'The Place I Want to Get Back To', by Mary Oliver

The Place I want to get back to is where in the pinewoods in the moments between the darkness and first light two deer came walking down the hill and when they saw me they said to each other, okay this one is okay let's see who she is and why she is sitting on the ground, like that, so quiet, as if asleep, or in a dream, but, anyway, harmless; and so they came on their slender legs and gazed upon me not unlike the way I go out to the dunes and look and look and look into the faces of the flowers; and then one of them leaned forward and nuzzled my hand, and what can my life bring to me that could exceed that brief moment? For twenty years I have gone every day to the same woods, not waiting, exactly, just lingering. Such gifts, bestowed, can't be repeated. If you want to talk about this come to visit. I live in the house near the corner, which I have named Gratitude.

Thank you to Erica Gragg, owner of Escape to Shape, for posting this poem on Facebook recently...it was one I had never read. Join myself and Erica Gragg on an AMAZING adventure Marrakech, Morocco (May 8-15). All details and registration information can be found on the our Retreats page.

'Abundance' by Melissa Fedi

I don’t know what I was thinking when I accepted this assignment to write about abundance. What do I know about it? Do I experience it? Is it present in my life??

Initially I flashed back to my Protestant roots, and the minimalist attitudes I grew up cultivating, of how much I put on my plate at dinner of my favorite mac and cheese, how much my Mom would spend on a pair of jeans (she would be shocked now), learning to fly below the radar to avoid getting in trouble. And later, to how much money I have in the bank, what’s in my fridge, and is there enough?

On any given day, the idea that I am alone in this world, or that I haven’t accomplished enough or that I won’t get what I want can keep me stuck in my head. Each opportunity for breath, for practice, for being where my feet are, is an opportunity to move past the material abundance, or lack of, and to be a companion of the spirit, the soul. How do I get there? That which Patanjali describes as; “all the obstacles disappearing and simultaneously dawns the knowledge of the inner Self (1:29)”.

Abundance is defined by Webster’s as; 1. An extremely plentiful or over sufficient quantity or supply, 2. Overflowing fullness, 3. Affluence, wealth. This idea of abundance initially seemed counter to my yoga training, and Patanjali’s eight limbed path, specifically the Yamas. The fifth Yama, aparigraha meaning non possessiveness, non hoarding or non grasping-can these two ideas exist in concert?

Yet the simplicity of bringing my feet together, and breathing in and out. Breathing in again and circling my arms up, exhaling and folding over my legs, inhaling and lengthening my spine, exhaling and bringing my legs back into low push up, inhaling and straightening my arms and arching my back, and at last exhaling and rolling over my toes to an inverted “V”, downward dog. In a total of 5 breaths I can change my view of my life and my world. Often how good or bad my life is, is dependant on my perception of it.

I can visualize all that I have with a simple gratitude list, but to experience it is to feel the openness of my chest and lungs in matsyasana, fish pose or the power of the ocean under me on my paddle board, or feel the crush of the fall leaves under my feet.

Melissa teaches: Tuesdays 9:30am, Wednesdays 5:30pm and 7:15pm, and Sundays 8:30am

Yoga in Tulum, Mexico with Jessica Bellofatto!

January 5 - 11, 2010

Casa de Miel never fails to provide us with an amazing backdrop for lots of Yoga, lots of relaxation, and a lot of laughs. On this most recent trip (April 2009) the group bonded quickly, as it always seems to when people are in a place where it is so easy to let down our habitual defenses and drop more easily into our true selves. Please join us for this return retreat!

CASA DE MIEL translated literally means THE HOUSE OF HONEY and is the newest addition to the Eco Chic Resorts set on a beautiful part of the of the beach in Tulum, Mexico. Casa de Miel offers relaxed accommodation like no other in Tulum. Rooms are spacious, with attention to detail throughout. The restaurant serves fresh fish, local Mexican produce and the tastiest mango margaritas in the Riviera Maya.
If you are looking to get away from it all, look no further.

Please contact us for more information about this retreat!

Rates & Registration: Double occupancy accommodations, which include all Yoga, meals, snacks, amazing papaya smoothies and a group temazcal (sweat lodge) start at $1,650 per person. Single occupancy is $2,000. Price does not inlcude airfare or airport transfer. Space is very limited so early reservations are essential! A non-refundable $500 deposit secures your space.

Deborah ~ Renowned Psychic Medium is coming back to the East End!!

