Valentine's Day Treats For Earth Lovers
Eco-Friendly Gifts Under $10
Surfrider San Diego Yoga Donation Classes at Trilogy Sanctuary
Trilogy Sanctuary is excited to partner with The Surfrider San Diego Chapter to aid in their mission for clean water and beaches!
WHAT: Donation YOGA classes for Surfrider San Diego
WHEN: Saturdays at 10:30 am on outdoor Sky Deck
WHERE: 7650 Girard Ave, Suite 401, La Jolla, CA 92037
HOST: Trilogy Sanctuary - organic + vegan cafe, yoga studio & event space
Only cash donations please, arrive early due to limited mat space and enjoy an organic meal or drink post class!
MESSAGE BELOW FROM SURFRIDER:
WHY WE FIGHT FOR CLEAN WATER AND HEALTHY BEACHES
Our ocean, waves and beaches are vital economic and ecological treasures, which we depend on for our livelihoods, recreation and future. But there are numerous threats to clean water and healthy beaches, including polluted runoff, offshore drilling, habitat loss, development, climate change, plastic in the ocean and trash on the shore. Now, more than ever, it is important for each of us to get involved and create scalable change from the ground up to protect our ocean, coasts and planet for this and future generations.
The Surfrider Foundation and our network of coastal defenders have been working to protect the ocean and coasts for 33 years. In the past decade, the Surfrider network has achieved more than 400 victories, representing coastal wins for beach access, coastal preservation, healthy beaches, ocean protection and clean water.
These significant coastal victories would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our incredible network of supporters, members, partners and volunteers, who stand up day in and day out to help protect our ocean and coasts. With decreased federal support to environmental agencies, renewed threats from offshore drilling and the ongoing battle to protect clean water and healthy beaches, Surfrider’s grassroots network is more critical than ever. Our local activism and stewardship allow us to continue to advance proactive policies at the state and local levels, while our network’s vast coverage across the U.S. provides an integral front line of defense from threats.
What are you fighting for? Become a member today to be a part of the solution and watch the video, “What Are You Fighting For?”
Long Live Clean Water and Healthy Beaches!
THE ANTI-AGING HACK YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RIGHT NOW (HINT: YOU’RE PROBABLY ALREADY DOING IT)
I became completely addicted to hot power yoga when I was living in London. Yes, it was the endorphins, but in a city where it was cold and wet about 10 months out of the year, it was the only way I could get my sweat on. And you know what sealed the deal? When I started getting compliments on my skin from my husband’s grandmother (thanks, Nan!).
After moving to San Diego, it took about six months, and lots of try-before-you-buy packages, before I finally found my new yoga home, Trilogy Sanctuary in La Jolla. Why am I telling you about my yoga studio? Well, one morning I was wandering bleary-eyed into my 7am class when I happened upon a piece of paper explaining the benefits of infrared heat.
Before that point, I had never really thought about it. The room seemed a little warmer than usual, but not nearly as hot as what I was used to. Here is what it said:
As a beauty treatment, the penetrating heat of infrared heat therapy works wonders by reducing the appearance of crow’s feet, fine lines and wrinkles. In addition to helping heal scars, wounds, and cuts, it also smooths skin’s texture, lessens coarseness and reduces pore size. Infrared heat therapy is also a natural way to aid aches and pains from arthritis, fibromyalgia and other health-related disorders.
Instantly, it all made sense — the aches and pains I had been suffering with for years were disappearing (I am not even exaggerating). I’m more flexible now than I have been in for as long as I can remember. And the added bonus is that each yoga class comes with a side of anti-aging?!
So, what exactly is infrared light? After a bit of research, I discovered that it is radiant heat and the natural part of sunlight that feels warm to the skin. It is free of the nasty UV rays making it completely safe (FYI: they also use it in hospitals to warm newborn babies). It feels less stifling than the heat traditionally used in saunas or hot yoga studios because the heat works directly on your skin while only 20% of the infrared light heats the room.
