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Lotus Garden Meditation Center
Namaste Friends,
I hope this newsletter greets you in good health and happy spirits. We are moving through summer and experiencing a unique year that has been blessed with summer days which are cooler than usual. This is giving us all an opportunity to spend more time outside in nature with family and friends.
Midway through the summer is also marking time that we are half-way through yet another year. This is a great opportunity to re-visit our own personal goals, those which bring our lives into more balance and move us toward our higher purpose in life.
Each year it's important that we don't just strive to survive but strive for internal growth, wisdom, and inner spiritual fulfillment. That will really be the bank account that matters when it is all said and done.
Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on outward circumstances. - Benjamin Franklin
Happiness resides not in possessions and not in gold; the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul.
- Democritus
Hopefully, we are all helping one another move in the right direction and not getting swept up in which ever way the river of material life is flowing. We hope to offer you a place of discovery and renewal here at Lotus Garden. Thank you for all your kind support and friendships.
"True friendship brings sunshine to the shade, and shade to the sunshine." ~Thomas Burke
"The Soul may lose its peace and even disturb other people's, if we are always criticizing trivial actions - which often are not real defects at all, but we construe them wrongly through our ignorance of their motives."
~ St. Teresa
"People travel to wonder at the height of the mountains, At the huge waves of the sea, At the long course of the rivers, At the vast compass of the ocean, At the circular motion of the stars, And yet they pass by themselves without wondering." ~St. Augustine
"Lord, grant that our time together be steeped in serenity, sweetened by sharing, and surrounded by the warm fragrance of your love."
~Emilie Barnes
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Mantra Meditation
Gopala Govinda Rama
Madana Mohana
Yoga Makes Us Real
A flower is by nature soft, sweet and fragrant. So too, are we. By nature, we are tender, sensitive beings, desiring love and peace. As we make our way through life however, we encounter so much anger, jealousy, competition, exploitation, etc. that we begin to appear hard, even to ourselves. Still, in the depths of our hearts, we remain soft; desiring always to love and be loved. To love is the happiness and nature of the soul.
In this fast-paced, impersonal world, we often grow tired of relating to others in a superficial manner, devoid of real love. We are tired of having friends, but never really knowing them; tired of going to parties but feeling alone; tired of working, but feeling aimless; tired of studying, but never gaining true knowledge; tired of being constantly busy, but never being fulfilled. These frustrations can often be an impetus for us to open new doors and seek out deeper aspects of our life.
We should strive to get past the hardness and artificial fronts we may encounter as we relate to others. When we strive to feel real love for others, we see each living being not as a thing or an object to use, but as a spirit-soul, a spark of God, dwelling within a particular type of body. These bodies are like clothing covering the real person. The body may be man or woman, black or white, young or old, Christian or Hindu, rich or poor - but we are not these bodily labels or designations.
Without understanding this, we keep trying to develop an artificial identity. We create an image for ourselves based on what we see in the media and according to who we want to be "friends" with. But true friendship is not superficial. It is a soul-to-soul, person-to-person relationship, which transcends all external designations.
Because we are all living beings, parts and parcels of the Supreme Being, we are all relatives in the truest sense of the word. If I love the Supreme Spirit, then that love will expand to everyone. This is the path of Bhakti yoga. Through the practice of Bhakti yoga our soft, loving nature becomes revealed. We can relate with people on a very real level because we see them for who they are - a child of God to whom we are eternally related. As our love for the Supreme is awakened, we begin to drink from an ocean of unlimited love, making it easy to transcend the superficiality of this world and truly love others.
Upcoming Events
Walking Through the Seasons:
Life on the Pacific Crest Trail
Saturday July 17th, 2010
7-9pm
$10-20 per person (sliding scale)
A fun and relaxing evening for the hiking enthusiast!
Saturday, July 17th there are still some openings for Diane Goettlicher's "Life on the Pacific Crest Trail," a slide show photo journal presentation in which Diane shares experiences of her 2,650 mile hike from Mexico to Canada.
Grab your friends and come out to Lotus Garden for an evening of inspiring photos and informative hiking tips.
Enjoy our beautiful pool!
Summer is here...
Relax and cool off with a dip in our pool before or after yoga!
Meet our new additions!
Our outside cats:
Gaurangi, Kalki, and Syama -- (who was too shy to get her picture taken.)
Give the gift of wellness anytime with a gift certificate for Yoga or Tai Chi classes at Lotus Garden Meditation Center.
The attractive gift certificates come in an envelope and are available in any denomination, or for a specific number of classes.
