To order the complete CD of the sample music
playing on this website,
email us at:
mantrameditationmusic @gmail.com
(916)-944-8505
The Greatest Gift - February 2009
A Note from Uddhava dasi
Friends,
We're looking forward to spending time with you at our upcoming "Rest, Reflect, Renew" retreat this month, as well as seeing you at our Vegetarian Cooking Class in March.
With Spring just around the corner and many pleasant days ahead, our door is always open. Feel free to drop by anytime with your family and friends to enjoy the atmosphere here at Lotus Garden.
Our garden is a fantastic place to relax and unwind while gazing over the park-like grounds, listening to the waterfalls, or just sitting back and relaxing with a warm cup of tea out by the koi pond...
We sincerely hope you enjoy our monthly newsletters. We'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to our yoga teachers by featuring a little about each one every month.
In our February issue, meet Xenia, a dedicated and fantastic teacher. Her love of yoga shines through in her teaching and her classes. Enjoy an invigorating level II class taught by Xenia on Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM, or come Wednesday evenings at 5:00 PM for her Level I/II class.
Thanks again to Janna for putting these newsletters together each month.
Namaste,
Uddhava dasi
The Greatest Gift
Hello Friends,
I wanted to share a little bit about myself and how meditation has changed my life for the better.
Before I discovered meditation, I spent many years searching for peace and happiness. I thought I would find happiness if I earned a title, had a respected job where I was able to help people, got married and lived happily ever after in a dream home. To my surprise, after my dreams came true, I was still lonely, anxious and lost.
I was fortunate to find Lotus Garden Meditation Center on a dark, lonely night after a painful break up. I will never forget how happy I felt when I experienced meditation. I practically skipped to my car because I felt so good.
I've been meditating for about five years and the more I focus on my meditation, the more simple serenity I feel every day of my life. I have healthy relationships, healthy eating habits and a very healthy lifestyle. And it's all because I've received The Greatest Gift, "The Gift of Meditation."
At Lotus Garden Meditation, we understand that times are difficult. The poor economy affects everyone and we hope we can provide some shelter from "the storm" of stress, fear and anxiety by offering you "The Gift of Meditation."
Free Meditation Classes are offered throughout the week:
"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor touched ... but are felt in the heart."
~Helen Keller
"Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul."
~Henry Ward Beecher
"With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity."
~Kashavan Nair
Gauranga Breathing
(Pronounced Gaur-Ra-Ang-Gah)
1. Find a comfortable seat.
2. Let your breath become slow and deep.
3. When your breathing is more relaxed, begin the meditation by saying Gaur- Ra- Ang- Ga in your mind as you inhale
4. When you exhale say Gaur- Ra- Ang- Ga outloud. Stretch out the sound so that it takes up the whole exhalation.
* Practice for 5-10 minutes to relieve body and mind tension.
* Gauranga breathing is a wonderful way to begin your day and to melt into your sleep.
Healthy Tip of The Month
The Benefits of Tofu
Tofu is an easy to digest food made from soybean curd and is often substituted for meats, cheeses and some dairy products because of its healthful properties.
Tofu is a healthy food in many low fat, low cholesterol diets, and is regarded as a healthy part of high protein low-carb living. Tofu offers many valuable nutritional benefits including high concentrations of B-vitamins, easily digestible proteins, isoflavones and calcium. B-vitamins and isoflavones have been attributed to reducing menstrual and menopausal symptoms.
There are three different kinds of tofu: silken, soft and firm. Silken tofu is used for blending with other foods because of its creamy consistency. It can be used to replace higher fat options such as cream cheese and is great in cheesecakes. Silken tofu can also be used to make smoothies and delicious soups. Soft tofu is used more for dishes such as lasagna. Firm tofu can be diced up as an alternative to meats, sauteed with vegetables, added to salads, soups, casseroles. Depending on how you slice, dice or crumble it, it can be used to make vegetarian "meat" loafs, mock chicken, sandwich slices and breakfast burritos. Stay tuned for upcoming recipes to learn how to make all these delicious and simple dishes!
Many healthy, delicious recipes use tofu as an alternative as tofu takes on the flavors of the foods it's combined with.
You can find tofu in supermarkets, including Safeway, Raleys and Trader Joe's in the refrigerator sections.
Recipe of The Month
BarbecueTofu
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons cornmeal
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
Better yet, join us for a vegetarian cooking class on Saturday, March 7 from 1-3pm. Visit our website for more information.
Featured Teacher of The Month
We've asked Xenia to share a little about herself with you.
Xenia Guido
I grew up in San José, Costa Rica, and went to college at CSU Chico, California, thanks to a Fulbright Scholarship. Upon graduation I returned to Costa Rica for a couple of years and then came back to California. This is my home sweet home, I simply love it.
Today I work as a web developer for the State of California and teach yoga (my true passion.)
I discovered ashtanga yoga in 2003 while attending a 3-Day Juice Fast Retreat. Just imagine the irresistable combination of fasting and sweaty vinyasas. From that day on I knew I wanted to learn more, do more, and be more yoga. There was no doubt, I had found my inner yogini.
My 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training is from Kripalu, a Yoga Center in Massachusetts. I also have studied with Baron Baptiste, Teacher Training Level 1 and Personal Revolution Bootcamp in Maya Tulum, Mexico (100 hrs). And my dear teacher whom I see more regularly is Rusty Wells, in San Francisco, Weekend Warrior Teacher Training (100 hrs).
My name, Xenia, comes from a Greek word that means hospitality. Honoring my namesake, as a yoga teacher, it is my intention to hold a safe and welcoming space for students to open up to the subtle benefits of yoga, to find their edge, to honor their bodies, and to connect with all that is beautiful within.
Join Xenia Wednesdays, 5 to 6:15pm Level I/II and Sundays, 9 to 10:30am Level I/II.
Upcoming Event
Healthy
Tasty
Satisfying
Learn how to improve health and vitality through healthy eating choices. Includes demonstrations, explanations, a sampling plate, recipes to take home with you along with loads of practical tips.
We now offer Tuesday morning yoga. Start your day with this invigorating & strengthening class. We've had many requests to add another morning yoga class. Beginning in February, Gena will be teaching our Yoga Asana Level I/II class.
Hello Friends, 
We've asked Xenia to share a little about herself with you.
I discovered ashtanga yoga in 2003 while attending a 3-Day Juice Fast Retreat. Just imagine the irresistable combination of fasting and sweaty vinyasas. From that day on I knew I wanted to learn more, do more, and be more yoga. There was no doubt, I had found my inner yogini. 