In the words of Trilogy owner Leila Dora, “Infrared heat is a type of light. It is very similar to the light emitted by sunlight except that it is invisible to the naked eye. What that means is that is instead of heating the room with a heavy, overpowering heat, it gently heats the body from the inside out.”
Benefits of infrared heat:
*Assists the body with detoxification
*Gives skin a healthy glow
*Boosts metabolism
*Increases blood flow and circulation
*Stimulates immune system
*Reduces appearance of wrinkles
*Helps to diminish scar tissue
*Aids in the recovery of injuries
Know what else I found? Infrared heat also helps to breakdown fat and cellulite. Nuff said?
Have you tried a yoga class with infrared heat? Or maybe you are a Trilogy tribe member? Tell us about it in the comments below!
LIVING YOGA OFF THE MAT WITH SEVA: IN SERVICE OF OUR OCEANS
Guest blog post written by Ashok Deniz with contributions from Amanda Alls, Chris McKenna, Kimberley Schulz, Christine Hennes and Samantha Young - all trainees from Rachel’s 200-hour Spring Yoga Teacher Training at Trilogy Sanctuary.
Earlier this spring, our spring yoga teacher training gathered at their local beach to participate in “Seva,” the Sanskrit word for “selfless service.” Equipped with gloves, bags (thank you Surfrider Foundation for inspiration and materials!) and lots of love, they began to collect discarded trash to help create a better environment for the community. The process inspired many interesting conversations (including some with curious onlookers) and meditations, some of which are shared below.
“THE CONCEPT OF SEVA IS DEEPLY INTERWOVEN IN THE TAPESTRY OF YOGIC PHILOSOPHY”
Seva is work performed without any thought of reward, and giving with no need to receive, solely for the sake of everyone involved. Blessed action, some might call it. As Rachel taught, the concept of Seva is deeply interwoven in the tapestry of yogic philosophy. A recurring theme of the yoga sutras is that of universal interconnectedness, which naturally leads to the idea of selfless service. The concept is also one of the central tenets of the classic text, the Bhagavad Gita. In a scene that plays out on what might be considered the battlefield of personal growth, Krishna counsels Arjuna that action be performed entirely without regard to the fruits of the action. The Gita also links this idea with the Yoga of Love (Bhakti yoga) and Karma Yoga, where life is lived to its fullest with a deep sense of love and surrender. Devotion and selfless service are also central messages of other philosophies. Martin Luther King himself stated that “service is the greatest form of spiritual practice.”
The gorgeous La Jolla oceanic context of the Seva was close to heart for many in the Vasantha YTT cohort. One noted that “I know for me, nature has always served as external connective tissue between head and heart, a fulcrum of balance in my life. It is my church, my place of surrender. I have always been drawn to it, learning early on growing up in Hawaii that the ocean is a life source and as such how important it is to care for it. The ocean provides us so many things. Along with sustaining our global ecosystems, she teaches how to dissolve into something complete and greater than anything we as humans can comprehend.”
The beach clean-up was therefore an ideal Seva opportunity for the tribe. Comments from tribe members included, “I am consistently striving to be environmentally aware, particularly regarding my consumption and generation of waste. I do this not for me but with the knowledge of the ocean as the sustainer of all things and with hope that some effort will benefit our mother, the Earth. Seeing trash at the beach and in the ocean to the degree that it exists is incredibly overwhelming and devastating.” and “Participating in seva, for the earth very generally and for the ocean more specifically, is in my opinion the least we can do. We owe it to her.”
“THE CONNECTIONS OF PEOPLE’S DAILY LIVES TO THESE INTRUSIONS AND ENORMOUS NEGATIVE IMPACT FOR THE OCEAN AND THE ENTIRE GLOBAL ECOSYSTEM BECAME MUCH MORE APPARENT”
As they picked up trash, the tribe became more aware of the broad extent of the problem. While it is usually obvious that there are sometimes large pieces of trash on the beach, it was the huge number of tiny pieces of plastic (microplastic) that was particularly eye opening and time-consuming to clean up. The connections of people’s daily lives to these intrusions and enormous negative impact for the ocean and the entire global ecosystem became much more apparent. As the tribe worked, some onlookers asked about what they were doing and thanked them for their efforts. Clearly, the Seva activity had increased awareness of the trash issue and need for action beyond tribe members alone.
