“Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” - Leonard Cohen’s Anthem
Join Anahata for the month of May as we find our way back into the sun.
Saturday, May 7th is our monthly volunteer potluck. This month’s potluck is back in Malcolm X park! Anahata’s Program Director and lovely teacher, Shawn Parell, will be teaching the community class open to all from 11am to noon. A volunteer meeting will follow from 12 to 12:30pm. Guest speaker, Jill Hall will be joining at 12:30pm to speak about the new ear acupuncture resource created by Nicole Mires and provided to the women at the wellness room. Please join and bring friends!
Continue reading 'May Volunteer Newsletter'»
General
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3rd anual Vegan Bake Sale, DC Global Mala, Donation classes, flow yoga center, KidPower, Leonard Cohen, Malcolm X Park, May, megan davis, Memorial Day, new ear acupuncture, Nicole Mires, Past Tense, Shawn Parell, Street Yoga, Vinyasa Flow, Volunteer Opportunities
Poster Girl, an academy-award nominated documentary, tells the story of Robynn Murray, an all-American high-school cheerleader turned “poster girl” for women in combat after her return home from Iraq and ensuing struggle with the debilitating effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Shot and directed by first-time filmmaker Sara Nesson, Poster Girl is an emotionally raw documentary that follows Robynn over the course of two years as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery and redemption, using art and poetry to redefine her life.
Please join us for the premiere of this inspiring film at the George Mason University Johnson Center Cinema on Wednesday, April 27th, 2011 at 6:30pm. Director Sara Nesson and subject Robynn Murray will appear in person for a post-screening talk. For more details please visit http://www.postergirlthemovie.com/.
Valentine’s day sent some love to the women of DASH, the District Alliance for Safe Housing, Inc., in the opening of the Cornerstone Wellness Room. Brought to you by Anahata Grace and funded by Verizon, services offered in this room will include acupuncture, acupressure, Thai massage, yoga therapy, cooking classes, and other wellness programs for women who have been victims of domestic violence. There to partake in the ribbon cutting ceremony was acupuncturist Nicole Mires, who shares with us a bit from her first day offering what wellness her hands are able to provide.
I had a great time yesterday. Anticipation on my way to the house… worrying if the women would like me, if they’d like the treatments, and if we could really make a difference here. I worked as a behavioral health counselor while I was in grad school, but that experience was years ago and miles away, and not a very positive one. I wondered if the women would look at me as a privileged middle class white girl with no experience of need or pain. I wondered if they would accept their treatments without me telling them “you can trust me, because I’ve seen the bottom”. I shuffled through these thoughts and insecurities and then I realized with a pang that my ego was running away with me. This isn’t about me. This isn’t about me being able to tell my friends and family, with my chin held high, that I was doing something selfless for someone else. This isn’t about my experience or my ego or my expensive shoes. I’m a conduit. The treatment works. The healing is in them, as they have probably already figured out. I’m just a conduit, and whatever I think I might be able to add to their healing is stubble and hay, burned away by their own curative fire.
Continue reading 'Room to Heal'»
DC Local Projects, Teacher Guest Blog
| acupressure, Acupuncture, anahata grace, cooking classes, Cornerstone Wellness Room, District Alliance for Safe Housing, Domestic Violence, Inc. (DASH), Nicole Mires, reiki, Ribbon cutting ceremony, Thai massage, Valentine's day, Verizon, yoga therapy
The inmates of William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility breathe life into the mission of Anahta Grace by demonstrating, yet again, the impact mindfulness makes on the soul.
Vipassana meditation is an offering made to those inhabiting this end of the line prison as an alternative to the daily grind of a life sentence. Vipassana simply means “seeing things as they are,” an offer that some would rather forget. This particular correctional facility, named after an officer killed at the prison, is reserved for the worst of the worst who have committed the ultimate egregious crimes. Some have chosen to try and regain some sort of balance back in their lives as an attempt to reconcile the horrible things they have done.
Continue reading 'Seeing Things As They Are, At The-End-Of-The-Line Prison'»
General
| An Unlikely Escape, anahata grace, At End-Of-The Line Prison, Balance, Correctional facility, Crime, Inmates, Meditation, Mindfulness, Mission, NPR, Officer, Peace, Prison, Silent meditation, Soul, Vipassana, William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility
Sick of the same old new year’s scene and the feeling you wake up with the morning after? Connect with the intention of new beginnings and community in this sacred and celebratory evening.
Purify through a vigorous asana practice, release through deep yoga nidra, and reconnect with your spirit through sacred silence – come ring in the New Year with Jivamutki.
