Landed in India

Ah, we have finally arrived in Mysore. As I sit in my flat on the floor trying to quietly type, my family is getting some much deserved rest. We had a very interesting trek from Orlando to Mysore, one that I will never forget. This is technically Kaiden's first trip, but he was in my tummy when I came in 2010 so I like to think it's his second. It's also Kwang's second trip, he hasn't been here since 2006. I know he has been looking forward to returning for some time now, and I'm really grateful he was able to come with us this year.

Overall our trip here was good, the usual delay getting out of Orlando, and delay taking off the runway in Frankfort, but those are always to be expected making a long journey like this. But, I must say I'm really used to such hicups, Kwang isn't, but he didn't seem to mind at all. Kaiden did awesome the first leg of the trip! He was in good spirits until he passed out, and he managed to sleep a couple hours on the plane.







We had a quick stop in Frankfort and very quickly boarded our flight to Bangalore, but then we sat, and sat, and sat as they needed to check out an issue with the plane. That's when Kaiden started to get really antsy and his poor little body started to really get exhausted. He was still quite good and still ended up getting a few more hours of sleep on the second leg, but I felt so bad for him. He's a real champ though!

When we finally landed in Bangalore all three of us were so ready to get to Mysore. We got our luggage, went outside to our car waiting for us, and got on the road. It was very dark and extremely foggy at 3am in the morning in Bangalore. Poor Kaiden got wicked motion sickness about 1 1/2 hours into the car ride (it's quite a bumpy and crazy ride from Bangalore to Mysore) and threw up all over me. We stopped and got cleaned up, then back in the car....About 45 minutes later he threw up all over me again. Luckily it was just motion sickness and nothing else, luckily he didn't throw up in the car, just on mommy, and luckily I had extra clothes easily accessible for both of us. Poor little guy!! But once we arrive in Mysore and were out of the car he was great!

First day was wonderful and extremely rough all at the same time b/c I was so exhausted. Normally I'd be uber tired from the journey but this trip was different, I think b/c I had to be 150% all eyes on Kaiden and all about Kaiden in the airports, planes, car. For all my mommies out there planning your trip to Mysore, it is doable, it is well worth it, but do try to really mentally prepare yourself and know you will not get any sleep your first few days.

Once we got in the house and unpacked, showered up and dressed, we headed over to Tina's for breakfast. She happens to be one of my favorite people in Mysore and her food is delicious! Kwang and Kaiden were able to get some really good sleep in during the day and night yesterday, but I had to get the house clean and organized and all of us unpacked, and get items we needed from the store and exchange money, pay for car, house, shala fees, register, etc....... And because I'm super clean freak Krista and as Shanna calls me, Swifta, I couldn't put any of that off til tomorrow and get sleep instead, I had to do it day one. Sitting here on my bed day two with my men napping next to me, I'm really glad I got all that done yesterday :) and hopeful I'll be able to fall asleep easily and get some good rest this evening.






I registered yesterday afternoon and felt so much comfort walking into the shala, seeing Saraswati and Sharath. It made me take a big sigh. I had trouble sleeping last night, partially jetlag I'm sure, partially fear that a different alarm would not wake me, and partially because I was afraid if I slept too deeply I'd not get up for practice. But Kaiden woke up around 2am and was up to party hard so I got up too. He played and played and played well past when I left at 4:15am for practice. He and Kwang walked me out and Kaiden said bye bye as I walked to the shala :)

Practice was wonderful but awfully hard this morning. I felt so shaky from lack of sleep, and my body felt really weak. Nonetheless is was amazing to take practice in the shala this morning being immersed in the energy of the institute, Guruji's spirit, and Saraswati and Sharath. Since I practice alone 99% of the time I never get that sweaty because it's only my heat in the room, but man oh man how nice it is to sweat buckets doing primary in the shala here - felt wonderful! Sharath did very gentle ankle binding with me this morning, and I was rather grateful for that. He's worried about my energy at the moment and can obviously sense my exhaustion. He seemed concerned yesterday when I registered, and told me yesterday to come to primary on Sunday if I felt I needed to. You are supposed to do primary your first full week at the shala regardless of what series you work on normally, as you travel such a long distance and the body needs yoga chikitsa - yoga therapy - primary series. But since I'm starting on a Wednesday that is only three days of Primary before day of rest on Saturday and led intermediate on Sunday. I'm playing all that by ear and will see how I feel come Sunday.

