Saying Goodbye to 2011

Dear Friends and Yogis,

A short pause to reflect before classes start again on January 3.  I cherish these times of reflection, my perspective shifts and clears as I ease into these precious moments alone.

It is with a sense of gratitude that I say goodbye to 2011, a year of so much change and growth it is astonishing to think it all happened. Here at Island Yoga Vista we are flowing well with this river of change and I hope that you are as well.

I will share with you some of the changes here.  Graduating from The American Institute of Vastu Shastra in May was a highlight for me personally.  Since completing the Practitioners level course I have done 27 rectifications on homes and business in Nanaimo and area. If you are not sure what Vastu is I am giving a Public Talk at Lobelia’s lair in the Fitzwilliam Mews on Friday, January 27, 7:30-8:30pm.

Another  exceptional experience was meeting James Swartz at a weekend workshop  on Salt  Spring Island in July   I then travelled to Oregon to spend a week studying the Yogic Scriptures with him and it has changed my life. Cathy Valentine and Thommas Michaud are in India now continuing the study on a two month course with Ramji (James) On their return we will have lots to share with you .  On March 2 we will have a Satsang with Simon Thomson of  Victoria and on April 22 Cathy Valentine will hold a workship on Yoga Philosophy as well as a deepening of our asanas. You can read about Ramji (James Swartz) at  at www.shiningworld.com  , and see more about these events and workshops in that section of this website.

Anita Kalnay has been travelling  down from the Comox Valley monthly to do massages in our little Spa room and has been very successful right from the start with full bookings and a growing clientele. I hope she will continue to make the journey to offer this service in 2012  as she has become a wonderful addition to this healing space.

My own Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy sessions have expanded to include two new hands on healing techniques as well as helping people to create healthier home environments with the use of Vastu.  It is very fulfilling to be able to offer what I can of these Vedic Sciences for the health and well being of our clients.

The Nanaimo Art Walk was a fabulous community event which we participated in for the first time in 2011. Yoga and Art are my two life long passions, both of  which I have been fortunate to explore in some depth over many years. It is in the past four years of painting that I have begun to become a little more public with my paintings and the support has been wonderful. We will participate in the next Art Walk in June as well as having a showing of paintings at the Serious Coffee shop in Southgate Plaza midFebruary, for 6 weeks.

Our weekly Yoga Classes continue to provide a strong foundation for this yoga studio.  For the past 15 years IYV has served the public of Nanaimo with the vastness of  what Yoga offers. In addition to our yoga classes, this year Thommas Michaud has been teaching Tai Chi and Chi Kung to a very dedicated group of students and has demonstrated to all how highly trained and skilled he is as a practitioner and teacher.  As well Mary Jo Fulmer started teaching a Dnce/Movement Therapy Class which none of her loyal students are able to describe, including myself. Clearly this class is an experience beyond words (at least for now) . MJ is a masterful teacher and welcome addition.  We will need more dancers to keep this going so please come and give it a try, dropins are welcome.

These were a few of the many blessing of 2011, sometimes challenging and always fruitful and positive.  In reflecting on these blessings I feel my enthusiasm sparked for the coming New Year and the surprises it will no doubt bring. I focus my mind on how much Island Yoga Vista has to offer and the grace with which it changes and grows with the support of nature and our community.

What we put our attention on naturally grows stronger in our lives and the gratitude we feel brings grace in abundance.

With a feeling of gratitude for the support of our clients, everyone reading this letter, our friends and the community of Vancouver Island, I now move my focus to what I would like to manifest for 2012. (In my private journal!)

Many thanks and warmest wishes to all for great success, health and happiness in 2012.

Sandra Sagarmurti Shotton