Ongoing Events
Kirtan and Bhagavad-gita class:
Fridays 7-8:30pm
Meditation Classes:
Wednesdays 7-8:30 pm
Thursdays 5:30-7 pm
Saturdays 3:30-5 pm
Sundays 11-12:30 pm
All programs free of charge
Health Tip
The Dirty Dozen Vs. The Clean Fifteen
A recent study by the EWG (Environmental Working Group), a non-profit organization which focuses on public health, examined 100,000 produce pesticide reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to determine which fruits and vegetables eaten in the U.S. have the highest, and lowest, amounts of chemical residue.
The study found that the following fruits and vegetables, known as the Dirty Dozen, contained the highest amounts (anywhere from 47 to 67 pesticides) per serving.
The Dirty Dozen
Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Domestic blueberries
Nectarines
Sweet bell peppers
Spinach, kale and collard greens
Cherries
Potatoes
Imported grapes
Lettuce
One reason these 12 have such high levels of pesticides may be that these fruits and vegetables have soft, permeable skins which make them more susceptible to absorbing pesticides.
At the same time, the EWG found that the following list of non-organic fruits and vegetables, named the Clean 15, contained very little or no pesticides, perhaps due to their strong, outer layer which provides them with protection.
The Clean 15
Onions
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Mango
Sweet peas
Asparagus
Kiwi fruit
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet potatoes
Sweet onions
Studies have found a possible link between pesticides and certain health problems such as cancer, ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and nervous system disorders. Some doctors warn that children's developing brains are the most sensitive to pesticides.
So how can we protect ourselves against harmful chemicals which are finding their way into our food supply?
If possible buy organic produce. If not, at least buy organic varieties of those items on the Dirty Dozen list.
Wash all produce with running water, regardless of whether it's organic or non-organic, to remove dirt and potentially harmful bacteria. You can also use a fruit and vegetable wash.
According to Dr. Philip Landrigan, chairman of the department of preventive medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, people who eat mostly organic food reduce the pesticide level in their body by 95 percent in only two weeks.
This is a recipe that has been used in a past vegetarian cooking class at Lotus Garden. It is a delicious, crowd-pleasing salad that is easy to prepare and presents like a gourmet side dish. Use organic spinach if you can!
Makes 4 servings
1 9-ounce bag fresh spinach leaves
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium red onion, halved, cut into 1/3 inch thick wedges with some core attached.
1 7-ounce package feta cheese, coarsely crumbled
2 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar
Place spinach in large bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add onion; sauté until brown and softened, about 7 minutes. Transfer to bowl with spinach; remove skillet from heat. Add remaining 3 tablespoons oil and cheese to skillet. Stir to melt cheese slightly, about 1 minute. Stir in vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over spinach; toss to coat and wilt slightly.
Yoga Asana
Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana)
Level: Moderate Benefits: Stretches the hips, ankles, shoulders and chest. Cautions: Knees, shoulders
How To:
Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3
Sit on the floor with your legs outstretched.
Bend your knees and slide your right foot under your left leg and bring the right foot along the left side of your body. (fig 1)
Slide your left foot to the right of the body and, if you can, lay your left thigh on top of your right with the knees directly in line. (fig 2)
Move your feet slightly away from your body and encourage the right sitting bone to sit firmly on the floor.
Raise your right arm and bend the elbow to allow the hand to drape down your spine.
Slide your left arm around the back of the body and reach up to hold your right hand.
Point your right elbow directly up and lift up through the spine while you relax your hips.
Modifications
If your right hip lifts off the floor place a cushion or folded blanket under your left hip to even them up.
If hands don't meet behind the body place a belt or strap between them.
Sit on a folded blanket to help the spine extend upward.
To Deepen
Increase the stretch across the front of the shoulders by moving your hands away from your back a little.
For a deep stretch try leaning forward over your knees. (fig 3)
Gem of Wisdom
"One who works in devotion, who is a pure soul, and who controls his mind and senses is dear to everyone, and everyone is dear to him. Though always working, such a man is never entangled."
~Bhagavad Gita 5:7
New Student Special!
14 Days for $14
(pay $14 at your first class then come to as many classes as you like within the following 14 day period)
New student introductory special valid at Lotus Garden Meditation Center for first time students, includes Yoga asanas and Tai Chi.
A flower is by nature soft, sweet and fragrant. So too, are we. By nature, we are tender, sensitive beings, desiring love and peace. As we make our way through life however, we encounter so much anger, jealousy, competition, exploitation, etc. that we begin to appear hard, even to ourselves. Still, in the depths of our hearts, we remain soft; desiring always to love and be loved. To love is the happiness and nature of the soul.
Celery 
Avocados 
