12/21/12

Winter Solstice

Kundalini Yoga, Gong and Meditation with Satwinder Sran

Kirtan with Tara Woltjen

Friday, December 21 6:00 to 9:00 pm

At Yoga Within: 9014 - 75 Street Edmonton

(780) 450-9642(YOGA)

Come celebrate the time when darkness rules!

This is the time of year the ancients considered the ‘Gateway to God.' The gods of the ancient Babylonians, Egyptians and Greeks were all born at this, the darkest time of the year, to bring light.

In this transition, expand beyond your imaginings to illuminate the Divine Light within!

Embrace this moment in the quiet cycle of life—Winter Solstice—to deepen your intentions.

Ask yourself:
What do I want to leave behind in 2012?
What do I want to bring forward for my Self in 2013?
What do I want to bring forward for the world in 2013?

          Cost $25 before Dec 21^st and $35 at door

The Gita, Courage and the Unknown

Yogini Maheshwari

Thank you to all of the Yoga teacher trainees at Yoga Within and Breathe Yoga Studio for your enthusiasm and contributions as we studied the Bhagavad Gita!

It seems to me, that in a sense, we could all relate to Arjuna as we reflected on our own inner battles and concerns about the "Unknown".

I told you about my dear Teacher, Swami Swaroopananda, and then lo and behold, this video in the latest Sivananda Bahamas newsletter. 

I just had to share it with you! 

Thanks and blessings to you all!  I look forward to seeing you again next time!

Prayers for Ravi Shankar

I offer my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Sitar legend Ravi Shankar,who left his body yesterday at the age of 92.

Ravi Shankar has been a immeasurable influence on Indian music and is credited with bringing Indian music to the west.

Well known for teaching Beatle George Harrison to play Sitar, he is also the father of a new Sitar Virtuoso, Anoushka Shankar and Jazz Siren Norah Jones.

I have been loving and listening to his music for nearly twenty years and wish his family and fans fond memories and a continued relationship with him through his musical legacy.

Ravi, of Noble Birth, may you travel swiftly through the transitory states of existence to a harmonious rebirth or to the heavenly realms where the Gandharvas will surely welcome you with open arms and open hearts!

Click here to watch Ravi and Anoushka Shankar on YouTube.

Just Christmas: Kalyana Helps Nuns in Nepal

Kalyana is pleased to be part of  'Just Christmas' this year!  Remember when Christmas was about thoughtful giving?  Just Christmas offers the opportunity to give gifts  that help make the world a better place.  Just Christmas is Edmonton's largest Alternative Global Market Place  for quality arts, handmade crafts and other goods. When you purchase  a gift from the non-profit and charitable organizations in this market,  the money you spend goes towards the building of healthy communities around the world.  Located at: Alberta Avenue Community Hall 9210-118 Avenue Friday November 23,  5:30pm - 9:00pm Saturday November 24, 9:30am - 4:00pm Proceeds from Kalyana's sales at Just Christmas will support Tibetan Buddhist Nuns at  Keydong Thuk-che Choling Nunnery in Kathmandu, Nepal.  The living situation is in Nepal is very difficult. Power is only available 8-10 hours per day.  No power also means no water because the pumps to fill the water storage tanks are electric.  There is no such thing as turning on a tap in Nepal and expecting water to flow.  Hot water is never available due to the lack of power for heating.  Cold water is only available if you have the ability to store water. To address the water & power shortages the nunnery has purchased a generator with the support of donors but do not have enough to supply the whole nunnery.  Also, even though they have a generator, due to ongoing fuel shortages they can only buy 1 litre of fuel per day and the generator burns 5 litres per hour.  So it is guaranteed that each night the nuns end up studying by flashlight for many hours and may not have the water to brush their teeth or wash up before going to bed.  They do have 5 rooftop water storage tanks but without the fuel to run the generator there is no way to fill them if they run dry during a power rationing time. The cost of most goods has doubled since last year as fuel costs have nearly tripled in the last 2 years.  Nepal has no internal resources for power and gas and must rely on either India or China to supply both.  Because of the unstable government, Nepal is falling behind on paying for their supplies so neither India nor China will provide a predictable supply of gas.  As a result, fuel is being rationed and prices have dramatically increased.  Because there is no fuel to run generators, many basic services - banking, tailoring, phones, etc - also are unpredictable.  Those services that do run charge a premium price because of the price of fuel needed to keep the power supply going. The Nepalese people are suffering so much right now.  General strikes over the price of fuel, the government, lack of services, and more happen regularly.  As long as the government instability continues there is no end in sight to these issues.  Tourism is down significantly and this was the primary source of income for Nepal. Your support can make a visible difference in the quality of life of these wonderful nuns. You may also consider the opportunity to sponsor one of the nuns at Keydong Thuk-che Choling Nunnery! Sponsorship forms will be available at Just Christmas. Free parking Admission by donation Food and entertainment For more information visit: justchristmas.org Elke Kriegel, KALYANA kalyana.imports@gmail.com (780)761-2220 Eastern Treasures, beautifully created, fairly traded.... Bringing a little bit of Asia to your home! Contact me to enquire about  unique home party opportunities.

Sattvic Movie Saturday: Midnight's Children

Well, it's been a while since I posted a movie for Sattvic Movie Saturday, hasn't it!

This weekend, rather than post one for you to watch at home, I encourage you to head out to your local theatre and see Midnight's Children.

Its a beautiful collaboration between author Salman Rushdie and Indo-Canadian film director, Deepa Mehta!

Special thanks to Hilary from Mongrel Media for the guest passes to the promotional screening last night!  It was wonderful!

 Click here to watch the official trailer on YouTube.