Well, I wish you a wonderful afternoon, morning or evening - wherever you are in the world :) more updates soon.

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Weekend at Yoga Life in Jacksonville with Krista Shirley

http://www.yogalifejax.com/event.asp?eventID=147


Saturday, April 28, 2012
Recharge Your Yoga Practice with Krista Shirley

This spring, Krista Shirley of the Yoga Shala Orlando joins Yoga Life for a weekend workshop. Come study with her in the mornings for a Mysore-style practice, followed by afternoon lectures.


April 28-29, 2012

Saturday:
10:00am - Noon: Mysore Practice
1:30pm - 4:30pm: Deconstruction before Reconstruction
Intended for students with a daily practice. In this workshop we will learn how to deal with the discomfort we face in our yoga asana practice. Muscles and bones and nerves, emotional scares and fears and hurts… They all come to the surface with daily asana practice. Join Krista in a discussion about deconstruction before reconstruction.

Sunday:
10:00am - Noon: Mysore Practice
1:30pm - 4:30pm: Leave Your Expectations at the Door
Suitable for all levels. Let go of what you think you know and allow yourself put faith and trust in your teacher and your daily yoga practice. Guruji always told us to practice, practice, practice and all will come. Let’s explore this concept, this truth! If we can find safety on our yoga mat, with our yoga teacher, and ourselves, the benefits can spill into all areas of our lives.



Krista's Bio: Krista has been teaching Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga since 2004. Krista spent a week studying with Manju Jois in 2004 but primarily kept her daily practice up on her own for several years before embarking on her first trip to Mysore in 2006 to study with Shri K. Pattabhi Jois (Guruji), Sharath Rangaswamy, and Saraswati Rangaswamy at the Krishna Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Insti-tute. She travels back to Mysore every year to spend several months under the guidance of her teachers. In February of 2009 Krista was given authorization to teach Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga by the Krishna Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute.

Learn more about Krista at her studio’s website: www.theyogashala.org


EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT!! REGISTER BEFORE MARCH 26, 2012!
$150 FOR ENTIRE WEEKEND!

Entire Weekend (after March 26th): $165
Mysore sessions: $40 each
Lecture sessions: $45 each

Weekend Workshop with Krista Shirley at The Yoga Shala, Winter Park, Florida

A few weeks after I return from Mysore, India please join me at The Yoga Shala for a weekend of Ashtanga Yoga classes Mysore style, along with lectures on the practice.



Krista Shirley Weekend Workshop
March 23-25, 2012

Friday, March 23
6:30-8:30pm Guided Primary Series Practice

Saturday, March 24
10 AM - 12 PM Mysore
1:30 - 4 PM BBDO
Let’s explore the use of breath, bandhas, dristhi and opposition of force in our practice. In order to successfully progress in our practice, we must have full control of all four concepts. But how? Spend the afternoon with Krista exploring these concepts in depth, and learning how to apply them in each and every asana in the primary series. Serious work, and some serious fun! Suitable for all levels. Will begin and end with Chanting.

Sunday, March 25
10-12 PM Mysore
2-4:30 PM: Deconstruction before Reconstruction
Intended for students with a daily practice. We go through phases in our practice…In the beginning it feels good, and we feel good for doing the practice. But as you get deeper into your practice the honeymoon phase ends as you start to uncover deep seated physical and emotional blockages. These blockages must be dealt with in order for us to let go of that baggage we hold deep within our bodies and minds. This can be extremely uncomfortable both physically and mentally and this is often the point where people either choose to face themselves and dig deep, keep practicing but on a very surface level, or walk away from yoga altogether. In this workshop we will learn how to deal with the discomfort we face in our yoga asana practice. Muscles and bones and nerves, emotional scares and fears and hurts….They all come to the surface with daily asana practice. Join Krista in a discussion about deconstruction before reconstruction. We will begin and end with chanting.

