I know…you’ve all been waiting for it. Here is your official EPF survival guide for navigating 2011. Brought to you by Bruce Lee.
Empty your mind
Be formless…shapeless. Like water
Now you put water into a cup..it becomes a cup
Put it into a teapot..it become a teapot
Now water can flow or creep or drip or CRASH
Be water my friend
One of my favorite SF Yoga Teachers, Darren Main is conducting weekly Hatha Yoga Classes on the Labyrinth at the Grace Cathedral. Sliding scale and no-one turned away for lack of funds. My kind of thinking. After class I always walk down California Street to Cordon Blue French / Vietnamese restaurant at in the Polk Street District. 1574 California St, 94109
When: Tuesday’s at 6:15 PM
Where: Grace Cathedral, 1100 California Street, San Francisco [map]
Cost: Donations
More fashion tips from the ORIGINAL Mormon Cult Housewives
The Tassajara Zen Center, approx 4 hours south of San Francisco is one of those amazing spots that I wish I had discovered much earlier in life. I now take an annual pilgrimage to the center where I participate in their Summer Work Practice. I have found that working with the residents and volunteers at the center allows for a much richer experience of the place. ( The rate is $60 per day).
The center is very diverse and Queer friendly, attracts adorable, fun people and is a perfect spot to land when you need to drop out of the modern world for a bit….or for the rest of your life.
I generally join the morning meditation with the monks, do 3.5 hours of work in the kitchen and then head to the hot springs bathhouse overlooking the river is where I would spend the afternoon doing yoga and reading.
photo: Alison Bank
Guests are always welcome to join the residents for meditation and chanting every morning and evening. During guest season free instruction is offered.
Two more things. No electricity or cell phones and the food is amazing. Some of the best I’ve ever had.
Comfort & Joy Brings Playa Magic To The City!
Saturday, Mar 13, 2010
Where: Mama Calizo’s Voice Factory 1519 Mission @ 11th
Comfort and Joy, the group that hosts the largest Queer Burning Man contingent, are presenting a new cultural model that focuses on community, celebration and spiritual awareness…I like it. They are calling this event a fun filled, educational, regenerative, homocentric urban retreat.
LEARN: In daytime homofocused playshops -
REJUVENATE: In the cosy chill space -
MEET: Friends old and new -
GET DOWN: With hot boys on or off the dancefloor. -
BE AMUSED: With fun surprises all day long -
BE DAZZLED: At the evening “SkinnyFat” dinner theater cabaret -
DANCE: your ass off late into the night Schedule of events and student supplies will be updated here, at www.playajoy.org/queericulum
Suggested attire: Fabulous comfortable pajamas Juices, sodas, refreshments, food and meals will be available for purchase.
Yoga Kula.
I was hearing a lot about Anusara Yoga and decided to check it out. Truth is, I wasn’t really into yoga until I experienced an Anusara Yoga class led by Katchie Ananda at Yoga Kula. The studio itself is a beautiful, light filled room with a wall of windows overlooking the Mission District.
The style of Yoga is very spacious with an emphasis on breath and philosophy. Katchie in particular weaves a dharma talk throughout every teaching that always reaches my heart and soul.
See schedule for Katchie
My other favorite teacher there are Skeeter Barker who does a sliding scale class on Mondays. Anusara Yoga is a school of Hatha Yoga which unifies a life-affirming Tantric philosophy of intrinsic goodness with Universal Principles of Alignment.
5 million stars
Where? 3030A 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94103
See class schedule and workshops
Resources for the Urban Mystic.
I first met Darren a few years back when he was conducting Naked Men’s Yoga in The Sunroom at Mission yoga. I generally don’t care for strenuous or sweaty classes but Darren manages to deliver both and make it a grounding and ecstatic experience.
Last year I attended his amazing week long yoga retreat in the desert at Joshua Tree National Park. An amazing experience both physically and spiritually. What impressed me most about the retreat was the way in which Darren holds a leadership role without PLAYING the leadership role. I have to say that I just plain like him as a person and respect his dedication and hard work.
Darren has a well developed website which is a great resource for information and inspiration around yoga and modern spirituality. He has written 4 very well respected books and several audio-casts which you can listen to on his website. He generally teachs at Yoga Tree, Mission Yoga and the Grace Cathedral.
“Although every aspect of life should be spiritually inspired, a mystic realizes that taking time each day to connect with spirit is the bedrock on which everything else in life is built. Without some form of daily spiritual practice, life as an Urban Mystic is impossible”.
Class Schedule
Visit Darren’s Website
Darren’s Blog
Naked Men’s Yoga at Mission Yoga
