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WHAT'S NEW WITH RAW SHAKTI Brochures - Raw Shakti Retreats - Online Lifestyle Coaching - Namua Island Weekend Retreat

EXPANDING THE PRACTICE Yoga Tip - Highlighted Asana - Hana's Cooking Corner - Highlighted Chant

Here I sit beneath a multicolored umbrella during one of our yoga tours in Samoa. In addition to meditation, yoga, and pranayama in the mornings, during the retreat, we get out and see Samoa and all that it has to offer. In this case, I am being paddled around the blue lagoon of Safune in Savai'i, the town where my husband Kevin lived for two years. I am in a traditional dug-out outrigger canoe enjoying the exotic coral below. I hope to share this with all the people who come to Samoa and enjoy a Raw Shakti Yoga Adventure.

The outrigger canoe is a great metaphor for balance. The canoe is sleek and cuts through the water with ease. But it is the outrigger, that keeps the balance and allows us not to tip over! The outrigger adjusts itself perfectly so you do not spill over. If you lean a little too much to the left the outrigger boon comes out of the water and the force of gravity pulls it back down so that you don't tip over to the left. If you tip to the right, the outrigger boon submerges and the force of buoyancy pushes it back up back to center. This system works beautifully, but the first few times you might find your self submerged because you are too unbalanced. Much like yoga, at first you may find yourself not balanced when trying a new pose or even when working harder into a pose you already know, but with practice we are able to adjust ourselves more subtly. The subtleness is where we can enhance our practice so that we can glide into our postures like the outrigger across the lagoon.

I first met Taialofa and Kevin in India in October 2003, while on a solo trip around the world. We met through our love of Yoga at the Sivananda yoga Ashram in Kerala.

Having kept in close contact with Taialofa, I was regularly informed of their advancement to Samoa taking Yoga with them and exciting plans of 'Retreats' and 'Life Coaching' courses. I was both eager and excited to visit them both one day, in their new Homeland. To do more Yoga, continue my own healthy eating, and generally pick up the lovely and I guess unexpectedly deep rooted friendship I had developed with Taialofa, sounded a dream.

In truth, I thought it would be quite a while before I could justify spending more time and money, so soon,on travel...but then the unexpected happened, my Mother died very suddenly and, along with plunging me into the deepest, darkest place imaginable, it also made me realize that if I couldn't treat myself to a trip away; to aid my self-repair,emotionally, physically and of course Spiritually then when could I? So, on July 25th 2005 off I flew to Samoa....

There are a great many memories of my time with Taialofa in Samoa that I will cherish for a life time, but, I guess the fundamentals were laid out in practice at Falealupo,Savai'i. This breathtaking place is, geographically the furthest Western point on earth and so it is where the sun sets last. It is also a highly spiritual place, believed by the Samoan people, to be where the souls both enter and exit this world.

So, what better place to go and verbalize one's life intentions? Prior to the act itself, we picked THE most beautiful shells from the beach; the sort I have never seen in their natural surroundings, but only polished and poised on gift shop shelves.We selected from our hoard one shell to cast into the sea after our intentions were sown like the proverbial 'acorn'.

I have to be honest, being in many respects, a very modest person, the thought of verbalizing my intentions in front of someone else (even

though the person was Taialofa and that we had discussed them at length before our arrival....and heck, it was her who helped me realize most of them), I still, at first found it very difficult to affirm out loud with confidence and genuine belief my Intentions....but I did it and it felt absolutely wonderful.

I find it so very sad, that in a time when we should all be happy to speak openly and confidently of our successes many of us, myself included, feel much more comfortable talking of our shortfalls.

I reawakened many positive traits while in Samoa, under Taialofa's watchful eye, but in all honesty, I am still finding it difficult to maintain them all now I am back home, but slowly, slowly, one by one I aim to have them creep back in and make my life the best that it can possibly be......not only for me but also for my Mum.

I thank Taialofa, for not only the experience and her overall Mentor like guidance but also for her continued support and for being my own personal 'Cheerleader's long after my departure of the stunning tropical Islands that are Samoa...

Today was much like other days except that our journey was to visit a living prophet. The Prophet Hinckley, 95 years old, of the Church of Ladder Day Saints was here in Samoa to dedicate their new Mormon Temple. We began the journey by walking down the hill past an open air art centre. Two of our friends were there and we talked for a few minutes. We told them that we were on our way to see a prophet. After a minute of explanation, we continued on, and next we passed the Bahai'i temple (one of only 7 in the world). The architecturally stunning 9-sided temple represents the various religions of the world. We continued on to our friend's house, who would be driving us to this event.

We arrived about 45 minutes early and most of the park was filled with people. We were lucky enough to get four chairs no further than 50 feet from Prophet Hinckley. As we waited we talked about the hot tropical sun and our multicolored umbrella (protecting us from the sun) and the metaphors of the sun and the umbrella. His message focused on the youth and told them to live out their dreams not their nightmares. He was funny and inspiring and at age 95 we looked to him for wisdom on growing old gracefully. He appeared vital and full of life force. After about 20 minutes, he wrapped up his talk. We spent the day in sat-sanga, first with our friends at the Art Center, then with our friends who brought us to the event, and finally with the thousands of people who came to the talk given by Prophet Hinckley. It was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon, satsanga in Samoa.

