Greetings Yogis and Yoginis!!!  I have just returned from a week of Spiritual renewal in Montecito, having participated in Cynthia Bourgeault’s Wisdom School Part II. It was a fabulous setting, and fabulous teachings!!! I am refreshed, renewed, and recharged for the New Year. I look forward to our one day retreat this Saturday, 1/31, at beautiful Vina de Lestonnac in Temecula with many of you!!! At the studio this week, we will experience our Classic practice of Hatha Vinyasa Flow. Our mudra is “USHAS”, or the “Origin of all things Good”, and our Sanskrit focus ties in with our retreat theme for Saturday, “Sankalpa”, or intentions, goals, and self-will. Enjoy Peter Kater’s awesome music as you meditate on “I AM HERE”. I would like to express my extreme gratitude for all the wonderful teachers that subbed for me during my absence: Sophie, Leslie, Samantha, Hilani, Cherry, and Jen!!!

As always, we can’t wait to see you on the mat!!!—Namaste’, Deb

  This week is all about variety, and doing something different on the mat each day. Our Sanskrit focus is “LILA”, or practicing with a sense of playfulness. Our mudra is the classic thumb tip to index finger tip hand gesture for evoking connection with Universal Energy, “JNANA”. Our meditation focus is looking for beauty each and every day. The deadline for signing up for the Sankalpa Retreat is 1/24, so please register ASAP. As always, we can’t wait to see you on the mat.—Namaste’, Deb  Meditation Music: Wind

   Greetings Yogis and Yoginis!!!  I think most of us can resonate with this T-shirt statement from time to time!!! Are you worn, burned out, and stressed out from the aftermath of the holidays? We have the perfect solution, YOGA!!! This week Deb will be guiding you through a relaxing and renewing restorative yoga practice. Our Sanskrit focus will be “MUDITA”, or finding overwhelming JOY in life, and all that it is. The weekly mudra is “PUSHPAUTA”, or the flower mudra, which allows us to open to the joy of Universal Energy. Thus, our meditation focus is JOY. Enjoy the sacred sounds of Peter Kater and R. Carlos Nakai, as you meditate on joy this week. As always, we can’t wait to see you on the mat. Remember, you have until 1/24 to register and pay for the “Define Your Sankalpa Retreat”!!!—Namaste’, Deb

Greetings Yogis and Yoginis and Happy New Year!!! Our new Winter Schedule begins on Monday, 1/5/15. We welcome Hilani back to YFL, and Deb’s 4 p.m. class on Tu/Th shifts to 4:15 p.m., both will be Yin. Samantha is moving her PIYO class from Wednesday evening to Sunday morning from 8:30-9:15 a.m. All changes are posted on the website. This week we return to the use of hand weights, and bearing our own body weight within the practice of asanas. Our Sanskrit focus is “Maitra”, or lovingkindness, our Mudra is the “Rudra”, for strengthening and centering, and our meditation focus is “Moving Forward”. We welcome you back to the mat, and look forward to enhancing your practice in 2015!!!  We can’t wait to see you on the mat!!!—Namaste’, Deb     “Buddha’s Garden” by Bodhi for meditation

Greetings Yogis and Yoginis!!! We hope you had a wonderful celebration with family and friends for Christmas!!! We now prepare to enter into the NEW YEAR, 2015, here we come!!!  YFL is open and ready to serve up Restorative and Yin classes on Monday and Tuesday, closed Wed-Fri, and offering Yin and Restorative on Saturday. We wish all of you a very happy and prosperous NEW YEAR. Our new Winter Schedule begins on Monday, January 5th. The new class schedule will be posted on the website by 12/29, or you can check last week’s blog post for the details.

This week our Sanskrit focus is “SANKALPA”, or to set one’s goals, intentions, resolutions. Our weekly mudra is “DHYANI”, or the hand gesture for meditation and contemplation. Our meditation focus is “Opportunity”. Watch for the first newsletter of 2015. It will be on your email desk around 10 a.m. January 1st!!!  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! As always, we can’t wait to see you on the mat!!!  The meditation music is “Dream Dancers” by R.Carlos Nakai, enjoy!!!—Namaste’, Deb

Beauty is simplicity, and simplicity is beauty.

