Camp will deepen your practice, awaken the body & calm the mind. $150/week, $35/session

RESTORATIVE YOGA with Bo Forbes
Friday-Sunday, July 18-20
Restorative Yoga bridges the gap between mind and body. Involving gentle, passive stretching of the body while supported by yoga props such as bolsters, blankets, and eye pillows, it is a calming and therapeutic style of yoga for students of all levels. Restorative yoga deepens the relaxation response, balances the nervous system, and reduces stress, anxiety, and insomnia. Its long holds promote the healing of soft tissue injuries and the deep opening of hips, back, and shoulders. It also helps to release stress and enhance the effects of conscious relaxation. In this workshop we will learn the art of restorative yoga. We will learn how to practice the basic restorative yoga poses, and how to assist students in each pose. We will also review restorative yoga sequences for injuries, pregnancy, anxiety and insomnia, depression, and other therapeutic needs. Details & registration at elementalyoga.com
Schedule: Fri, 6:30-8:30pm; Sat, 12:30-6:30; Sun, 11-5

KIRTAN with Shubalananda & Durga plus special guests
Saturday, July 19, 7pm
The singing of kirtan goes back thousands of years in India. Created by ancient rishis from the seed mantras of the Vedas, the sounds are designed to resonate with your chakras to help move the energy up your spine. The rishis set phrases like Om Namah Shivaya or Sita Ram to simple melodies and sang them. As powerful as it is, kirtan is effortless and incredibly enjoyable! We’ll sing the kirtan, call and response style, over and over, with more and more bhava (spiritual emotion or soul - think Ray Charles) until the singers enter higher planes of consciousness. The wonderful thing about kirtan is that it is fun. Other forms of spiritual practice, or sadhana, can be strenuous, but kirtan just flows from everyone’s connection to music. Even those who feel they do not have a good voice discover themselves singing on pitch, in time. Singing these Sanskrit seed mantras is an excellent way to discover your true voice. Shubalananda (Larry Kopp) has been leading kirtan for many years, having studied with Neem Karoli Baba, Sathya Sai Baba, Karunamayi and currently Shree Maa. His guitar and harmonium playing and his voice of experience gives his kirtan a power and a bhava that is shared with all who join him. Come and experience this easy, happy, and deep form of Sadhana, and find out more at http://shubalananda.weblogger.com. Free/donation

CHANGE YOUR INNER TALK, CHANGE YOUR LIFE
with Robert Gerzon
Saturday, July 26, 2-5pm
We're talking to ourselves every waking moment. How we talk to ourselves creates our experience of the world. Our Inner Talk affects our mood, work performance, self-esteem, health, energy and relationships. In this exciting, potentially life-changing workshop you'll discover how you can use Creative Inner Talk to radically improve the world you live in. Through dramatic live demonstrations, experiential exercises, powerful yet easy-to-learn techniques, and guided meditations, you'll learn how to eliminate the toxic talk that turns you into "your own worst enemy." You'll also learn how to use Creative Inner Talk to increase self-confidence and effectiveness, and how to cultivate a deeper level of spiritual dialogue that helps you connect with the wisdom of your higher self. Participants will receive informative handouts including a copy of the Miracle Method, a 5-step process for turning any problem into an opportunity for personal and spiritual growth. Bring a notebook and pen. $38
Robert Gerzon, MA, author of the groundbreaking book, Finding Serenity in the Age of Anxiety, draws upon a diverse background in holistic medicine, psychology, philosophy and spirituality. He is a Boston-area psychotherapist and life coach, and a popular speaker who has been interviewed on radio and TV programs including Oprah. Gerzon developed the "Mastering Anxiety" program for Harvard Community Health Plan which helped thousands of people learn to transform anxiety into personal growth. His work has been praised by Deepak Chopra, Larry Dossey and Bernie Siegel. More at www.gerzon.com

BREATHWORK with Christine Hall
Sunday, July 27, 11-1
Use the transformative power of your breath to still the mind,clear emotions, and deeply relax your body helping you to create a more conscious connection to your spirit. Christine Hall is a certified breath facilitator and massage therapist having 12 years of experience with the body, breath,energy and emotions. $35

