New Playlist - Upbeat, slightly edgy vinyasa mix
This new 75 minute mix includes a variety of music styles, traditional yoga music, electronic, folk, and electronic. Check it out and see what you think. It's probably most fitting for a power or fast moving flow class. New Florian Yoga Playlist And as always, you can pick and choose the songs you want to download.
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Altruism On-Line
I have no idea how I found this website, but it is too precious to keep to myself. On flowers2mail.com, you design a bouquet of flowers (online) and send them to someone via email. I know it sounds corny, but so what, it made me smile and maybe it will make you and whomever you send them to smile too.The best part is on the info page of flowers2mail.com where it says:
This site is built just for fun and has no commercial goals.
What could be more yoga?
Enjoy as a prelude to spring!!
Introducing Florian Yoga Playlists
I'm a yoga music junkie! People who attend my classes often ask about the music I play - and I finally figured out an easy way to share my play lists without other people needing to use iTunes.So if you find it fun and useful, I'll continue posting my playlists here ....and I love receiving music suggestions, so please share your favorites either as a comment or by emailing me, deborah@florianvilla.com
Happy listening. FlorianYoga Playlists - Playlist #1
Home | Favorite Florian Yoga Posts | Articles that may be reprinted
More Magical Music
As a follow up to yesterday's post about creating moments of peace within our chaos - here is another short, but magic-packed piece of music from one of my favorite CD's, Grace
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I'm not a big concert goer; in fact I've only been to three concerts in my life - The Rolling Stones at Foxboro Stadium in 1990, Bruce Springsteen at the Fleet Center in 2003 and Celebrate Peace (Snatam Kaur and Guru Ganesh)at a Unitarian Church in Franklin, MA in 2006. Snatum's kirtan blew the Stones and Springsteen away!
Long Time Sun - From "Path of Peace" from Ditta Khalsa on Vimeo.
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.I'm not a big concert goer; in fact I've only been to three concerts in my life - The Rolling Stones at Foxboro Stadium in 1990, Bruce Springsteen at the Fleet Center in 2003 and Celebrate Peace (Snatam Kaur and Guru Ganesh)at a Unitarian Church in Franklin, MA in 2006. Snatum's kirtan blew the Stones and Springsteen away!
Long Time Sun - From "Path of Peace" from Ditta Khalsa on Vimeo.
Peace, On-Hold?
It's easy to neglect our self-care when we deviate from our regular routine. For instance, if we're on vacation, traveling for work, or even wrapped up in a busy project; we often rationalize abandoning the practices that serve us best.
Right now is not "pre-life" or an "intermission from life".
Today IS your life, so treat it that way by caring for yourself, even if it's just for a few minutes.
Can't think of a way to care for yourself at this moment? Click below and listen with your eyes closed (or while checking email, if you must)...truly an adult lullaby. One of my favorite mantras, sung by Deva Premal.
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How often do we tell ourselves..."when this wave of craziness passes, I'll get back to my daily rituals and start taking better care of myself"?Even in the midst of seemingly unending chaos, we are still living the one life we were given.
Right now is not "pre-life" or an "intermission from life".
Today IS your life, so treat it that way by caring for yourself, even if it's just for a few minutes.
Can't think of a way to care for yourself at this moment? Click below and listen with your eyes closed (or while checking email, if you must)...truly an adult lullaby. One of my favorite mantras, sung by Deva Premal.
It's So Not About The Mat
If there is a remedy when trouble strikes, what reason is there for despondency? And if there is no help for it, what use is there then in being emotionally undertaken?- Joel's Facebook Profile Quote (Joel is one of six disabled troops on retreat with us this week on St. John)
Scott and I are hosting six Men on retreat at Florian Villa this week. Their official reason for being here is to complete their SCUBA certification by making open water dives under the supervision of dive masters. But I am so moved by each of their smiles, courage and resilience that I can't help but wonder if the universe brought them to Florian to remind me of my personal Truths. During my moments of self pity or self involvement, I tend to question my Truths, but at this moment, I feel all my Truths:
Introducing anyone to yoga is an honor and a responsibility. Introducing this Man was a blessing for me, and the experience brought me back to my Truths.
This Man moved his spine, ever-so-gently in easy twisting movements; he bent and straightened his partially paralyzed legs in the air, moving with his breath; he practiced sphinx; and he took a long savasana with a lavender eye pillow. His body and his mind went places and came back to places they'd never been or hadn't been for a while.
It so didn't matter what brand of mat he was lying on, what "type" of yoga we "did", or whether he was wearing the latest men's shorts style for practicing yoga in the Caribbean. In fact, it didn't matter that the weather was 78 and sunny and that there was a beautiful view of St. Thomas and the water.
What did matter was that this Man, who served our country for 13 years in the Army and now will be discharged for medical reasons, opened his mind to yoga....and his body and his mind (he told me) felt good....for just a few moments today.
The 5 amazing Men in the picture are our guests at Florian this week (Joe, Joel, Shane, Gilberto, and George. Greg is not in the picture). Each served in the US Military, most recently in the Middle East and was wounded in combat. Most of them are missing limbs, but they are whole in my eyes, perhaps more so than many people I know with unscathed bodies. Each has a spirit as large as the universe and ferocious determination to heal.
I am grateful to know each of these Men and for the yoga practice they have given me this week.
Namaste, gentlemen.
I introduced one of the Men to yoga today. After breaking his back in 5 places parachuting out of a plane, he was told 3 months ago that he had a 30% chance of ever walking again. Today he walks with just the assistance of a cane.
- Our bodies and souls can overcome nearly any trauma.
- Events and circumstances change our path but not our souls.
- No one is immune from extreme positive or negative events.
- All we have is this moment.
- The only constant is change.
- There are better and worse days ahead.
- Perspective is a useful state of mind.
Introducing anyone to yoga is an honor and a responsibility. Introducing this Man was a blessing for me, and the experience brought me back to my Truths.
This Man moved his spine, ever-so-gently in easy twisting movements; he bent and straightened his partially paralyzed legs in the air, moving with his breath; he practiced sphinx; and he took a long savasana with a lavender eye pillow. His body and his mind went places and came back to places they'd never been or hadn't been for a while.
It so didn't matter what brand of mat he was lying on, what "type" of yoga we "did", or whether he was wearing the latest men's shorts style for practicing yoga in the Caribbean. In fact, it didn't matter that the weather was 78 and sunny and that there was a beautiful view of St. Thomas and the water.
What did matter was that this Man, who served our country for 13 years in the Army and now will be discharged for medical reasons, opened his mind to yoga....and his body and his mind (he told me) felt good....for just a few moments today.
The 5 amazing Men in the picture are our guests at Florian this week (Joe, Joel, Shane, Gilberto, and George. Greg is not in the picture). Each served in the US Military, most recently in the Middle East and was wounded in combat. Most of them are missing limbs, but they are whole in my eyes, perhaps more so than many people I know with unscathed bodies. Each has a spirit as large as the universe and ferocious determination to heal.
I am grateful to know each of these Men and for the yoga practice they have given me this week.
Namaste, gentlemen.