Celebrate and Elevate
New Year’s Eve 2010 with Agi Glowacki and Justin Blazejewski
Date: Fri 12/31/2010
Time: 9:00 PM – Midnight
Flow Yoga Center, Washington DC
Purify through a vigorous asana practice, release through deep yoga nidra, and reconnect with your spirit through sacred silence.
9-10:30pm – Special Jivamukti class with Agi Glowacki
10:30-11:30pm – Yoga Nidra practice with Justin Blazejewski
11:30-midnight – Mauna (sacred silence), with traditional Puja ceremony and meditation
Midnight – Sparkling cider toast!
REGISTER HERE.
Proceeds from this event will benefit the important work that Anahata Grace is doing in bring healing to soldiers. Specifically the money will go towards the next “Troop Retreat” for veterans where, at no cost to the veterans, a team of trauma therapists spend 3 days helping them heal from the trauma experienced in war.
DC Local Projects, Events, Fundraising & Outreach
| Agi Glowacki, anahata grace, Asana Practice, Celebrate, Community, flow yoga center, Jivamukti NYE, Justin Blazejewski, Mauna, Meditation, Puja, Sacred Silence, Troop Retreat, Washington DC, Yoga Nidra
| While we aim to cultivate a sense of gratitude on a daily basis, it doesn’t hurt that we receive an annual reminder, just to reemphasize the importance of such a practice. Thanksgiving allows us to refocus our attention on that which makes our lives worth living, on the every day wonders we encounter by simply being present and living fully in each and every breath we take.So tomorrow, remember to take the time and bring awareness to that which you are most thankful for and, in doing so, don’t forget the reason why you are overflowing with gratitude – because you are you. As Walt Whitman notes: “O I could sing such grandeurs and glories about you! You have not known what you are – you have slumber’d upon yourself all your life.” |
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We hope to see you tomorrow at Megan Davis’ Thanksgiving Day workshop where as a community we can take pause to give thanks.
Warm oms,
Team Grace |
Please join Anahata Grace guest teacher Sierra Weaver for this Saturday’s Flow Yoga Center community meditation class. Let this Fall begin with restoration and self-nurturing through a mindful connection with our bodies – it all starts November 13th at 9:30 am.
Already thinking about Thanksgiving? We are too, as it’s just around the corner.
Yoga teaches us to be grateful for the present moment and unveils the primary principle of the universe, sri (abundance). So what better way to practice gratitude than for a Thanksgiving day workshop? Please join Megan Davis just for 2 hours this Thanksgiving day. The experience will entail 60 minutes of vinyasa and pranayama and 30 minutes of restorative poses followed by a 30 minute yoga nidra practice. All proceeds will go toward our mission here at Anahata Grace.
And don’t foget this Saturday’s community meditation/Anahata Grace donation class. This week Manisha Tare will honor us with her guidance through this practice at Flow Yoga Center at 9:30 am.
Hard to believe that November is around the corner, but as we start to think about this year’s Halloween costume, please take a moment to check out our November volunteer opportunities. We run because of your generous support of time and commitment to our mission.
Saturday, November 6th is our monthly potluck in the park! This month, the lovely Shawn Parell will be teaching the yoga class starting at 11am on the upper level of Meridian Hill Park. The class is open to anyone who would like to start their day with some flowing yoga under the trees, then stay for a special meeting lead by Michell Stanley focused on Anahata’s Wellness Room in a domestic violence shelter in NE DC. She will have details about the schedule, volunteer opportunities and answer questions you may have. Please join and bring friends – more details can be found here.Volunteer opportunities: if you’d like to learn more about one of the opportunities below, please email findinggraceyoga@gmail.com.
Continue reading 'November Volunteer Opportunities with Anahata Grace'»
DC Local Projects, Events, General
| Angela Cerkevich, Arlington, Boston Trauma Center, certified yoga teachers, Flow, flow yoga center, Georgetown Lululemon, Hala Khouri, KidPower, Manisha Tare, Meridian Hill Park, N Street Village, November Volunteer Opportunities, Off the Mat and Into the World's Leadership Training, Ricky Tran, Seane Corne, Suzanne Sterling, trainings, VA
Anahata is changing the face of it’s Flow Yoga Center donation class. This time around, the hour will be infused with restoritive and therapeutic moving meditation with a focus on scanning one’s body while allowing the mind to simply be observant. This will all take place in the stillness and silence of honoring one’s own personal meditation.
This weekly donation class benefits our non-profit which allows us to continue to provide yoga and wellness services to vulnerable populations in DC and abroad in post-conflict countries. We couldn’t do it without your support, so please join Joline McGoldrick this Saturday, October 22nd at 9:30 a.m. in honor of your personal yogic travels and those whom we aim to serve.
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