ENTIRE WORKSHOP by February 23, 2012: $170; $200 thereafter. For more information and registration contact Krista@TheYogaShala.org



Workshop Cancellation Policy/Refunds:
All cancellations must be made 10 days prior to the start of the workshop. Refunds will be given in the form of studio credit only (less a $15 processing fee). No credits will be given within 10 days of the start of workshop.

Kino MacGregor returns to The Yoga Shala, Orlando, Florida in February 2012

Kino MacGregor will be returning to The Yoga Shala February 25-26, 2012. She is an inspirational yogini with a wealth of knowledge to share with the Orlando Ashtanga Yoga Community.

Be sure to register as soon as possible because Kino's workshops always sell out.




Kino MacGregor Weekend Workshop
February 25-26, 2012

Saturday, February 25
10 AM - 12 PM Guided
2 - 4 PM Arm Balances for Everyone
Break a sweat while learning to safely balance on your hands, have fun while challenging yourself and gain access to your own inner strength. The magic of the arm balance is demystified and made approachable so that every practitioner who is not afraid to put in the work can feel the beauty of flight. When done correctly arm balances can build self-esteem, increase energy flow and heal old injuries. Every student will leave with proven techniques to safely build the structural support necessary for stability in all strength based postures.

Sunday, February 26
8 AM - 10 AM Mysore
12 - 2 PM: The Spiritual Journey of Asana
Yoga is a daily practice that demands our full devotion before we can begin to even scratch the surface of its deeper meaning as a lifelong spiritual path. Kino leads you through a discussion of key elements of the sacred, foundational text of yoga, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Rather than a historical account Kino integrates yoga philosophy with daily asana practice and modern life. Written more than 2,000 years ago the teaching of Patanjali is composed of 195 Sutras organized in four books and holds the essence of the eight-limbed path of Asthanga Yoga. By exploring the basis of physical yoga postures and methodology for spiritual learning in the Yoga Sutras you will delve deeper into the process of self-realization, the true intention of all hatha yoga.


ENTIRE WORKSHOP by January 5: $150; $170 thereafter. For more information and registration contact Krista@TheYogaShala.org


Workshop Cancellation Policy/Refunds:
All cancellations must be made 10 days prior to the start of the workshop. Refunds will be given in the form of studio credit only (less a $15 processing fee). No credits will be given within 10 days of the start of workshop.

Kaiden doing downdog - September 2011

Beginner Yoga at The Yoga Shala in Winter Park, Florida (in the Orlando area)

The Yoga Shala's 2012 Four Week Beginner Yoga Course dates are up! Be sure to register for your spot today!



Four Week Beginning Yoga Course
This four week beginner Yoga course is designed for students with little or no yoga experience. Students are introduced to Ashtanga yoga in a slow, safe and comprehensive manner. This beginner Yoga course is progressive, in order that each class will allow students to build from the previous. At the end this course, students will be equipped with the knowledge of the history of the Ashtanga Yoga method, a physical foundation of the sun salutations, standing postures and breath work required to advance in the Ashtanga practice, and the self-assurance to enter into the Mysore program. All classes are held at our Orlando Yoga Shala location. This course requires pre-registration, call 407-506-4626 for more information.

Beginner Course Dates - You must call to register

January 2-27

January 30 - February 24

February 27 - March 23

March 26 - April 20

April 23 - May 18

May 21 - June 15

June 18 - July 13

Please select the course time and dates you wish to enroll. You may come five days per week during the month beginner course (unless you register for the evening class, which is four nights per week); please keep in mind that it is most ideal to come four-five days per week but please be sure you can come at least three days per week in order to receive maximum benefit from the program.


