All classes are from 6-7:15pm at the El Portal School. Appropriate for all levels of yoga experience. Donation-based classes benefit the Balanced Rock scholarship fund and training for our yoga teachers.
Monday, March 5: Teaching holiday, no class
Wednesday, March 7: 6:00-8:00 pm: Shannon Soldano, Guest Teacher
Special Event: Spring Streaming, Getting in the Flow with Yoga and Food
RSVP appreciated to jp@blueoakom.com for advance food preparation. Sugg donation $15
Monday, March 12: Teaching holiday, no class
Wednesday, March 14: Jon-Paul Salonen
Monday, March 19: Eliza Kerr
Wednesday, March 21: Cintia Ramaciotti
Monday, March 26: Kate McHugh
Wednesday, March 28: Arin Trook
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Special Yoga Event at Yosemite Community Yoga!
Spring Streaming:
Getting in the Flow with Yoga and Foods
with Shannon Sodano, Special Guest Teacher at El Portal Community Yoga
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
6pm – 8pm
El Portal Elementary Multipurpose Room
RSVP not required, but appreciated for food preparation.
RSVP to jp@blueoakom.com
This all-levels yoga class will be followed by a discussion on cleansing with food and simple exercises. During the discussion a hearty soup will be offered to participants—yummy food that is as easy and good for the busy householder as the endurance athlete.
Suggested donation: $15/person.
Shannon comes to us from New York City where she combines the overlapping health principles of nutrition, fitness and self care. Shannon’s background as an athlete taught her what foods and training worked best for optimal performance. She also learned how taxing too much work and not enough rest could be on the body. After receiving NYU’s first All-American honors in Cross Country running, she faced an injury that stopped her in her tracks. She explored solutions from western doctors, alternative medicine and the healing and strengthening effects of yoga. Her insight can help enhance your performance, reduce your risk of injury, and help you make the most of the coming Sierra Summer!
Shannon has a degree in Nutrition from New York University and is an affiliate of Exuberant Animal. She is YogaFit certified and is in process of completing her 200-hour Balanced Rock Yoga Alliance-certified Wild Yoga Teacher Training credential.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Patanjali's Yoga Sutras As A Treasure Map, by Ben Lehman
This blog is written by Ben Lehman, participant in Balanced Rock's 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training.
We experience the world though the filter of our own perceptions, and as a participant in the WildYoga training I am no exception. As someone enamored with exploring new territories and endlessly curious about what may lie around the proverbial river bend, introduction to the Yoga Sutras struck me as an adventure involving texts as ancient, mysterious, and influential as anything Indiana Jones would have braved a pit of snakes to uncover. Approaching my world as if on a perpetual adventure gave these succinct but meaning-rich verses an air of exotic excitement and as each syllable of Sanskrit resonated from my lips –samskara, purusha, citta, Samadhi, samyama, santosa- the sense of going on a treasure hunt steadily built.
“If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite.” – William Blake
Patanjali (and the unnamed Yogis, yogic scholars, and practitioners who came before him) may have felt, as I can imagine, that nothing could be a greater joy/gift/state of existence than to perceive or somehow gain awareness of everything, or as Alan Watts puts it, the whole blinkin’ cosmos. The shrewd yogic understanding is that each of us, underneath our superficial physical and mental layers, actually consist of or are in a sense apertures through which the entire cosmos views itself. From this philosophical point of view, yoga represents a means by which people can “cleanse the doors of perception,” or in other words “clean out the static from the attic” and come closer to perceiving things are they really are/reality as it really is... thus achieving the greatest treasure available to consciousness (as opposed to a treasure available merely to one’s physical existence/body, since the understanding is that our physical manifestation is simply a crude shell of matter and insignificant in comparison with our true self as part of universal consciousness, purusha. The sutras are Patanjali’s written distillation of a great oral tradition that outlines both the basic philosophy of the functioning of the mind as well as the disciplines and the practices which can result in control of the mind and subsequently awareness of the true self, ultimate bliss/peace/oneness with the universe. So, if we imagine the tenets of philosophical belief as landmarks in a mental geography and the attendant practices and disciplines as a sort of dotted line along which those seeking the ultimate treasure may proceed towards enlightening self-knowledge, we arrive at an image not unlike a treasure map. For each yogi(ni) the “X” may be found at a different spot depending on his/her beginning point and the degree to which the practices, disciplines, and underlying philosophies are adhered to in each individual’s life.
Although the author has done a great service in presenting so much material in so short a document, the real work is that of the yogis who encounter its teachings. As a mapmaker of old may have put countless hours into the craft, placing each town and trade route and dangerous region down accurately on the parchment, the real work remains to be done by those who seek the treasure.