Merry Christmas from YFL!!!  We will have our full schedule available to you on 12/22, 12/23, 12/27, 12/29, 12/30, and 1/3. We will be CLOSED on 12/24-12/26 and 12/31-1/2 in observance of the holidays. Our NEW WINTER SCHEDULE will begin on Monday, 1/5/15. Deb’s 4:00 p.m. on Tu/Th is shifting to a NEW START TIME of 4:15 p.m, and both days will now be YIN!!! Hilani is taking over the Thursday morning Vinyasa Flow class at 9:15 a.m., and Samantha is moving her Wednesday evening PIYO class to Sunday morning from 8:30-9:15 a.m. Otherwise the schedule will remain the same.

This week we will be going “BACK TO BASICS” with a classic Hatha Yoga theme for class. Our Sanskrit focus is “Pratyahara”, or sense withdrawal, and our Mudra is “Ganesha”, or remover of all obstacles. Our meditation focus is “PEACE”, AUM SHANTI. The music focus is “Luna” by David Lanz. Have a wonderful holiday, and as always, we can’t wait to see you on the mat.—Namaste’, Deb

Greetings Yogis and Yoginis!!!

Come and stretch at the WALL, as we use it to produce isometric tension in our muscles, and deepen the effectiveness of our asana practice!!!  We have our normal schedule this week with one exception, and that is there will be NO 9:15 a.m. class this Thursday. I am also excited to announce that Hilani is returning to YFL on 1/8, as she takes over the 9:15 a.m. class on Thursday mornings. She will lead through a fun, and rigorous Vinyasa flow each Thursday morning.

The Temecula Valley Yoga Community raised $6100 for Project TOUCH via donation based classes at TYC over 12/12-12/14!!! It was a great effort for an outstanding cause, and we thank TYC for hosting, and we at YFL were honored to participate!!!

Our Sanskrit focus is “Samadhi”, or pure contemplation, our mudra is Ushas, to “connect to all things good”, and our meditation focus is JOY!!!

As always, we can’t wait to see you on the mat!!!—Namaste’, Deb  Our meditation music is “Shepard Me” by Ann Sweeton. ENJOY!!!

Greetings Yogis and Yoginis!!!

It is time to relax, renew, and restore this week at YFL, and what better time, than in the midst of the holiday rush!!!  Our Sanskrit focus is “Aham Prema” or “I am love.” Our Mudra for this week is the “Lotus”, which is the gesture for purity, and connecting to goodness. The meditation focus is “Light”. Enjoy Bhava Ram’s version of Om Shanti, as you meditate this week.

Kathy will be offering her monthly “Creative Soul Workshop” on Friday, December 19th @ 6:30 p.m., and the cost is a “Luv Donation”. Please try to register in advance.

The annual Project T.O.U.C.H. fundraiser is this weekend at TYC. All classes are by donation, a 100% of which, will go to the Project to help feed and cloth the homeless of Temecula Valley.

Now is a good time to purchase the gift of health for family and friends: A YFL GIFT CERTIFICATE, for either 5 classes @ $50, or 10 classes @ $90.

As always we can’t wait to see you on the mat!!! Have a phenomenal week!!!—Namaste’, Deb

Greetings!!!

Come join us and shed those Turkey pounds, as we focus on bearing our own body weight, and use hand weights during a segment of the practice, to elevate heart rate, stoke agni, and burn those extra calories!!!

Kathy offers her “Creative Soul Workshop” this Friday @ 6:30 p.m., and accepts a “love donation” for her teachings!!!

The PROJECT TOUCH fundraiser is fast approaching!!! Mark your calendars for donation classes at TYC on 12/12-12/14. The schedule is posted at YFL in the office, and online at Temecula Yoga Collective.

Our Sanskrit focus this week is “SHUM”, which means “to be inspired”. Our mudra is the “AJNA”, which helps us to connect to our “Higher” or “Authentic” Self. Our meditation focus is HOPE.  Enjoy the attached music, while you meditate this week.

As always, we can’t wait to see you on the mat!!!—Namaste’, Deb

Greetings Yogis and Yoginis!!!  Happy Thanksgiving!!! We will have our normal schedule of classes this week Monday through Wednesday, although the Wednesday night PIYO class with Samantha is cancelled. The studio will be closed Thursday through Saturday in observance of the holiday weekend. Normal schedule resumes on Monday.

This week’s classes will focus on “The Joy is in the Journey”, as we practice Classic Hatha Yoga, emphasizing slow flow, balance, and power. Our Sanskrit focus is “Bhakti”, or devotion with gratitude, and our mudra is “Buddhi” for improvement of our communication skills. Our point of focus for meditation this week is really a “no brainer”, gratitude. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday, and as always, we can’t wait to see you on the mat at YFL.—Namaste’, Deb P.S.-The music for meditation is Claire de Lune.