Beginner Course Timings

6:30-7:30am

8:30-9:30am

9:30-10:30am

12:00-1:00pm

7:00-8:00pm


Call Shanna 407-506-7735 or Krista 407-506-4626 to Register



The Yoga Shala is located at 927 North Pennsylvania Avenue, in the heart of downtown Winter Park, Florida. We are the only authentic Ashtanga Yoga School in Central Florida and we feel very honored to share this yoga practice with you. Ashtanga Yoga is suitable for everyone! Regardless of your fitness level, age, strength, or flexibility, we can help you achieve better physical and mental health one yoga practice at a time. Call us today.

Thanksgiving yoga with the family :)

Photos of The Yoga Shala's Second Anniversary

On October 12, 2011 The Yoga Shala celebrated its 2nd Anniversary! We are so grateful to be part of the Orlando, Florida landscape. A big thank you to all the students who have supported our humble little Ashtanga Yoga School.

2012 - Make it the best it can be!

A Secret Scrolls message from Rhonda Byrne
Creator of The Secret and The Power

You can make 2012 the best year of your life! And you can do it very easily, right now.

All you have to do is set the most powerful intention you can ever set in your life, which is that you will focus only on what you want, think only about what you want, and talk only about what you want. Decide right now that anytime you find yourself thinking or talking about what you don't want, you will stop and demand of yourself, "What is it that I want?" And with all your might, with all your strength, with all your willpower - you will focus on what you want!

This one intention, repeated daily until the New Year and reinforced through 2012, will ensure that you make 2012 the year that your dreams came true, and the greatest year of your life!

May the joy be with you,

Rhonda Byrne
The Secret... bringing joy to billions

New Year's Day Celebration at The Yoga Shala

Join us on New Year's Day for a traditional Ashtanga Yoga practice. Best way you can start the year.

Yoga for Cancer Patients

As hospitals continue to become more specialized their patients generally have multiple physicians in an fast paced hospital environment. Many of these patients find the opportunity to slow down a welcomed one. Because patients find that they often need a period of relaxation and peace of mind yoga is quickly becoming a major option for complementary treatment therapy for cancer patients.

New studies show that not only is yoga a great exercise and great way to stay in shape, but also a great tool in calming the nervous system. Combining different poses and breathing techniques as well as meditation, yoga is used to relieve symptoms of patients suffering from diseases like leukemia and mesothelioma. While yoga is not a cure for cancer the stretching and breathing techniques involved are serious aids that help improve issues with sleep and reduce the dependency on sedatives as well as relieve muscle pains associated with cancer.

Exploring the basic characteristics of a body under attack by cancer, it’s easy to see where yoga can aid in cancer treatments. While a cancerous body is highly acidic, lacks oxygen, contains a plethora of toxic substances, and has low immunity yoga can be used in the reduce many of these symptoms.

Yoga is particularly useful for removing harmful bodily acids using particular poses that stretch muscles, release lactic acids. The practice of yoga is also able to minimize acid flow working the vagus nerve. Furthermore stretching muscles through the use of Asanas aids the permeation of acids through the skin and the release of acid by process through the kidneys. These processes cause a patient’s heart rate and metabolism to increase and push the body to allow re-oxygenation through heavy breathing.

Oftentimes a major contribution that causes cancer is an extreme deficiency in the immune system. Many yoga poses that twist and compress organs are helpful in fighting cancer because they rejuvenate organs by stimulating the digestive system. This allows vitamins and nutrients to be carried throughout the entire body.

- Article by Trevor Bradshaw

Krista Shirley weekend workshop at White Orchid in Tampa December 3-4th

A very big thank you to the White Orchid Yoga family. I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend in Tampa and look forward to returning to work with the yogi's out in Clearwater and Tampa!