I feel grateful and privileged to be on that path.
We experience the world though the filter of our own perceptions, and as a participant in the WildYoga training I am no exception. As someone enamored with exploring new territories and endlessly curious about what may lie around the proverbial river bend, introduction to the Yoga Sutras struck me as an adventure involving texts as ancient, mysterious, and influential as anything Indiana Jones would have braved a pit of snakes to uncover. Approaching my world as if on a perpetual adventure gave these succinct but meaning-rich verses an air of exotic excitement and as each syllable of Sanskrit resonated from my lips –samskara, purusha, citta, Samadhi, samyama, santosa- the sense of going on a treasure hunt steadily built.
“If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite.” – William Blake
Patanjali (and the unnamed Yogis, yogic scholars, and practitioners who came before him) may have felt, as I can imagine, that nothing could be a greater joy/gift/state of existence than to perceive or somehow gain awareness of everything, or as Alan Watts puts it, the whole blinkin’ cosmos. The shrewd yogic understanding is that each of us, underneath our superficial physical and mental layers, actually consist of or are in a sense apertures through which the entire cosmos views itself. From this philosophical point of view, yoga represents a means by which people can “cleanse the doors of perception,” or in other words “clean out the static from the attic” and come closer to perceiving things are they really are/reality as it really is... thus achieving the greatest treasure available to consciousness (as opposed to a treasure available merely to one’s physical existence/body, since the understanding is that our physical manifestation is simply a crude shell of matter and insignificant in comparison with our true self as part of universal consciousness, purusha. The sutras are Patanjali’s written distillation of a great oral tradition that outlines both the basic philosophy of the functioning of the mind as well as the disciplines and the practices which can result in control of the mind and subsequently awareness of the true self, ultimate bliss/peace/oneness with the universe. So, if we imagine the tenets of philosophical belief as landmarks in a mental geography and the attendant practices and disciplines as a sort of dotted line along which those seeking the ultimate treasure may proceed towards enlightening self-knowledge, we arrive at an image not unlike a treasure map. For each yogi(ni) the “X” may be found at a different spot depending on his/her beginning point and the degree to which the practices, disciplines, and underlying philosophies are adhered to in each individual’s life.
Although the author has done a great service in presenting so much material in so short a document, the real work is that of the yogis who encounter its teachings. As a mapmaker of old may have put countless hours into the craft, placing each town and trade route and dangerous region down accurately on the parchment, the real work remains to be done by those who seek the treasure.
I feel grateful and privileged to be on that path.
Why I Want To Teach Yoga, by Ben Lehman
This post is from Ben Lehman, a participant in Balanced Rock’s 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training.
An adult black bear ambles among the waving grasses of a meadow, followed closely by two little brown cubs. All three are covered in thick fur that glows golden in the sunlight bathing the meadow. The mother bear approaches a fallen snag near a shallow pond with hungry interest. The log, devoid of bark and whitish from years of sun and snow, hides insects and other life– nourishment for a mother and her little ones. Moments later her huge paws are clawing into the brittle dead wood, shoveling aside decomposing bits, her wet nose sniffing into new passages, locating the treats she came for. The cubs observe, play, and tumble about their mother, content in the moment with all they need. They sniff, nibble, claw, sniff, nibble, and eventually move on. They are one with their environment, free from interpretation or discontent.
The vignette above is a scene I witnessed earlier this year and it’s one that brought me great peace and joy, for it represents a balance and a harmony that I feel the majority of people living in the world have difficulty relating to. In the scene, all is in its proper place. The sun shines down warm from above while water wets the roots and gives life to the grasses and for a time, the tree. The energy of the plants -both living and dead- moves up into the bodies of the insects, worms, rodents, etc. This energy in turn becomes the bodies of the bears and other complex creatures, man included. All is encompassed by a continuous motion of changing forms and properties of temperature, texture, color, and direction. To view the world this way is to view ourselves more clearly for what we are: Not separate entities subject to success and failure, happiness and sorrow at the whims of our external circumstances – but temporary manifestations of a much larger, grander phenomenon in which each specific part is most certainly “hitched to everything else in the universe,” as John Muir famously wrote. Yoga’s ultimate goal, as I have learned to understand it, is nothing less than self-realization i.e. the realization and recognition of our true nature. That is to say the practice of yoga can bring us closer to knowing ourselves as conscious facets of the whole entire cosmos. With this enlightened understanding the weight of everyday troubles seems trifling and we abide in the peace of our glorious existence. Though discomfort is an unavoidable part of our physical existence, we need not always suffer as a result, and yoga aids greatly in developing the equanimity to deal with setbacks and challenges physical and otherwise. The individual mind’s quest for control and answers to its questions is quieted and we can simply BE…like the bears in the story.