“THE GREATEST THREAT TO OUR PLANET IS THE BELIEF THAT SOMEONE ELSE WILL SAVE IT”
At the end of the Seva, Rachel and the tribe formed an unbroken circle, sharing their thoughts and inspirations from the afternoon. As always inspirational, Rachel shared a very apt quote by Robert Swan "The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it", a vital call to continuing action. While tribe members felt proud that they had played a small part in helping with the beach trash problem, there was the general feeling that the impact of the activity had been far greater. The actions of the tribe and beachgoers, intentional and unintentional, have the potential to trickle down into day-to-day lives, adding to a community of people that are conscious of how they can help protect our planet. In a broader yogic context, sentiments included, “This opportunity not only improved the physical environment of the beach, it created a unique lesson on what yoga really is. It's not merely asana and OM mats, it's the ability to embody service in our actions and through our practice.” and “The experience made me realize that seva needs to be a part of my life--not just once in a while, but routinely, consistently. It's as much a part of living a good life as any other.” And last but certainly not least, “Thank you so much amazing Rachel for organizing and inspiring us with this humbling and remarkable experience!”
Thank you to the San Diego chapter of Surfrider Foundation for providing tools for our beach clean-up. Your dedication to spreading awareness and facilitating events within the community is a valuable and necessary resource that benefits our local beach communities and global preservation of our planet's oceans - learn more about the Surfrider Foundation.
If you’re interested in expanding your knowledge of Yoga beyond asana to cultivate a more yogic approach towards life, then learn more about Rachel and her upcoming 200-hour yoga teacher training this fall.
The Spell of Chemistry
They seemed to be luminescent, ethereal, all sitting together underneath a structure of cascading silks and candles lit ablaze. How did they all find each other, these glowing creatures? What chemistry bound the seemingly radioactive figures so that they gathered under the Full Moon at Trilogy Sanctuary?
There was no magic fairy dust that granted these humans a life of ease and joy. Their effortless dancing and explorative nature shone in each fire-lit baton and feather adorned costume, but these expressions are the symptoms of the labor of love. None of them has lived a life without a fair share of pain and struggle. Each creature proved home to a story of a once lost sense of self, an isolation that drove them mad, or a paralyzing fear of extending beyond a comfort zone. What rings true of human nature, is when lost, we tend towards isolation, which renders us unreachable and therefore helpless. “I’m different,” says fear. Now that “I’m different,” no one will understand me. And what’s worse is the reaction or vice I use to cope with being different is embarrassing, and I must hide it along with myself. We fear that no one and nothing will break the spell.
And so we find the community, our Tribe. A garden of humans who work together to grow as a whole. A labor of love. BIG love, the strongest antidote to fear and emotional paralysis. It really is funny that the last thing a depressed being wants is to be in a group, because they feel so obviously “different”.
Alone we are different, but together we belong.
The Tribe, strong and practiced, understands this feeling and has grown stronger beside it. These are the people who had to overcome the “different” once too in order to experience bliss. These are the people who seem to glow as they walk the streets with a lightness to their aura. The Tribe members. Most of these radioactive angels hardly know how to introduce themselves without an embrace. And it’s not just a hug. The hug is a symptom of and a metaphor for the way of being, where everything done is an act that closes the distance between hearts.
Maybe it’s only a hug. But maybe it’s more; a gesture that mends the chest and all its cavity’s innards together in a way that makes it whole so it too can radiate. The tribe reaches its arms out to heal, and to dance in the ease that is life’s sweetest nectar and most decadent bliss. All at once, the lonely is embraced as another has chosen to hold them as they bridge the gap between fear and freedom. When a broken heart enters the tribe, it is seen, heard, and nurtured. Body, mind, and soul.