Raw Shakti Yoga Retreats Come to Samoa for rejuvenating yoga experience! There are now direct flights once a week from Los Angeles to Apia, Samoa. Taialofa and Kevin will guide you on your own personal or group yoga retreat! They are organizing personalized trips for singles, couples and groups into the heart of Samoa. On a personalized retreat,you will do yoga and meditation beside the turquoise lagoons and sparkling waterfalls. You will have plenty of time to enjoy contemplative seaside relaxation as well. You can choose to include in your personal journey;healthy cooking lessons that suit your tastes, private sessions that include techniques to relax into your own true joy right now! If you have 2 weeks this year, refresh your spirit with yoga and on your retreat you will experience the traditional living culture of Samoa. Inquire for pricing and available weeks in 2005/6 at yoga@taialofa.com

Online Coaching Yoga lifestyle coaching encourages you to get motivated to do your yoga! Taialofa inspires and gives expert guidance in establishing a yoga routine that suits your lifestyle. Sometimes we just need a person in our lives to help us become inspired to actually do our practice! E-mail her today to get a coaching brochure or to start now. yoga@taialofa.com

Namua Island Weekend Retreat Come join us on for a weekend of yoga on your own private South Pacific island! We are renting out Namu'a island the weekend of September 23rd. We will be having a weekend of Yoga, Meditation, Yoga Trance Dance and fun! Enjoy island living, seaside sleeping, swimming and of course yoga!

Coconuts Beach Club, Samoa Come and enjoy this nourishing yoga retreat set beside the clear blue sea of Samoa! Take the time to explore the natural flow within yourself as a way to create optimum health in today's busy world. You will be guided in vinyasa yoga, walking meditation, trance dance, the roots of yoga, elements of a daily practice, and asanas in the sea.

Visit www.coconutsbeachclub.com to view the site of this retreat. There is wonderful lodging available at Coconuts Beach Club.

Adho Mukha Svanasana. Adho means "downward", Mukha means "face" and Svana means "dog" in the Sanskrit language. This pose massages the internal organs, tones the liver, spleen and kidneys according to Erich Schiffmann, a world renowned yoga instructor. Begin in child's pose with our arms extended straight in front of the body with your hands shoulder width apart. From here, keep your hands where they are, come up onto your hands and knees. At this point, your hands will not be under your shoulders but out in front of you a little. Check that your hands are shoulder-width apart and that the knees are hip-width apart. In this pose, take a few breathes and make sure your arms are lengthened and your shoulders do not sag down. As you exhale, turn your toes under, straighten your legs keeping your hips tilted forward and slightly internally rotate your thighs which spreads the buttocks sideways away from one another and the inner thighs move backwards. Create a straight line from your tailbone through your heals and from your tailbone through the palms of your hand. Lengthen the spine and breath. If you feel fatigued or need a rest drop the knees to the earth, take a few breathes and go for it again. Enjoy this dynamic restorative pose.

Serves 4

I got this delicious recipe idea from a farm stand worker while purchasing patty pans at the farmers market this summer. It’s more decadent than my past recipes but so worth it!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp butter or olive oil

1 chopped roma tomato

1 small onion diced

2 large carrots diced

3 cups chopped patty pan squash

½- ¾ cup half and half or light cream (local and organic highly recommended)

2 cups vegetable stock

2 cups water

1tsp sea salt

Combine butter, onion and carrot in soup pot and sauté for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add patty pans, tomato, stock and water. Bring to a boil then simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Add 1 tsp salt (more if you wish). Puree about half of the soup in a blender or food processor (puree more of less depending on your preferred soup texture). Return pureed soup to soup pan and turn off heat. Add half and half and stir until combined. Add more salt if needed.

Highlighted Chant

Jaia ganesha jaia ganesha jaia ganesha pahimum

(May all obstacles be removed from your path. Chant 3 times before your daily yoga practice to remove obstacles from your practice)

Add this 60 minute video to your yoga/exercise routine! It is an active yoga practice filmed by a beautiful lake in Surry, New Hampshire. You will be guided in meditation, asanas and relaxation. This is truly an organic video created by local people of talent. John and Roberta Barry of NH kindly filmed and edited this video. The soundtrack of soothing piano ballads are composed by Mark Polifrone of NH. The graphic art on the cover is done by the talented and professional graphic artist, Kellie Williams, also of NH. Creating this DVD was a community project! People told me I had to go to Hollywood to create videos and to pursue going global with my health mission, but my heart told me I could start out right where I was raised in NH and do the same! So here it is, my first yoga video, and I am hopeful it will be one of many. My next one will be Yoga in Samoa. The DVD price has been reduced from $30 to $20! Buy today and you will help with the Raw Shakti mission of creating health on earth by helping yourself to become more healthy. Available on DVD, VHS, and PAL. Visit www.taialofa.com to order now.

In future issues of this newsletter we will be highlighting Soho, Scott & Mary, Ahmad and others who are contributing to the Raw Shakti vision! Thanks to all of you! If you would like to see our past newsletter just ask and we will send you one.

Please feel welcome and invited to FORWARD this newsletter to all whom you think might enjoy this journey toward health and peace! We kindly appreciate your sending this newsletter to others! Thank you so much for reading!