Greetings!!!  Come meet me at “The Wall” this week, as we use its benefits for isometric stretching through our asana practice. It is strong, deep, and effective, as it intensifies our muscle use, and will transfer into subsequent weeks of practice on the mat only.

Our Sanskrit focus is “Sharavana Bhava”, which is to align our awareness with the creative power of the universe.

Our mudra focus is “Vayu”, or the wind mudra, and is used to  improve digestion.

Our meditation focus or “dharana” is “creativity”. Enjoy Bhava Ram’s musical representation of “Ocean”.

Kathy offers her second “Creative Soul” workshop this Friday, 11/21, from 6:30-8:00 p.m., and Liana is hosting her monthly “Metaphysical Exploration Class” on Wednesday, from 7-9 p.m.

YFL is participating in a community fundraiser for Project Touch 12/12-12/14. The Temecula Valley Yoga community (29 instructors) will be offering free yoga/meditation classes over the course of those 3-days. We ask that you make a monetary donation (100%) of which will go to Project Touch to provide food, shelter, and clothing for the homeless and needy in our Valley area. This year the event is being hosted at The Temecula Yoga Collective. The free class schedule is posted at their website. Come enjoy some great classes for a very worthy cause.

As always, we can’t wait to see you on the mat at YFL!!!—Namaste’, Deb

  Greetings Yogis and Yoginis!!!  This week as you come to the mat at YFL you will either rise and shine to “restoration” on the mat, or meet the setting sun with relaxation and renewal. That is our physical intent this week, as we begin to prepare for the festivities of the holiday season, it is important to sustain time for nurturing ourselves.

Our Sanskrit focus is “Rasa Hum”, or the essence of life. Our mudra for this week is the “Pran”, which is used to revitalize and energize the whole body, and to improve our vision.

The dharana or focal point for our meditation this week is “intention”, or Sankalpa. Enjoy the soothing music of Bhakti Heenam, as you meditate. Have a wonderful week, and as always, we can’t wait to see you on the mat!!!—Namaste’, Deb

   Greetings from YFL, and happy November!!! This first week of the month we will return to sculpting, toning, and strengthening with the use of hand weights, and a heavy emphasis on bearing our own body weight. As always, the use of hand weights is optional. Our mudra focus is “Purusa”, or “Spirit” or “Individual Soul”, and our mudra is for improving our respiration and clearing our bronchials, the “Bronchial Mudra”.

This week’s meditation focus is actually for the entire month, and that is expressing gratitude. Enjoy the music that I have attached for your meditation times. Also, Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey start a new 21-Meditation challenge, 11/3, and it is FREE!!! Sign-up online!!!  Have a great week, and we can’t wait to see you on the mat!!!  P.S.-Kathy Crabbe offers her first Creative Soul workshop on Friday, 11/7 @ 6:30 p.m.  Details are in this month’s newsletter.

Greetings yogis and yoginis!!!  This week with Deb is Classic Hatha yoga on the mat. The sequence that Deb has selected will enhance your flexibility, range of motion, and strength. It will include progressive and deeper back bending toward the wheel.

The Sanskrit focus is “VAK”, or the “Power of Speech”, and realizing that we may hone in on this powerful tool with mantra and chanting.

The mudra for this week is “Mushti”, or the fist hand gesture, which activates the liver and stomach, raises their energy, and promotes good digestion.

Our meditative focus is the following quotation: “A wise man once said nothing.”—Anonymous   The meditation music is “Om Shanti” by Bhava Ram

As always, we can’t wait to see you on the mat!!!—Namaste’, Deb

Greetings!!!

What fun we had this past week celebrating YFL’s 8th Anniversary!!! Now we move forward into our 9th year together!!!  We are humbled at your continuing support of our teachings!!!

This week join Deb at the wall, as we use it as an isometric prop, for intensifying our poses through its resistance.  The mudra this week is “Vajrapradama”, or the gesture of unshakeable trust. The Sanskrit focus is “Ram”, or delightful!!!

This week’s meditation focus is unity or oneness, and your dharana is the inserted music by Bhava Ram, “Imagine”.  Enjoy!!! As always, we can’t wait to see you on the mat.—Namaste’, Deb