SOUND HEALING CIRCLE with Barbara Albenesius
Sunday, August 3, 7-9pm; 6:30 setup
Join Barbara Albenesius on the first Sunday of each month to explore the healing powers of sound and music. You will experience both co-creating and receiving sound healing, as well as learning how to improvise music with a healing intention. Please bring your favorite instruments or just yourself, your voice and your love. Prior musical or healing experience is welcome but not required. Donation $5-15

ANUSARA YOGA Friday Night Special with Julia Novina
Friday, August 8, 6:15-7:45pm
Take your practice to the next level in this monthly Anusara-Inspired master class. Students will learn and practice intermediate level asanas in a dedicated, supportive and playful environment. Classes may also incorporate tantric yoga philosophy, meditation and pranayama. Open to all experienced students. $18 or class card - no makeups, please

EAST COAST CHANT with Tonia & friends
Saturday, August 9, 7:15-9pm
East Coast Chant is a divinely-inspired contemporary tapestry of sound, chants, guided imagery, and planetary service woven with threads of light by everyone present. East Coast Chant brings Heaven to Earth and makes Earth more like Heaven through the power of individual and group intentions, prayers, ritual and celebration through music. All are welcome! Sliding scale $20-$10 at the door
Tonia Pinheiro (tone-ya) is a seasoned and inspired singer, improv actor, facilitator, ritual leader, intuitive, and Ascension Path practitioner. More about her work in the world at www.DreamSongSinger.com, www.WakeUpCompany.com, www.Improvelocity.com, and www.TrueStoryTheater.org

LIFEFORCE YOGA TO MANAGE YOUR MOOD
with Amy Weintraub, author of Yoga for Depression
Sunday, August 10, 9:30-4:30pm
In Yoga, one shoe doesn't fit all - all bodies, all levels of experience, all moods. Learn how to assess the mood - yours and your students, and design a menu of practices to meet you where you are. LifeForce Yoga interweaves the power of an ancient discipline with current scientific findings. In a safe and accepting environment, you'll learn yogic strategies that can help you maintain your optimum mental health and methods to safely release chronically held tension and repressed emotion in the physical and emotional body. We'll practice:Pranayama and kriya breathing techniques that regulate the emotions • Meditations that lift the mood • Creating Affirmation (sankalpa) • Guided Visualizations (bhavana) • Tones that regulate the emotions (mantras) • Hand gestures that affect different areas of the chakra system and the body (mudras) • Yoga asanas suitable for all levels. You'll leave feeling refreshed and renewed, with ancient strategies to revitalize your practice and manage your mood. Psychotherapists, health professionals, and yoga teachers will learn techniques they can use to help their clients focus, relax, and have greater access to their feelings. Yoga Alliance CEUs. $95
Suggested Reading: Yoga for Depression: A Compassionate Guide to Relieve Suffering Through Yoga (Broadway Books), LifeForce Yoga to Beat the Blues - level 1 (DVD) Breathe to Beat the Blues (CD)
Amy Weintraub, MFA, E-RYT 500, author of Yoga for Depression and founding director of the LifeForce Yoga Healing Institute, leads professional certification trainings in LifeForce Yoga for Depression and Anxiety for mental health professionals and Yoga teachers. She is also a senior Kripalu teacher and Mentor. Amy is featured on the CD, Breathe to Beat the Blues and the first DVD home Yoga practice series for mood management, the award-winning LifeForce Yoga to Beat the Blues . She leads workshops and CEU trainings throughout North America at such venues as the Psychotherapy Networker Symposium, the American Holistic Medical Association Annual Conference, the Integrative Psychiatry Conference, Kripalu Center, Omega Institute, the Crossings, Mount Madonna Center, and the LA Times Festival of Health and Fitness. She was a 2007 Colloquium Speaker at the Boston University Graduate School of Psychology. Her bi-monthly newsletter includes current research, news and media reviews on Yoga and mental health. To subscribe, please visit yogafordepression.com