Sunday Workshop in Ormond Beach, Florida

On Sunday, December 11, 2011 Om Away From Home is excited and very proud to bring the first authorized Ashtanga teacher to the area. Krista Shirley is the real deal, spending months in Mysore, India every year for the past 7 years honing her practice to share with everyone. She is one of the select few who has been authorized to teach this pure tradional method, the only one in all of Central and Northern Florida. A true Ashtangi. This workshop will consist of two parts. Fully led primary series from 10am-12pm, from 1pm-4pm the workshop will concentrate on detailed instruction of the asanas in the primiary series and their meanting as well as their benefit. All are welcome to take just oen part of the workshop or the full day. Pricing for the workshop is $35 for the led primary series, $40 for the instruction, meaning and benefits session and $65 for the full workshop. For more information or questions call Om Away From Home at (386) 265-1966 or Debra (386) 585-0711. Class size is limited so early regristration will more guarantee your spot.

Weekend Workshop with Krista Shirley at White Orchid Yoga in Tampa

What are you doing this weekend? If you have no plans make some to come join me for a weekend workshop at White Orchid Yoga in Tampa!

Saturday, December 3

9-11am Guided Primary Series

1-3pm Lecture/workshop: Deconstruction before reconstruction

Sunday, December 4

9-11am Mysore Practice

1-3pm Lecture/workshop - Creating a daily yoga practice

Visit www.whiteorchidyoga.com for more information

Weekend Workshop with Krista Shirley at White Orchid Yoga in Tampa

The Yoga Shala is turning 2!

Please join us for our 2 year anniversary celebration! Our Led Primary Series Yoga Class is full but you may email and be put on the waiting list. And the rest of the days activities are open to everyone so join us at 12pm for Chanting, Yoga Discussions, and a slide show and video. From 1-3pm we will do a veggie potluck and do a raffle giveaway of Yoga, Massage, Acupuncture and much more!

The Yoga Shala - Orlando's Ashtanga Yoga School turns 2 this month!

Two Years and Lots of Memories

Two years ago Krista Shirley opened The Yoga Shala in Winter Park. For many it has become a place where one can spend time on themselves and get away from the chaos of everyday life.

Over the past 2 years it has grown to become an elite yoga studio with the main focus on the practice Mysore style Ashtanga, an authentic, traditional style of yoga handed down by K. Pattabhi Jois, or as we know him simply as Guruji. It has not always been a smooth ride down this path, but as a family grows and prospers through the thick and thin, so does The Shala and the family that it has become.

There was a time, not too long ago when I wanted to cut out the negative people in my life. At the same time, I didn’t want to hurt them by telling them that I was cutting them out of my life. I turned my focus to The Shala and to the people like me who were spending their time there, searching and finding peace in their lives. Within a matter of a few months, those negative people, whom I was hoping to cut ties, just moved away. This just wasn’t one person, but several people, who just decided to change their lives, far away from mine. So, without any hurt feelings or arguments, the negative people left and I was surrounded by positive people, wanting a better life, physically, spiritually and mentally. That is what The Shala helped me to be a part of.

When you enter The Shala, on a busy day or night or even on a slow one, a sense of relief comes over you and you know at that moment, everything is going to be alright. You just roll out your mat and see what happens, letting the world outside exist for a short while without you. During your practice you may laugh, you may cry, or you may be just going through the motions. Either way, it is always something that you are glad that you did for yourself and grateful that you have a place to do it.

Not everyone understands the emotional attachment we feel to The Shala. To many of us, it’s more than a yoga studio. It’s a place to see your friends regularly, it’s a place to find healing, it’s a place to feel safe, and a place to grow and change, no matter how difficult it may seem that day.

So today, I am grateful to have a place where I can grow and change. I am grateful to have a place where I can see my friends. I am grateful to be able to share what I know about Ashtanga yoga with anyone who comes in and wants to learn about it. But most of all I am grateful for Krista, who followed her dreams to make The Shala possible for anyone who wants to participate in this amazing community of people who make it such a wonderful place to be.