I desire to teach yoga because the practice yields so many benefits often lacking in the modern way of life: Peace of mind, fitness and flexibility of the physical body, discipline and control of thought processes and attention, and self-knowledge. To help guide others down a path to such noble world-improving qualities is a privilege I hope to share.
An adult black bear ambles among the waving grasses of a meadow, followed closely by two little brown cubs. All three are covered in thick fur that glows golden in the sunlight bathing the meadow. The mother bear approaches a fallen snag near a shallow pond with hungry interest. The log, devoid of bark and whitish from years of sun and snow, hides insects and other life– nourishment for a mother and her little ones. Moments later her huge paws are clawing into the brittle dead wood, shoveling aside decomposing bits, her wet nose sniffing into new passages, locating the treats she came for. The cubs observe, play, and tumble about their mother, content in the moment with all they need. They sniff, nibble, claw, sniff, nibble, and eventually move on. They are one with their environment, free from interpretation or discontent.
The vignette above is a scene I witnessed earlier this year and it’s one that brought me great peace and joy, for it represents a balance and a harmony that I feel the majority of people living in the world have difficulty relating to. In the scene, all is in its proper place. The sun shines down warm from above while water wets the roots and gives life to the grasses and for a time, the tree. The energy of the plants -both living and dead- moves up into the bodies of the insects, worms, rodents, etc. This energy in turn becomes the bodies of the bears and other complex creatures, man included. All is encompassed by a continuous motion of changing forms and properties of temperature, texture, color, and direction. To view the world this way is to view ourselves more clearly for what we are: Not separate entities subject to success and failure, happiness and sorrow at the whims of our external circumstances – but temporary manifestations of a much larger, grander phenomenon in which each specific part is most certainly “hitched to everything else in the universe,” as John Muir famously wrote. Yoga’s ultimate goal, as I have learned to understand it, is nothing less than self-realization i.e. the realization and recognition of our true nature. That is to say the practice of yoga can bring us closer to knowing ourselves as conscious facets of the whole entire cosmos. With this enlightened understanding the weight of everyday troubles seems trifling and we abide in the peace of our glorious existence. Though discomfort is an unavoidable part of our physical existence, we need not always suffer as a result, and yoga aids greatly in developing the equanimity to deal with setbacks and challenges physical and otherwise. The individual mind’s quest for control and answers to its questions is quieted and we can simply BE…like the bears in the story.
I desire to teach yoga because the practice yields so many benefits often lacking in the modern way of life: Peace of mind, fitness and flexibility of the physical body, discipline and control of thought processes and attention, and self-knowledge. To help guide others down a path to such noble world-improving qualities is a privilege I hope to share.
Knock Your Socks off at Women of Color Retreat
Annual Women of Color Backpack Trip
August 10-14, 2011
Summer 2012 dates to be announced
The 2011 participants knocked my socks off, and they went straight into the washing machine. We had one professional videographer and photographer who is also the mother of the 2 cutest twins known to man, an esteemed aerialist, a bald registered nurse on hiatus from her life in Portland, OR with her quadriplegic husband, and a tough, practical sister who has become a mother by taking charge of her two young nephews when her brother and the baby momma couldn’t do it. Plus, there were two instructors with enigmatic pasts…
The Women of Color trip for 2011 was incredibly fun and engaging. The conversations were often so compelling that I had to remind myself that we were on a backpacking trip. We often discussed how things run back in the default world, and offered reinterpretations of how things could be. I felt honored to be among these WOCs.
As usual, we all worked together to prepare the meals and perform other camp duties. What was funny was that 3 of the participants were mothers, and the fourth was self-described as having OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). So, trust me, things got done. We joked that the Balanced Rock screening process should be tighter, so that all BRF trips could run so smoothly!
Our destination was Ostrander Lake in Yosemite National Park. We spent one night in the Bridalveil Creek campground, which is near our trailhead. It was a surprise that there was a lightning-started fire nearby, which was controlled, but allowed to burn. That’s how they do things these days in YNP, after years of snuffing out all fires. It was smoky on the road, and we constantly debated the wisdom of sticking to our itinerary in the days leading up to the trip. We stuck to it, and it turned out alright. We did end up wearing bandannas like rogue desparados, but that was just for one day.
We took 2 days to get to Ostrander Lake, and found a deluxe campsite along the way to set up shop for the night. There was a lot of laughter and camaraderie along the way, and we followed the fine balance between moving juxtaposed with the need to not go too fast for any one participant.