KIRTAN with Shubalananda & Durga plus special guests
Saturday, August 16, 7pm
The singing of kirtan goes back thousands of years in India. Created by ancient rishis from the seed mantras of the Vedas, the sounds are designed to resonate with your chakras to help move the energy up your spine. The rishis set phrases like Om Namah Shivaya or Sita Ram to simple melodies and sang them. As powerful as it is, kirtan is effortless and incredibly enjoyable! We’ll sing the kirtan, call and response style, over and over, with more and more bhava (spiritual emotion or soul - think Ray Charles) until the singers enter higher planes of consciousness. The wonderful thing about kirtan is that it is fun. Other forms of spiritual practice, or sadhana, can be strenuous, but kirtan just flows from everyone’s connection to music. Even those who feel they do not have a good voice discover themselves singing on pitch, in time. Singing these Sanskrit seed mantras is an excellent way to discover your true voice. Shubalananda (Larry Kopp) has been leading kirtan for many years, having studied with Neem Karoli Baba, Sathya Sai Baba, Karunamayi and currently Shree Maa. His guitar and harmonium playing and his voice of experience gives his kirtan a power and a bhava that is shared with all who join him. Come and experience this easy, happy, and deep form of Sadhana, and find out more at http://shubalananda.weblogger.com. Free/donation

BREATHWORK with Christine Hall
Sunday, August 17, 11-1
Use the transformative power of your breath to still the mind,clear emotions, and deeply relax your body helping you to create a more conscious connection to your spirit. Christine Hall is a certified breath facilitator and massage therapist having 12 years of experience with the body, breath,energy and emotions. $35

THE JOY OF DRUMMING: A Monthly Circle with Ricardo Frota
Friday, August 22, 8pm - new price!
The drum is powerful, magical, sacred. Join us in a circle of unlimited rhythm possibilities, letting the drum guide you to self-expression, the life force of your inner being. We will play rhythms from Brazil, West Africa, and Latin America, as well as improvise and sing Afro-Brazilian spiritual songs. Bring a drum if you have one - some extra drums will be provided. All are welcome - no experience necessary! New price! $10 or class card at the door - no makeups
Ricardo Frota is Brazilian percussionist, violinist, performer, and educator who has performed and conducted workshops through the US, Europe and South America. Ricardo teaches children in private and public schools in the Boston area, as well as adults

SECRETS OF SOUNDER SLEEP: A Workshop with Josh Schreiber
Sunday, August 24, 11-1:30
The Sounder Sleep System uses synchronized movements and breathing techniques called mini-moves that relax your body, calm your mind, and lull you into blissful, restorative slumber. If you wake up during the night, the mini-moves get you right back to sleep. During the day, the mini-moves quickly counteract the effects of stress and tension, bringing you greater mental and physical ease and promoting peak performance. In these turbulent times, these are essential tools for self-healing and inner peace. The Sounder Sleep System is based on traditional and modern self-healing methods as well as original innovations by the system’s founder, Michael Krugman. $28

YOGA PHILOSOPHY II: The Yoga Sutras of Patañjali with Edwin Bryant, PhD
Friday-Sunday, August 29-31
The Yoga Sutra of Patañjali is the classical ancient Indian treatise on the practice of Yoga. While Yoga conjures up images of bodily postures and stretches in popular western culture, this aspect of yoga, the asanas, is only the third limb of the eight limbs outlined in the Yoga Sutras -- and, indeed, Patañjali pays only passing attention to this aspect of the system. This seminar series will consist of a close reading of Patañjali's original text, focusing on the opening section of the work, wherein Yoga is defined and the state of samadhi, liberation, described, as well as on the eight limbs of yoga covered in the heart of the text, which outline the step by step methods for attaining this enlightened state. Attention will be paid to the pre-modern commentaries of the text, thus exposing students to the traditional understanding of the practice of classical Yoga and its goals. Students are advised to bring any copy of the Sutras which has the Sanskrit text in romanized script as attention will be focused on the original source rather than its westernized manifestation. Details & registration at elementalyoga.com