News from the Centre – June 2015

Hello everyone,

As I write this it’s almost June, but feels like July. Perhaps it will already have changed by the time this is posted, but right now it’s summer.

Dharma Sara Satsang Society’s AGM took place earlier in May, with reports from all departments and an election of officers. Divakar, after serving for many years as DS president, has retired. Fortunately for us, he will continue his involvement as a consultant and as a teacher. We have huge gratitude for all he’s given for so many years. The newly elected board includes Teresa Lakshmi McPhee as president, Pamela Chandra Rose as treasurer, Glenda Saraswati Garcia, Mark Om Prakash Classen and Amy Cousins.

Program season at the Centre is well underway. The Centre looks beautiful inside and out, thanks to the hard work of the folks in housekeeping, landscape and grounds and maintenance. The kitchen continues to provide top-notch vegetarian food, with more and more of it coming from the garden as the season progresses.

A new group of karma yogis will have arrived for this year’s Yoga Service and Study Immersion program by the time you read this. This program provides a wonderful opportunity for complete immersion in a yogic lifestyle, with classes, structured practice time, sharing work, forming community. We’re happy to welcome the new group.

In another month, Yoga Teacher Training will begin. At this writing there are still some spaces available, so if you’ve been thinking about it, now would be a good time. If you know someone who would be a good candidate, please direct them to the Centre’s website for complete information. There are so many teacher training programs around, with almost as many yoga studios as coffee shops in the city, but none like the Salt Spring Centre’s YTT: a residential program on beautiful Salt Spring Island, an outstanding 20-person faculty, all with years of experience living and teaching the ancient wisdom of classical yoga. Add to that the fabulous vegetarian food and a warm and welcoming community immersed in the teachings of yoga and you have a recipe for a wonderful learning experience.

I’d like to point out, as well, a couple of YTT programs that are being offered in the fall for yoga teachers who have completed a 200 hour teacher training: Prenatal Yoga with Kashi Richardson, on September 18-21, and Yoga for Cancer with Chetna Tracy Boyd on October 2-4. Both these programs are approved for continuing education credits toward Mount Madonna Center’s YTT 500 hour teacher training. Please check the Upcoming programs on the Centre’s website.

At the Salt Spring Centre School, the year is winding down. Recently the children in the school performed “Splash!” The theme of the teaching year was water, so this play was a perfect – and delightful – choice.

In this Month’s Newsletter

Kenzie, a yoga teacher with a big heart and a love of poetry brings us “A book I wish were found at the library”. This month she shares her love of poetry in general and in particular the poems of Hafiz, found in a lovely book called “The Gift”, poems by Hafiz translated by Daniel Ladinsky. Kenzie has found a perfect way to incorporate these poems into her classes. Even if poetry is not something you’re usually drawn to, I suggest you check this out; it may shift your perspective.

Pratibha, our satsang sister from California, brings us another gem in her “Ayurveda, Yoga and You” series, this one called “Saving our Skin!” It arrives at the perfect time for the warm (sometimes hot) days of summer. We all know about using sunscreen, but Ayurveda looks at skin care, both external and internal, in a more thorough way. As always, Pratibha shares easy, practical tips to keep us glowing.

Another dear satsang sister, Sudha, has contributed one of her lovely haikus for this newsletter:

Dwelling in the past
Leads to regret.
Staying in the present
brings Peace.

So often we get inspired to follow our spiritual path, but have a hard time staying on track once we’re back home in what tends to be called ‘the real world’. You might find it helpful to read “Yoga and Living in the World,” with reminders of some simple ways we can reconnect with our practice, our well-being and our hearts.

With wishes for peace to all,
Love,
Sharada