Once the WOCs got to the lake, it was refreshing to dip in, as well as a plentiful source of water to sustain us. There is a busy campground at the lake, but we opted for a more primitive spot where we could be more secluded. We were lucky enough to encounter the Ostrander Ski Hut occupied by NPS rangers on a break. We introduced ourselves and got a tour of the facility. It is such a great place to ski to during the winter months.
There was an optional day hike to Horseman’s Ridge, overlooking Hart Lakes. On the hike, half of us took in incredible views, and figured our way off trail. We climbed in a giant crack in a huge boulder and saw a small frog, about one inch in diameter. A hummingbird flitted by Emily, who took it as an auspicious sign from a guardian friend.
There were so many shining moments. Two of my personal additions to the equipment list are something frivolous, but lightweight, and something meaningful that also weighs almost nothing. My frivolous object was biodegradable glitter, which we wore almost every day. Let me tell you, it takes a very secure woman to sport that kind of bling. On this trip, there was nothing but. Everyone had a knack for supporting each other, and for taking personal chances. In short, it was another typical Women of Color trip.
Did I mention that I’m still honored & excited to lead these trips? This was my sixth! Look for a fundraiser for this trip slated for May of 2012. We need your support to make this trip accessible to as many WOCs as possible! We are still a minority in the outdoor world, and it doesn’t help that many need to start from scratch in terms of buying the necessary personal equipment. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Balanced Rock 2012 Course Schedule
The following is a list of spring, summer and fall courses for 2012. Beginners welcome! All 2012 courses are appropriate for all levels of yoga, art, music, slackline, and outdoor experience. Space is limited. Advanced registration required and courses can fill quickly. Scholarships are available for multi-day courses.
Spring
200-hour Yoga Alliance Certified WildYoga Teacher Training
8 weekends from September 2011 through April 2012 in Yosemite National Park and the surrounding areas with WildYoga Founder Dennis Eagan E-RYT 500
April 22, 2012
Edible and Medicinal Plant Walk with Meg Keoppen & Heather Sullivan
One-day workshop. Join local herbalist Meg Keoppen for a beautiful walk in Yosemite's foothills identifying and making use of local medicinal and edible plants.
Dayhikes: April 29 and May 19, 2012
Yosemite Backpack Expedition: June 8 - 11, 2012
Yosemite Youth Expedition
Scholarship-based program for Mariposa County high-school-aged youth.
Summer
June 16, 2012
Slackline Yoga Workshop Fundraiser with YogaSlackers Ariel Mihic, Zach Plerhoples, Mara Raskin, & Liz Williams
This Balanced Rock fundraising event includes a 3-hour slackline yoga workshop, music, a delicious locally-produced dinner, and a silent auction.
July 12 - 15, 2012
Nature + Nurture: Yosemite Yoga & Wellness Trek with Brieann Powell Roberts, C.M.T., L.E., and Heather Sullivan
4-day backpack, yoga, and wellness retreat. On this course, we will focus on rejuvenating ourselves and learning self-care techniques for balanced living while exploring some of Yosemite's high alpine lakes.
August 10 - 12, 2012
Creative Awakening: Art and Hiking Retreat with Penny Otwell and Heather Sullivan
Weekend camping retreat. Be inspired and develop your creativity through watercolor instruction by acclaimed Yosemite artist Penny Otwell. Dayhikes and optional morning yoga within the breathtaking backdrop of Lundy Canyon and the Eastern Sierra Nevada.
August 15 - 19, 2012
Simply Wild: Women of Color Backpacking Retreat with Chelsea Griffie and Elizabeth Sy
5-day backpack retreat. Backpacking, outdoor yoga, and journal writing on an empowering shared adventure for women of color with Elizabeth Sy and celebrated outdoor leader Chelsea Griffie.
August 5, 2012 | 10:00 a.m. to noon
Mountain Inspiration Workshop with Heather Sullivan
Part of the Yosemite National Park Parson's Memorial Lodge Summer Series. Enjoy a morning of yoga practice and journal reflection along the banks of the Tuolumne River with Heather Sullivan, Balanced Rock co-founder, Program Director, Wilderness Guide and Yoga Instructor. Bring pen and paper. Offered by the National Park Service with support from Yosemite Conservancy —free and open to the public. Meet at Parson's Lodge in Tuolumne Meadows.
