The Mystic, art expression and landing in the world.

How do you teach drumming to a child soldier with no fingers? How can movement as simple as yoga stretching be a part of a revival plan for men who spent years in cells where moving was a reason to be beaten? Thousands of war survivors having seen and survived the most brutal sights and personal violations are experiencing art expression as a healing tool.

Art expression has the power to transform because it connects you to your essential self. The part of each of us that is connected to the greater good that is unbreakable, unaffected...no matter how dire the events.

I took a course at St. Stephen's College at the U of A called ‘The Mystic and the Artist’ in early March, where we explored spiritual development and awareness through art expression. A mystic is simply a person who is seeking to know about the spiritual world. Art expression is creating for the sole purpose of connecting you to your own inner world. Period. This form of art has no expectation of great return (money) and certainly no expectation of grants, art skill or technique. I loved it.

Like Yoga, music, dance, drumming and writing, art is a form of expression of life. It is communication that is initiated from within to convey or connect outwardly to the world, to the divine. The transformational power of any of the mediums is in the connecting, the linking of disparate parts of the self, the connections of me to you.

Imagine for a moment engaging in an activity whose sole purpose is to connect? Consider also the myriad of activities we engage in that are missing deep connecting, whereby we are simply going through the motions and doing without intention? When we connect to ourselves, moment by moment, daily or even sporadically, life takes on a completely different meaning. The mystic aims to increase this divine experience and decrease the dull moments of complete unawareness.

From my perspective, all of this inner work loses credibility if it cannot be expanded and applied to the world. It has to land in the world, in the now. It has to have an impact on those I might be able to help; it has to have transformational power!

After a week of art expression, I was completely transformed. I experienced incredible connection with parts of me I had left behind decades ago. The biggest surprise though, was the fact that this art form had a landing in the world, a practical application toward the work that is being asked of us.

Art expression is used in war torn parts of the world like Sierra Leone and Bosnia where survivors are so traumatized by their experiences that the notion of psychotherapy and talking things out seems absolutely ridiculous. Yet... everyone can drum, paint, create, express, see and connect. And heal.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Free DJ'd Spring Dance! Come dance with us Saturday April 10th, 7:00pm: Ecstatic Dance class and Acro Yoga demonstration followed by full DJ'd dance music by NCF Astral Harvest Kootenanny Motion Notion Symmetry, compliments of Twyla Martin. Come and celebrate with us and send Sonny Davis off on his Marathon of Freedom. For more info see www.marathonoffreedom.com.

Have a taste of classes offered at Lion's Breath by enjoying an unlimited amount of classes for 2 weeks for only $30*
*applies only to new students of Lion's Breath

Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/lionsbreath and Twitter www.twitter.com/lionsbreath for news and updates!

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS

Prenatal Partner Yoga
Date: Sunday April 11th, 2010
Time: 6:00 – 8:00pm
Price: $40 +GST
Instructor: Sandy B

Drum Circle
Date: Saturday April 17th, 2010
Time: 5:00 – 7:00pm
Price: $20 +GST
Instructor: Marcus

Restorative Yoga Workshop
with Sound Meditation
Date: Saturday May 1st, 2010
Time: 3:30 – 6:00pm
Price: $37.50 +GST
Instructor: Colin

Kettle Bell Workshop for Women
Date: Saturday May 2nd, 2010
Time: 1:00 – 4:00pm
Price: $75 +GST
Instructor: Lance

Kettle Bell Workshop for Men
Date: Sunday May 9th, 2010
Time: 1:00 – 4:00pm
Price: $75 +GST
Instructor: Lance

Partner Yoga
Date: Saturday May 29th, 2010
Time: 5:00 – 7:00pm
Price: $45 +GST
Instructor: Dawn

Paint Shakti Mural Workshop
Date: Saturday May 29th, 2010
Time: 5:00 – 7:00pm
Price: $45 +GST
Instructor: Dawn

Berg Lake Hike & Yoga
Date: Saturday June 24th, 2010
Time: 5:00 – 8:30pm
Price: $99 +GST
Instructor: Dawn

More information online at www.lionsbreath.ca/workshops.

RETREATS

Seven Day Chakra Juice Cleanse and Yoga Retreat

Experience a guided spring chakra juice cleanse that will open you to the possibilities of change and inspire sustained evolution throughout the summer and fall. Sessions include daily juice, daily yoga, journaling and meditation.

Please pre-register by April 12th as a week of preparation is required.

Date: Monday April 26th – Monday May 3rd, 2010
Time: 6:00am – 6:00am
Price: $299 +GST
Instructor: Dawn

IMMERSIONS

Anusara® Yoga Part 1, 2 & 3 Immersion with Barrie Risman

Part 2 Immersion: May 28th - June 1st, 2010 (32.5 hours)
Part 3 Immersion: Fall 2010, dates to be announced

Registration: $650 +GST each level

The Anusara Yoga Immersion program is a great journey into Anusara Yoga philosophy and technique, and provides a powerful framework for your own deepening relationship with the practices of asana, meditation, pranayama, study and contemplation.

The Immersion curriculum, designed by John Friend, the founder of Anusara Yoga, is both educational and transformative. The complete program is 108 hours, and is divided into 3 parts. The Immersion program leads students to become Anusara-Inspired teachers and is the pre-requisite to any Anusara Yoga Teacher Training Program. And, it's open to all students who have been fired up by this practice and want to understand more deeply what it's all about.

This program will be offered by Barrie Risman, one of Canada's leading certified Anusara Yoga teachers and teacher-trainers. To learn more about Barrie, visit her website: www.barrierisman.com