Monday, November 23rd, 7:30 pm

Deborah will lead us in a guided meditation…to open the chakras - bring in Universal life force energy and connect us with departed loved ones (or guides) She also 'receives' messages as well during this time and will pass along anything she gets. Deborah will bring a special, individualized statement or “message” for anyone who makes a reservation by Friday, Nov. 20th. To make a reservation for the Meditation Circle please email: Theresa Roden at captains@hamptons.com make sure to include the full names of those attending.

What: Meditation Circle
Where: KamaDeva Yoga Studio, East Hampton (Entrance in rear of building upstairs)
Cost: $20

Deborah also has a limited number of private appointments available for Tuesday, November 24th. An hour session is $300, a half hour session is $150. If you are interested email Theresa ASAP as there are only a few openings left. For more information about Deborah, visit beingknowingdoing.com.

Gregory Scherick and 'The Process' Return to KamaDeva Yoga!

Saturday, December 5, 6-10:00pm

Greg Scherick and his life transforming workshop is a spiritually-based technology that permanently transforms unwanted beliefs at the very bedrock of origin. It represents a radical new approach to healing that effortlessly unravels entrenched, stubborn behavioral patterns unaddressed by traditional practices such as psychotherapy, religion, new age thought, and other established approaches to wellness. The arrival of The Process heralds a new era in psycho-emotional rehabilitation that may one day prove as significant as the revolutionary discoveries made by mental health pioneers more than a century ago.

The Process Continues…

"When I last checked in, I had swallowed the truth pill, mesmerized by what Greg was able to do at the barn and his capacity to give each person exactly the experience that they needed to feel seen. Through my ongoing exposure to The Process I was starting to feel the changes inside of me, but wondered whether these changes would start to show up in my life.... A couple months ago, I decided to move out of my old apartment on Thompson Street and find something that something that suited me more. I couldn’t bear looking at places with brokers. It made my stomach turn. So I asked for help from friends and was led to the most beautiful sublet. Everything about it felt right to me in the most peculiar way. It had nothing to do with its size or anything like that. In fact, I was so drawn into the place that it was not until I spent my first night there and went to brush my teeth that I realized there was no sink in the bathroom..."
Continue reading Shana's story

Investment: $300 (through November 28th), $350 thereafter
For more information about The Process, visit ilovetheprocess.com
To sign up, please follow this link: ilovetheprocess.com/signup
If you have any questions, please contact shana@ilovetheprocess.com

Look forward to seeing you there!

Jessica Bellofatto at East Yoga!

ASK and YOU SHALL RECEIVE..Starting this week, I will be teaching a group class in NYC at East Yoga, Kari Harendorf's cozy space in the heart of the East Village. I will be teaching the "Express" Class from 12-1pm on Wednesdays...look forward to seeing you all there!!

Nikki Costello will be Teaching at Vira Yoga!

Nikki Costello, who graced us with her wealth of knowledge and boundless energy this summer, has returned to NYC, but will be back one weekend a month starting in November to re-join the KamaDeva schedule. Please CHECK OUT her classes at Vira Yoga in the city, beginning in October- Second Tuesdays of the Month, 2-3:30pm:

'Intersections ~ Posture. Breath. Meditation'
Discover points of physical connection where the breath becomes free and the mind becomes clear.  This precise balance harmonizes the nervous system, removes fatigue and builds a resilient and luminous inner body.

Welcome to the World Bodhi Fox!

And CONGRATULATIONS to East Yoga owner (and KamaDeva teacher) Kari Harendorf and her husband Michael Cohen on the birth of their son Bodhi Fox Cohen, born Thursday, October 30 at their home in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. I am honored to have been in attendance at this birth as Kari's doula, along with the most amazing midwife I have ever met, Cara Muhlhahn (who was featured in the Ricki Lake documentary 'The Business of Being Born.' WELCOME TO THE WORLD BODHI FOX!!!!!

New Yoga Teachers at KamaDeva Yoga

We also would like to welcome teachers Marissa McNaughton and Kate (Lalita) Rabinowitz to the KamaDeva Family!

$90 for 90 Days of Unlimited Yoga!*

Take advantage of this amazing offer available for New Students or for those who have not visited us since May 15, 2009. After your 90 days are up, our 'Get Paid to Do Yoga' program continues to save you money!

Get Paid to Do Yoga!*

In your 90 day period, if you took 50 or more Yoga classes, you can then SAVE $50 on your first month of auto-renew membership. Took 40 classes? $40 off. 30? $30 off, and so on. Auto-Renew is basically a membership to KamaDeva Yoga. We offer the best auto-renew deal in the Hamptons at only $108/mth. You must make a 4 month minimum commitment, but may cancel after that (why would you want to?).

Much Love and Peace Always,

Jessica