Yoga News

Hello vibrant Yogins!

What a beautiful Indian summer we are enjoying! I used to struggle with Fall, feeling a bit sad that it was a time of endings….summer, flowers in the garden, warm weather. Maybe it comes with age that I now view Fall as such a beautiful example of the joy of transformation. What potential lies in the earth , the world, and each of us as we see the gorgeous colors and change all around us. It is a wonderful example and reminder of the transformative powers that lie within each of us! My niece Harriet also taught me a beautiful lesson this year. In July she took me to the park and helped me find and gather monarch butterfly eggs. She helped me create a nourishing environment for them and then I witnessed the hatching and daily changes and growth of the caterpillars. They were sustained with the milkweed leaves that I gathered (or rather that Miguel gathered late one Friday night as a panicked mother could not find leaves!). After a couple weeks they climbed to the top of the container and hung upside down for a couple days, not moving, just hanging. Then they were suddenly transformed into a chrysalis, completely changed from their prior state. After many days our first monarch hatched. How absolutely magical to see such beauty that had emerged from a tiny white speck of an egg so many weeks earlier. After a bit we took the container outside and unzipped the top, the butterfly crawled slowly toward the top and then flew out and slowly circled above us until flying off into the trees. I realized at that minute that it felt similar to taking our eldest son to college this year. We all create and provide a safe and nourishing environment for our ourselves, our children, and then we unzip the container and let go. May we all remember the potential that we all possess each time we see a monarch butterfly flit past.

So to celebrate this wonderful potential in each of us we are featuring some very exciting workshops this month. (see below for fliers).

We hope that many of you will come and explore the potential that lies in each of you with these wonderful teachers.

We are excited to have Devi Stern returning to Yoga Bent to present her Energy workshops.

This Sunday, Oct 9, she will present “Optimize Your Energy ” for anyone who wishes to learn techniques to improve energy and decrease stress.

She will then continue the following week (Oct 16) with “Dance with your Hormones” and teach techniques to help balance symptoms associated with our menstrual cycles such as mood swings, bloating and discomfort. Please see workshop schedule below:

We are also honored to have jyotish astrologer Suttvick Dutta returning Oct. 23rd, 2011 for an astrological workshop which is summed up as: Jyotish [Vedic Astrology] is the study of light. One of the founding principles of this subject is the Zodiac. The Zodiac is the basis behind the popular Sun Signs and has a direct connection with your physical and mental constitution. It is also the most important clue behind numerous other aspects of life like love, relationships, career, business and wealth. Please join us in an extensive session on Jyotish as we travel across the zodiac and dig deeper into the symbols of each zodiac sign.

In the session you will get exposure to the different branches of Jyotish and what each branch offers to one. If you have your Vedic Natal Chart, please do bring it with you in the session. If you don’t have it, then please have your birth details with you [birth time, birth date and birth place] for the session.

Souvik Dutta was initiated into Jyotish at the age of 8 by his Kul Guru Sri Nagendra Nath Dutta. Souvik has been trained in the Vanga (Bengal) school of jyotish and the Orissa School of jyotish.). He teaches jyotish to students across US and the world. He also conducts client consultations.

We would like to inform everyone about our newest instructor-Stephanie Adler. Welcome Steph!

Stephanie will be teaching the 1:00 pm MBB (Mighty Body Band) class each Tuesday. I would invite everyone to try stephanies class! (Stephanie is an awesome teacher-very adept and knowledgeable too)

Lastly, Miguel will be conducting another MBB (Mighty Body Band) certification and training. The training consists of twenty eight (classroom) hours and will begin November 5th, 2011 through December 10th 2011.

Classes will be held at YB on Saturdays from 12:15 until 4:15 pm. All are welcome to enroll.

This is also great opportunity to learn about human anatomy, physiology as it relates to yoga and, of course, about how to use and teach the MBB vi the latronica Method. Please contact Miguel at 847-977 1811 Cost of training is $250.00

Upcoming Yoga Bent workshops

Optimize Your Energy Workshop – October 9, 1:00-2:30 pm

Dance with Your Hormones Workshop – October 16, 1:00-2:30 pm

Jyotish: An Introduction to the Zodiac – October 23, 12:30 PM

Women’s Workshop: The Menopausal Transition –

November 6, 1:00-2:30 pm

Menopausal Transition Workshop – November 13, 1:00-2:30 pm

Happy Day, Happy Holidays

Miguel, Mary and the YB Staff

Hi Everyone– (including blast Marketing) thank you for such a great grand opening! Woow, we met so many nice people.

All your support was great. Thank you Yoga Bent Teachers for volunteering your time to make the event what it was…Great.

You guy’s are the best.

P.S. see the other pictures on this Facebook link

Miguel

April 2010 newsletter

Yea! Spring is in blossom!  Each day I head into our woods exploring each change from the previous day.  It has taken almost ten years of labor and love to regenerate our woodlands.  To see the wildflowers return and research each new find for identification is such a joy.  The woods are such a majestic place of wonder and miracles.  Such a transformation occurs each season.  Last month we showed a picture of the woodlands covered in snow.  This month you can see some of the wildflowers beginning to bloom.  Some I have identified: trillium (both white and red), spring beauty, false rue anemone, anemone, spring cress, buttercup, marsh marigold…..and it is only April. Each so beautiful and so unique.  The woodlands are a beautiful reminder to me for our life.  It is so easy to stride through the woods, disregarding where our foot may fall, or what damage it may cause.  Or we can quietly explore and celebrate each unique specimen we see.  Sometimes a treasure may be hiding next to a tree, or beneath the leaves from the prior year, only to emerge and be seen days later.  For me this is a beautiful metaphor for how we approach other conscious beings.  Let us all slow down, explore and look for the unique beauty within ourselves and others.