Fall
September 7 - 9, 2012
The High Sierra Retreat with Nicki Bluhm & Heather Sullivan
Weekend camping retreat. A women's weekend of dayhiking, singing, songwriting and yoga with singer-songwriter Nicki Bluhm of Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Yoga Jambalaya: Workshop at the Yosemite Bug Resort
One-day workshop. Join us for the day to experience a medley of yoga and meditation classes with a variety of fabulous instructors while rejuvenating in the Yosmite Bug Resort's full spa including hot tub and sauna. A Yosemite-area tradition!
Spring
200-hour Yoga Alliance Certified WildYoga Teacher Training
8 weekends from September 2011 through April 2012 in Yosemite National Park and the surrounding areas with WildYoga Founder Dennis Eagan E-RYT 500
April 22, 2012
Edible and Medicinal Plant Walk with Meg Keoppen & Heather Sullivan
One-day workshop. Join local herbalist Meg Keoppen for a beautiful walk in Yosemite's foothills identifying and making use of local medicinal and edible plants.
Dayhikes: April 29 and May 19, 2012
Yosemite Backpack Expedition: June 8 - 11, 2012
Yosemite Youth Expedition
Scholarship-based program for Mariposa County high-school-aged youth.
Summer
June 16, 2012
Slackline Yoga Workshop Fundraiser with YogaSlackers Ariel Mihic, Zach Plerhoples, Mara Raskin, & Liz Williams
This Balanced Rock fundraising event includes a 3-hour slackline yoga workshop, music, a delicious locally-produced dinner, and a silent auction.
July 12 - 15, 2012
Nature + Nurture: Yosemite Yoga & Wellness Trek with Brieann Powell Roberts, C.M.T., L.E., and Heather Sullivan
4-day backpack, yoga, and wellness retreat. On this course, we will focus on rejuvenating ourselves and learning self-care techniques for balanced living while exploring some of Yosemite's high alpine lakes.
August 10 - 12, 2012
Creative Awakening: Art and Hiking Retreat with Penny Otwell and Heather Sullivan
Weekend camping retreat. Be inspired and develop your creativity through watercolor instruction by acclaimed Yosemite artist Penny Otwell. Dayhikes and optional morning yoga within the breathtaking backdrop of Lundy Canyon and the Eastern Sierra Nevada.
August 15 - 19, 2012
Simply Wild: Women of Color Backpacking Retreat with Chelsea Griffie and Elizabeth Sy
5-day backpack retreat. Backpacking, outdoor yoga, and journal writing on an empowering shared adventure for women of color with Elizabeth Sy and celebrated outdoor leader Chelsea Griffie.
August 5, 2012 | 10:00 a.m. to noon
Mountain Inspiration Workshop with Heather Sullivan
Part of the Yosemite National Park Parson's Memorial Lodge Summer Series. Enjoy a morning of yoga practice and journal reflection along the banks of the Tuolumne River with Heather Sullivan, Balanced Rock co-founder, Program Director, Wilderness Guide and Yoga Instructor. Bring pen and paper. Offered by the National Park Service with support from Yosemite Conservancy —free and open to the public. Meet at Parson's Lodge in Tuolumne Meadows.
Fall
September 7 - 9, 2012
The High Sierra Retreat with Nicki Bluhm & Heather Sullivan
Weekend camping retreat. A women's weekend of dayhiking, singing, songwriting and yoga with singer-songwriter Nicki Bluhm of Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Yoga Jambalaya: Workshop at the Yosemite Bug Resort
One-day workshop. Join us for the day to experience a medley of yoga and meditation classes with a variety of fabulous instructors while rejuvenating in the Yosmite Bug Resort's full spa including hot tub and sauna. A Yosemite-area tradition!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
February Yosemite Community Yoga Schedule
All classes are from 6-7:15pm at the El Portal School. Appropriate for all levels of yoga experience. Donation-based classes benefit the Balanced Rock scholarship fund and training for our yoga teachers.
Wednesday, February 1: Heather Sullivan
Monday, February 6: Teaching holiday, no class
Wednesday, February 8: Eliza Kerr
Monday, February 13: Schuyler Greenleaf
Wednesday, February 15: Heather Sullivan
Monday, February 20: Holiday in Celebration of Washington’s Birthday, No Class
Wednesday, February 22: Jon-Paul Salonen
Monday, February 27: Teaching Holiday, No Class
Wednesday, February 29: Arin Trook
Wednesday, February 1: Heather Sullivan
Monday, February 6: Teaching holiday, no class
Wednesday, February 8: Eliza Kerr
Monday, February 13: Schuyler Greenleaf
Wednesday, February 15: Heather Sullivan
Monday, February 20: Holiday in Celebration of Washington’s Birthday, No Class
Wednesday, February 22: Jon-Paul Salonen
Monday, February 27: Teaching Holiday, No Class
Wednesday, February 29: Arin Trook
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