- Maureen Hanusek

Director of Evening Mysore Program at The Yoga Shala

Donations to Silent Auction

I often get contacted by various non-profit organizations asking for donations of any kind to their silent auctions in an attempt to raise money for their cause. I am always more than happy to donate a few month memberships and sometimes a private lesson or two. I recently sent in four month memberships for a local non-profit to auction off to raise funds for their cause and this is the email response she sent to me once they received my package:

I'm not sure if I let you know that your very generous gift was received by us - thank you so much!

It has been interesting for me the journey of asking and the giving that has been offered. The larger corporations seem to not have money, nor can they spare a gift card, but it is the independent business owners like you who have enabled us to have something really fabulous to offer! Thank you so much once more.

I wander why this is the case? Can anyone out there give some input here? Is it because alot of people have to approve such donations and it is too time consuming for these companies? Any ideas? I'd really love to know why this happens so often. This particular non-profit is not the first to tell me they have very little luck getting any kind of donation from larger companies.

Facing Your Fears, and Letting Go

Facing Your Fears, and Letting Go

There are some days when I get up, drag myself to the mat and dread every second of it. There are days when I leap out of bed and float to my mat and want it to go on for hours. But it’s those days when I really don’t want to practice when I need to do it the most.

There are many reasons we don’t want to practice, we are tired, stressed out, feeling ill or just being lazy. But there are other reasons, and it may be that we don’t want to face our fears. Facing our fears is probably the best reason to do your yoga practice, but is for sure the hardest.

The fears that we may have can range from not wanting to push outside our comfort zone, to not wanting to face our true self, to feeling inadequate, to having to let go of what you thought you were.

The fear of dealing with the physical discomfort is a natural human behavior, so the lesson in this is easy. We must work through the discomfort to move forward. If we always did things that made us feel comfortable in life, we would probably not have many life experiences or feel very successful. On the other hand, if the lesson to learn is easy, making it happen is the actual challenge.

Attachment to fear may be one of the factors that are preventing us from moving forward. Think about it, we have lived so long with this idea of who we are, that we have this fear, so much so that we have no idea how to let it go. It’s ingrained in our being and letting it go could leave an empty space in our lives.

The other day, while watching others do their practice, I felt a sense of loss to the person I once was. It was a feeling I had never had before. I knew that I had changed, that I had become more dedicated to my yoga practice and have changed my lifestyle, but what I hadn’t realized until that moment, was that I was no longer the person I thought I was.

Over the past few years, I have given up habits and behaviors that would not be conducive to a yogic lifestyle. While giving up those things was not difficult, realizing who I have committed myself to becoming shocked me in a way that was never even conceivable until now. What came to light, at that moment was a sense of loss. I was attached to who I had been for so many years and had a fear of embracing who I had become, of whom I have wanted to become and of whom I would like to evolve into. Fear overtook my entire being at that moment and I just wanted time to stop so I could put the brakes on for a moment to analyze the situation.

Since that moment, I have been mourning the loss of my former self. A flood of emotions overwhelm me on and off the mat, and the physical discomfort of daily practice feels more like agony. The more I try to hold on, the more painful the process becomes. So the lesson is easy, “let go”. But the action of doing so is very difficult.

Non-attachment is part of the practice of Ashtanga Yoga. I believe it is one of the most difficult practices, for sometimes we don’t even realize what our attachments are. I for one had no idea that I was attached to my former self. Now that I know, the process of letting go can begin. I know that when I am ready to embrace my “new” self, I will eagerly float to my mat knowing I have overcome yet another obstacle in this day to day operation we call life. I will have pushed myself out of my comfort zone and will feel really successful. Until then, I must experience and enjoy the journey ahead. Ready or not, here I come.

Maureen Hanusek

Come Celebrate our 2 year anniversary with us at The Yoga Shala in Winter Park!

Please Be Sure to RSVP by emailing Shanna@theyogashala.org to reserve your spot for the led Primary Series class with Krista 9:30-11:15am and also let us know what you would like to bring to the potluck lunch!