Miguel is busy getting the word out about the Mighty Body Band.  He is enjoying visiting studios throughout the city to introduce the Mighty Body Band and the proprietary chain of exercises that he has developed for TMBB.  He has loved reconnecting with old friends and practicing with many wonderful instructors. He also continues to explore new ideas and uses for the Mighty Body Band.  Check out the picture below using TMBB in a half lotus meditation pose.

Mary will be lecturing on menopause at the Midtown Athletic Club in Palatine, Illinois on May 19 2010.  All are welcome.

To combine our passions for the subtle and physical body we are currently developing our curriculum for our series “Exploring Women’s Health and Wellness through Yoga”.

We are planning our pilot series in Highland Park in June.  Stay tuned for our May newsletter for more information and dates.

P.S.  For fun.  Who can identify the wildflowers pictured below? Anyone know any therapeutic uses for any of them?

Welcome to the Yoga Bent news!
We are honored and so very excited to be sharing this space with everyone.
Miguel Latronica is our creative director and our mastermind of innovation and invention as well as our artistic designer.  Mary Farhi Latronica is a medical doctor who specializes in women’s health and has a holistic approach to wellness.  Together we have combined our passions and bring to our readers information on yoga and wellness: the physical body and the subtle body. We are excited because we know that we will learn as much from this exchange of ideas and information as we hope our readers will.

We attended the 2010 Yoga Journal Yoga conference in San Francisco last month to launch our newest patented product The Mighty Body Band. We are so excited by the positive responses we received from everyone that stopped by our booth to check out The Mighty Body Band. We wish that we had brought a video to tape everyone’s reactions when they tried The Mighty Body Band. The look of peace, tranquility and relaxation as they stood up is the typical response we see.  The sound effects would also have been wonderful to capture….generally a long drawn out “ahhh”!  One woman was so relaxed she left her shoes!  (She did return several hours later to reclaim them:)) It was a great weekend and we reconnected with old friends and met many new friends. Everyone loved the new product and we are busy answering calls and filling orders for The Mighty Body Band. Thank you to everyone for all your support and enthusiasm!

We are anxiously awaiting Spring in Illinois.  As I look out our woods are still blanketed with melting snow.  As I gaze upon the beauty of my winter garden I envision all of my exquisite wildflowers lying in wait…Is it time? No, not quite yet.  Everything has a time and for now the woods are becoming a little more alert.  The signs of change are there if we look and listen.  I have seen a robin return and the songbirds are so melodious as if they have news they want to share…..Spring is coming!

Recently in my practice (both medical and yogic) I have been reflecting on the amazing changes that I witness as I care for women.  As women, we have so much in common with nature.  We have an innate connection to the earth. The journey of our body is miraculous.  Beginning with birth, then on to the challenges of puberty with the hormonal, as well as physical changes that our bodies experience, to the monthly cycles and changes we all share, through the reproductive years and the incredible changes we experience should we choose pregnancy. Then to perimenopause and the years of fluctuating hormonal changes and eventually, the universe willing, we all will transition to menopause and our later years.  Wow! Throughout all of these personal physical and hormonal shifts we are balancing careers, families, friendships and our health. What a ride and what a gift to be a woman.   These are the areas I plan to explore in our Yoganews in the coming months.

KEYS TO A HEALTHY LIFE

This month we would like to focus on a topic for all of us, women, men and children.  I would like to review and share a few “keys” to a healthy life.

1. Exercise regularly.  Practice yoga regularly.  Even if it is only for a few minutes.  Next time you are in your favorite class try this:  After just three minutes, stop and close your eyes.  Explore your body.  You will notice a change in heart rate and breath, even after only three minutes!  I know that I sometimes fall into the rut of “I don’t have enough time”.  Go ahead, give yourself permission for just a few minutes or an hour!  Everything counts!

2. Maintain a healthy diet.  Try to avoid fast food and high fat foods.  Moderation in portions!

3.  Utilize appropriate supplements.  Note the word is supplements, not replacements.  Vitamins and supplements do not replace a healthy diet.
One example regarding supplementation is that many people are vitamin D deficient, especially here in the midwest winter months.  We get our Vitamin D either through sunlight, our diet (milk is the most common) or through a supplement, most commonly cholecalciferol (also known as D3).  There is a blood test to check your Vitamin D level to see if and what level of supplementation you may need.  Vitamin D has been shown to be important in cancer prevention, bone health, muscle strength and heart health, just to name a few. Another “heart healthy” supplement is omega 3 fatty acids.  The most common supplements for omega 3 fatty acids are fish oil and flax.  As with any supplements, it is important to talk to your doctor about what type and amount may be appropriate for you.

4. Schedule your age appropriate routine exams with your health care provider and schedule age appropriate cancer screenings such as mammography and colonoscopy.

5. If you smoke, Quit!  If someone you know or love smokes, encourage them to quit!

6. Practice self care to help reduce the daily stress of life. Massage, meditation and journaling are just a few wonderful tools.

7. Maintain your intimate relationships, both emotionally and physically. Open yourself up to others and what the Universe has to offer!

8. Maintain your connection to the spirit world, in whatever ways are meaningful for you. Practice Loving Kindness.

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Namaste and may the heavens and earth guide you on your journey.

Mary and Miguel